Mousetrap

A mousetrap is a specialized type of animal trap designed primarily to catch mice; however, it may also trap other small animals. Mousetraps are usually set in an indoor location where there is a suspected infestation of rodents. There are various types of mousetrap, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Larger traps are designed to catch other species of animals; such as rats, squirrels, other small rodents, or other animals.

Mousetrap designs

Jaw mousetrap

The trap that is credited as the first patented lethal mousetrap was a set of spring-loaded, cast-iron jaws dubbed "Royal No. 1". It was patented on 4 November 1879 by James M. Keep of New York, US patent 221,320. From the patent description it is clear that this is not the first mousetrap of this type, but the patent is for this simplified, easy to manufacture, design. It is the industrial age development of the deadfall trap, but relying on the force of a wound spring rather than gravity.

The jaws of this type are operated by a coiled spring and the triggering mechanism is between the jaws, where the bait is held. The trip snaps the jaws shut, killing the rodent.

Mouse Trap (game)

Mouse Trap (originally titled Mouse Trap Game) is a board game first published by Ideal in 1963 for 2 to 4 players. The game was one of the first mass-produced, three-dimensional board games. Over the course of the game, players at first cooperate to build a working Rube Goldberg-like mouse trap. Once the mouse trap has been built, players turn against each other, attempting to trap opponents' mouse-shaped game pieces.

Gameplay

The basic premise of the game has been consistent throughout the game's history. However, the turn-based gameplay has changed somewhat over the years.

The original version, designed by Hank Kramer of Ideal Toy Company, allowed the players almost no decision-making, in keeping with other games for very young children such as Candyland, or Chutes and Ladders (Snakes and Ladders). In the 1970s, the board game surrounding the Mouse Trap was redesigned by Sid Sackson, adding the cheese pieces and allowing the player to maneuver opponents onto the trap space.

Mousetrap (Denver)

The Mousetrap is an informal name for the interchange of Interstate 25 and Interstate 70 in the northern part of Denver, Colorado, USA. The interchange pre-dates the Interstate Highway system, originally built as an intersection between two local roads in 1951. The interchange was completely rebuilt, starting in 1987. The re-design was prompted from an incident where a U.S. Navy truck hauling torpedoes overturned, causing panic and major disruptions in the city.

History

The interchange was built in 1951, as an intersection between 46th Avenue, and U.S. Highway 87. The name "mousetrap" was coined by the long-time airborne radio traffic reporter Don Martin in the 1960s, calling the interchange "a maze that could trap a mouse". In the original design, interchange ramps included sharp curves, some of which were left exits instead of right exits. When construction began on Interstate 70, the alignment of 46th Avenue was used for the freeway, while Interstate 25 was built directly over top of the alignment of US 87. Although the design of the Mousetrap did not conform to Interstate Highway standards, the interchange was grandfathered into the Interstate Highway system.

Eraser

An eraser, (also called a rubber in Canada, the UK, Ireland, India, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, from the material first used) is an article of stationery that is used for removing writing from paper. Erasers have a rubbery consistency and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. Some pencils have an eraser on one end. Less expensive erasers are made from synthetic rubber, but more expensive or specialized erasers are vinyl, plastic, or gum-like materials. Cheaper erasers can be made out of synthetic soy-based gum.

Erasers were initially made for pencil markings, but more abrasive ink erasers were later introduced. The term is also used for things that remove writing from chalkboards and whiteboards.

History

Before rubber erasers, tablets of rubber or wax were used to erase lead or charcoal marks from paper. Bits of rough stone such as sandstone or pumice were used to remove small errors from parchment or papyrus documents written in ink. Crustless bread was used as an eraser in the past; a Meiji-era (1868-1912) Tokyo student said: "Bread erasers were used in place of rubber erasers, and so they would give them to us with no restriction on amount. So we thought nothing of taking these and eating a firm part to at least slightly satisfy our hunger."

Eraser (film)

Eraser is a 1996 American action film directed by Chuck Russell, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Caan and Vanessa L. Williams. The film was released in the United States on June 21, 1996. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Sound Effects Editing in 1996.

Plot

John Kruger (Schwarzenegger) is a U.S. Marshal working for the Witness Security Protection Program (WITSEC) specializing in "erasing" high-profile witnesses, faking their deaths to keep them safe from those who may wish to silence them. John is assigned by his boss, Chief Arthur Beller (Coburn), to protect Lee Cullen (Williams), a senior executive for the defense contractor Cyrez Corporation, as Lee informed the FBI that her employer William Donohue (Cromwell), the corrupt CEO of Cyrez, plans to sell a top secret electronic pulse rifle on the black market.

To procure evidence, Lee copies critical data from the Cyrez mainframe onto two discs: one for the FBI, and the other as her own security. However, Donahue catches wind of Lee accessing the mainframe and orders her into his office. After confiscating Lee's hidden camera and threatening her with a pistol, Donahue commits suicide in front of her. Disgruntled with the FBI because of failure to guarantee her safety, she delivers the evidence but refuses to submit herself to WITSEC, despite John's advice. Unfortunately, the FBI's disc is intercepted by a mole working for Undersecretary of Defense Daniel Harper, who is revealed to be the true mastermind behind the arms sale.

Eraser (disambiguation)

An eraser is a tool for removing writings by pencil, pen, chalk or art brushes.

Eraser may also refer to:

In Music:

In Films:

See also