COLLAPSIBLE ANIMAL TRAP

PIEGE REPLIABLE

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A collapsible animal trap comprises a parallelepiped trap body having
opposed ends, an animal entrance opening at one of the ends and a baiting and
animal exit opening at the other of the ends, an entrance closure secured to
the trap body adjacent the entrance opening, the entrance closure being
movable between an open position whereat the entrance opening is open to
permit entry of an animal therethrough and a closed position whereat the
entrance opening is closed to prevent exit of an animal therethrough, an exit
closure secured to the trap body adjacent the exit opening for selectively
opening and closing the exit opening, and an entrance closure activating device
for maintaining the entrance closure in an open position and for releasing the
entrance closure when engaged from the interior of the body whereby to permit
the entrance closure to move from the open position to the closed position.

Claims

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THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An animal trap, comprising:
a parallelepiped trap body having opposed ends, an animal entrance opening at
one of said ends, a baiting and animal exit opening at the other of said
ends;
an entrance closure secured to said trap body adjacent said entrance opening,
said entrance closure being movable between an open position whereat
said entrance opening is open to permit entry of an animal therethrough
and a closed position whereat said entrance opening is closed to prevent
exit of an animal therethrough;
an exit closure secured to said trap body adjacent said exit opening for
selectively opening and closing said exit opening; and
entrance closure activating means for maintaining said entrance closure in an
open position and for releasing said entrance closure when engaged from
the interior of said body whereby to permit said entrance closure to move
from said open position to said closed position.
2. An animal trap as defined in claim 1, said trap body comprising four
rectangular wire mesh panels including a bottom panel, a top panel and a pair
of opposed side panels, and means for securing said panels together in
edge-to-edge relation whereby to define a tubular body having an longitudinal
passage therethrough.
3. An animal trap as defined in claim 2, said securing means being operable
to permit said body to undergo a two stage collapse in which in a first stage,
one side panel moves to a position adjacent and substantially parallel to said
bottom panel and the other side panel moves to a position adjacent and
substantially parallel to said top panel and, in a second stage, said other sidepanel and said top panel move as a unit to a position adjacent and substantiallyparallel to said one said panel and said bottom panel.

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4. An animal trap as defined in claim 3, said securing means comprising a
plurality of hinge members operable to pivotally interconnect adjacent edges of
adjacent panels and permitting said adjacent panels to be pivoted from a
perpendicular disposition to a parallel, slightly spaced apart disposition.
5. An animal trap as defined in claim 1, said entrance closure comprising
a first rectangular wire mesh closure panel having one edge pivotally secured tosaid top panel adjacent one end edge thereof whereby to permit said entrance
closure to move from said open position to said closed position under the
influence of gravity.
6. An animal trap as defined in claim 5, said entrance closure further
including a second closure panel secured to an edge of said first closure panel
remote from said one edge, said second closure panel extending inwardly of said
body and resting on said bottom panel in said closed position of said entrance
closure, said first closure panel having a length greater than the correspondingdimension of said entrance opening.
7. An animal trap as defined in claim 1, said exit closure comprising a
substantially rectangular wire mesh panel having wire mesh stub walls extending
perpendicularly from each of the edges of said panel and secured together to
define a rigid, unitary exit closure body, one edge of said closure being secured
to one edge of said trap body for pivotal movement between an open position
whereat said exit closure is pivotally removed from said exit opening and a
closed position whereat said exit closure closes said exit opening and said stubwalls telescopically receive the adjacent end of said animal trap in a snug fit
relation so as to impart rigidity to said trap body.

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8. An animal trap as defined in claim 7, further including releasable
fastening means for securing said exit closure in said closed position thereof.
9. An animal trap as defined in claim 1, said entrance closure activating
means comprising a substantially rectangular wire mesh closure activating pane]
disposed within said trap body and pivotally secured along one edge of said
activating panel to a bottom panel of said trap body for pivotal movement about
an axis extending transversely of said body and a wire having one end secured
to the edge of said activating panel remote from said one edge thereof, said
other end of said wire being releasably engageable with said entrance closure,
said wire being operable to maintain said entrance closure in said open positionthereof and said activating panel in a position pivotally removed from said
bottom panel of said trap body whereby when a downward force is applied to
said activating panel, said wire is retracted and released from engagement from
said entrance closure, permitting said entrance closure to move from said open
position to said closed position thereof.
10. An animal trap as defined in claim 9, a portion of said wire intermediate
its ends being engageable with a top wall of said trap body.
11. An animal trap as defined in claim 1, further including U-shaped anchor
means having a pair of parallel arms and a connecting portion connecting one
end of each said arm, said connecting portion extending transversely of and
being secured to the exterior of a top wall of said trap body, said arms
extending parallel and being in close proximity side walls of said trap body andhaving a length which is greater than the height of said side walls so as to
permit the free ends of said arms to be driven into the ground.

