James Henry Atkinson

Summary

James Henry Atkinson (c. 1849–1942) was a Leeds ironmonger best known for the Little Nipper snap mousetrap, covered by British patents of 1898–99. He did not originate the spring-loaded snap trap: William C. Hooker's US Patent 528,671 (1894) precedes Atkinson's British patents by several years. Atkinson reportedly sold his mousetrap patent to Procter in 1913 for £1,000.

Focus areas: Invention · Mousetraps · Leeds

At a glance

Field

Invention · Mousetraps

Location

Leeds, England

Correction: who invented the snap mousetrap

Atkinson is often credited with inventing the snap mousetrap outright. He patented and popularized the Little Nipper (British patents of 1898–99), but he did not originate the spring-loaded snap trap: William C. Hooker's US Patent 528,671, granted November 6, 1894, describes a spring-actuated jaw trap and precedes Atkinson's British patents by several years.

References · in priority order

1. Little Nipper-era British patent GB189913277patents.google.com/patent/GB189913277A/en
2. William C. Hooker's earlier US 528,671 (1894)patents.google.com/patent/US528671A/en

Sources

• James Henry Atkinson was a Leeds/Yorkshire ironmonger, c.1849-1942, best known for the Little Nipper mousetrap.Wikipedia
• Atkinson is linked to several British mousetrap patents including GB189827488 and GB189913277, the latter corresponding to the Little Nipper-era bait trap.Google Patents
• William C. Hooker's US528671A Animal-trap was granted on 1894-11-06 and describes a spring-actuated jaw on a base.Google Patents
• The spring-loaded bar mousetrap article identifies Hooker's 1894 patent as earlier than Atkinson's similar British Little Nipper patents.Wikipedia
• Atkinson reportedly sold the mousetrap patent to Procter in 1913 for 1000 pounds.Wikipedia