Fully enclosed mouse trap with guillotine killing mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10548307-B2
Application number	US-201615267582-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2016
Priority date	Sep 16, 2016
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

An enclosure-type mouse trap having a compact footprint with a curved or U-shaped mouse pathway leading to a guillotine killing mechanism is provided. The trap has a bottom assembly, a top assembly, and a removable disposal door. The bottom assembly includes a pivoting link element operatively engaged with the top and bottom assemblies to set the trap and control the position of an entrance door that provides access to the trap interior.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mouse trap comprising:
a trap enclosure having a bait door aperture and an entrance opening;
a bait door associated with the bait door aperture;
an entrance door mounted adjacent the entrance opening and having an open position when the trap is set and a closed position when the trap is tripped, the entrance door being spring biased to the closed position;
a trigger mechanism including a trip pedal and a catch operatively engaged with said trip pedal;
a guillotine oriented substantially perpendicular to a floor of the trap enclosure and having at least a lower part extending into said trap enclosure, said guillotine configured to engage with said catch and be held above the floor when the guillotine is pulled into a set position, said guillotine including a peg extending outwardly from a lower end thereof;
a link element operatively coupled to said guillotine and said entrance door to open said entrance door when said guillotine is pulled to the set position, said link element including a slot therein for engaging with said guillotine peg so that movement of the guillotine also moves the link element and the entrance door; and
a guillotine spring biasing said guillotine to move to a lowered position adjacent the floor when the guillotine becomes disengaged from said catch through movement of the trip pedal by a rodent inside the trap enclosure, downward movement of the guillotine acting on the link element, through said engagement of said guillotine peg with the link element slot, to allow the spring-biased entrance door to move to the closed position.

2. A mouse trap comprising:
a trap enclosure having a bait door aperture and an entrance opening;
a bait door associated with the bait door aperture;
an entrance door mounted adjacent the entrance opening and having an open position when the trap is set and a closed position when the trap is tripped, the entrance door being spring biased to the closed position;
a trigger mechanism including a trip pedal and a catch operatively engaged with said trip pedal;
a guillotine oriented substantially perpendicular to a floor of the trap enclosure and having at least a lower part extending into said trap enclosure, said guillotine configured to engage with said catch and be held above the floor when the guillotine is pulled into a set position;
a link element operatively coupled with link element engaging structures on said guillotine and said entrance door so that said link element opens said entrance door when said guillotine is pulled to the set position, said link element having a rear end, a front end and a middle portion therebetween;
said link element engaging structure on the entrance door including an outwardly projecting door peg, and said link element engaging structure on said guillotine including an outwardly projecting guillotine peg, said door and guillotine pegs being received within respective door and guillotine slots in the link element so that movement of the guillotine also moves the link element and the entrance door through engagement of the pegs within the slots, said door slot being elongated in shape and being formed in said front end of said link element, said guillotine slot being an elongated aperture formed in said middle portion of said link element, engagement of the guillotine peg in the guillotine slot when the guillotine is raised to the set position lifting the front end of the link element which, in turn, causes upwardly directed engagement of the door peg with the door slot to lift the entrance door to the open position; and
a guillotine spring biasing said guillotine to move to a lowered position adjacent the floor when the guillotine becomes disengaged from said catch through movement of the trip pedal by a rodent inside the trap enclosed, downward movement of the guillotine acting on the link element to allow the spring-biased entrance door to move to the closed position.

3. The mouse trap as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said trap enclosure is formed by a lower housing part, an upper housing part and a disposal door, said lower housing part having side walls, a floor and a front panel, said bait door aperture and said entrance opening being formed in said front panel, said disposal door being positioned at a rear end of the trap opposite the front panel.

4. The mouse trap as set forth in claim 3 , further comprising a central dividing structure that extends from said front panel into said trap enclosure to define, with said side walls and said disposal door, generally U-shaped mouse pathway extending from said entrance door to said bait door through the trap enclosure.

5. The mouse trap as set forth in claim 4 , wherein said central dividing structure includes a pair of parallel walls extending rearward from the front panel and defining a channel therebetween, said link element being pivotally mounted in said channel.

6. The mouse trap as set forth in claim 5 , wherein said central dividing structure includes an enlarged portion located rearwardly of said parallel walls, said enlarged portion being separated from said parallel walls by a slot, said guillotine peg extending through said slot and into the guillotine slot in said link element.

7. The mouse trap as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said entrance door includes an arm, said door peg projecting outwardly from said arm.

8. The mouse trap as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the link element is wholly contained within the trap enclosure.

9. A mouse trap comprising;
housing defining a trap interior, said housing including side walls, a floor and a front panel, said front panel having a bait door aperture and an entrance opening;
a bait door associated with the bait door aperture;
an entrance door mounted adjacent the entrance opening and having an open position when the trap is set and a closed position when the trap is tripped, the entrance door being spring biased to the closed position and configured to close the entrance opening in said closed position, said entrance door including an outwardly projecting door peg;
a curved rear disposal door opposite the front panel and a central dividing structure that extends from said front panel into said trap interior to define, with said side walls and said disposal door, a U-shaped rodent pathway that extends from said entrance door to said bait door, said central dividing structure including a pair of parallel walls extending rearwardly from the front panel and defining a channel therebetween;
a link element pivotally mounted in said channel, said link element having a rear end, a front end and a middle portion therebetween, said rear end being pivotally mounted to the floor, said front end having an elongated door slot that receives the outwardly projection door peg, and said middle portion including an elongated aperture;
a trigger mechanism including a trip pedal positioned in said pathway and a catch operatively engaged with said trip pedal;
a guillotine configured to engage with said catch when the guillotine is pulled into a set position, said guillotine including an outwardly projecting guillotine peg that engages with the elongated aperture in the middle portion of the link element so that when the guillotine is raised to the set position, the link element pivots within the channel to lift the front end of the link element which, in turn, causes upwardly directed engagement of the door peg with the elongated door slot to lift the entrance door to the open position; and
a guillotine spring biasing said guillotine to move from the set position to a killing position when the guillotine becomes disengaged from said catch through movement of the trip pedal by a rodent inside the trap interior, movement of the guillotine

Assignees

• Woodstream Corp

Inventors

• Hertzler Todd

Classifications

• A01M23/02

  Collecting-traps · CPC title

• A01M23/36

  with arrangements for piercing the victim · CPC title

• A01M23/18

  with pivoted closure flaps · CPC title

• A01M27/00 Primary

  Apparatus having projectiles or killing implements projected to kill the animal, e.g. pierce or shoot, and triggered thereby · CPC title

• A01M23/08

  with approaches permitting entry only · CPC title