1982-10-28
1985-02-12
Hafer, Robert A.
Undertaking
119 155A, A63K 100
Patent
active
044986661
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to flat racing and harness racing and more particularly to an improved track for such racing, as described in my co-pending British Patent Applications No. 81 09128 dated 24-3-1981, No. 81 34407 dated 16-11-1981 and No. 82 00696 dated 11-1-1982.
A present disadvantage in such types of horseracing, and particularly so in harness racing, is the difficulty in obtaining an unobstructed run during the final stages of races.
A further disadvantage, which relates to flat racing, is that controlling racing organizations stipulate in their Rules of Racing that the winner of most handicap races will incur a weight penalty. These penalties are added to any future race weights which have been allocated by handicappers to the winning horse, and eventually a situation develops in which a horse which continues to win handicap races is required to carry excessive weights in races and said horse sometimes bleeds from the nostrils, or physically breaks down during the running of races.
Another disadvantage in flat racing is referred to as the "draw", which means the starting positions of horses at the starting barrier, or stalls.
If the racetrack is straight the "draw" is unimportant but on a turning racetrack the "draw" becomes important, particularly so in sprint races which have large fields, as the horses which start near the inner rail often have a distinct advantage over horses which start wider out, and accordingly it is the custom for racing authorities to allocate starting positions by lot.
In harness racing, it is well known that some harness horses have a tendency to "break" and gallop in their harness when their driver suddenly attempts to obtain full racing pace within a few seconds after the start. It thus follows that a "flying start" is the answer to this problem, and to this end the well-known mobile folding starting gate has been used, mounted on a motor vehicle.
This type of "flying start" is an efficient method of starting a horse race, but it can only be used in races in which all the horses start from the same barrier position, and it cannot be used in conventional harness handicap races because the competing horses in such type of races are required to start from different distance starting positions for each horse, called "staggered" starting positions, and said positions are stationary, allocated handicap positions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above and other disadvantages by the provision of a racetrack at least a part of which is divided into a plurality of discrete, adjoining running lanes by a barrier rail and each running lane having a pair of automatically-operable starting gates, one gate of each pair being movable mounted on one side of a said barrier rail, means being provided to cause the plurality of starting gates to be moved forward in unison at a predetermined rate of acceleration, the arrangement being such that, when the starting gates simultaneously arrive at a preselected race starting position in each running lane, all the said gates are opened simultaneously, subsequently preferably being braked to a stop. It will be understood that the present invention is not restricted to the use of a pair of automatically-operable starting gates in each running lane, as described, as a single automatically-operable starting gate which is movably mounted on one side of a said barrier rail in each running lane may be used to start races, if desired.
The gates are preferably moved by linear induction motors.
In order that the reader may gain a better understanding of the present invention, hereinafter will be described certain embodiments thereof by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a racetrack according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a running lane of the racetrack of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-section of a linear induction motor and gate-supporting mechanism;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, corresponding side elevation;
FIG. 5 is a top plan view cor
REFERENCES:
patent: 596023 (1897-12-01), Barrett
patent: 647166 (1900-04-01), Stedeker
patent: 738293 (1903-09-01), Chapman
patent: 2770219 (1956-11-01), Ferris
Hafer Robert A.
Kramer Arnold W.
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