CH708251B1 - Device for above-ground catching and killing of small mammals. - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to provide an improved device for the aerial capture and killing of small mammals, in particular of mice and rats, one with a substantially tunnel-shaped housing, a lower part and a roof is proposed. The housing has at the end faces depending on an outer, in each case a tunnel entrance forming inlet opening. A partition wall (20) with an inner inlet opening is arranged within the housing at a predetermined distance from the respective inlet opening, so that an atrium (21) is formed on both sides between the respective outer inlet opening (19) and the associated partition wall (20). and the device has two tension levers and two position indicator levers. The roof of the housing is formed by a cover (2) having four slot-shaped recesses, namely two clamping lever slots (2a) for the passage of two clamping lever handles (3a) from the lid and two Stellanzeigeschlitze (2b) for the passage of two actuating lever -Fortsätzen (4a), wherein the respective actuating lever lever projection (4a) in the tensioned state protrudes from the lid and indicates that the trap is activated. Between the two partitions (20) is a safety gear with a bait holder (17) and two by the respective clamping lever (3) and a striker spring (14) tensionable beaters (13) and two release plates arranged. Depending on a release plate (15) and its associated impact bracket (13) are each aligned to one of the two tunnel entrances.

Description

Description TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an apparatus for capturing and killing small mammals such as mice and rats, a so-called small animal trap, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Background of the Invention and Prior Art Small rodents, such as the all-occurring mice, are not only carriers of human-communicable diseases, but cause significant damage particularly to agriculture, the food processing industry, and households due to contamination and destroying of food and therefore have to be removed. Accordingly, numerous different devices and methods have been developed and described for use with small rodents such as e.g. Catching and killing mice. Either the goal is to catch the animals alive, then carry them away, or kill the animals, e.g. by poisoning, gasification, drowning, electric shock or by mechanical action such as a blow or crush. Mechanical drop traps have the advantage that they can be used repeatedly, bring about the death of the target animal quickly and are usually easy to handle.

In the field of mechanical impact traps especially technically simple designs are commercially available. Generically, for example, impact traps have become known from US Pat. No. 4,711,049 A, EP 1 306 006 A1 or WO 2010/022 779 A1. Such conventional impact traps consist of a base plate, a spring-loaded beater bar or a striking plate, a trigger plate, a bait holder and depending on the design of a locking lever or a retaining mechanism for fixing the bracket. Physical pressure from the animal on the trigger plate deactivates the retention mechanism, releasing the striker and killing the target animal. All these cases have in common that their open design for children or pets a certain risk of injury due to the down-swinging strap. Another disadvantage is often that the pressure required to trigger the trap is insufficiently matched to the weight of the target animal. Either the striker is triggered too stiff, causing the target animal to eat the bait without triggering the trap, or the trigger mechanism is too sensitive and is activated early even with small shocks, making the placement of the trap difficult. In both cases, catch sequences are missing or insufficient. Another disadvantage is the often insufficient impact due to insufficient spring force of the spring elements. As a result, the animal is not killed immediately and suffers unnecessary pain. The cheap processing of many commercial small animal traps made of plastic or wood often shortens their life considerably. After a few operations, the first defects occur and a new purchase is therefore inevitable.

