And The World Did Not Beat A Path To His Door

4,400 attempts at a solved problem

The Repeat Offenders

Inventors who filed again. And, in some cases, again.

Patent drawing of a wooden animal trap showing a wedge-shaped housing with an angled beam, a central platform, and a U-shaped spring striker bail, alongside a cross-section revealing the internal latch and lever mechanism.IMPROVEMENT IN ANIMAL-TRAPS.John Leibold · September 23, 1879Line drawing of a rectangular sheet-metal mouse trap with a wire bait arch on top, two hinged tilting leaves forming the roof of the main compartment, stepped side projections, and a slatted end door with sliding bars, shown in perspective and in two cross-sections.MOUSE-TRAPLester H. Gear · March 23, 1886Patent drawing of a rectangular wooden mousetrap base showing a coil spring, a U-shaped wire clamp, a pivoted lever, and a pair of small wire bait holders with bent fingers holding a piece of bait, illustrated in plan, side, and perspective views.TRIGGER FOR A SPRING-TYPE MOUSETRAPRussell G. Poff · March 4, 1969