Animal trap

Claim 1

An animal trap for use with a piece of bait to trap animals, said trap comprising: (a) a body member having a hollow interior and having an access opening into said hollow interior; said body member including a front member, a back member, a first side member, a second side member, a top member and a bottom member joined together to define said hollow interior; said access opening being located through said front member; said back member of said body means having an aperture therethrough; said front and back members of said body member having planar face surfaces which are angled toward one another with the top ends thereof closer together than the bottom ends thereof, said aperture through said back member consisting of a cylindrical bore with its axis extending at an angle to the horizontal through said back member downwardly into said interior of said body member; (b) a trap door means movably mounted to said body member for movement between an open position in which said access opening is open and a closed position in which said access opening is obstructed; (c) trigger means for selectively holding said trap door means in said open position, said trigger means including a bait holding means for holding said piece of bait, said trigger means allowing said trap door means to move to said closed position if said piece of bait is removed from said bait holding means; said bait holding means of said trigger means including a pin member for extending through said aperture through said back member of said body member, said pin member having a first end for being positioned within said interior of said body member and for holding said piece of bait and having a second end; said trigger means including coupling means for coupling said second end of said pin member to said trap door means and for holding said trap door means in said open position as long as said first end of said pin member is positioned within said interior of said body member, said first end of said pin member being held within said interior of said body member only as long as said piece of bait remains thereon for causing said trap door to automatically move to said closed position if said piece of bait is removed therefrom; said aperture through said back member of said body member being shaped so as to insure the quick exit of said pin member therefrom if said piece of bait is removed from said first end of said pin member; and (d) guide means attached to said front member adjacent said access opening for guiding said trap door means between said open and closed positions.