The present invention relates generally to animal trapping devices such as mouse traps and the like.
Mouse traps have been designed in many ways throughout the years. Conventionally, mouse traps include a spring-loaded member mounted on a base, the bar and the base forming jaws in which the bar can be moved from a cocked position to a released position when the mouse touches the trigger arm. For the most part, known animal traps all kill or otherwise harm the trapped animal. This is often the desired result. However, in some cases, animals are to be trapped and captured harmlessly for relocation or study purposes. Thus, many xe2x80x9clive animalxe2x80x9d traps have been designed for this purpose. Such traps often have disadvantages such as multiple moving parts or complexity, resulting in potential malfunction, trauma to the animals, difficulty in cost and cleaning, and expensive manufacture.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved live animal trap.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a live animal trap is provided, which comprises an elongate hollow tube having a first, closed end and a second, open end, a bait holding device in the first end of the tube, a pivot support member having a lower end for seating on a ground or other relatively flat surface and an upper end, a pivot device pivotally connecting the upper end of the support member to the tube at a location closer to the first end of the tube than the second end, the pivot device having a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tube, and dividing the tube into a first, shorter end portion on one side of the pivot axis and a second, longer end portion on the other side of the pivot axis, the second end portion being heavier than the first end portion whereby the tube has a set position in which it is inclined upwardly with the second end contacting the ground, and is pivotable between the set position and a generally upright trapping or actuated position in which the first end pivots downwardly and the second end pivots upwardly to trap an animal in the tube.
When the pivoted tube is placed on the ground or other surface, either inside a building or outside, and a suitable bait is placed into the first end of the tube, the heavier second end portion of the tube will tend to pivot downwardly to contact the ground, in a manner similar to a seesaw or teeter-totter. An animal, such as a mouse or rat, attracted by the bait, will enter the open second end of the tube and move upwardly towards the first end. When the animal passes the pivot point, the weight of the animal will cause the first end portion of the tube to pivot downwards, moving the tube into the upright, actuated position. The animal""s weight will keep the closed first end of the tube downwards, and the animal will be unable to climb out of the tube since the tube wall will now be vertical. The animal is therefore effectively trapped, but is unharmed and has access to a food supply, in the form of the bait.
The apparatus may also include a ventilated lid for placing over the second end of the tube for transporting the animal inside the tube. The operator has no need to touch the animal or risk scratching or biting which may occur when the trap involves a wire cage.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the first end of the tube has a threaded opening, and a counterweight member has a threaded stem for threaded engagement in the opening to close the first end of the tube. The counterweight member also has a holding device on its inner end for holding bait inside the first end of the tube. The position of the counterweight can be adjusted to balance the tube such that the second end just pivots downward to rest on a flat surface on which the apparatus is supported.
The pivot support member may comprise an upright frame having two spaced legs having aligned pivot pins projecting towards one another at their upper ends. The pivot device may comprise a pivot sleeve secured to the tube at a predetermined position closer to the first end, and extending transverse to the tube longitudinal axis, with the pivot pins extending into opposite ends of the sleeve to rotatably support the sleeve on the frame. Alternatively, a pivot pin on the tube may be pivotally engaged at its opposite ends in aligned indents or openings in the legs. The legs may have some flexibility to allow the tube to be removed from the base member when desired in order to transport a trapped animal to a different location or into a different enclosure.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of trapping an animal is provided, which comprises the steps of:
pivotally mounting a tube on a pivot support stand for pivotal movement of the tube about a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the tube axis, the pivot axis being closer to a first, closed end of the tube than a second, open end of the tube, the tube being pivotable between a first, set position in which the second end of the tube contacts a surface on which the support stand is placed and the tube is inclined upwardly towards the first end and a second, trapping or actuated position in which the tube is oriented substantially vertically with the first end at the bottom and the second end at the top;
securing bait in the first end of the tube, and orienting the tube in the set position whereby, when an animal is attracted to the bait, the animal can enter the second end of the tube, and ascend towards the first end, and the tube will pivot from the rest position to the actuated, trapping position when the animal passes the pivot axis due to the weight of the animal; and
after an animal is trapped, transporting the tube containing the animal to another location for release or testing.
The animal trapping apparatus and method of the present invention allows animals such as mice or rats to be trapped easily, without harming the animal. The apparatus is simple and inexpensive, and easy to operate, and can be designed for trapping small or larger animals, by appropriate selection of the trap dimensions. After the animal is trapped in the tube, the tube can be readily used as a container for safely transporting the animal to a different location.