US1626620A - Automatic kape-tback timing - Google Patents

Description

M 1927' c. E. MENTZER AUTOMATIC RACE TRACK TIMING DEVICE Filed May 24, 1926 I I PM CMWE {EA 1 722; 277; WW

Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAUDE E. MENTZER, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T6) ARTHUR B.

' COREY, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

AUTOMATIC RAQE-TRACK TIMING DEVICE.

Application filed. May 24, 1926. Serial 170. 111,253..

The principal object of this invention is automatically stop a time watch at race matic race track timing tracks and the like.

A further object is to provide an autodevice which will not be affected until the last lap of the race.

A further object is to provide a timing device which may be controlled either by a storage battery or electric line wire carrying voltage. A still further object is to provide an electric controlled timing device which may have its circuit completed or closed by a switch actuated by force of air caused by the swiftest participant in the race crossing a resilient tube.

A still further object is to provide an automatic race track timing device that may easily be moved from one track to another.-

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more i fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my complete device ready for use.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the box or housing of the device with the lid in open position showing the operating mechanism and wiring.

Fig. 3 is a side-view of the box or housing of the device with the lid in open position. Sections of the box are cut away to more fully illustrate the same. This view also shows a stop watch resting in proper position in the box.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of one corner of the box showing'a stop watch resting in proper position in the same and switch plug for closing the circuit when a switch is secured to it and actuated.

Fig. 5 is a side sectional View of my novel switch for closing the circuit and the means for actuating the same.

The present method "of timing a race is by a stop watch held in the hand of the timekeeper. This method is more or less inaccurate and always leaves a question as to the exact time in the minds of many. My

provide a device which will start and device-is automatic and therefore accurate and can not be questioned. It relates particularly to automobile races, horse-drawn Vehicle races and races of like character.

I have dwignated the box or housing of my device by the numeral 10. A portion of the top surface of this box forms a lid 11 secured to the box by the hinge 12. At the end of this lid opposite the hinged end and on the under side are secured two pairs 01 hearing members 13 and 14, spaced apart as shown in Fig. 2. Slidably mounted in each pair of bearing members is a rod 15 and 16. Secured by suitable means to the forward end of each of these rods is the bar 17. Secured to this bar and between the rods 15 and 16 is the U-shaped member 18. In the top portion of the box which does, not form the lid, are three depressions 19, 20, and 21 and each of which has an opening communieating with the inside of the box. These depressions are each designed to hold a stop watch 22. It will be noted in Fig. 3 and Fig. 1 that the stem and control pin 23 of each watch extends into its respective opening and adjacent the bar 17. Screwed into the bar 17, and each capable of striking a control pin of a watch, when the bar is moved forwardly, are the tappets 24:, 25, and 26. By being screwed into the bar member they may thereby be easily adjusted to properly engage the control pins of the watches. A lock nut 27 is provided for each tappet to secure the same from accidental rotation. A coil spring 28 is secured to each rod 15 and 16 to yieldingly hold the bar 17 in a rearward position. Near the center and on the under side of the lid is rotatably secured acage member 29 embracing and attached to one end of the main spring 30. Secured to the other end of the main spring and extending through the lid is the winding key 31. A ratchet member not shown limits the rotation of this winding key to one direction. The numeral 32 designates a link eccentrically and pivotally secured at one end to the cage 29. In the other end of the link is a slot 33 engaging a rivet 34: on the member 18. By this construction when the cage is rotated the bar 17 will be actuated backwardly and forat one end to the lid and capable of having its other end engage the shoulder 35 and nected to this metal tube is the lead wire 54 hold the ca e against rotation is the detent 36. The 0011 spring 37 yieldingly holds this end in engagement with the shoulder 35. The member 38 when turned by the oil and on lever 39 to on position will hold the arm from engaging the shoulder 35.

Secured to the under side of the lid as shown in Fig. 2 are the bearing members 40 and 41. Slidably mounted in these hearing members and so positioned that one end .is capable of engaging the shoulder 35 is the rod 42. This rod is yieldingly held so as to engage this shoulder by the coil spring 43. livotally secured near its center to the under side of the lid and having one end engaging a notch in the rod 42 is the armature lever 4A. Adjacent the other end portion of the lever and secured to the lid are the solenoid coils 45, which when energized by an'electric current will draw the portion of the lever adjacent them to them. This action will cause the rod 42 to be moved rearwardly and out of engagement with the shoulder 35, the purpose of which will hereinafter be explained.

I have provided two methods of energizing these coils, i. e., electric line wire voltage andbatteries. The numeral 46 designates a socket into which is designed to be plugged batter terminals. This socket has one wire a, lea in direct to one of the poles of the coils and lts other wire 7) leading to the other pole of the coil, but with the switch socket 47 interposed. The numeral 18 designates a socket into which is designed to be plugged the terminals of an electric line wire. The voltage of these line wires is usually 110 volts. To use this voltage I provide the transformer 49 as shown in Fig. 2. One of the wires 0, leads directly from the trans- I former to one of the soles of the coils, while the other wire d, lea s to the other pole of the coils, but with the switch socket 47 interposed.

It will readily be seen that if a switch member is plugged into-the switch socket 47 the coils may be energized at will by operating the switch.

In order that the coils may be energized wlthout going through the switch socket 47 a line wire g, is provided which directly connects the wires 6, and d, to the pole of the coils, but with the switch button 50 interposed. By this arrangement, if it is desired to energize the coils without going through the switch socket t7, the switch button 50 is pressed downwardly.

