US1982934A

US1982934A - Hurdle

Info

Publication number: US1982934A
Application number: US710065A
Authority: US
Inventors: Squire Roy Ellis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-02-07
Filing date: 1934-02-07
Publication date: 1934-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 1951-12-04

Description

Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED PATENT "OFFICE-f v HURDLE l fRy Ellis Squire, Huntington' Park, Calif.v

- n o Application February 7, 1934, serial no. 710,065 17 claims` (o1. 272-59) y My invention relates to a hurdle construction to be utilized in races, preferably running races, and is of 4a type in which the hurdle bar if struck, may be readily kicked to one side without causing the hurdler to fall.

" An object and featur-eof` my inventioneolnl';

. is that` the post has a. beveled upper edge on each side considered lengthwise of the lane or course of the .race so that the hurdle bar may tilt downwardlywhen rotated on its pivot, the pivot structure being expansible` and allowing the bar to swing over on its side if desired. A shoulder on lthe beveled upper edge ofthe post limits the rotary movement of the hurdle barso that it cannot swing across an adjacent lane.

, A further feature of my invention is forming the pivot of a iiexible `cord or cable which is under the tensionof a spring, `or the like, mounted in the hurdle post. This pivotwith the spring` is suiicient to hold the hurdle bar in proper oper-` ative position to allow this to betilted on its side,

, or to be rotated on its pivot from a position trans'- verseto the running lane to an inclined position parallel tothe ,running lane. Y,

My inventionis illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention'with thev bar in hurdling position. o i Fig. 2 is an 'elevation taken inthedire'ction' of the'arrow 2 of Fig. 1, showing the bar dotted when swung to one side. i f I Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on'the line 3-3 of `lig.\2 inthe direction of the arrows.

n Fig. 4 'isa horizontal section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

vFig. 5 is a vertical sectionontheline 5 5 of Fg;2.. j.. j

In my invention, I employ a hollow post or column 11 which is preferably madebyemploying two side boards 12v, a back board 13p, and ay front board 14, leaving a hollow central space 15. Thepost is supported by feet, there being a longitudi- Vnal foot 16V which is located in alignment with the back board 13 andbelow such board. The iront foot 17 extends between the side boards 12 at the bottom of the front board 14. The top of thefoot forms the bottomof the hollow space 15..

At the top of the postor column, a head or bracket 18 is formed of a block of wood. This has a flat top. surface 19 in alignment with `the upperedge 20 of the rear board landhas an underv side 21 'engaging the uppere'nd. of the `front'board 60 14.` A.This bracket fills the 'space between the side boards12. and extends ,rearwardly to fthe insideface of'the board 13`. ',The. various b0ar`d`s,`the feet and the bracket" 'are preferably nailed together. j I The two

upper sidecorners

2,2 of the member 18 are beveled ltthe front portion leaving a right angular shoulder 23.A The upper edge ofeach of the side boards 12 is likewise beveled at 24 leaving a right angular shoulder 25. .The

shoulders

23 and 25 are in alignment. A tensionspring 26 is securedto'an eye 27 located `at the bottom of the back board 13 between the sides 12. A cable 28," or 'the like, is secured to the upper end of the. spring and extends upwardly through vertical perforations 29 in the bracket 18 and alsothro'ugh a perforationBO in the hurdle bar 31.l This bar is illustrated as resting at its lowerv edge on the flat horizontal surface of the bracket 18 and the upper end 32 of thecalole may be knot-r 8,0v tedlor otherwise secured after passing through the bar 31 from its lower'to its uppervedge.

, In the manner of operation of the hurdle, this is set up withi preferably one hurdle bar being only of` suicient length for a single lane as used in a hurdle race.' The cable 28 forms a vertical pivot for the bar.. 31 and clamps the end over the bracket suiiiciently tight to the bracket so that the projectingportion is held` horizontal and in alignment with the bracket 18,A and also in the 9,0 same plane as the foot 17. If a hurdler strikes the'bar r3-1, if this is only a light touch, the bar may turn on .its edge.without rotating onthe pivot formed bythel cable' 28. However', if the bar is given a suflicient kick to force it to one side, the bar will slide on the beveled faces 22 and.24` but beheld 'from breaking loose from the post by the cable 28 which is always under tension... The hurdle bar, thus,1when turned to one side, may extend at right angles toits position of' Fig. 1, that is, longitudinally of the running lane, and with its free end extending in the directionof the runners movements. The shoulders 19- and 25 form a limit to the side swing of the bar 31., Thus it cannot swing suiiicie'ntly far 105 to `extendinto the lane of the next adjacentrunner. Manifestly, to return the bar 31 to its position'for another race or for' a second jump of the: hurdle, it is only necessary to lift the bar, turn iti on its pivot, which is a loose flexible pivot, 11o

and then align the bar with the bracket 18. The back board 13 is formed with a xed upper section 33 which is nailed to the sides 12 and also to the bracket 18 and is also attached to the sides 12 at their rear edge from the two vertical beads or moldings 34. These form a slot within which is fitted a movable section 35 to the back board. The

sections

34 and 35 have abevel 36. A rotatablel spring clip 37 may be attached to the foot 16 at the back and utilized to retain the lower end of the removable section 35 Vin place. This section has the lower end 27 of the spring attached thereto, therefore, when the section is removed, the faces on the spring may be released so that when the hurdle is not `in use the spring is not being continually stretched.

