Automatic all-purpose trap for catching small animals alive

摘要

An automatic trap comprising an outer cage and a drum-shaped inner cage rotatably disposed about an axle within the outer cage. The outer cage has an outer opening which is, in the operative position of the trap, aligned with an inner opening formed in the inner cage to permit entry of a small animal into the inner cage. Within the inner cage there is pivotally and non-rotatably disposed a treadle means on the axle. The treadle means engages at its lower, free end a slot in a smooth side wall of the inner cage, thereby locking the inner cage in place when the trap is in its operative position. The treadle means is then actuated when the animal entering the inner cage contacts the treadle means, thereby releasing it and causing the inner cage to rotate relative to the outer cage by movement of the animal. The inner cage is then locked by a locking means disposed in the outer cage which locks the inner cage in a position in which the outer and inner openings are no longer aligned. The animal, seeking to escape, then moves out from the inner cage through the inner opening into the outer cage. The locking means is then released from engagement with the inner cage when the animal depresses a treadle portion of the locking means. The inner cage is then caused to rotate back to its operative position by means of a counterweight provided with the inner cage at a point opposite the inner opening, and the inner cage is thereafter locked in its operative position by the treadle means. The automatic trap is particularly useful in catching small animals such as mice and rats alive and unharmed, one by one. It is simple in construction and operation, and suitable for economical large-scale manufacture. The trap can be used, without the counterweight and the treadle portion of the locking means, for catching a single small animal.