ANIMAL TRAP

A lighter version of a trap patented eight years earlier.

PatentUS 3,421,251

PatentedJanuary 14, 1969

InventorRussell N. Hofmeister

OfWaseca, Minnesota

Line 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. — click to zoom

The trapper squeezes the two wire jaws together against the coil spring and rotates a latch into engagement with a pin on the trigger device, holding the jaws apart. Trigger wires hang from the trigger device across the opening. The animal contacts a trigger wire, typically with a foot, which rotates the trigger device and cams the latch loose. The spring snaps the two jaws together on the animal.

“Since a trapper typically carries animal traps to predetermined locations along a trap line on foot, it is desirable that an animal trap be light and compact. It is particularly important, however, that the trap be extremely reliable. A trap which does not release at the slightest contact by an animal and engage the animal therein is relatively useless to a trapper.”— Russell N. Hofmeister, from the specification

And the world did not beat a path to his door.

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