And The World Did Not Beat A Path To His Door

4,400 attempts at a solved problem

Solving a Problem Already Solved

The snap trap was patented in 1894 and perfected in 1903. The following inventors disagreed.

Patent drawing of a circular mouse trap showing three spring-loaded snap mechanisms arranged around a wooden disc top, a cross-section view of the trap body with labeled parts A, B, C, and a detail of a small metal partition piece.IMPROVED MOUSE-TRAPAnthony G. Davis · March 30, 1869Patent drawing showing a steel-jaw animal trap with a curved compound spring in Fig. 1, and two plan-view diagrams (Figs. 2 and 3) of the bed-plate with flexible side prongs and a torsional cross-head spring, labeled with letters A, B, D, H, I, J, and N.IMPROVEMENT IN ANIMAL-TRAPSCyrus W. Saladee · February 8, 1876Three technical line drawings of a small spring-loaded animal trap: Fig. 1 shows the base plate, pivoted toothed jaw, coiled springs, and tripping pawl separated apart with labeled parts; Fig. 2 shows the same trap assembled but unset; Fig. 3 shows a side cross-section of the trap set, with the toothed jaw raised on a curved arc above the flat base and the pawl engaging the jaw's tail-piece.IMPROVEMENT IN ANIMAL-TRAPS.James M. Keep · November 4, 1879Patent drawing of a wire choker-bow animal trap mounted on a wooden base, showing the upright, coiled springs, catch, trigger with bait, and two rats approaching the baited hole.ANIMAL-TRAP.Horace Tinker · October 10, 1882Patent drawing of a wooden-based rat trap with a curved wire spring-jaw hinged over a bait pan, shown set (Fig. 1), unset (Fig. 2), and in modified toothed and pin-trigger versions (Figs. 3-6), with hand-signed witness and inventor signatures below.ANIMAL-TRAP.Chauncey Burdett Trumble · August 30, 1892Patent drawing of a wire coil-spring animal trap showing an oval jaw assembly with a raised circular pan, flanked by two wire spring legs each coiled at the outer ends and resting on the ground, with a side-view diagram below showing the closed jaw position.COIL-SPRING TRAP.James Dawkins · October 23, 1906Patent drawing showing an oval spring-jawed animal trap with two curved metal jaws crossing over a circular ring, a small detent and trigger mechanism at the hinge, and a long tail spring arm extending to the base.ANIMAL-TRAPFerrand F. Ellis · April 8, 1913Patent drawing of an animal trap showing two hinged jaw plates joined by a coil spring and a diverging bait-holding trigger mechanism, with separate detail views of the spring housing and trigger pivot.ANIMAL-TRAP.Henry Heald May · May 13, 1913Line drawing of an oval steel leg-hold animal trap with a curved handle, showing two pivoted jaws, a coiled bait pan, and a latch mechanism, along with smaller detail views of the spring loop attachment and cross-grooved jaw face.ANIMAL-TRAPReuben C. Eldridge, Julius Willers · November 3, 1914Patent drawing of a wire-frame mouse trap on a rectangular wooden base, showing the bail-like wire frame, coiled spring, arrow-shaped bait tongue, and pivot trigger in both set and sprung positions.MOUSE-TRAPRoy Innes · August 10, 1915Patent drawing of an animal leghold trap showing an arcuate base with converging arms, two curved jaws hinged at pivot points, overlying leaf springs, a central circular trip pan with catch mechanism, and an attached chain with ring for anchoring, shown in set and tripped plan views plus a side elevation.ANIMAL-TRAP.Amos Bonville · March 8, 1921Patent drawing of a metal animal trap showing a flat toothed jaw plate, a hinged upright handle with a curved end and coil spring, and a trigger plate mechanism, illustrated in perspective, cross-section, and side profile views.ANIMAL TRAPJames A. Mertz · February 27, 1923Technical patent drawing showing a spring-loaded animal trap with a bow-shaped spring, curved hooked jaws, and a pivoting trigger and trip plate mechanism mounted on a base plate.ANIMAL TRAPWilliam Cooper · November 20, 1923Patent drawing of a rectangular wooden-base rat trap showing a wire loop striker hinged at a central bridge, flanked by coiled torsional springs, with a wooden trigger and bait hook mechanism at one end, plus detail cross-sections of the trigger and spring assembly.ANIMAL TRAPGeorge H. Crawford · April 1, 1924Patent drawing showing a jaw-style game trap with a circular pan, pivoted spring-loaded jaws at top and bottom, and a coiled wire spring mechanism anchored to a flat base plate, shown in both set and unset positions across multiple figures.GAME TRAPLester A. Beardsley · June 5, 1928Patent drawing showing a two-part U-shaped metal trap setter with pivoted levers, offset arms, and a trap with jaws, spring, and trigger mechanism attached.TRAP SETTERLloyd Hoover · September 10, 1929Patent drawing showing a wooden-based snap trap with a rectangular wire striker frame, coiled spring, latch and bait pedal, plus detail views of a bent-wire lifting arm and an alternate bent-metal lifter used to raise the striker off a caught animal.STRIKER LIFTING MEANS FOR TRAPSCarey E. Bunker · November 3, 1931Patent drawing showing a metal animal trap with a rectangular wire base, two