As it is inconvenient sometimes to have a number of separate hurdles for the different lanes in a hurdle race, I may extend the length of the foot 1'7 to extend entirely across a track or over a number of lanes, and have a post at each lane secured to this foot,l such post having vits own hurdle board secured and pivoted in the manner described, and' illustrated ab'ove. Also, some hurdlers prefer having two posts supportl the hurdle bar, therefore, if desired, I may use a post on which the free end of the bar 31 may rest but the bar is not attached vto or held on this post in any manner.

vVarious changes may be made in the details' of construction cf my invention'without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

`I claim:

l. A hurdle having a single post, `a hurdle bar, a resilient tension means attaching one end of the barto the post and 4with the post holding the bar in ahorizontaloperative position, the said tension means permitting the bar to rotate on the post when struck by afhurdler, the post having a horizontal flat surface at the top to engage the underside of the bar and in cooperation with the tension means Iretaining thebar in its operative position, the opposite sides of the post being beveled and having stop shoulders, the said bar when rotated being adapted to occupy the inclination of the beveled faces, and stop shoulders to limit the rotation of the bar. 2. A hurdle as claimed in claim 1, the hurdle bar having a fiat lower edge resting' on the flat top of the post, the said tension means being adapfted toy stretch to permit turning olf the hurdle bar on one of the corners of the lower edge of the'bar.

3. A hurdle having a -single hollow post with a bracket at the top having a flat upper surface, a hurdle bar having a flat lower edge, a tension spring secured to the said bar and adapted to retain the bar with its flat lower edge on the upper surface of thebracket with the bar extending horizontally to one side of the post, the said tension spring being adapted to stretch and permit the bar to turn on the axis ofthe post when struck by a hurdler.

4. A hurdle having a single hollow post `with a bracket on the top extending to one side of the post, -said Abracket having a flat horizontal'upper surface, a .tension spring secured to a cable extending through the. bracket, a hurdle bar having a fiat lower surface, the said cable being attached to the said bar and supporting the bar in a horizontalposition when extended outwardly in alignment with the projecting end of the bracket.

A5. A hurdle as claimed in claim4, the upper end of the post having a stop 4shoulder at right the said stop shoulder engaging the bar and limiting the rotating movement.

'7; A hurdle having a single hollow post with feet on the bottom to support the post in an upright position, a bracket at the upper end of the post having a Vflat horizontal surface, a tension spring in the post, a hurdle bar having a flat lower surface resting on the flat surface of the bracket, means attaching the spring to the bar. to hold the bar extending laterally to one side of the post in a horizontalposition.A i

8. A hure-11e as claimed in claim '1, the said pstf being formed of vertical boardsywith a hollow center space enclosing the spring, the upperend of one vof the boards having a stop shoulder to limit the rotation of the bar when struck by a hurdler.

9. A hurdle as claimed in claim '1, the post being formed of a plurality -of Avertical boards formed with a hollow center space enclosing the spring, the upper edge of one of the boards being beveled and the spring being adapted to stretch and permit rotation of the bar on the axis of the post and the downward tilting of the bar to the inclination of the bevel, and a stop shoulder limiting therotation of the bar.

1 0. A hurdle having a single hollow post formed with a back-board, the lower portion of this board being removable, a channel forming means to engage the sides of the removable section, a spring attachedjto the removable section, a cable connected to the spring, a hurdle bar resting on the top of the post to which said cable is attached.A

13. A hurdle comprising a singley post havingk a hurdle bar, a single vertical pivot for said bar, a resilienttension means attached to the pivot and the post to retain thebar horizontally on the top of the posty by the downward pull o f the tension means when in its operative position, said pivot permitting rotation of the'bar when struck by a hurdler.

14. A hurdle as claimed in claim 13, the said resilient means being shiftable to permit the outer endof the bar opposite the pivot to tilt downwardly when rotated on its pivot.

15. A hurdlehaving a single post, a hurdle bar, a vertical pivot through one end of the bar,

a resilient tension means secured to the pivot and to the post andv retaining the bar ina horizontal operative position on the post, the bar being adapted to rotate on its pivot when struck by a hurdler and the said resilient means permitting a movement of thepivot from its vertical engage the bar and to limit the rotation of the bar on its pivot.

1'?. A hurdle as claimed in claim 15, the upper end of the prost being beveled on opposite sides` to retain the bar at a desired inclination when tilted, and a stop shoulder at each bevel to engage the bar and limit the rotation of the bar.

ROY ELLIS SQUIRE.