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12. An animal trap as defined in claim 11, said anchor means being pivotally
secured to said trap body so as to permit said arms to be moved from a
position whereat said arms extend perpendicularly of the plane of said top wall
in which said arms prevent transverse collapse of said trap body to a position
extending parallel to said plane in which said trap may be collapsed.
13. An animal trap as defined in claim 4, said entrance closure comprising
a first rectangular wire mesh closure panel having one edge pivotally secured tosaid top panel adjacent one end edge thereof whereby to permit said entrance
closure to move from said open position to said closed position under the
influence of gravity.
14. An animal trap as defined in claim 13, said entrance closure further
including a second closure panel secured to an edge of said first closure panel
remote from said one edge, said second closure panel extending inwardly of said
body and resting on said bottom panel in said closed position of said entrance
closure.
15. An animal trap as defined in claim 14, said exit closure comprising a
substantially rectangular wire mesh panel having wire mesh stub walls extending
perpendicularly from each of the edges of said panel and secured together to
define a rigid, unitary exit closure body, one edge of said closure being secured
to one edge of said trap body for pivotal movement between an open position
whereat said exit closure is pivotally removed from said exit opening and a
closed position whereat said exit closure closes said exit opening and said stubwalls telescopically receive the adjacent end of said animal trap in a snug fit
relation so as to impart rigidity to said trap body.

16. An animal trap as defined in claim 15, further including releasable
fastening means for securing said exit closure in said closed position thereof.
17. An animal trap as defined in claim 16, said entrance closure activating
means comprising a substantially rectangular wire mesh closure activating panel
disposed within said trap body and pivotally secured along one edge of said
activating panel to a bottom panel of said trap body for pivotal movement about
an axis extending transversely of said body and a wire having one end secured
to the edge of said activating panel remote from said one edge thereof, said
other end of said wire being releasably engageable with said entrance closure,
said wire being operable to maintain said entrance closure in said open positionthereof and said activating panel in a position pivotally removed from said
bottom panel of said trap body whereby when a downward force is applied to
said activating panel, said wire is retracted and released from engagement from
said entrance closure, permitting said entrance closure to move from said open
position to said closed position thereof.
18. An animal trap as defined in claim 17, a portion of said wire
intermediate its ends being engageable with a top wall of said trap body.
19. An animal trap as defined in claim 18, further including U-shaped anchor
means having a pair of parallel arms and a connecting portion connecting one
end of each said arm, said connecting portion extending transversely of and
being secured to the exterior of a top wall of said trap body, said arms
extending parallel and being in close proximity side walls of said trap body andhaving a length which is greater than the height of said side walls so as to
permit the free ends of said arms to be driven into the ground.

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20. An animal trap as defined in claim 19, said anchor means being pivotally
secured to said trap body so as to permit said arms to be moved from a
position whereat said arms extend perpendicularly of the plane of said top wall
in which said arms prevent transverse collapse of said trap body to a position
extending parallel to said plane in which said trap may be collapsed.

21. An animal trap, comprising:
a parallelepiped trap body having opposed ends, said trap body comprising four
rectangular wire mesh panels including a bottom panel, a top panel and
a pair of opposed side panels, said panels defining an animal entrance
opening at one of said ends and a baiting and animal exit opening at the
other of said ends, and means for securing said panels together in
edge-to-edge relation whereby to define a tubular body having an
longitudinal passage therethrough, said securing means being operable
to permit said body to undergo a two stage collapse in which in a first
stage, one side panel moves to a position adjacent and substantially
parallel to said bottom panel and the other side panel moves to a
position adjacent and substantially parallel to said top panel and, in a
second stage, said other side panel and said top panel move as a unit to
a position adjacent and substantially parallel to said one said panel and
said bottom panel;
an entrance closure secured to said trap body adjacent said entrance opening,
said entrance closure being movable between an open position whereat
said entrance opening is open to permit entry of an animal therethrough
and a closed position whereat said entrance opening is closed to prevent
exit of an animal therethrough, said entrance closure comprising a first
rectangular wire mesh closure panel having one edge pivotally secured to
said top panel adjacent one end edge thereof whereby to permit said
entrance closure to move from said open position to said closed position
under the influence of gravity, said entrance closure further including a
second closure panel secured to an edge of said first closure panel
remote from said one edge, said second closure panel extending inwardly
of said body and resting on said bottom panel in said closed position of
said entrance closure;
an exit closure secured to said trap body adjacent said exit opening for
selectively opening and closing said exit opening, said exit closure
comprising a substantially rectangular wire mesh panel having wire mesh
stub walls extending perpendicularly from each of the edges of said panel