upturned pivoted jaws, a bait pan with a single tongue extension, and a coiled spring bail, illustrated in plan, end, and enlarged closed-position views.ANIMAL TRAPJohn U. Lehn and Mary A. Huebener · September 27, 1932Patent drawing sheet showing nine figures of a wooden mouse trap base with a wire jaw, coiled spring, pivoted locking bar, and bait pedal in various set and released positions.ANIMAL TRAPJohn U. Lehn and Herman Drach · May 15, 1934Patent drawing of a rectangular wire mouse trap with a U-shaped swinging jaw, coiled spring, bait trigger plate, and a bent-wire handle for resetting the jaw, shown in three views labeled Fig. 1, Fig. 2, and Fig. 3.ANIMAL TRAPJames Harry Schocke · July 17, 1934Patent drawing of a mouse trap held in a hand, showing a wire bail, torsion spring, trigger, and a thumb-operated release lever lifting a caught mouse away from the base, with additional plan and side views of the mechanism below.ANIMAL TRAPCarl Gebhard · March 26, 1935Exploded and sectional patent drawings of a wooden-based rodent trap showing a spring-loaded wire bail, a pivoting bait carrier, and an L-shaped sliding latch used to safely set the trap.ANIMAL TRAPWilliam R. McCabe · May 21, 1935Patent drawing showing a jaw trap anchored underwater by a chain and diagonal line running to a stake on the bank, with a bent metal slide plate locking the line, plus detail views of the slide plate and a wire snare noose.TRAPOwen Dacey · March 10, 1942Patent drawing showing a rectangular sheet metal mousetrap casing with a sliding jaw plate, wire spring, and pivoting baited trigger, illustrated in four figures including a perspective exploded view of the spring and trigger assembly.MOUSETRAPRobert F. Goostrey · February 1, 1949Patent drawing of a wedge-shaped mouse trap showing a sliding jaw member with a serrated opening, a fixed front wall, a pivoting trigger with bait tongue, and sheet-metal blank patterns for assembly.ANIMAL TRAPMerle K. Benson · May 2, 1950Patent drawing showing a wooden-base mousetrap with a U-shaped wire spring jaw, a bait pedal with trigger, and a locking bar mechanism, illustrated in seven figures from top, side, and perspective views.MOUSETRAPGeorge H. Van Brunt · June 13, 1950Patent drawing of a sheet-metal rodent trap shown in side elevation, with a triangular base plate forming a stationary jaw, a hinged triangular upper plate forming the movable jaw, a coil spring at their central pivot, a bait-bearing trigger apron near the jaws, and a swinging detent arm at the rear that locks the upper jaw open, illustrated in both closed (solid lines) and open, set (dotted lines) positions, with additional cross-section and end-view figures showing the internal trigger and detent linkage.ANIMAL TRAPWilliam R. Horne · July 10, 1951Patent drawing showing a rectangular sheet-metal rodent trap with a wire striker held by coil springs, a bait holder pedal, and a pivoting latch rod, shown in plan and section views across multiple alternative designs.RODENT TRAPJohn T. Brubaker · April 8, 1952Line drawing of a wire animal trap with two spring-biased jaw loops joined by a central coil spring, a rotatable latch and trigger mechanism with protruding trigger wires, shown in relaxed (Fig.1) and set (Fig.2) positions, with detailed close-ups of the latch, trigger, and pivot components in Figs. 3-7.ANIMAL TRAPRussell N. Hofmeister · January 14, 1969Exploded perspective drawing of a wire-frame animal trap showing two pivoting rectangular jaw frames connected by coil springs and rings, with a central bait holder and disc-shaped trigger mechanism mounted on a base bar.ANIMAL TRAPMichael Benz · December 24, 1974Exploded perspective drawing of a leg-hold animal trap showing a base plate with two U-shaped jaws mounted on standards, a bow-shaped U-spring, a trigger with bait pan, and cylindrical spacer jambs mounted on the jaw legs to prevent full closure.ANIMAL TRAPAnthony J. Souza · September 6, 1977Line drawing of a wire-frame animal trap with two crossed pairs of spring-loaded arms forming an A-shape, rear coil springs, a transverse striking bar at the peak, and a bait-trigger release mechanism at the front base with labeled parts 1 through 33.HUMANE ANIMAL TRAPWilfrid Desrosiers · January 27, 1987Exploded diagram of a plastic rodent trap showing a ribbed upper jaw, base with side walls and openings, spring, trigger, bait cup, and a cable tie for securing the trap around a pipe, plus a side view of the assembled trap clamped onto a pipe with the tie visible.PIPE OR BEAM MOUNTED RODENT TRAPDaniel C. Johnson · June 10, 2003An isometric line drawing of a rectangular box-shaped rodent trap with a hinged, weighted one-way door swinging open at the top of the entry opening, with a mouse depicted climbing over the door into the enclosure.HUMANE ANIMAL TRAPIrwin Blau · November 30, 2010An exploded and assembled view of a spiked, cone-shaped plastic insert that threads into the lid of a five-gallon storage tote, shown on the cover page with two rats approaching the modified container from opposite sides.COMPOSABLE INSERTS FOR DIY TRAPSNick Suteerawanit · January 20, 2026