AU741707B2 - Hopple measure - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

0 *0 0 0090 Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: GEORGE AQUILINA GEORGE AQUILINA SANDERCOCK COWIE 69 Robinson Street, DANDENONG VIC 3175 HOPPLE MEASURE Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): Australian Provisional Application No. PP1658 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: -1- 1999-02-04,A:\ 79aquilinail.wpd, I -1- TITLE: HOPPLE MEASURE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a hopple measure.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Hopples are devices used in harness racing to constrain the movement of a horses legs to adopt the pacing gait which is used in harness racing.

The pacing gait requires that the two legs on one side of the horse should move forward and backward together in time and the two legs of the horse on the other side should similarly move forward and backwards in time but out of synchronism with legs on the 990129,A\I 79AQU1L1NA2.CAPmwp. I other side.

The gait of pacing is a natural gait but it is difficult to train horses to maintain it for prolonged periods of time.

Indeed, any follower of pacing will often see horses that break their pace and fall into a gallop whereupon, under the conditions that they use, the horse is significantly slowed and does not do its best as it required.

Hopples come in many forms but basically come in the form of a first loop for the foreleg of a horse, a second loop for the hind leg of the horse and means extending between the first loop and the second loop so as to constrain the horses gait.

In practical terms, the means extending between the loops may need adjustment in length 15 for a number of different reasons.

One reason is that a big horse will require more distance between the first and second loops than will a smaller horse.

Another reason is that in training horses to pace, it is common to reduce the distance between the first and second loops so as to constrain the horse in such a way that the horse recognises the constraint and better takes up the required gait albeit the horse is not capable of obtaining maximum speed when so constrained.

However, it will be common for a trainer to use one set of hopples for a number of different horses and therefore there is a need to adjust the spacing of the loops for, say, a first horse, a second horse, and a third horse and later readjust again to suit the first horse.

Of course, trainers who have many horses in training may well have many sets of hopples but it is not generally the case that each horse has its own set of hopples which is used by no other horse and, even in such an instant, it is uncommon that a hopple in a particular condition of adjustment would suit a particular horse at all times.

990129,A:\179AQUILINA2.CAP.wp42 -3- Thus there is a constant need for trainers to adjust the spacing apart of the first and second loop.

Such an adjustment is usually done by the first loop being connected to a strap and the second loop being connected via another strap having a buckle at its end. The strap attached to the first loop is then passed through the buckle and, by means of holes in the strap attached to the first loop and utilising the buckle, the distance between the first loop and the second loop is adjusted.

To repeat a particular adjustment requires skill and knowledge although attempts have been made to mark the strap attached to the first loop in such a way as to allow repetition of a particular adjustment.

However, a hopples are subjected to quite a deal of stress and strain, any form of marking is likely to be lost or blurred or in some way deteriorated to make repetitive adjustment to the same nature very difficult indeed.

Whether the strap is attached to the first loop or the second loop and whether the strap with the buckle is attached to the second loop or the first loop is not considered to be particularly material in a practical sense although different trainers have their own particular preferences.

The present invention seeks to provide a hopple measuring device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides:a hopple measuring device including an elongate member bearing measurements thereon towards a first end, an abutment member located adjacent the other end of the elongate member and over 990129,A:\I79AQUIL1NA2.CAP.wp43 -4which member one loop of a hopple may be located for being held; a second abutment member adjacent the first end of the device and which is capable of holding a second loop of a hopple thereon, and wherein the second abutment member is capable of moving linearly with respect to the elongate member to a selected position with respect to the measurements whereupon strap means connecting the two loops of the hopple may be adjusted so as to be at an appropriate length.

PREFERRED ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION *o .:io Preferably the first abutment member is fixedly attached to the longitudinal member in its position although it may be so fixed in such a way that it can be removed if desired.

o 15 Effective means of fixing it is by screws which can be released if necessary.

The second abutment member preferably is able to slide in a guide in the device.

Preferably the second abutment member has abutment means located on an opposite side S- 20 of the device to the second abutment member to ensure that the second abutment member is retained on the device and does not unduly release.

Elastomeric means preferably extend from the device to the second abutment member so as to bias it towards the first abutment member.

Such elastomeric material is preferably some form of elastic device.