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and secured together to define a rigid, unitary exit closure body, one edge
of said closure being secured to one edge of said trap body for pivotal
movement between an open position whereat said exit closure is pivotally
removed from said exit opening and a closed position whereat said exit
closure closes said exit opening and said stub walls telescopically receive
the adjacent end of said animal trap in a snug fit relation so as to impart
rigidity to said trap body and releasable fastening means for securing said
exit closure in said closed position thereof;
entrance closure activating means for maintaining said entrance closure in an
open position and for releasing said entrance closure when engaged from
the interior of said body whereby to permit said entrance closure to move
from said open position to said closed position, said entrance closure
activating means comprising a substantially rectangular wire mesh closure
activating panel disposed within said trap body and pivotally secured
along one edge of said activating panel to a bottom panel of said trap
body for pivotal movement about an axis extending transversely of said
body and a wire having one end secured to the edge of said activating
panel remote from said one edge thereof, said other end of said wire
being releasably engageable with said entrance closure, said wire being
operable to maintain said entrance closure in said open position thereof
and said activating panel in a position pivotally removed from said bottom
panel of said trap body whereby when a downward force is applied to
said activating panel, said wire is retracted and released from engagement
from said entrance closure, permitting said entrance closure to move from
said open position to said closed position thereof, a portion of said wire
intermediate its ends being engageable with a top wall of said trap body;
and
U-shaped anchor means having a pair of parallel arms and a connecting portion
connecting one end of each said arm, said connecting portion extending
transversely of and being secured to the exterior of a top wall of said
trap body, said arms extending parallel and being in close proximity side
walls of said trap body and having a length which is greater than the

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height of said side walls so as to permit the free ends of said arms to be
driven into the ground, said anchor means being pivotally secured to said
trap body so as to permit said arms to be moved from a position whereat
said arms extend perpendicularly of the plane of said top wall in which
said arms prevent transverse collapse of said trap body to a position
extending parallel to said plane in which said trap may be collapsed.

Description

X0~358~1L
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l`he present invention relates to a live animal trap and, more spec;~ical]y,
to a collapsible live animal trap.
BA~KGROUND 03i TEIE IN~ENTION
Live animal traps are well known in the art. Generally, such traps are
comprised of a box-like cage having one or more openings to allow an animal
to enter the trap and/or to release the animal. Some known traps are not
collapsible and therefore are difficult to store, transport and handle. Known
collapsible traps tend to be complex having a relatively large number of moving
parts. Other traps are formed with relatively complex trap door operating
mechanisms and therefore are relatively expensive.
SUMMARY OF 1~; INVENT~ON
The present in~ention seeks to overcome the disadvantages of the prior
art and specifically to provide a collapsible live animal trap having few movingparts with a simple but secure trap door operating mechanism.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a collapsible
animal trap comprising a parallelepiped trap body having opposed ends, an
animal entrance opening at one of the ends and a baiting and animal exit
opemng at the other of the ends, an entrance closure secured to the trap body
adjacent the entrance opening, the entrance closure being movable between an
open position whereat the entrance opening is open to permit entry of an
animal therethrough and a closed position whereat the entrance opening is
closed to prevent exit of an animal therethrough, an exit closure secured to thetrap body adjacent the exit opçning for selectively opening and closing the exitopening, and an entrance closure activating device for maintaining the entrance
closure in an open position and for releasing the entrance closure when engaged
from the inte}ior of the body whereby to pennit the entrance closure to move
from the open position to the closed position.
:,: .,. ~

