Патент USA US2043918

`Fume 9, 1936.
W. M. BACON, JR
l 2,043,918
STARTING BOX FOR RACINÖ ANIMALS
Filed March 25, 1935
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INVENTOR
ATTORNEY
June 9;, 1936.
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W, M, BACON, JR
2,043,918
STARTING BOX FQR RACING ANIMÀLS
Filed MarOh 25, 1933
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2 Sheets-Sheet 2
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INVENTOR
BY
ATTOR N EY
Patented June 9, 1936
2,043,918
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
2,043,918
STARTING BOX FOR RACING ANIMALS
Willard M. Bacon, Jr., Tampa, Fla., assignor to
J. Homer Ellis. Hillsborough County, F1a., and
E. J. O’Hare, Dade County, Fla.
Application March 23, 1933, Serial No. 662,339
1 Claim. (Cl. 11S-15.5)
The invention relates to a starting apparatus sectional view on the line 3_3 of Figure2 look
for racing purposes and more particularly to ing in the .direction of the arrows.
starting boxes for racing animals.
`Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4
The primary object of the invention is the ofV Figure 3- looking in the direction of the arrows.
Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of V5
Ul provision of a box of this character, wherein the
series of starting doors for the freeing of the _the latchingV end of the plunger frame for the
animals within the starting box are controlled
simultaneously so that they will open with uni
formity and with great speed and at the same
it) time the working of these doors will be prac
tically noiseless so as not to `distract the animals
door
operating
mechanism.
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Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical,
detailed, sectional view taken on the line 6_6 '
of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows. l0
Similar reference characters indicate corre
sponding parts throughout the several views in
especially at the starting point in racing events,
the box in its entirety being of novel construc Vthe drawings.
tion.
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Referring to the drawings in detail, the start
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Another object of the invention is the pro
vision of a box of this character,¿wherein the
doors for the separate animal compartments in
the .box are controllable through mechanism
which will assure absolute accuracy for the open
20 ingA of the doors to free the animals to a racing
course, the ope-ning of these doors being uniform
throughout the series thereof and such mecha
nism permits of both the closing of the doo-rs
after the starting of the animals in the race and
ing ,box for racing animals constitutingv the pres- l1'5
ent invention comprises a comparatively light'
casing A including a bottom I9, ends II, front
I2, back I3 and top I4, respectively. Within this
casing A. are arranged suitable equidistanced ver
tical partitions I5 to provide a series of animal
stalls or compartments I6 which open through
the front and back of the casing. Into these
stalls or compartments are received the racing
animals. The o-pen back to each stall or com
the latching through the instrumentality of a ~ partment is closed by a vertically slidable door
single latching device of the doors in their closed or gate I'I which is mountable in the back fram
position.`
A further object of the invention is the pro
vision of a box of this character which is com
e paratively simple in its construction, thoroughly
reliable and efñcient in its operation, the work
ing parts being exposed for free access thereto,
the opening of the doors of the boxes for start
ing animals in a race being effected uniformly
and with dispatch and the box in its entirety
being susceptible of manufacture at a minimum
expense.
With these and other objects in View, the in
vention consists in the features of construction,
combination and arrangement of parts as will
be hereinafter more fully described in detail,
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which
disclose the preferred embodiment of the inven
45 tion, and pointed out in the claim hereunto ap
pended.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a starting box
constructed in accordance with the invention,
a portion thereof being broken away at its top
for illustrating interior organization.
Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view
on the line 2--2 of Figure 1 looking in the direc
tion of the arrows.
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Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail
ing of the casing A in any desirable manner. At
these open backs of the compartments o-r stalls
I6 the racing animalsy are admitted into, the
`casing or starting box.
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Arranged for horizontal swinging movement
at the open fro-nts to the stalls or compartments
I6 are double starting doors I8 which upon open
ing allow the freedom of the racing animals for
racing purposes. It is preferable that these doors 35
be swingingly supported upon hinges I9. When
the doors I8 are in closed position this is a bar
rier for the freeing of the racing dogs within the
starting box.
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Arranged upon the top I4 of the casing A
transversely thereof at its center is a guide rail
20, while at proper `distances removed inwardly
from the ends Il of the casing A parallel with
said rail 2D are bearings 2| upon which is mov
ably supported the coupling rail 22 of a door 45
opening plunger frame 23 having the diagonally
disposed braces 24 joined with said rail 22 to
effect a rigid structure. The plunger frame at
the center bar thereof carries on opposie sides
substantially L-shaped angle members 25, these 50
being overlapped with respect to the guide rail
2i! and guiding the' plunger frame in its move
ment.