In order to reduce the risk of injury to the user or to domestic animals, traps are sometimes designed so that one or two safety gears are housed in a housing, e.g. in FR 2 583 617 A1, DE 2 912 050 A1, US Pat. No. 3,992,803 A or US Pat. No. 5,172,512. However, a housing actually only reduces the risk of injury if the distance between the inlet opening and the catching mechanism is sufficiently large. In the embodiments described in FR 2 583 617 A1, DE 2 912 050 A1, US Pat. No. 4,425,732 A, the catching mechanism is placed directly at the housing opening and erroneous release by means of a clear tire is very simple. Thus, from the patent FR 2 583 617 A1 a device for catching animals is known, in which the animals can penetrate via two lateral openings in the housing into a cylinder, on which two springs are fastened. Below these springs two tabs are attached, which are locked in place of the trap on the existing ball bearings. Once target animals invade, the tabs are pushed away with the head, whereupon the catch rings trigger and strangle the animals. A disadvantage of this construction is that a simple placement of the trap from the outside is not possible. An efficient placement of the trap with a handle is therefore impossible. Furthermore, the risk of injury to children and pets is high because the trigger mechanism and the catch rings are placed directly at the housing openings. Through the small entrance openings, the inhibition threshold of the target animals to enter the trap, high. The trap is thereby avoided rather, catch sequences are missing. The assessment of whether animals have been caught must be made at close range, because from the outside it is not clear whether the trap has already been triggered or is still set. This adversely affects efficient case control. It is known that in certain situations, the target animals are trapped only by a bait in the trap. A corresponding bait holder is not available in this construction. Furthermore, the placement of the safety gear in a housing involves the following requirements for easy handling: It is necessary for an advantageous small animal trap in the sense of the present invention that the housing has two inlet openings, each with a corresponding safety device, so that it It is irrelevant from which side the target animal approaches the trap. For such a small animal trap, it is also necessary that the case can be activated from the outside and not engaged in the case for setting the case or the housing cover must be lifted. In addition, it should be immediately apparent from the outside whether the trap has been triggered or is still in an activated state. Furthermore, the captured animal should be easily, efficiently and safely removed from the case without it having to be touched.

In previous embodiments, only some of the above problems are solved.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a small animal trap which solves all of the above problems. The object of the invention is achieved by a device according to claim 1.

The small animal trap according to claim 1 is a trap with housing, so a tunnel trap, which meets all the above requirements and united in a trap type: Due to the large distance of 10.5 cm between the inlet and catch mechanism is the risk of injury to children and pets minimal. Thus, the inlet opening can be made sufficiently large without increasing the risk of injury. Namely, a rather small entrance opening increases the inhibition of the target animals to enter the trap, and thus reduces the success of the catch. Decisive for good catching success is rather the existence of an atrium, where the animal can dwell undisturbed before entering the baited trap area. The housing of the small animal trap according to an embodiment of the invention has two opposite inlet openings. Two fixed safety gears are aligned towards each entrance. Thus, two animals, which go through the two opposite ends in the tunnel, are lured and caught independently of each other, which significantly increases the catch success. By means of two clamping levers, the device can be activated from the outside. To clamp the spring, the lid does not need to be lifted and there is no risk of injury. By means of a control indicator it is clearly visible from outside at any time and from a distance, whether the trap is still activated or has already been triggered. A trapped animal can be removed from the trap by operating the release levers without having to open the case or touch the dead animal. The dead animal is simply dropped directly from the trap into a suitable collection container.

The above-mentioned as well as the claimed and described in the following embodiments, according to the invention-to-use elements are subject to their size, shape design and material use no special conditions of exception, so that the well-known in the respective field of application selection criteria can be applied without restriction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [0011] Further details, advantages and features of the subject matter of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings in which - by way of example - a small animal trap according to the invention will be explained. In the drawings shows:

Figure 1 is an external view of a case according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention obliquely from the front in both sides stretched state, wherein the protruding from the lid Stellanzei ge lever extensions are visible.

Figure 2 is a view of the case according to Figure 1 obliquely from the front without cover and front side of the housing in both sides triggered state.

3 shows a plan view of the trap according to FIGS. 1 and 2 without the lid in a tensioned state on both sides, two catching devices being visible on both sides from a central axis transverse to the tunnel, which are each aligned towards a tunnel end;

Fig. 4 is a view of the inner housing of the case according to FIGS. 1 to 3 obliquely from the front with all components that are placed within the inner housing, as well as the two clamping levers, which are externally mounted on the side walls of the inner housing can be seen in both sides tensioned Status;

