A Better Mousetrap

Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.

It's been said a thousand times and Werrington inventor, Herman Nutznboltz, is now waiting for the rush to begin.

He has a string of inventions to his credit including zoom lenses for spectacles, battery heated bras for women who don't want to wear overcoats, and a separator for sorting nonpariels ("hundreds-and-thousands") into single colours.

When these failed to attract backers he turned his attention to the humble mousetrap.

After experimenting with several designs, Mr Nutznboltz settled on a trap with cupped hands at the end of two short arms. One of the hands is fitted with a sprung cheese platform.

The operation is simple. The spring-loaded arms are pulled apart and the lower hand (with the cheese) is placed flat on the floor while the other points upward.

When the mouse reaches the cheese the spring is released and the hands spring together with a resounding clap, trapping the mouse inside.

Mr Nutznboltz calls his design a Clap Trap.

And this column has never been reluctant to promote a story about claptrap.