Restricted Animal Trap

Certain animals, such as racoons, continue to be pests to farmers by reason of their destruction of vegetation, poultry and small animals. On the other hand, such animals are valuable for their furs as well as for their meat. Accordingly, fur trapping continues to be a flurishing business in some parts of the country, and many cooperative arrangements are made wherein traps are set at scattered points about a farm or ranch to rid the farmer of these pests and to give the trapper the "harvest" of his traps. However, many traps that are effective to capture racoons will also capture and injure small pets, such as dogs.

It is an object of this invention to provide a racoon trap that cannot be triggered by other animals, including pets.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a trap that will capture only racoons.

Other objects and advantages of this advantage will become apparent from the description to follow, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

In carrying out this invention I provide a small housing of steel or the like with a gate that slides across a normally unobstructed opening under the pull of a strong spring to seize an animal's paw which is extended through the opening. The gate can only be triggered by a latch which is pulled upward at its baited end below the opening, as by a racoon that lifts its food to eat. Downward pressure on the latch as would occur if an animal stepped through the opening or pressed downward on the bait, will not trigger the latch.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective, partially broken away, of a racoon trap embodying features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a section view showing the method of setting a trap; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical section view of the trap showing the latch mechanism.

Referring now to the drawing with greater particularity, the racoon trap 10 of this invention comprises a rectangular housing of steel or the like with bottom wall 12, top wall 14 and side walls 16. Doors 18 and 20 may be hinged at the end to close off the housing and a chain 22 is attached to anchor the housing as desired.

After baiting in the manner to be described the trap is normally buried with just an opening 24 in the top wall 14 exposed to provide the animal access to the bait. It should be noted that the access opening 24 is a small hole, not large enough to receive the legs or paws of large dogs and cats, as well as larger animals. Slide rails 26 are provided in the side walls 16 just below the top wall 14 and a sliding gate 28 is carried on the slide rails 26 and urged toward the right in the drawings by strong springs 30. Hence, when the trap 10 is set, the slide at 28 is held in the position shown in FIG. 3 and, when released, it snaps toward the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, i.e. toward a stop 32, effectively gripping an animal's paw extended through the opening 24.

Pivoted at 34 to the bottom of the slide 28 is a depending arm 36 carrying an upturned hook 38. Pivoted at 40 to the side walls 16 is a trigger arm 41, 42 having an upturned end 44 that engages and holds the lower end of the depending arm 36 when the trap 10 is set as shown in solid lines in FIG. 3. A stop member 46 is carried on the other end 41 of the trigger arm 41, 42 to restrict downward movement thereof, and tines or the like 47 are provided to attach a mass of bait B. It will be apparent, particularly from FIG. 3, that the depending arm 36 which holds the slide plate 28 fulcrumed against a cross rod 48 extending between the sides 16, can only be released by raising the right side of the trigger arm 41, i.e. by lifting the bait B. Any downward force on the right side 41, as by a small pet or other animal stepping on it, will have no effect and will not release the depending arm 36; it can only be released by raising the bait B.

In setting the trap, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 one may use a tool 50 having a hook 52 at the end to engage the hook 38 on the arm 36. After the trap is baited at 48, the arm 36 is pulled to the left to retract the slide plate 28 then, the arm 36 is pushed forward, levered about the fulcrum rod 48 to the position shown in FIG. 3 wherein it is engaged behind the upturned end 44 of the latch arm 41, 42. The trap 10 is then buried with the opening 24 exposed to provide access to the bait B. When a racoon lifts the bait the latch arm 36 is released as shown in FIG. 3 and the slide plate 28 is thrust to the right to firmly grip the racoon's paw.

While this invention has been described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment thereof, it is obvious that modification and changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art to which it pertains without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined by the claims appended hereto.