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BP~EF DESCRIPrION OF lf~; DRAV~'INGS
These and other features of the invention will become more apparent
from the fol]owing description in which reference is made to the appended
drawings wherein: ~IGURE 1 is a partially broken perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
the col]apsible animal trap of the present invention;
~GURE 2 is a left end view of the animal trap of FIGURE 1 illustrating the
trap in the process of being collapsed;
~lGURE 3 is a partially broken, right side elevational view of the trap of
~GIJRE 2;
~IGURE 4 is a view similar to lFlGURE 2 but illustrating the trap in a semi-
collapsed position;
~GIJRE ~ is a view similar to ~IGURES 2 and 4 illustrating the trap in a fully
coDapsed position;
~GURE 6 is a partia]ly broken, longitudinal cross-sectional view of the trap
illustrating the animal entrance closure and the entrance closure activating
mechanism; and
~GURE 7 is an enlarged, broken, cross-sectional view of the exit end of the
animal trap shou~ng the exit opening closure in a closed position and in
2C an opened position in phantom lines.
DESCRIPIION OF PREFERR~D EMBODIM[ENT
With reference to ~GURE 1 of the drawings and by way of overview,
a preferred embodiment of the animal trap 10 of present invention will be seen
to comprise a parallelepiped trap body 12 having opposed ends 14 and 16, an
animal entrance opening 18 at end 14, and a baiting and animal exit opening
~0 at the other end 16. An entrance closure 22 is secured to the trap body
adjacent entrance opening 18. The entrance closure is movable between an
open position whereat the opening is open to permit ently of an animal
therethrough and a closed position whereat the opening is closed to prevent exitof an animal therethrough. An exit closure 24 is secured to the trap body
adjacent exit openinlg 20 for selectively opening and closing the exit opening in

~035~.
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order to place bait in the trap or re]ease a trapped anirnal. An entrance
closure activating means 30 disposed within the trap body is provided for
maintaining the entrance closure in an open position and for releasing the
entrance closure when activating means 30 is engaged from the interior of the
body whereby to permit the entrance closure to move from its open position
to its closed position.
The trap body is comprised of four rectangular wire mesh panels
including a bottom panel 32, a top panel 34 and a pair of opposed side pane]s
36 and 38, the panels defining entrance opening 18 and exit opening 20.
Securing and hinge means 40 are provided for securing the panels together in
edge-to-edge relation whereby to define a tubular body having an longitudinal
passage 42 extending therethrough. As best shown in FIGIJRES 2-5, hinge
means 40 are operable to permit the trap body to undergo a h~o stage collapse
in which, in a first stage (~IGURES 2 and 4), side panel 38 moves into
juxtaposition with bottom panel 32 while the other side panel 36 moves into
juxtaposition with top panel 34. In the second stage of collapse, side panel 36
and top panel 34 move as a unit into juxtaposition with panel 3B and bottom
panel 32 (~GURE S) The compact shape illustrated in FIGI~E 5 facilitates,
shipping, storage and handling of the trap.
As already mentioned, entrance closure 22 is movable between an open
position whereat entrance opening 18 is open to permit entry of an animal
therethrough and a closed position whereat the entrance opening is closed ~o
prevent exit of an animal therethrough. The entrance closure comprises a first
rectangular wire mesh closure panel 44 having its top edge 46 pivotally secured
to top panel 34 adjacent one end edge 48 thereof to permit the entrance closure
to move from its open position to its closed position under the influence of
gravity. As best shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 6, the length of panel 44 is
greater that the height of opening 18 and side panels 36 and 38. Thus, in
assembly and use, panel 44 extends inwardly and downwardly in its unset
position (FIGURES 1 and 6). Entrance closure 22 further includes a second
closure panel 50 pivotally secured to an edge 52 of the first closure panel
remote from the edge 4~ by hinges 53. Closure panel 50 extends inwardly of
~ .
~ : :

