US2955570A - Starting brace for starting gates - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11, 1960 J. c. PURCELL 2,955,570

STARTING BRACE FOR STARTING GATES Original Filed May 9, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 '4. M 'F' I W C. Purse,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m F C. A m

United States Patent 7 2,955,570 STARTING .BRACE FOR STARTING GATES John C. Purcell, St. Petersburg, Fla., assignor to Puett Electrical Starting Gate Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of California Original application May 9, 1956, SenNo. 583,760, now Patent No. 2,888,904, dated June 2, 1959. Divided and this application Mar. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 800,707

6 Claims. (Cl. 119-155) The present invention relates to a device for assisting the horses at the time the doors of the starting gate are opened at the beginning of a horse race. A starting gate is used for starting horses in flat racing, the doors being simultaneously opened to release the horses, when the starting button is actuated by the starter. The starting button is connected in circuit with magnetic means associated with each pair of doors between the several partitions, and each pair of doors simultaneously opens to release the horses.

, This application is a division of application Serial No. 583,760, filed May 9, 1956, entitled Starting Brace for Starting Gates, now Patent No. 2,888,904, granted June 2, 1959. i

The principal object of the invention is to provide a starting bar which is supported by the starting gate and which may be moved from an operative position where it is in engagement with the track surface, to a position above the track surface wherein the gate may be removedfrom' the track. The starting brace, due to its mounting on the gate, is automatically properly positioned with reference to the forwardly opening doors of the starting gate. When in position on the tracks ur face, this brace forms a support for the rear feet of the horses so that the horses feet may push against the bar as they spring forward in the gate, at the start of a race.

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

A further object is to provide means for readily raising and lowering the starting brace from an operative to an inoperative position on its support on the starting gate.

Yet another object is the provision of gearing means for quickly lowering or raising the starting brace from its operative to its inoperative position, said gearing means being mounted on the starting gate.

Other objects will specification.

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

Figure 2 is a detailed perspective View, partly broken away, of the form of the invention, shown in Figure 1;

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; and

Figure 5 is a view of a fourth form of the invention.

For starting horses in flat races, the tracks are provided with a top surface formed of a material that is a mixture of sand, dirt and some clay, of the proper consistency to give a springy surface for the horses feet during the race. This top surface is maintained in a soft condition by the use of rakes, harrows, and unless the track has been dampened by a recent rainfall, by frequent spraying of the track surface before and after each race. In dry weather this surface, unless sprayed with water, provides a fast track, while during weather appear hereinafter throughout the 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 difiiculty is experienced by the horses in getting a fast start when leaving the gate at the start of a race. FIhe force applied by the horses feet in springing forward'from a standing position in the gate frequently 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, someof the force applied by the horses is lost in their first movement in a forward direction, due to the softness or the sponginess of the tracks surface.

The present invention overcomes this deficiency by providing a hard, comparatively unyielding surface forming a rest for the hind feet of the horses, by which they are able to propel themselves forward at the start of the race,

without danger of slipping or slewing of their hind feet during their first forward movement out of the starting gate.

Seventy-five percent of all thoroughbred races inthe United States are so-called sprint races of six fur-longs 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 race, causing them to slide backwards and sometimes stumble.

.. quently at the hind legs due to the great strain placed on 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 Figure 1. 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, pairs of stanchions are used for each partition, but only the rear stanchions have been illustrated.

A starting bar is indicated in Figures 1 and 2 by the reference numeral 16. It will be understood that there are a number of stanchions 14 provided such as illustrated in Figure l, and that one or more of these stanchions is provided with the brace illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5. There are at least two brace supporting means, and preferably three or more are provided, but the number of brace supporting means depends upon the length of the starting gate.

As shown in Figure 2, there is a U-shaped guide 18, mounted on a stanchion by means of bolts 20. Slidably mounted in the guide 18 is a rack 22 having teeth 24 that are engaged by the pinion 26.

Rigidly connected, as by welding, to the guide 18 is a frame 28, having a bearing, not shown, through which shaft 30 extends. On this shaft is splined a handwheel 32. Mounted adjacent to the lower end of the rack 22 is an arm 36 that mounts the rod 38 having eye 40 at its lower end, which latter supports the link 42. The link mounts the snap-hook 44 which latter is engaged in the loop 46 rigidly fixed to the top surface of the starting brace 16. The bar 16 is constructed in accordance with the structure disclosed in my application referred to above, namely it may be U-shaped in cross-section and it is preferably covered with a plastic coating.

Figure 3 shows a stanchion 48 similar to the stanchion This occurs most fre- 14. Any number of these stanchions are provided depending upon the length of the gate, and the number of supports for the brace are also determined by the length of the gate. The stanchion mounts a pawl and ratchet construction wherein bracket is attached to the stanchion by threaded bolts 52. The bracket rigidly mounts the ratchet or curved rack 54 having teeth 56. Handle 58 has a pawl 60 for adjustably engaging the teeth 56. The handle is pivotally mounted on a shaft 62 that is fixed to the bracket, the handle forming part of a bell crank. The other arm of the bell crank 64 has a pivot 66 to which is attached the arm 68 that raises and lowers the starting brace 70 by means of eye 72, links 74, snap hook 76 and loop 78, the latter being fixed to the upper surface of the brace. Nails 80 hold the brace in position on the track.

In Figure 4 the stanchion 82 has a bracket 84, removably mounted on it by bolts 86. The bracket has a U-shaped portion 88 in which slides the rack 90 having teeth 92. These teeth are engaged by a rack segment 94 splined on shaft 96 in bearings 98, and mounted on this shaft is the operating handle 100. Mounted, as in the previously described figures, on the end of the rack is the starting brace, not shown. It will be understood, however, that the starting brace is the same as that shown in Figures 1, 2, and other figures herein.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 and others, but showing a turnbuckle to connect the parts of the shaft, connected to the starting brace for quick removal thereof. The numeral 102 shows the stanchion, 104 the bracket, 106 the rack segment fixed thereto, 108 the handle carrying the pawl 110, 112 the other portion of the bell crank, 114 the primary rod portion, 116 the secondary rod portion, and 118 the starting brace.

These rod portions 114 and 116 are threaded at 120 and 122 and are engaged by the turnbuckle 124.

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 4 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 for a race track comprising stanchion means having associated therewith a rear door means, an elongated starting brace means located at substantially the level of the track and substantially beneath said stanchion means, supporting means for said brace means, said sup'porting'means comprising at least one elongated member attached to said brace means and having a toothed rack on its free end, and a coacting gear means mounted on said stanchion and adapted, when actuated, to adjust the vertical height of said brace means.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said supporting means further includes link means whereby to permit automatic adjustments between said elongated member and said brace means.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said supporting means further includes quick detachable means comprising a snap hook on said elongated member for connecting and disconnecting said elongated member to said brace means.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said gear means is provided with manual operating means for operating said gear means.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said manual operating means comprises a handwheel.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein said manual operating means comprises a lever extending radially from the axis of said gear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,273,493 McMillan Feb. 17, 1942 2,868,168 Dunn Jan. 13, 1959 2,888,904 Purcell June 2, 1959

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