DROWNING ATTACHMENT FOR TRAPS
Stretched springs drag the sprung trap into deep water.
The trap is set near the shallow bank with its jaws hooked over anchoring stakes, holding a system of coil springs under tension. An animal presses the pedal; the jaws swing upward and disengage from the stakes. The springs retract and pull the trap along the stream bed toward a central stake in deep water. A forked stake through which the chain passes stops the trap in a predetermined submerged position, and a float on a line marks its location for retrieval.
“the trap will be sufficiently below the surface of the stream 11 to quickly drown the animal and prevent it from tearing or gnawing itself loose from the trap or from tearing its fur in attempting to escape.”— George Adkins, from the specification
And the world did not beat a path to his door.