3 ~8~11
the body and rests on the bottom panel 32 in the closed position of the
entrance closure. The primary purpose of panel ~0 is to provide further securityagainst an animal opening closure 22 after it has trapped itself. More
specifically, in order to open closure 22, the anima] will have to push panel q4S outwardly. This wou]d be extremely difficult because of the greater length of
panel 44 than the height of the entrance opening. However, even without this
feature, it would then have to step on panel ~0 to do so. Thus, it will apply anoutward force on panel ~4 and an inward and opposite force on panel 50. If
the animal succeeds in moving panel M outwardly to some extent, it would trap
itself between the two panels 44 and a0.
As shown in FIGURE 7, exit closure 24 comprises a substantially
rectangular wire mesh panel 6~ having wire mesh top and side stub walls 62
extending perpendicularly from the edges 64 of the panel. Walls 62 are secured
together to define a rigid, unitary exit closure body. One edge 64 of the closure
is pivotally secured by hinges 65 to the bottom edge 66 of the trap body for
pivotal movement between an open position whereat the exit closure is pivotally
removed from exit opening 20 and a closed position (shown in phantom lines
in ~GIlRE 7) whereat the exit closure closes the exit opening and the stub
waDs telescopically receive the adjacent end of the animal trap in a snug fit
relation so as to impart rigidity to the trap body. Releasable fastening means
68, in the form of a hook or the like, is provided for secur~ng the exit closurein its closed position.
With reference to FIGIJRE 6, entrance closure activating means 30
comprises a substantially rectangular wire mesh panel 70 disposed within the
trap body. Panel 70 is pivotally secured by hinges 73 along one edge 72 to
bottom panel 32 of the trap body for pivotal movement about an axis extending
transversely of the body. A flexible wire 74 has one end 76 secured to edge 78
of the activating panel remote from edge 72. The other end 80 of the wire is
releasably engageable with the entrance closure. The wire being operable to
maintain the entrance closure in the open position thereof and the activating
panel in a position ]pivotally removed from the bottom panel of the trap body
so that when a dowrlward force is applied to the activating panel, such as would

358~l
occur when an animal has entered the trap, panel 70 will pivot downwardly and
ill so doing will retract the wire and release it from engagement with the
entrance closure. T~us, in turn will permit the entrance closure to move under
gravity from its open position to its closed position. The intermediate portion
5 of the wire is threaded through openings of the wire mesh top panel of the trap
body while the free end of the wire is threaded through openings in the wire
mesh of the closure panel. T~lis produces sufficient friction between the wire
and the panels to both hold the closure open and the activating panel in its
raised position.
A U-shaped anchor 82 having a pair of parallel arms 84 and a connecting
portion 86 connecting the arms is provided for anchoring the trap body into the
ground and imparting still further rigidity to the trap body. Connecting portion86 extends transversely of and is pivotally secured by hinges 88 to the exterior- of the top panel of the trap body. The arms extend parallel and in close
proximity to the side panels of the trap body. The length of arms 84 is greater
than the height of the side panels so as to permit the free ends of the arms to
be driven into the ground. Anchor 82 is pivotally secured to the tTap body so
as to permit the arms to be moved from a position in which the arms extend
perpendicularly of the plane of the top panel, in which position the arms
prevent transverse collapse of the trap body, to a position extending parallel to
the plane in which the trap may be collapsed. To facilitate handling, a handle
gO is secured to the top panel 34 as shown.
It is believed that the operation of the present invention will be apparent
from the preceding description. Assuming the trap is initially in its collapsed
position illustrated in ~GURE 5, assembly is very simple. First, side and top
panels 36 and 34, respectively, are pivoted in a counterclockwise direction as
viewed in ~GURE !; to the position shown in FIGURE 4. Handle 90 may now
be grasped and pull upwardly and to the right to the position shown in phantom
lines in FIGURE 2. In so doing, entrance closure 22 will assume the position
shown in solid lines in ~GURE 6. Panel 70 will be rest on bottom panel 32.
Exit closure 24 is then pivoted from its storage position shown in FIGIJRES 2-5
to its closed position shown in FIGIJRES 1 and 7. All that remains is to engage
. ~ .., ;
~ .. . .

5~
the entrance closure. I~is is achieved by threading wire 74 through the
openings in panel 34 and then through sirrlilar openings in panels 44 and/or 50.Bait may be placed into the trap using exit closure 24. If the trap is used on
an earthen surface, anchor 82 may be driven into the ground; othervise, its
5 tips may be allowed to rest on the grounld. It will be understood that either
case, the anchor will assist in providing rigidity to the trap. The trap is
collapsed by following the reverse procedure. It will be noted that panels 44,
50 and 70 The slope of panel 44 will ensure that it slides rearwardly into the
trap as the first stage of described earlier is effected. Panel 70 ~ ill inhçrently
10 remain in juxtaposition with bottom panel 32.
It will be understood that various modifications and alterations may be
made to the present invention without departing from the spirit of the inventionas defined by the appended claims.
, ~

Representative Drawing