US1012351A - Trap for catching and electrocuting rats. - Google Patents

Description

M. GOLD. TRAP FOR OATOHING AND ELECiTROGUTING RATS.

APPLICATION FILED AU[L30,1911. 1,012,35 1 Patented Dec.19,191l.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J1 1 amp I I 1 14 15 M i j FIG. 2 m

INVENTOR. Marz'anGold ATTORNEY? M. GOLD.

TRAP FOB. GATOHING AND ELBCTRODUTING RATS.

APILIOATIDK FILED AUG. 30, 1911.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

2 SHEBTBSHEBT 2.

m 0 m W MM WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

passes out of contact MARION GOLD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRAP FOB CATCHING AND ELECTBJQGUTING BATS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARION GOLD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traps for Catching and Electrocutin Rats or other Rodents, of which the fol owing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in traps for catching and electrocuting rats or other rodents.

The objects of my invention are to provide a device of this character in which'the rodent is automatically dro ped onto the electrodes of a normally bro en circuit and from such electrodes its weight, such passage resetting the e ectrodes ready for the next rodent; to provide a device of this character in which'a plurality of entrances are (provided and each of which is adapted to eposit the rodent onto an electrocutin device common to all entrances and whic will automatically discharge the rodents therefrom and pass into position ready for the succeeding rodent; to provide a device of this character in which the catching and electrocuting portion of the apparatus is bodily removable from a receptacle for the electrocuted rodents, the latter having means for closing the receptacle at will and permitting the removal therefrom without disturbin the elements or ,electrical connections 0% the catching and electrocuting portion with respect to each other.

' Other and further objects are to provide a device which is simple and efficient in operation, durable in construction, which is not liable to get out of order and which can be operated at a minimum expense.

To these and other ends, the natureof which will be readily understood as the in vention is hereinafter disclosed, my invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully anying described, illustrated in the accom out in drawings, and articularly pointe the appended c aims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the views-Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken Specification of Letters Patent.

Application fled Augult :30, 1911.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

Serial No. 846,879. I

on the line 1--1 of Fig. 3, with parts shown in side elevation and showing thepreferred embodiment of my invention. Fig/2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fi 4 is a face view of one of the supports 0 the rotatable electrode, showin various positions of the latter in use. 'g. 5 is a detail perspective view of parts shown in Fig. 4.

The present invention embodies mainly three parts, viz., that portion within whic the rodent enters and which contains the bait; the portion containin the electrocuting elements in the form 0 electrodes, and the receptacle within which the electrocuted rodents pass, these parts being located one above the other so that the weight of the rodent practically carries him from the entering portion through the electrocuting part into the receptacle. Of these parts, the first and second may be formed as a unitary structure or separable, the third, however, being in the form of a receptacle, indicated at 10, having a lid 11 preferably slidable to open and close the receptacle, and having means for attachment to the first two parts, such as cars 12, andmeans for moving the rece tacle about, as, for instance, handles 13. T e first and second portions are arranged to be seated on the top of the receptacle 10, having complemental cars 14 adapted to receive securin devices 15, by means of which the receptac e and the other portions are movabl secured together, it being understood t at the particular manner in which the securing means is provided is immaterial, the essential being that the parts above the receptacle may be removably secured thereto in fixed position and capable of removal to permit the receptacle to be emlpgied of its contents. above pointed" out, portions may'have their casings in the form of a unitary structure or'be separate and secured together in suitable manner, the drawings showing these parts as unitary. The-upper portion of the casing has its opposite ends provided with o enin 16 which form the entrance for t e r ents, said openings being positioned at a suitable point, either on approximately the level of the first and second the portion below the entrance will be housed below the floor level), or the openings may be positioned above the floor level and suitable runways, indicated diagrammatically at 17, provided for the passage of the rodent to the entrance. At a suitable point intermediate the ends of the casing, I provide a division of suitable ty e, such as a mirror 18, above which I pre erably arrange the bait chamber 19 having a removable lid 20, the chamber 19 being exposed to the opposite sides of the division member 18 through suitable openings 21. The space on the opposite sides of the division menber 18 may be termed the entrance chambers, the floors of which comprise the fixed portions 22 and the tilting portions 23, the latter being pivoted to t e under face of thevfixed portions and normally retained in position by means of suitable weights 24, the latter being insufiicient to retain the platform formed by the tilting portion 23 against tiltin whenever a rodent passes onto this portion.

