RODENT STATION

Abstract

A housing for a rodent station includes a catching region having a plurality of catching zones, each catching zone being adapted to releasably hold a rodent trap device.

Claims

1. A housing for a rodent station, the housing comprising a catching region having a plurality of catching zones, each catching zone being adapted to releasably hold a rodent trap device.

2. A housing according to claim 1, wherein the catching region comprises four catching zones.

3. A housing according to claim 2, wherein the housing comprises retaining means for releasably retaining a trap device in a fixed position in the housing.

4. A housing according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises retaining means for releasably retaining a trap device in a fixed position in the housing.

5. A housing according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises one or more separators for separating the catching region into the plurality of catching zones.

6. A housing according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the separators defines a path between two catching zones.

7. A housing according to claim 6, wherein the one or more separators are upstanding from the base of the housing.

8. A housing according to claim 5, wherein the one or more separators are upstanding from the base of the housing.

9. A housing according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the separators is an interior wall.

10. A housing according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a lid that is pivotably attachable to a wall of the housing and the lid may be pivoted between an open position and a closed position.

11. A method of deploying a plurality of rodent trap devices, comprising setting a plurality of the housings according to claim 1 within an area.

12. A rodent station comprising a housing and a plurality of trap devices, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of catching zones and each catching zone releasably retains a trap device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rodent station housing; and

[0024] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the rodent station housing of FIG. 1, with the lid removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a rodent trap comprising a housing 10 having a base 12, side walls 14, and a lid 16. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 10 is adapted to hold four conventional rodent snap trap devices 18. A conventional rodent snap trap device comprises a rectangular base, a trigger plate arranged at one end of the base, and a spring-loaded trapping bar.

[0026] The lid 16 is removable to provide access to the interior of the housing 10. As shown in FIG. 1, one side of the lid 16 is pivotably attachable to a side wall 14 of the housing 10, such that the lid 16 may be pivoted between open and closed positions. A user may pivot the lid 16 to an open position to insert trap devices 18 into the housing 10. When the trap devices 18 are set and in the desired locations, the lid 16 may be pivoted to a closed position by a user.

[0027] The housing 10 comprises two openings 20a, 20b provided in the side walls 14, for allowing rodents to enter the housing 10. The base 12 of the housing 10 is substantially rectangular, and the two openings are provided on opposing side walls 14 of the housing 10.

[0028] The interior of the housing 10 comprises two entry regions 22 and a catching region. Each entry region 22 is adjacent an opening 20a, 20b. The catching region comprises four catching zones 24a-d. Each catching zone 24a-d is adapted to hold one snap trap device 18.

[0029] The housing 10 comprises separators 26, 28 for separating the catching region into the four catching zones 24. The base 12 is substantially flat and the separators 26, 28 are upstanding from the base 12.

[0030] The separators 26, 28 are arranged such that each catching zone 24a-d may securely hold a snap trap device 18, and the separators 26, 28 inhibit the trap device 18 from moving within catching region into a different catching zone 24. The separators 26, 28 allow a user to easily place each snap trap device 18 in the desired location in the housing 10.

[0031] The separators 26, 28 are made up of two dividers 26 and two partitions 28. The height to which the dividers 26 extend from the base 12 of the housing 10 is greater than the height to which the partitions 28 extend from the base 12 of the housing 10. The dividers 26 extend from the base 12 towards the lid 16 of the housing 10; the height of the dividers 28 is approximately the height of the side walls 14. The partitions 28 extend less than half-way up the height of the housing 10 from the base 12.

[0032] The dividers 26 define a path for a rodent into the different catching zones 24a-d. The dividers 26 act to direct a rodent towards the trigger plate end of a snap trap device 18 in different catching zones 24a-d and to prevent the rodent from accessing the catching zones 24a-d at the other end of the snap trap device 18. A first divider 26a defines a path from the first opening 20a, through the entry region 22a, through the first catching zone 24a and into the second catching zone 24b. Similarly, a second divider 26b defines a path for a rodent from the second opening 20b, through the second entry region 22b, through the third catching zone 24c and into the fourth catching zone 24d.

[0033] If the trap device 18 in the first catching zone 24a is not triggered, the rodent entering the first catching zone 24a from the first entry region 22a will be trapped in that trap device 18. If the trap device 18 in the first catching zone 24a has been triggered, a rodent may enter the second catching zone 24b from the first catching zone 24a, and may be trapped in the trap device 18 in the second catching zone 24b.

[0034] The base area of each catching zone 24a-d is substantially rectangular. The first divider 26a extends from a side wall 14 adjacent the first opening 20a, along the edge of the first entry region 22a, and separates the first catching zone 24a from the second catching zone 24b.

[0035] The first divider 26a does not extend along the full length of the first and second catching zones 24a, 24b; there is a space between the end of the first divider 26a and the partitions 28 at the end of the first and second catching zones 24a, 24b, through which a rodent can travel from the first catching zone 24a to the second catching zone 24b.

[0036] Similarly, the second divider 26b extends from a side wall 14 adjacent the second opening 20a, along the edge of the second entry region 22b. The second divider 26b separates the third catching zone 24c from the fourth catching zone 24d and a space is provided between the end of the second divider 26b and the partitions 28 at the end of the third and fourth catching zones 24c, 24d through which a rodent may travel from the third catching zone 24c to the fourth catching zone 24d.

[0037] The first partition 28a is provided between the first catching zone 24a and the third catching zone 24c. The second partition 28b is provided between the second catching zone 24b and the fourth catching zone 24d.

[0038] In use, a first trap device 18a may be arranged in the first catching zone 24a with the trigger plate facing the first opening 20a, a second trap device 18b may be arranged in the second catching zone 24b on the other side of the divider 26a to the first trap device 18a. The trigger plate of the second trap device 18b may be provided adjacent the entry point from the first catching zone 24a to the second catching zone 24b. A third trap device 18c may be provided in the third catching zone 24c, with the trigger plate facing the second opening 20b and a fourth trap device 18d may be provided in the fourth catching zone 24d on the other side of the second divider 26b to the third trap device 18c.

[0039] The housing 10 is adapted to hold four snap trap devices 18, however, a user may choose to place only one, two or three snap trap devices 18 in the housing 10, leaving the remaining catching zones empty of a trap device 18.

[0040] The rodent station housing 10 provides the advantage that a plurality of trap devices 18 may be retained in the housing 10, thereby increasing the number of rodents that may be caught in the trap. The user may therefore be required to reset the trap devices 18 in the housing 10 less frequently and/or may be required to place fewer traps in an area.

[0041] Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0042] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[0043] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0044] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.