A specific embodiment of a hopple measuring device in accordance with this invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side view of the hopple measuring device; 990 129,A:\I 79AQUIL[NA2.CAP.wpd.4 Figure 2 is a plan view of the hopple measuring device; and Figure 3 is an underside view of the hopple measuring device.

INTEGER LIST 1. Elongate member 2. First end 3. Second end 4. Measurement markers 6. Fixed abutment member 7. Screws 8. Moveable abutment member 9. Slot 15 10. Screws 11. Plate 12. Elastic DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS The hopple measuring device shown in the drawings comprises an elongate member 1.

The elongate member 1 has a first end 2 and a second end 3.

Adjacent the second end 3 are measurement markers 4. As is traditional in the harness industry, those measurement markers are in inches and are not metric. Those measurement markers represent various lengths of hopple as may perhaps be desired.

Adjacent the first end 2 is a fixed abutment member 6 which is secured to the elongate member by screws 7.

Towards the second end 3 is a moveable abutment member 8.

990 129,A:\I79AQUILINA2CAP.wpdS The movable abutment member 8 is provided with screws 10 which pass through a slot 9 in the elongate member towards the second end 3 and engage with a plate 11 on the underside of the device as can be best seen in Figure 3.

The movable abutment member 8 is biased towards the fixed abutment member 6 by means of an elastic band 12.

In use, one end ofa hopple is passed over the fixed abutment member 6 and the other end is passed over the movable abutment member 8 and the movable abutment member 8 is moved to the desired position along the measurement markers 4 so as to define the length of the hopple and at which time or during which process the buckles and straps associated ~with the hopple are adjusted so as to make the hopple of the length desired.

The above referred to hopple measuring device provides a simple and easy method for oo• *15 a horse trainer, strapper or other person involved with horses to quickly adjust hopples to suit a particular horse or to suit particular training conditions and takes away much of the guess work and takes away a great deal of readjustment when a hopple has been found to be incorrectly adjusted.

.o The claims, illustrations, photographs and drawings, if any, form part of the disclosure of this specification as does the description, claims, illustrations, photographs and ~drawings of any associated provisional or parent specification or of any priority document, if any, all of which are imported hereinto as part of the record hereof.

Finally it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements or parts without departing from the spirit and ambit of the invention.

990129,AA I 79AQUILINA2.CAP.wpd,6

Claims (11)

1. A hopple measuring device including an elongate member bearing measurements thereon towards a first end, an abutment member located adjacent the other end of the elongate member and over which member one loop of a hopple may be located for being held; a second abutment member adjacent the first end of the device and which is capable of holding a second loop of a hopple thereon, and wherein the second abutment member is capable of moving linearly with respect to the elongate member to a selected position with respect to the ooo.o 15 measurements whereupon strap means connecting the two loops of the hopple may be adjusted so as to be at an appropriate length.

2. A hopple measuring device according to Claim 1 wherein the first abutment member is held in a predetermined position on the elongate member by fixing means.

3. A hopple measuring device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the second abutment member is adapted to slide in a guide in the device.

4. A hopple measuring device according to claim 3 wherein the guide includes a slot formed in the elongate member.

A hopple measuring device according to Claim 4 wherein the measurements are provided along the length of the slot.

6. A hopple measuring device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second abutment member is provided with abutment means located on an opposite side of the device to the second abutment to retain the second abutment 990129,A:I 79AQUILNA2CAP.wpd,7 -8- on the device.

7. A hopple measuring device according to Claim 6 as appended to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the abutment means are connected to the second abutment member through the slot.

8. A hopple measuring device according to any one of the preceding claims including biasing means for biasing the second abutment member towards the first abutment member.

9. A hopple measuring device according to Claim 8 wherein the biasing means include an elastic member connected to the second abutment member and the elongate member. 15

10. A hopple measuring device according to Claim 9 as appended to Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein one end of the elastic member is attached to the abutment means and the other end of the elastic member is attached to the elongate member.

11. A hopple measuring device according to Claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore 20 described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 28 t h day of January, 1999 SANDERCOCK COWIE PATENT ATTORNEYS FOR GEORGE AQUILINA 990129,A:\I 79AQUILINACAP. pd,8