US2888904A - Starting brace for starting gates - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1959 J. c. PURCELL 2,888,904

STARTING BRACE FOR STARTING GATES Filed May 9 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVIENTOR; (fa/1n C. Puree/L June 2, 1959 J. c; PURCELL 2,838,904

STARTING BRACE FOR STARTING GATES Filed May 9, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

f /m C. Farce June 2, 1959 J. c. PURCELL 8,

STARTING BRACE FOR STARTING GATES Filed May 9, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. John C. Puree- United States STARTING BRACE FOR STARTING GATES John C. Purcell, New York, N.Y., assignor to Puett Electrical Starting Gate Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of California Application May 9, 1956, Serial No. 583,760

12 Claims. (Cl. 119-155) The present invention is addressed to a device for assisting in getting the horses started when they leave the starting gate at the beginning of a race.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a brace which is automatically properly positioned with reference to the forwardly opening doors of the starting gate. This brace is located on the track surface so as to form a surface which the rear feet of the horses may push against as they spring forward in the gate, at the start of a race.

A further object is to provide a starting brace provided with means for quickly attaching or detaching the same to a race track starting gate.

An additional object is to provide mechanism for readily raising and lowering the starting brace from an operative to an inoperative position on its support on the starting gate.

Other objects will appear hereinafter throughout the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view partly broken away, showing one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of one of the hydraulic cylinders shown in Figure l, and the brace, partly broken away;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a second form of the invention;

Figure 4 is a similar view of a third form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a similar view of a fourth form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a similar view of a fifth form of the invention;

Figure 7 is a view of a structure similar to Figure 3 showing one end of the gate in perspective, with a source of power for raising and lowering the brace; and

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the brace, partly broken away.

Race tracks for flat races are provided with a top surface composed of a mixture of sand, dirt and some clay of the proper consistency to give a springy surface for the horses feet during the race. In dry weather this surface provides a fast track whilst during weather in which the track is subjected to continual rains, the track surface becomes spongy or even muddy, providing a slow track.

Under either of these conditions, and particularly during the latter condition considerable difliculty is experienced by the horses in leaving the starting gate when the doors thereof are opened. The force applied by the horses feet in springing forward from a standing position in the gate, causes their hind feet to slip, or at least to dig into the ground to some extent. When the track surface is saturated with water, the ground actually applies suction to their feet. In other words, some of the force applied by the horses is lost in their first movement in a forward direction, due to the softness or sponginess of the track surface.

Patented June 2, 1959 The present invention overcomes this deficiency by providing a hard, comparatively unyielding surface adjacent to where hind feet of the horses rest, and by which they are able to propelthemselves forward at the start of a race, without danger of slipping or slewing of their hind feet during their first movement forward out of the starting gate.

Seventy-five percent of all thoroughgred races in the United States are so-called sprin races of six furlongs or less, and a good start is deemed absolutely necessary. There are many times during the conduct of horse racing that the race track surface, especially if muddy or slippery, will break beneath the horses as they attempt to spring forward at the start of the race, causing them to slide backward and sometimes stumble. This occurs most frequently at the hind legs due to the great strain placed on them in lurching forward from a standing position. If a horse gets off to a bad start, his chances of winning are considerably reduced. Therefore, if the horses are to have a fair chance to win a race, support must be given by the use of the starting brace or bar to prevent rearward slipping and to provide a safe means of leaving the starting gate in a well-balanced position and with a minimum of lost motion.

Referring to the drawings, the starting gate is indicated at A in Figures 1 and 7. It consists of an overhead structure 10 having ground supporting wheels 12 and a plurality of stanchions 14 for supporting the usual stall partitions, not shown. Usually a pair of stanchions are used for each partition, but only the rear stanchions have been illustrated.

A plurality of cylinders 16 are removably mounted on the spaced stanchions, three being shown in Figure l, but any number of these may be used depending upon the length of the starting gate, and the weight of the starting brace. Each cylinder is provided with a piston 18 shown in full lines in Figure 2. A source of fluid pressure, not shown, that may be liquid or air, is connected to the conduits 20 and 22 that extend into each of the cylinders 16 on opposite sides of its piston, and fluid may be admitted to opposite sides of each cylinder by valves 24 and 26. A four-way valve, not shown, may be located so as to control the entrance of fluid to or from the conduits 20- and 22 in any conventional construction. Each cylinder is held in position by straps 28 that are welded or held to the stanchion. The open ends of the straps are held to hold or release its cylinder by turned over ends 30 which are held by screws or threaded nuts and bolts 32. The conduits are preferably composed of flexible rubber hose so that by loosening the nuts from the bolts 32 the cylin der and its hose may readily be removed.

