ANIMAL OR FISH TRAP.
Toothed spring jaws intended equally for mice and for fish.
Two toothed jaws are pivoted together at one end by a pin, which may be staked into the ground, and at the other end by a bent spring rod that forces them together. A flat spring on the inner jaw carries a lug that passes through holes in both jaws to hold them apart, along with a trigger plate bearing a barbed bait hook. The animal disturbs the bait; the trigger retracts the lug; the jaws snap shut around the catch. For fish, the trap is instead suspended underwater by a line tied to the bend of the spring rod.
“Any slight disturbance of the hook 20 will cause the trigger 15 to retract the lug 10 from said hole 13. The spring 6 acts instantaneously and the jaws fly around to a reverse position, catching the fish or animal therebetween.”— William Gabrielson, from the specification
And the world did not beat a path to his door.