Fig. 5 is an illustration of the case according to Figure 1 obliquely from above the three transverse to the housing direction, superimposed horizontal axes, in addition, a selection of components is shown to illustrate the clamping operation of a striking bar by means of clamping lever. It can be seen how, by movement of the clamping lever in the direction of the arrow, that is, during rotation about the bow axis, the Bügelhebefortatz lifts the striker until it finally engages the retainer tooth; the retainer spring and the striker spring are only shown in half;

Fig. 6 is a side view of all trap components within the inner casing of the trap of Fig. 1 (but without a spacer sleeve) when the trap is in a released condition; and

Fig. 7 is a side view of all trap components within the inner housing of the case according to FIG. 1 (but without spacer sleeve) when the trap is in a stretched state.

List of Reference Numerals [0012]

Symbol Description 1 Housing 1a Snap-in cam latch 2 Lid 2a Tension lever slot 2b Adjustment slot 2c Snap-in latch 3 Tension lever 3a Tension lever handle 3b T-bracket extension 3c Triangle release hole 3d Hole for stirrup shaft 4 Adjustment Lever 4a Adjustment Lever Extension 4b Free end of the adjustment lever 4c Fixed end of the control lever 5 Embossing of the inner casing 6 Inner casing 7 Ironing axle 8 Retaining spindle 9 Actuating shaft 10 Spacer sleeve 11 Retainer 11a Retainer arm 11b Retaining arm eyelet 11c Impact stopper 11d Retainer tooth 12 Retainer spring 12a Retainer spring retainer Spring 13 Striker 14 Strike spring 15 Release plate 15a Retainer guide 15b Spring arm eyelet of the release plate

Symbol Description 16 Release plate spring 16a Release arm spring free arm 16b Actuator spring lock arm 17 Lure holder 18 Reset lever retractor 19 Outer entry opening 20 Partition wall 20a Inner entry opening 20b Positioning lever guide 21 Atrium

[0013] The trap shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 consists of a tunnel-shaped housing 1 with the dimensions 327 mm × 86 mm × 76 mm (L × W × H), preferably made of injection-molded polypropylene or comparable material, which has at the opposite ends depending on an outer inlet opening 19 in the housing 1 and an inner inlet opening 20a. The inner inlet opening 20a is formed by a circular hole (preferably with a diameter of 45 mm) in a partition wall 20, which is mounted opposite the outer inlet opening 19 by 80 mm in the interior of the tunnel. This creates an atrium 21 at each end of the tunnel (see Fig. 1-3).

The roof of the housing is formed by the cover 2 which preferably consists of injection-molded polypropylene or a similar material and four slot-shaped recesses: two long clamping lever slots 2a through which the two clamping lever handles 3a protrude from the lid and two short Stellanzeigeschlitze 2b, through which the two actuating lever extensions 4a of the actuating lever 4 in the clamped state protrude from the lid (see Fig. 1). The lid 2 is fixed by four snap locks on the housing 1, but can be easily lifted and fixed again when needed. The cover 2 is detached from the housing 1 by pressing on the pressure tabs 1a from outside. As a result, the pressure flap 1a is bent inwards and the latching cam releases from the latching piece 2c of the lid 2. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the latching cams of the pressure flaps 1a are clearly visible. The trap is designed such that a centrally arranged catching device has a bait receptacle 17 and two striker brackets 13, which can be tensioned by a striking spring (14), and two release plates 15. Depending on a release plate 15 (and its associated striker 13) is aligned to one of the two tunnel entrances out (see Fig. 3). This allows two animals entering the tunnel through the two opposite ends to be lured and caught independently (simultaneously or consecutively). Both striker 13 can be clamped independently of each other by means of the two clamping levers 3 and the tension spring 14. The bait is placed in the center of the tunnel in the bait receptacle 17 and serves for both safety gears, respectively, is freely visible from both ends of the tunnel.

