US2446078A - Choker for trapped animals - Google Patents

Description

July 27, 1948. M. E. CHURCHILL 7 7 CHOKER FOR TRAPPED ANIMALS Filed Aug. 14, 1946 M zventor .(Ittomegs onthe extremity of a pole or handle. L 3

Other objects and advantages will be revealed Patented July 27, 1948 oHoKEn FOR TRAPfEb Merton E. Churchill. Arcadia, Ia.

. This invention relates to the trappingand execution of fur bearing animals, whereby a trapped animal may be executed-by a mechanical device without damaging the pelt. i 7

It is an object of m invention to execute a trapped animal in a minimum of time by mechanical strangulation, thereby retaining a complete unpunctured uninjured fur or pelt.

It is more particularly an object of my invention to provide two suitably curved spring actufor'mto f a casing and i-sprovided 1 withi'ront andrear'wallsz and 3, a slottedtop andrt y w t .Th'ejaws. a andf9 constituting curved ievr or ated jaws or levers mounted with portions thereof including the actuators within a supporting casingfi-n combination with a releasable setting means or trigger, said mechanism being mounted in the detailed description of the drawings which form a part of my specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view as seen from the front of the device, the jaws being latched in a set position ready for releasing.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing the jaws latched in open position with the actuating springs under tension.

Figure 3 is a similar View with the jaws partly closed as they appear when engaged around the neck of a trapped animal, shown in dotted lines, the springs being in a position of intermediate tension.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line P l of Fig. 1 showing the outer ends of the jaws in section and the housing in plan.

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the casing showing the jaw latching and trigger release in section thereon as they appear per section line fi -5 on Fig. 4.

The drawing is illustrative of a preferred form of my invention and is not definitive thereof except so far as claimed herein.

The reference characters identify the essential parts of the invention in both the drawings and written description.

In carrying out my invention I provide an instrument particularly adapted for use in killing trapped animals, humane extinction of life being accomplished by choking the animal by clamping the neck between two curved jaws pivoted to move in intersecting paths. These jaws are spring actuated and when set in open or operative position are locked by a trigger mechanism which is released automatically when the instrument is brought into contact with th neck of an animal.

The instrument comprises a frame portion l the first class are fulcrumed' in opposed. relation on a common pivot such aspin. Ii] carried at its ends inthe walls rand 3 of the casing. g f

. A i one side of the top wall A there-is a bracket ll secured fbylriyets I l parallel to" the plane of movement ofthe jaws 8 and 9, at eachfendof which are a pair of outwardly projectingea'rs fl 2 and" i3 carrying capt v slidingllatc'h p ns 14 and I5. The latter serve. tolsecure the jaws? hen they are 1 set in open position and are. disengaged by'the releasing means or trigger l6. Thise'lement is formed as a bell crank lever pivoted against the edge or shoulder of the top 4 and has a broad end or plate I1 connected to the outer ends of the latch pins I4I5 which hold it in operative position on the casing. Extending outwardly from the center of the lower edge of the plate I! is the releasing trigger comprising an offset portion l8 terminating in a lateral projection l9 adapted to be engaged with the trapped animal in the vicinity of its spine and shoulders so that when pressure is applied to it the retaining pins will be retracted to release the jaws 8 and 9. i

The top wall 4 of the casing is provided with a longitudina1 slot 20 the opposing edges of which form guides for the jaws 8 and 9 which operate in the manner of scissors or shears. Connected to the short arms or ends of the jaws within the casing are tension springs 23 and 24 the opposite ends of which are articulately anchored on trans- Versely arranged pins 25 and 26 located within the casing at each end thereof.

For conveniently handling the instrument I mount it on the extremity of a pole Z5 and attach it to the casing by a threaded stud 26 on the bottom 5. In order to add to the rigidity of the parts I preferably mount the stud 26 on a U- shaped bracket which spans the bottom 5 and has the ears 21 riveted to the front wall 2- and the rear wall 3 of the casing. The pole or handle 25 is of suitable length. For example if a silver fox is caught in a trap having an anchor chain the fox would have a considerable range of movement substantially twice the length of the chain. Hence the handle should be long enough so that the operator of the mechanical executor may keep beyond the reach of any vicious trapped animal.

When it is desired: to set the device it is merely 3 4 necessary to force the curved jaws 8 and 9 apart arms toward each other, and a setting and efar enough so that the captive pins l4 and may leasing means located on the frame. engage over the inner edges of the jaws to retain 2. A choker for trapped animals as set forth in them in open position against the tension of their claim 1, in which the setting and releasing means respective springs 23 and 24. When in this set 5 is mounted in a bracket secured to the frame in a position the trigger I9 is in the full line position position parallel to said long arms, said frame of Fig. 5. The operator upon approaching the having guides at its ends, latch pins slidably trapped animal holds the device in a suitable demounted in said guides having free ends movable pending position-ttoab iing therjaws -over the back into and out of the path of said long arms, and a of the neck ofgthe animal so thattthelateralpro- 10 bellecrank lever articulatedly connected with said Jection or trigger engages either the base of the pins and fulcrumed against the side of said frame, skull or the end of the spine just back of its neck. U said lever having an offset arm adapted to en This relatively light pressure releases the jaws 'the body of the trapped animal and serving to rewhich encircle the neck of the ammal resulting lease said-jaws for engagement about the neck of in strangling it in a minimum of time. ;-}Ihe .-ten-; w,th trap fid animal. sion of the springs operating thejaws is such that A er r pp l as set forth in they are propelled togethertcrstop-lboth the cir- 'ilclaim 1,:the'sub-structure compri a settin culation of blood and the passage of air thrpugh means ,for retaining the levers in operative posithe trachea, "tion comprising a bracket having guides at its I have found ,in my trapping work that anganis ca y t h P s having heads. a! trig er nal mayflbethus' executed ina matterofseconds, --articulated-on the frame having a-portionserving g.;usua;llyyles sit-han one halgaminutel fBecause'of '--to; retract the pins; and an arm extending away thismomplete-and rapid "strangulation" there "is P-ffromfiaidlframe and a pted to enga th i l y very little time for the animal to st fl e le. .ifIhB the pp a 111%511112jaQCQmQISIlBdfIS thgpregarrationof acom- 1 MERTON E; CHURCHILL. ffn ctea zupmneturedan iundamaa dinel l l-fiilmf'anddesire to protect-thy Letters 1 REFERENCES CITED -R m1 Eliefollowingreferencesharewof reco rd ;in;the

*1: Af nhokingtvmechanism :for-trappedanimals, file of this patent; :cqmprising a'supporti-ng framegleversfulcrumed 3O v i h l'io m ame ing;ini aralleiism beyond-the Number Name ."Date t ram xan "h n 'jic rve itow d: each; o e 192,552 Wiggin V June 26 1877 z's i s ea fi' ttachedtotheframeaato ee d and 16,046 Becraft .5. names: .1889

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