Adjustably mounted in the rail 22 are eye bolts
26, these being properly positioned and having 55
2,043591'8
_ pivoted therein links Y21, each including a hook -more readily retracted to assume a latched posi
tion under the tension of the springs 30. Y When
this has been done itis preferable tol separate the Y
terminal 28 to engage ’in a keeper V29 countersunk
in the upper edge of each door I8. Y The
hook e
cable from the pedal 29 at its coupling end >38.
The detalls of the pull cable 36, the pedal 39Y
and the coupling end 38 of such'cable are clearly
shown in FigureZ of the drawingsrandY their op
eration for the purposes named will be clearly
28 engaged with the keeper 29 pivotally connects
the link 21 with its door; It will be seen that
when the plunger frame 23 is advanced under
f the action` of the links 21 the doors I8„will be
caused to swing to open position and by reason
of theslidable fitting of such plungerV frame upon
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apparent.
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the guiderail 20 these doorsunder their opening
Vmovements will be uniform and simultaneously
opened.
In the use of the starting box the casing A de- 1
>Vvoid of racing animals is placed at the starting
' front of the casing A is a'series of evenly dis
enter their respective compartments or stalls I6,
point of an animal race course. 'I'hen the doors
Suitably attached to the top Il vclose tothe
or gates I1 Vare raised and the racing animals
tributed coiled retractilevsprings 30,-these being `it being understood of course» that the starting 5
doors I8 normally are closed.
also connected in their arrangement with the
braces 24 of the plunger frame and the tension
Í ing of these springs is such as to render the ad
' vance'of the plunger for the simultaneous open# '
ing of the doors with great speed.
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' "The center rail of the plunger frame at vits
Yrearmost end is formed with aïlatchìng notch 3I
and this end plays through a bridge 32v upon
which is mountedv a spring tensioned latching de
'Y 25 vice 33 which is adapted to engage theY notch 3l
In'thisposltion g
of the doors the plunger frame is latched. Now
when it is desired that the animalsr be freedY from
the box the latching device is controlled to free
the plunger `frame 23. With maximum speed, un- 2
der the tension of the springs 30," the starting '
doors I8 will Ybe simultaneously opened'one withV '
respect to the other, whereupon the racing'ani-V
mals ca_n make an exit for starting in a race from
the starting box. It must be bornevin mind that 2
Y when thel plunger frame is retracted against'the Y a simultaneous opening movement to the starting
Yeov
resistance of the springs 30 so Ythat the doors
I8 will be locked closed as these Ídoors `inthe
doors I8 is elîected without anyposslble irregu
larity in the opening of such doors and the open
retracting movement of the plunger frame swing
ing is executed practically noiseless.
toY closing position.
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_, In this instance there is shown an electric sole Vbe readily lubricated to I minimize `friction and
>no'id 3_4 having va movable armature or core 35,
noise.
this being connected with the latchingdevice 33
and on energizing'the solenoid the'said latching
93'5 device V33 can _be moved to releasing position for
Vthe freeing of the plunger irameîfOfhcourse
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It should be obvious that the working parts can 3
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What is claimed is:V
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In a structure Vof the character vdescribed hav ’
ing doorways arranged in the same plane and side
by side, double swinging doors normally Aclosing
Vitis to be understood that` the control ofthe'`
the doorways, a'jguide arranged above the door
V,latchingdevice fior the releasing thereof can be
ways; a coupling rail movable upon the guide, '
a plunger frame secured to the coupling rail
and including a center bar superimposed on Vthey 4
AeiîectedV either automatically or manually, the
solenoid. 34 being merely disclosed for the pur
i pose ofrillustrating a method of ¿control of this
guide, and angle pieces on the bar and overlapf
ping the guide, Ya plurality of springs distributed
` Y _Connected with the notched end of theplunger Aalong the frame for urging the coupling rail in
' frame isa pull cable 36 trained overa vsuitable one direction, eye'bolts adjustably carried bythe
Vguide .pulley 31 located properly at the back of coupling rail, links pivoted to the doors and in> .5
(latching device.
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, the casing A and this cable is provided with a Ythe eyes of said bolts’for theswinging of suchV
coupling end 38 for detachable connection with a doors to. open or closedrpositions, and means for
foot pedal 39 which is depressibly supported at
the back of the casing A and through this pedal,
50 Yunder foot operation, the plunger frame can be
latching the frame against movement when the
doors are closed.
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WILLARD M. BACON, .neY '505