In the middle of the tunnel is a U-shaped inner housing 6 with the mass 120 mm x67 mm x70 mm (L x W x H), the bottom of which is connected by blind rivets fixed to the bottom of the housing 1. On each longitudinal side there is a gap between the wall of the housing 1 and the wall of the inner housing 6 with its embossment 5 as a spacer. In each of these spaces are each a tension lever 3 and a return plate 18. The return plate 18 are secured by recesses in the wall of the inner housing 6 (see Fig. 4). In the middle of the inner housing 6, three transverse, horizontal axis (from bottom to top: 7, 9 and 8), which extend through holes in the vertical side walls of the inner housing 6 are arranged transversely to the housing direction. The bow shaft 7, as the lower of the horizontal axes protrudes on both sides 2 mm beyond the side walls of the inner housing 6 and ends in each case in the hole 3d at the base of the clamping lever 3 (clearly visible in Fig. 4). Thus, the stirrup axle 7 serves as a fulcrum for the tensioning lever 3 when tensioning the striking spring 14 (compare the chapter "Tensioning the safety gear" below). The stirrup shaft 7 also carries the striker spring 14 (spring strength about 350-550 Nmm) and the two striker brackets 13. The trigger axis 9, as the middle of the horizontal axes carries the two trigger plate springs 16, the release plates 15, and the bait recording 17. The bait receptacle 17 is attached from below to the trigger axis 9. Thus, the trigger axis 9 does not hinder the rotation of the clamping lever 3 when tensioning the safety gears, each clamping lever 3 has an arcuate recess 3c for the ends of the trigger axis 9 (clearly visible in Fig. 4 and 5). The retainer shaft 8 as the upper of the horizontal axes carries the retainer spring 12, the retainer 11, the setting lever 4, and the spacers 10. Each of the two spring arms of the retainer spring 12 has an angled end which the spring arm eyelet 11b of the retainer 11 pierces and in the retainer guide 15a of

Trigger plate 15 ends. The spacers 10 are 12.8 mm long and are preferably made of polyethylene or a similar material.

The actuating lever 4 are 85 mm long and are preferably made of acrylic glass (PMMA) or a similar material, which is colored for good visibility in a distinctive color (in the embodiment described here in the color red). All other components are made of chromium steel in the embodiment described here.

In addition to the inner housing 6, the striker 14, the retainer spring 12, the axes 7, 8, 9, and the bait receptacle 17, all parts are two times in an identical version and in the case mirror image (based on the Center of the case in the bait recording 17) arranged to each other. The symmetrical structure of the trap is particularly clearly visible in Figs. 3 and 5-7.

The Safety Catch Device: Figure 6 shows the trap components within the inner housing 6 when the trap is in a released condition. The fixed end 4c of the actuating lever 4 surrounds the spacer sleeve 10. The free end 4b of the control lever 4 lies in the guide 20b, which is formed by a vertical, 18 mm long recess in the partition 20 (see Fig. 2) , In the triggered condition of the latch, the free end 4b of the control lever 4 is located at the lower end of the guide 20b, so that the vertical actuating lever lever projection 4a does not protrude from the lid 2 (as shown in Fig. 2). In addition, the striker 13 is pressed by the impact spring 14 on the bottom of the inner housing 6 in the horizontal position. The trigger plate 15 is in an oblique position with its leading edge touching the bottom of the housing 6. The retainer spring 12 pushes the retainer arm 11a of the retainer 11 away from the trigger axis 9, whereby the release plate 15 is additionally fixed in an oblique position.

Clamping the catching device: In order to tension the striking bar 13 with the respective striking spring 14, one grips the tensioning lever 3 on the tensioning lever grip 3a, which projects out of the cover 2 through the tensioning lever slot 2a, and moves the tensioning lever 3 to the other end of the tunnel towards the stop on the retainer shaft 8 and then back to its original position. When moving the clamping lever 3 raises the perpendicular to the clamping lever projecting Bügelhebefortsatz 3b the striker 13 of the triggered horizontal in the cocked vertical position and thus biases the striker spring 14 (see Fig. 5). The Bügelhebefortatz 3b extends in an arcuate recess in the side wall of the inner housing 6 (see Fig. 4). Preferably, both tensioning levers 3 are always actuated with one another and both striker brackets 13 are tensioned so that the latch is activated from both inlet openings. The return plate 18 consists of a leaf spring and causes the clamping lever 3 is automatically returned to its original position after the clamping operation. This prevents a possible risk of injury to the user by the back of the clamping lever 3 when the case is triggered.

