TRAP
Each animal resets the trap for the animal behind it.
The animal enters through a front door and steps on a pivoted floor plate, tripping a catch. The heavier front door drops closed while a linked inner partition rises. The animal proceeds onto a second inclined plate, whose descent under its weight pulls the partition back down and lifts the front door open, resetting the trap. Successive animals pass through the chambers toward the light and collect in a rear jail compartment from which retreat is blocked.
“However, since I have recently found six hares trapped in said chamber C, I have provided a larger receptacle by means of the box C' (Figure 4) previously described, which may be attached in place of the end closure 10 when animals of the size of hares or the like are desired to be trapped.”— Louis Bourgeois, from the specification
And the world did not beat a path to his door.