Patent 8429848 was granted and assigned to Bell Laboratories, Inc. on April, 2013 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A mole trap has a tough plastic base with downwardly extending fixed blades. Movable plastic blades are pivotably connected to the base and urged into a sprung condition by springs. A two-segment lever extends between the base and a catch which is pivotably mounted to the base. A trigger extends through a central opening in the catch and has a post which protrudes beneath the catch where it can be actuated by the targeted mole. Operation of the trigger post causes the lever to release from its engagement with the catch so that the movable blades close on and strike the mole positioned beneath the trap. The trigger has a release tab extending from the lever, allowing convenient release from the set position, and an upwardly protruding set arm allowing trigger depression from a point exterior to the handle into its desired set configuration.