For the purpose of preventing the rodent from returning when the platform is moving, I preferably provide each entrance chamber with a swinging door 25 which has one end connected to the weight support in such manner that upon tilting of the platform 23, the door 25 will be moved downward to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, practically preventing the rodent from passing out of the chamber after it has reached the platform 23.

The platforzrs 23 are adapted to operate between walls 26 extending longitudinally of the casing, said walls practically forming a channel or passage-way through which the rodent is required to pass after the platform begins its movement. This channel or passage-way is located directly above two rot-atable members each of which forms an electrode, and each of which is preferably positioned so as to have the fingers of the electrodes (presently described) which extend vertically, in substantial vertical alinement with the walls 26, so that the channel or passage-way is practically continuous through the electrode mechanism.

Each electrode is in the form of a shaft 27 having a plurality of fingers 28 extending substantially at right angles to each other, the ends of the shaft being mounted in bearings, one of which is in the form of a block 29 to which one of the circuit connections. indicated as 30, is led, said connection leading the circuit to a spring member 31 which is adapted to contact with a suit able member, such as a block 32 carried by the shaft 27, the block 32 forming the means for carrying the current from the circuit connection 30 to the fingers 28 which form the specific electrodes, the shaft. fingers and block being of suitable conductive material preferably of angular shape by the channel between so as to provide for eillcient service, it being understood that the block 29 is preferably of insulating material. The block 32 is and preferably has its corners rounded, this construction providing for a normal positioning of the shaft so as to have one set of fingers extending horizontally directly in the path formed the platforms and the receptacle, the adjacent fingers extending vertically and, as heretofore pointed out, practically forming a continuation of the walls 26. The opposite end' of each shaft is mounted in a suitable bearing 33.

The two shafts are positioned spacedapart so that the horizontally ext-ending fingers of one shaft will extend between the horizontal fingers of the adjacent shaft, as shown, for instance, in Fig. 2, the position of the fingers being preferably such that the horizontal fingers of one shaft will be opposed by the vertical fingers of the adjacent shaft; it will be understood, however, that this is not absolutely essential, any preferred arrangement which will provide for the operation of the electrodes in the manner to be described, being within the purview of my invention.

The source of electrical supply, indicated conventionally by the battery 34, is connected up to the blocks 29 so that the circuit is normally broken, there being no point in the operation of the electrodes at which they may come in physical contact so as to complete the circuit. \Vhen a rodent is deposited by either platform 23 and passes through the channels provided by the walls 26, it falls onto the horizontally extending fingers which project toward each other, and closes the circuit between the two electrodes,which results in the electrocution of the rodent. Inasmuch, however, as the position of the fingers is maintained only through the pressure of the contact member or spring 31 on the flat face of the block 32, which pressure is insufiicieht to overcome the weight of the rodent, the latter will cause both shafts to be rotated on their axes and permit the rodent to be dropped out between them," this movement carrying the block 32 around sufficiently to have the contact fingers or spring 31 pass beyond the rounded corner, whereupon the pressure of the spring will in the same direction to place the next set of fingers in position ready for the reception of the rodent, the electrocuted rodent drop ing into the receptacle, the lid of whic when the apparatus is in operative position, remaining open.