The free spring arm 16a of the release plate spring 16 is straight and the fixed spring arm 16b of the release plate-Fe-16 is angled at the end and ends in the spring arm eyelet 15b of the release plate 15 (clearly visible in Fig. 6 and 7). When the tensioning lever 3 is actuated, not only the striking bar 13 but also the free spring arm 16a of the release plate spring 16 is pressed by the lifting jack extension 3b out of its triggered horizontal position into the tensioned, almost vertical position (see FIG. 5). The resulting spring tension would push the retainer guide 15a of the release plate 15 downward through the fixed spring arm 16b and thus raise the release plate 15. But this would also mean a movement of the retainer 11 and thus the tensioning of the retainer spring 12. However, since the force of the release plate spring 16 is not sufficient to tension the retainer spring 12, retainer 11 and release plate 15 remain in the same position. Only when by manual operation of the clamping lever 3 of the beater bar 13 has been raised so far that the horizontal part of the striker 13 touches the retainer 11 in the beater stop 11c and presses against it, the force is sufficient to the retainer arm 11a of the retainer eleventh to move in the direction of the trigger axis 9 and thus to tension the retainer spring 12. The tooth of the retainer guide 15a now locks the spring arm 12a of the retainer spring 12 in the cocked position and thus the retainer arm 11a in the vicinity of the trigger axis 9. Thus, the trigger plate 15 remains in the raised, horizontal position. Now, if you move the cocking lever 3 back to the starting position, the striker 13 is fixed by the retainer tooth 11 d of the retainer 11 in the tensioned vertical position and thus prevented from knocking down in the horizontal position. The trap is activated. In addition, the setting lever 4 is pushed upwards by the horizontal part of the striking bar 13 (see Fig. 7), so that the setting display lever extension 4a of the setting display lever 4 protrudes from the lid 2 and indicates that the trap is activated (see Fig. 1).

The triggering of the safety gear: Lured by the bait placed inside the trap in the bait receptacle 17, the target animal enters the atrium 21 through the outer inlet opening 19 and finally the inner housing 6 with the tensioned beater bar 13 and 13 through the inner inlet opening 20a On the way to the bait, the animal on the release plate 15 and causes a tilting movement of the release plate 15 about the release axis 9. The fact that the release axis 9 is configured with a rectangular cross-section (see Fig. 5), supported this tilting movement of

Claims (12)

