Bait apparatus for animal cage trap and method of baiting using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12568952-B2
Application number	US-202016858131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2020
Priority date	Apr 26, 2019
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

A live catch animal cage trap having a multi-use bait apparatus in a rear end of the trap is provided. The bait apparatus includes a base plate secured to the rear end of the trap and a cover. The base plate has a cutout that is operative with an opening in the wire mesh of the trap rear end to enable the user to reach into the trap interior through the aligned cutout and opening, while the cover closes the cutout and opening for use. The bait apparatus preferably also includes a removable receptacle having a side wall, an apertured front wall, and an open back. With the side wall and front wall being inserted through the cutout and opening, bait is placed into the receptacle through the open back which is then blocked by closing the cover to enclose the bait while allowing the scent thereof to escape through the apertured front wall to attract a target animal to be trapped. The cover may be further provided with apertures to increase bait odor dissemination.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A live catch animal trap comprising:
an animal enclosure having a trap body and an animal access opening facilitating entry into a vacant interior sized to receive an animal to be trapped; an entry door movably mounted at the access opening, the entry door operative in an opened position to reveal the animal access opening and in a closed position to block the animal access opening; a setting mechanism for fixing the door in the opened position; a trip mechanism that when activated allows the door to move to the closed position; and a bait apparatus mounted at a rear end of the trap and enabling a user to bait the trap without accessing the animal access opening, the bait apparatus including:
a planar base plate mounted to an exterior wall of the trap body on a rear face of the planar base plate, the base plate defining a cutout aligned with and secured over an opening in the exterior wall of the trap body;
a receptacle arranged within the cutout for holding a portion of bait and including an apertured front wall, a sidewall extending around a perimeter of the front wall, and a flange extending outward from the sidewall on an end opposite the front wall; and
a cover selectively securable on and directly flush simultaneously to an exterior side of the planar base plate and to the receptacle, the cover movable between a closed position in which the cover is arranged over the cutout, and an open position in which the cutout is exposed to an external environment, wherein:
the base plate and the cover each define a fastener opening formed therethrough;
the fastener openings of the base plate and the cover are aligned with the cover in the closed position and expose a wire of the enclosure therethrough;
a shared fastener extends through the cover and the base plate with the cover in the closed position, the shared fastener including a fastening end engaging with the exposed wire for securing the cover in the closed position;
the base plate defines a slot on a front face opposite the rear face, the slot disposed opposite the fastener opening; and
the cover defines a bent tab having a free end adapted to engage with and extend through the slot to a rear of the base plate for allowing the cover to move between the open and the closed position with the tab retained within the slot.

2 . The animal trap as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the exterior wall is a rear wall of the trap body opposite the entry door.

3 . The animal trap of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle comprises a removable receptacle selectively receivable within the cutout of the base plate and having an open back open in a direction away from the trap and through which bait is placed into the receptacle, the cover closing the open back of the receptacle in the closed position.

4 . The animal trap of claim 1 , wherein the flange extends in a plane parallel to a plane defined by the front wall, the front wall being received through the cutout of the base plate and the rear wall opening with the flange abutting the base plate.

5 . The animal trap of claim 1 , wherein the cover defines an integral recess extending into the cover in a rearward direction away from the rear end of the trap with the cover in the closed position, the recess having an open front opening in a direction toward the trap with the cover in the closed position.

6 . The animal trap of claim 5 , wherein the receptacle is removable from the trap and separable from the cover, the receptacle selectively receivable within the cutout of the base plate and having an open back opening in a direction away from the trap and through which bait is placed, the cover closing the open back of the receptacle when the trap is in use.

7 . The animal trap of claim 1 , wherein the shared fastener includes a quarter-turn fastener.

8 . The animal trap of claim 1 , wherein the planar base plate includes a body with edge fasteners, distinct from the shared fastener, and securable to an adjoining wire mesh enclosure on a rear wall thereof.

9 . The animal trap of claim 1 , wherein the shared fastener is fixed to the cover independently of a state of engagement of the fastening end with the exposed wire, and the cover is hingedly attached to the base plate.

10 . The animal trap of claim 1 , wherein a mounting plate of the shared fastener is fixed to the base plate.

11 . A bait apparatus mountable to an enclosure of a live animal trap, comprising:
a planar base plate including a cutout formed therethrough for mounting to the enclosure; a removable receptacle in communication with the cutout of the base plate for holding a portion of bait, the receptacle including an apertured front wall, a sidewall extending at least partially around a perimeter of the front wall, and a flange extending outward from the sidewall on an end opposite the front wall; and a cover selectively securable on and directly flush simultaneously to the base plate and the removable receptacle for closing a side of the cutout and defining an integral recess extending into the cover in a rearward direction away from the base plate with the cover in a closed position relative to the base plate, the recess having an open front opening in a direction toward the base plate with the cover in the closed position, wherein:
the base plate and the cover each define a fastener opening formed therethrough;
the fastener openings of the base plate and the cover are aligned with the cover in the closed position and expose a wire of the enclosure therethrough;
a shared fastener extends through the cover and the base plate with the cover in the closed position, the shared fastener including a fastening end engaging with the exposed wire for securing the cover in the closed position;
the base plate defines a slot on a front face thereof opposite the fastener opening; and
the cover defines a bent tab having a free end adapted to engage with and extend through the slot to a rear of the base plate for allowing the cover to move between the open and the closed position with the tab retained within the slot.

12 . The bait apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the receptacle is selectively receivable within the cutout of the base plate and having an open back through which bait is placed into the receptacle, the cover closing the open back of the receptacle with the cover in the closed position, the bent tab extends perpendicular to the base plate in the open position and extends parallel to the base plate in the closed position.

13 . The bait apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the flange extends in a plane parallel to a plane defined by the front wall, the front wall being received through the cutout of the base plate with the flange abutting the base plate independent of the position of the cover.

14 . The bait apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the base plate and the cover are hingedly connected.

15 . The bait apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the shared fastener is fixed to the cover.

16 . The bait apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the shared fastener is fixed to an outer side of the cover.

17 . The bait apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the receptacle is separable from the cover, the receptacle selectively receivable within the cutout of the base plate and having an open back opening toward the cover in the closed position such that the cover closes the open back of the receptacle.

18 . The bait apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the cover is movable between the closed position in which the cover is arranged over the cutout, and an open position in which the

Assignees

• Woodstream Corp

Inventors

• Gauker Andrew
• Lubic Marko
• Swift David

Classifications

• E05F1/002

  controlled by automatically acting means (for powered-operated mechanisms E05F15/70) · CPC title

• A01M23/18 Primary

  with pivoted closure flaps · CPC title