Joints and connections – Manually releaseable latch type – Spring biased manipulator
Utility Patent
1998-09-03
2001-01-02
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Joints and connections
Manually releaseable latch type
Spring biased manipulator
C403SDIG004, C403S322400
Utility Patent
active
06168344
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a safety device for bull and bronco riders.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Bull and bare back bronco riding are popular entertainment events both in the United States and throughout North America. At the same time riding a bull or bare back bronco can be very dangerous sport. Oftentimes a rider will be thrown from the bucking animal and be exposed to great physical harm and/or death. For that reason a variety of safety precautions are often observed by the rider.
For example, in riding a bull the rider uses a bull rope which is attached under and over the body of the beast just behind its front legs. The bull rope comes together on top of the animal and is held by the rider during the ride. Typically, a hand hold is fixed to the bull rope through rings which, in turn, hold the bull rope in place to the animal. The hand hold is then wrapped about one hand of the rider who grips the strap as tightly as possible. When the bull is let out of the chute the rider holds on to the beast by a single hand which grasps the strap in place.
Often the rider is successful and maintaining a mount on the bull for a predetermined amount of time such as 8 seconds. After the predetermined amount of time the rider must then dismount the beast. The rider may also be thrown by the bucking animal during the ride resulting in a premature dismount. In either case it is important that the rider be able to free his hand from the strap to dismount the bull or bronco.
A prior art bull rope release is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,658 (the '658 patent). The '658 patent discloses a release with a relatively flat base having an attached ring latch with an open mouth at one end and a lock shoulder at the other. The release mechanism of the '658 patent uses a pull cord connected to a release latch arm. The bull rope release of the '658 patent uses a single release which may present problems for the rider if he is unable to find the release latch while being bucked off the animal. Thus, with the bull rope release of the '658 patent, the rider must grasp the single release within seconds or face possible serious injury.
As such, there is a need for a device that provides more than one release mechanism that will permit the rider to free himself from the bucking animal and avoid possible serious injury.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a bull rope safety release with more than one release mechanism that minimizes the risk to the rider when dismounting or freeing himself from a bucking bull or bronco.
In one embodiment, a bull rope safety release is disclosed that use two shank pieces that interlock with one another. One of the shank pieces contains a bar brace which extends horizontally through the body of the shank and is fixed within the shank along a line perpendicular to an axis of the shank. A second shank piece has a locking lever which extends through the opening of the second shank piece and is braced within the shank but configured for rotational action about the brace. When the shank pieces are joined together, the locking lever within the second shank piece extends through an opening of the first shank piece and engages the bar brace within the first piece in such a way that the locking lever keeps both shank pieces together. The locking lever extends through a second opening of the second shank piece and is preferably coupled to a first pull cord which can be pulled to cause the locking lever to rotate about a second brace bar in the second shank piece. The rotating action of the locking lever causes it to be disengaged from the first brace bar within the first shank piece and allows the two shank pieces to separate.
A second lever extends substantially through the first shank piece and contains a trip mechanism at one end arranged in close proximity to the locking lever. A second end of the second lever extends through a hole of the first shank piece and is affixed to a second pull cord. A tug or pull on the second pull cord causes the second lever to release the locking lever about the brace bar in the first shank piece providing a second release means for separating the two shank pieces from one another.
The safety release has two D-rings which can be used to attach it to a bull rope. Preferably the release is braided close to the hand hold of the bull rope which allows easy separation of the safety release into two pieces. When the rider pulls either end of the safety release it separates the bull rope in two pieces allowing the rider to step away from the bull or bronco and get to safety. The safety release may also be sewn to the bare back rigging or connected to a D-ring in the bare back rigging. In this way either the rider or his pick up man can separate the safety release by pulling either one of the pull cords which in turn separates the bare back rigging into two pieces.
For a better understand of the invention including specific embodiments and advantages reference is made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 793874 (1905-07-01), Eklund
patent: 796490 (1905-08-01), Baker
patent: 4909658 (1990-03-01), Townsend
patent: 5771668 (1998-06-01), Younger
patent: 5815895 (1998-10-01), Carlson et al.
patent: 5949339 (1999-09-01), Ettinger et al.
Browne Lynne H.
Navarro Arthur I.
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