Trigger plate 15. A weight of 6-8 grams on the trigger plate 15 is sufficient to trigger the trap. As a result of the tilting down of the release plate 15, the retainer guide 15a, and thus the tooth which fixes the retainer arm 11a, rises. The tooth releases the spring arm 12a of the retainer spring 12, causing the retainer spring 12 to cause slight rotation of the retainer 11 about the retainer shaft 8. As a result of this rotation, the retainer tooth 11 d fixing the striking bow 13 lowers and releases the striking bow 13. The striker 13 is pressed by the biasing force of the striker spring 14 from the cocked vertical position to the triggered horizontal position. The animal, which has triggered the trap by its kick on the trigger plate 15, dies by means of neck swing through the beater 13. By the downward movement of the striker 13 also lowers the free end 4b of the actuating lever 4 and the actuating lever display 4a no longer protrudes from the lid 2. This makes it visible from the outside (without opening the trap) that the trap has been triggered. Removal of the captive target animal from the trap: The release of the trapped dead target animal from the trap is usually done without the lid 2 must be lifted from the housing 1. The trap is held vertical with that half of the tunnel down, in which the trapped animal is located (indicated by the no longer externally visible indicator lever extension 4a). Now, a complete clamping movement is performed with the clamping lever 3, that is, you moved the cocking lever handle 3a of the clamping lever 3 until it stops and back to the starting position. As a result, the striker 13 is raised, locked in a vertical position and released the captured dead target animal. It falls out of the housing 1 through the inlet openings 20a and 19. Due to the fully executed clamping movement, the trap is reactivated and immediately ready for use. claims 1. A device for above-ground catching and killing of small mammals, having a substantially tunnel-shaped, a lower part and a roof having housing, the housing at the end faces each having an outer, each forming a tunnel entrance inlet opening (19), and wherein within the tunnel-shaped Housing at a predetermined distance from the respective inlet opening in each case a partition wall (20) is arranged, which has an inner inlet opening (20a), so that between the respective outer inlet opening (19) and the associated partition wall (20) an atrium (21) is formed wherein the device comprises two clamping levers (3) and two actuating lever (4), wherein the roof of the housing by a lid (2) is formed, which has four slot-shaped recesses, namely two clamping lever slots (2a) for the passage of two clamping lever handles (3a) from the lid and two Stellanzeigeschlitze (2b) for Durchgrif f of two actuating lever lever extensions (4a), wherein the respective actuating lever lever projection (4a) in the tensioned state protrudes from the lid and indicates that the trap is activated, wherein the lid (2) releasably, preferably by snap locks, is arranged on the lower part, and wherein the device further comprises at least one between the two partitions (20) arranged safety gear with a bait-receptacle (17), two by the respective clamping lever (3) and a striking spring (14) tensionable beater (13) and two release plates (15), wherein each a release plate (15) and its associated impact bracket (13) is aligned in each case to one of the two tunnel entrances. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized by a longitudinally arranged approximately in the center of the housing, U-shaped inner housing (6) whose bottom is preferably connected by blind rivets fixed to the bottom of the housing (1), wherein between the Wall of the inner housing (6) and the wall of the housing (1), the two clamping levers (3) are arranged. 3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that in the middle of the inner housing (6) three transverse to the housing longitudinal direction, superimposed horizontal axes (7,9 and 8) are mounted, which through holes in the vertical side walls of the inner housing ( 6), wherein a stirrup axle (7), as the lower of the horizontal axes on both sides beyond the side walls of the inner housing (6) protrudes and ends in a hole (3d) at the base of the clamping lever (3), so that the Ironing axis (7) the clamping lever (3) can serve as a fulcrum when tensioning the striker spring (14). 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the stirrup axle (7) carries the striker spring (14) and the two striker (13). 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that a trigger axis (9) as the middle of the horizontal axes two trigger plate springs (16), the trigger plates (15), and a bait receiving holder (18) and the bait Recording (17) bears. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that each clamping lever (3) has an arcuate recess (3c) for the ends of the trigger axis (9). A device according to claim 6, characterized in that a retainer axle (8) carries as the upper one of the horizontal axes a retainer spring (12), retainer (11), the indicator lever (4) and spacers (10). 8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one spring arm of the retainer spring (12) has an angled end, which pierces a spring arm eyelet (11 b) of the retainer (11) and in a retainer guide (15 a) of the release plate ( 15) ends. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the setting indicator levers (4) are colored in one color. 10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the actuating lever (4) each have a fixed end (4c) which surrounds the respective spacer sleeve (10) and in each case a free, in a guide (20b) lying end (4b) , wherein the respective guide (20b), each formed by a substantially vertical recess in the partition wall (20). 11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that in the triggered state of the device, the respective free end (4b) of the actuating lever (4) at the lower end of the respective guide (20b) is on, so that the respective vertical actuating lever Extension (4a) does not protrude from the lid (2) and the respective striker (13) by the striker spring (14) on the bottom of the inner housing (6) is pressed into the horizontal position. 12. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that the respective release plate (15) is in the triggered state of the device in an oblique position, with their front touches the bottom of the inner housing (6) and the retainer spring (12) the respective retainer Arm (11a) of the retainer (11) can push away from the trigger axis (9).