By this construction it will be readily understood that the weight of the rodent forms the actuating means by which it is delivered to and discharged fromthe electrocuting device provided by the rotatable electrodes,

cause a sufficient movement practically limiting the period of time dur mg which the rodent may remain in position to close the circuit and, therefore, economizing'in the amount of current employed; furthermore, the trap is substantially in ever-set condition, ready for the entrance and electrocution of the rodent, while the electrocuted rodents are automatically de posited in a receptacle from which they may be readily removed by simply disconnecting the casing containing the electrocutin devices from the rece tacle, this remove not allecting the electrical connect-ions in any manner. In addition, the particular construction is such that there is no requirement of expensive mechanism for the purpose of bringing the rodent into the electrocuting structure nor for removing it therefrom. 1

Theshowin of the source of electrical supply is simp y diagrammatic, it being understood that any suitable source may be employed for the urpose, such, for instance, as the ordinary ighting circuits, etc., and it will also be understood that, while the particular way in which I carry the current to the electrodes and for positioning the electrodes in their proper relationship is that preferred by me, it will be readily understood that variations and modifications therein, as well as in other portions of the mechanism, may be found desirable or necessa in use, and I desire it to be understoo that I reserve the right to make all such changes and modifications as may be found desirable or necessary, in-so-far as they may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. 5

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is: y

1. In a trap, a receptacle, a pair of movable electrodes in a normally broken circuit,

and a passage-way leading to said electrodes, said e ectrodes being movable under the wei ht of the rodent to deposit the latter in t e receptacle after electrocution.

2. In a trap, a receptacle, a pair of rotatable electrodes above said receptacle and forming a part of a normally broken circuit, said electrode being normally restrained against movement, and ,movable under the weight of a rodent to deposit the latter within the receptacle, and a passage-we leading to said electrodes, a portion of eac electrode forming substantially a continuation of the walls of the passage-way.

3. In trap, a receptacle, a pair of spacedapart electrodes forming part of a normally roken circuit, each electrode having a plurality of fingers extending angularly to each other, means being provided for normally retaining the electrodes in position where fingers of the two electrodes will extend in substantially the same plane, and a passageway leading to the space between said electrodes.

4. In a trap, a receptacle, a pair of spacedapart electrodes forming terminals of a normally broken circuit, each electrode having '10 a plurality of fingers extendin angularly to each ot er, means for normal y retaining the electrodes in position where fingers of the two electrodes will project toward each other from the axis of rotation in substan- 'tially the same plane, and a passagewav broken circuit, each electrode having sets of alining fingers, each set extending angularly to each other, means being provided,- for normally retaining the electrodes in position where fingers of the two electrodes will extend in substantially the same plane,

and a' passage leading to the space between said electrodes, said alined fingers temporarily forming the bottom of the passageway.

6. In a trap, a receptacle, device comprising a plurality of rotatable electrodes in normally broken circuit, and an entrance chamber above said-device, said chamber having a tiltable bottom or platform adapted device in position whereby its weight will cause the electrodes to rotate and discharge the rodent into the receptacle.

7. In a trap, a receptacle, an electrocuting device comprising a electrodes in normally roken circuit, and an entrance chamber above said device, said chamber having a tiltable bottom or platform adapted to deposit the rodent onsaid device in position whereby its weight will 11.

cause the electrodes to rotate and discharge the rodent into the receptacle, said chamber "also having a member adapted to close the return path, said member being operated by movements of the tilting bottompr platform.

8. In a tra a receptacle, a pair of rotatable electr es positioned above the receptacle and adapted to form terminals of a broken circuit, and a vertical passageway above and leading to said electrodes and ada' ted to position a rodent on the electrod es tocomplete the circuit through the body of the rodent, said electrodes being normally held in relatively fixed position and rotatable under the weight of the rodent thereon.

9. In a tra a receptacle, a pair of rotatable electrodbs above said rece tacle and forming terminals of a normally roken cir- 1 fingers causing the elec- 80 an electrocuting to deposit the rodent on said lurality of rotatable cuit,said electrodesbeing normally restrained In testimony whereof I alfix my signature against Tovefment and being; movable ilmder in the presence of two witnesses.

the Wei" 1t 0 a 1'0 ent to e osit the utter within the receptacle, and a passageway to MARION GOLD said electrodes for positively directing the Witnesses: rodent to a osition where its weight will ENGELBERT T. ROMEDER, operate the e ect-rodes. ALFRED VERZYZANOWSKY.

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