The numeral 51 designates a resilient tube having one end closed by suitable means and which is desi ed to be placed across the race track. 11 the other end of this tube is my novel switch comprising a metal tube 52 extending outwardly and upwardly and held in this position by the feet 53. Contube is the leaf member 57. It is prevented from contact with the metal tube by the strip of insulation 58. The numeral 59 designates a metal ball in the metal tube and capable of engaging the leaf member 57 and the metal tube when forced upwardly in the metal tube. The numeral 60 designates an air port in the top portion of the metal tube.

The practical operation of the complete device is as follows:

Lay the resilient tube and switch member across the race track and plug into the switch socket 4:7 in the box as shown in Fig. 1. Plug either battery or electric line connections 61 into their respective socket in the box and the device is ready for use. The lever 39 should be on on. Press downwardly on the switch button and the coils will be energized and will pull the rod 42 upwardly. This will allow the cage 29 to revolve and the bar 17 will strike the control pins of the stop watchesand set the same at zero. lVhen it is desired that the bar should strike the control pins once only, the lever 39' is first turned to on and then to off before the coils are energized. By this operation the detent arm 36 is in position to engage the shoulder 35 after the cage member has made one revolution. If this feature were not provided the coils might remain energized long enough for the cage to make more than one revolution, the disadvantage of which will be readily appreciated. As the wheels of the vehicle or vehicles entering the race strike the resilient tube, the

strike the control pins of the watches and start the same. In cases 'where the participants in the race make several laps the switch terminals are removed from the switch socket 47 so that the watches will not be stopped at the first lap. As the participants near the line on the last lap the terminals are replaced and the lever 39 first placed on on and then on off. The first wheel or foot that strikes the resilient tube will stop the watches. To prevent the metal ball from entering the resilient tube a shoulder 62 is provided in the member 52.

To facilitate the openin of the lid ahandle member 63 is provided. By building all T the mechanism on the underside of the lid, the same may easily and readily be gotten The hole in the upper end of the member 52 allows the air to escape as the metal ball is forced upwardly.

The slot 33 allows the cage 29 to turn a part of a revolution before the bar 17 is moved. This allows the tappets to strike the control pins of the watches without so much force.

I provide three stop watches so that there can be no question as to their accuracy.

Some changes may be made in construction and arrangement of my improved automatic race track timing device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention and it is my intention to cover any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a housing, a stop watch mounted in said housing, a member slidably mounted in said housing and capable of striking the control pin of said watch, a spring capable of actuating said member, a catch member for preventing said spring from actuating said slidably mounted member, and a means for releasing said catch member.

2. In a device of the class described, a housing, a stop watch mounted in said housing, a member slidably mounted in said housing and capable of striking the control pin of said watch, a cage member rotatably mounted in said housing, a main spring mounted in said cage and having one end attached to said cage and its other end to a winding pin, means of operatively connecting said slidably mounted member to said cage, a shoulder on said cage, a catch member designed to yieldingly engage said shoulder, and a means of holding said catch. member from engagement with said shoulder.

8. In a device of the class described. a housing, a stop watch mounted in said housing, a member slidably mounted in said housing and capable of striking the control pin of said watch, a cage member rotatably mounted in said housing, a main spring mounted in said cage and having one end attached to said cage and its other end to a winding pin, a link connecting said slidably mounted member to said cage, a shoulder on said cage, a plunger capable of engaging said shoulder, a spring for yieldingly holding said plunger in engagement with said shoulder, and electrically actuated mechanism for disengaging said plunger from said shoulder.

4. In a device of the class described, a

housing, a stop watch mounted in said housing, electrically controlled mechanism capable of starting and stopping said watch when its circuit is closed, a resilient tube closed at one end and designed to lie across the race track, a metal tube secured to the other end of said resilient tube extending outwardly and upwardly, feet for holding it .in this position, contact points in said metal tube, wires leading from said contact points to said electrically controlled mecha nism, and a metal ball in said metal tube capable of being forced by air when the resilient tube is flattened into contact with said contact points and thereby closing the electric circuit of the device.

5. In a device of the class described, a housing, a stop watch mounted in said housing, a member slidably mounted in said housing, and capable of striking the con trol pin of said watch, a cage member rotatably mounted in said housing, a main spring mounted in said cage and having one end attached to said cage and its other end to a winding pin, a link having one end connected to said slidably mounted memher and its other end rotatably and eccentrically secured to said cage, a shoulder on said cage, a catch member designed to yieldingly engage said shoulder, a means for holding said catch member from enga ement with said shoulder, a plunger capa le of engaging said shoulder, electrically actuated mechanism for disengaging said plunger from said shoulder, and a switch for controlling said electrically actuated mechanism.

6. In a device of the class described, a housing, stop watches mounted in said housing, a member slidably mounted in said housing, and capable of striking the control pins of said watches, a cage member rotatably mounted in said housing, a spring mounted in said cage and having one end attached to said cage and its other end to a winding pin, a link operatively connectmg said cage with said slidably mounted member, a shoulder on said cage, a catch member designed to yieldingly engage said shoulder, a means for removing and holdin said catch from engagement from said shoulder, a plunger capable of engaging said shoulder, a spring for yieldingly holding said plunger in engagement with said shoulder, electrically actuated mechanism for removing said plunger from engagement with said shoulder when its circuit closed, a push-button switch for closing said circuit, and a switch actuated by the participant or participants in the race for-closing said circuit, for the purposes stated.

CLAUDE E. MENTZER.

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