Rigidly connected to each piston 18 isa rod 34 that slides in a guide or bracket 36, removably attached by machine screws or bolts 38 to the stanchion 14, in order that the rod may readily be removed with its cylinder from the stanchions.

The lower end of each rod has an eye 40 in which is located a link 42 connecting the rod to a snap hook 54-. The latter is adapted to removably engage a loop 46 rigidly connected to the top surface of the starting brace 48.

The starting brace in each of the figures is the same. As shown in Figure 2, it consists of an inner member constructed preferably of a steel member 50 that is U-shaped in cross-section. This steel member is about six inches Wide and is made from a bent plate about /4 inch in thickness and is so shaped as to present a flattened or blunt edge in front and an open end at the back. The entire outer surface of the bent plate has vulcanized to it a neoprene or rubber cover 52 so as to form a inch thick coating over the surface of the steel. The starting brace should extend the entire length of the starting gate except the extreme ends thereof as shown in Figure l. Spaced along the length of the starting brace are apertures 54 extending through both flanges thereof. These apertures are for the reception of spikes or nails 56 that are used to temporarily fix the starting brace in position at the start of a race. These nails are driven into the track surface, i.e., the ground forming the race course proper, at the start of a race, and they are removed shortly after the horses leave the starting gate at the beginning of a race, following which fluid is let into the lower end of each cylinder 16 to cause upward movement of each piston 18 to thereby raise the starting brace from the surface of the track some 18 to 24 inches. The starting gate is then moved off the track. Then, prior to the start of another race, the gate is moved to the same or at another position on the track, i.e., for a 4 /2 or 6 furlong race, or for a mile race. When the gate is in proper position, the pistons in each cylinder are forced downwardly by fluid pressure causing the starting brace to be lowered until it engages the track surface, following which fluid pressure to the cylinders is turned off and nails 56 are again used to anchor the starting brace in proper position on the track.

Each of the other forms of the invention accomplishes the same purpose, i.e., the lowering. of the starting brace into position prior to the start of the race, fixing of the same in position, and the raising of the same after the race, which latter permits complete mobility of the starting gate. However, in the several modifications, various mechanical and electrical-mechanical means are provided for raising and lowering the starting brace to and from the track surface.

It will be understood that only one lowering and raising mechanism is shown in these several figures in order to conserve space, but that actually at least two of them are used, one at each end of the gate, and that one or more of them are used intermediate the ends thereof, depending upon the length of the starting gate and the weight of the starting brace.

Referring now to Figure 3, the stanchion is shown by numeral 58, it being understood that several of the hereinafter described raising and lowering devices are used with each gate, each being mounted on separate stanchions. A U-shaped guide 60 is mounted on the stanchion bolts 62. Slidably mounted in the guide is rack 64 having teeth 66 that are engaged by the pinion 68.

Rigidly connected as by welding to guide 60 is frame 70, having a bearing, not shown, through which shaft 72 extends. On this shaft is splined the hand wheel 74 and the pinion 68. Mounted adjacent the lower end of the rack is an arm 76 that mounts the rod 78 having an eye 30 at its lower end, which latter supports the link 82. The link mounts the snap hook 84, which latter is engaged in the loop 86 rigidly afiixed to the top surface of the starting brace 88. The brace is constructed in accordance with the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring to Figure 4, a stanchion 90 mounts a pawl and ratchet construction. In this construction bracket 94 is attached to the stanchion by the threaded bolts 92. The bracket rigidly mounts the pawl and ratchet construction. that includes a curved rack 98 having teeth 96. A handle 100 is provided with a pawl 102 for adjustably engaging the teeth 96. This handle is pivotally mounted on shaft 104 fixed to the bracket, the handle forming part of a bell-crank, the other arm of which is indicated at 106. The upper part 264 of this handle 100 has a release means 266 for the pawl 102. The other arm 106 of the bell-crank is provided with a pivot 108 which pivotally mounts the supporting rod 110. The lower end of this rod has an eye 112 in which is mounted the link 114 which latter supports the snap hook 116. The snap hook removably engages the loop 118 which is attached to the starting brace, the latter having apertures 120 for nails 122. These nails, only one of which is shown in this figure, are used for temporarily attaching the starting brace to the surface of the track.

