Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Traps – Self and ever set
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-18
2001-04-10
Rowan, Kurt (Department: 3643)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Traps
Self and ever set
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212819
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a reusable, odorless rodent trap. Some traditional rodent traps are single-use only; that is, after a single rodent is caught in the trap, in order to avoid an unsanitary and unpleasant cleanup, the entire trap must be discarded with the dead rodent. Some prior art rodent traps, although reusable, may require regular rebaiting. In addition, some prior art rodent traps do not provide any means of masking the scent that is likely to emanate from a decomposing rodent that is not immediately discarded. Finally, some traditional rodent traps rely on toxic chemicals or proprietary, specially-manufactured parts to achieve their goal.
The present invention overcomes the above disadvantages by providing a rodent trap comprised of a container and a substantially cylindrical member rotatably mounted on the container by a mounting means. The container is partially filled with a substance that is capable both of drowning the rodent and masking the scent of the rodent's decomposing carcass. The cylindrical member is treated with materials to stimulate the visual and/or olfactory senses of the rodent, thereby leading the rodent to position itself on the cylindrical member, causing the cylindrical member to rotate. The rotation of the cylindrical member prompts the rodent to fall into the substance in the container. The rodent then drowns in the substance while the substance masks the accompanying odor.
Therefore, the invention is a simple combination of basic elements that improves on the prior art. First, all the elements of the invention are reusable. The attractants on the cylindrical member are not expended with each rodent trapped; neither is the rodent-drowning, odor-masking substance. The substance in the container may be comprised of a mixture of basic, non-toxic household items such as water and molasses, making occasional refilling of the container a safe and inexpensive task. If the container is sizable enough to accommodate more than one dead rodent or if each dead rodent may be removed with minimal unpleasantness to the user, refilling of the container may be fairly infrequent. Finally, the trap hardware itself—the container, the cylindrical member, and the mounting means—is not exhausted with each use; it may easily be repeatedly reused over an appreciable length of time.
Second, the substance in the container—for example, the mixture of water and molasses suggested above—successfully masks any odor caused by the decomposition of the rodent, allowing the user to avoid having to empty the trap soon after a rodent is caught.
In sum, the invention provides a reusable, odorless, safe, and inexpensively renewed rodent trap, thus improving upon the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a reusable, odorless rodent trap.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reusable, odorless rodent trap that includes at least one non-toxic rodent attractant comprising basic, inexpensive household items.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reusable, odorless rodent trap that includes a non-toxic rodent-drowning substance comprising basic, inexpensive household items.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reusable, odorless rodent trap that drowns the rodent in a substance that masks the odor caused by the decompositon of the rodent.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reusable, odorless rodent trap having rodent attractants that endure more than one use.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reusable, odorless rodent trap having a rodent-drowning substance that endures more than one use.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reusable, odorless rodent trap with major structural components that endure more than one use.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing an apparatus for trapping and killing rodents, said apparatus including a container having an opening, the container being oriented such that the opening faces upward, thereby enabling retention of rodents in said container. The apparatus also includes a substantially cylindrical member rotatably mounted across the opening of the container, the cylindrical member providing unstable support for rodents, thereby causing rodents positioning themselves on the cylindrical member to fall into said container. A portion of the cylindrical member is treated with at least one rodent attractant to attract rodents to position themselves on the cylindrical member. The container contains a substance for killing rodents and masking the scent caused by the decomposition of rodents.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical member is a plastic bottle.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical member has at least two holes for carrying a rigid rod for rotatably mounting the cylindrical member on the container.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the holes vary in size such that the cylindrical member rotates unevenly about the rod, thereby causing rodents positioning themselves on the cylindrical member to fall into the container.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the rodent attractant is a visual rodent attractant removably attached to a portion of the cylindrical member.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the visual rodent attractant comprises distinctively-colored adhesive tape.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the rodent attractant is an olfactory rodent attractant applied to a portion of the cylindrical member.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the olfactory rodent attractant comprises molasses.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the rodent attractant comprises both a visual rodent attractant and an olfactory rodent attractant.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the visual rodent attractant comprises distinctively-colored adhesive tape and the olfactory rodent attractant comprises molasses.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the substance in the container comprises water and molasses.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the rodent is killed by drowning in the substance in the container.
A preferred embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus for trapping and killing small rodents such as mice and rats. The apparatus includes a container having an opening, the container being oriented such that the opening faces upward, thereby enabling retention of rodents in the container. The apparatus also includes a bottle rotatably mounted across the opening of the container, the bottle having at least two holes for carrying a rigid rod for rotatably mounting the bottle on the container, the holes varying in size such that the bottle rotates unevenly about the rod, thereby causing rodents positioning themselves on the bottle to fall into the container. A portion of the bottle is removably coated with molasses and distinctively-colored adhesive tape is removably attached to a portion of the bottle, both to attract rodents to position themselves on the bottle. The container contains a mixture of water and molasses for drowning rodents and masking the scent caused by the decomposition of rodents.
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Robe
Adams, Schwartz & Evans, P
Rowan Kurt
LandOfFree
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