In Figure 5 the stanchion 222 has a bracket 124, removably mounted on it by bolts 126. The bracket has U-shaped portion 128 in which slides the rack 132 having teeth 133. These teeth are engaged by rack segment 134 splined on shaft 136 in bearings 138, and mounted on this shaft is the operating handle 140. Mounted, as in the previously described figures, on the end of the rack is the starting brace, not shown.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 and others, but showing a turn buckle to connect parts of the shaft, connected to the starting brace for quick removal thereof. The numeral shows the stanchion, 152 the bracket, 154 the rack segment fixed thereto, 156 the handle carrying pawl 158, 160 the other portion of the bell crank, 162 the primary rod portion, and 164 the secondary rod portion, and 166 the starting brace.

These rod portions are threaded at 168 and 170 and are engaged by the turn buckle 172.

In Figure 7 the gate superstructure supports shaft 200, driven by reversible electric motor 202. At the ends of the shaft are pinions 204 and 206. Numerals 208 and 210 are stanchions that removably support by bolts, not shown, channel guides 212 and 214. These guide racks 216 and 218 that have mounted at their ends the opposite ends of the starting brace 220.

The single source of power in the claims includes a source of fluid pressure that may be liquid or air which is connected to the conduits that extend into each of the cylinders 16 on opposite sides of the piston, or a source of electrical current for actuating the electric operating means such as the motor 202 shown in Figure 7.

The phrase substantially beneath said rear door means in the claims covers a construction wherein said brace is located beneath some portion of the rear doors of a starting gate, assuming that the starting gate is provided with doors of V-shap'ed configuration. Where a fiat door is used, the above phrase means any approximate location which is beneath said rear door that is in such a position that the feet of the horse will engage the brace when the hind quarters of the horse are in approximate or actual engagement with the said rear door;

The above description and drawings disclose several embodiments of the invention, and specific language has been employed in describing the several figures. It will, nevertheless, be understood that no limitations of the scope of the invention are thereby contemplated, and that various alterations and modifications may be made such as would occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

I claim:

1. In combination with a mobile starting gate having a plurality of means defining stalls, each of said stalls having rear door means, an elongated starting brace means movably supported from said gate and located at substantially the level of the track surface substantially beneath the said rear door means when in closed position, said brace supporting means comprising a plurality of elongated members attached to said brace means, guide means on said stall-defining means, said elongated members having operative engagement with said guide means, and a single power elevating and lowering means operatively associated with said elongated members.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said power elevating and lowering means includes an electrical motor means.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said power elevating and lowering means further includes gear means.

4. The structure of claim 2, said power elevating and lowering means further including gear means.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said power elevating and lowering means further includes a pinion means operatively connected to said power elevating and lowering means, and racks operatively associated with certain of said elongated members, each of said racks being engaged by said pinion means.

6. The structure of claim 2 wherein said power elevating and lowering means further includes a pinion means operatively connected to said power elevating and lowering means, and racks operatively associated with certain of said elongated members, each of said racks being engaged by said pinion means.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said power elevating and lowering means includes manually controlled fluid operated means.

8. The structure of claim 1 wherein said power elevating and lowering means includes hydraulic means.

9. The structure of claim 7 wherein said last named means comprises cylindrical means mounted on said plurality of means defining stalls, and piston means connected to said elongated members.

10. The structure of claim 8 wherein said last named means comprises cylindrical means mounted on said plurality of means defining stalls, and piston means connected to said elongated members.

11. The structure of claim 1 wherein said power elevating and lowering means includes motor means located 26 above said stalls.

12. In combination with a mobile starting gate having an overhead structure, a plurality of means defining stalls, each of said stalls having rear door means, an elongated starting brace means movably supported from said gate and located at substantially the level of the track surface substantially beneath the said rear door means when in closed position, said brace supporting means comprising a plurality of elongated members attached to said brace means, guide means on said stall-defining means, said elongated members having operative engagement with said guide means, a single power elevating and lowering means operatively associated with said elongated members, said power elevating and lowering means further including electric motor means and means mounting the same located on said overhead structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,701,026 Bresnahan Feb. 5, 1929 2,066,447 Bahr Ian. 5, 1937 2,200,504 Keen May 14, 1940 2,273,493 McMillan Feb. 17, 1942 2,507,994 Pierce May 16, 1950 2,534,159 Brouwer et al Dec. 12, 1950 2,550,399 Blake Apr. 24, 1951 2,719,610 Allison Oct. 4, 1955

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