US1878218A - Starting cage for racing animals - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 20, 1932. J, F, wHn-E 1,878,218

STARTING CASTE FDR RACING ANIMALS Original Filld Feb. 9. 1927 l@ J8 J7 19.1 J5

Patented Sept. Z0, 1.932

J' OHN F. WHITE, 0F CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS STARTING CAGE FOR RACING ANIMALS Application led February 9, 1927, Seri My invention concerns advancements in the construction of door or gate releasing means for compartments or spaces accommodating racing dogs in which they are housed prelimi nary to their release for participation in the race.

One object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character, which is simple in design, which operates effectively and etfi-` ciently, and which can be manufactured at relatively small expense.

To permit those skilled in this art to fully understand this invention both from structural and functional standpoints, desirable and preferred embodiments of the same have been illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and throughout the several views of which for simplicity like reference characters have been employed for the same parts.

In this drawing: Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of the improved starting cage;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of one of the chains showing one of the links capable of adjustment to vary its length;

Figure y3 1s a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary'plan view on an enlarged scale of a part of the dooroperating mechanism;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on an enlarged scale through the hinge portions o two adjacent doors; an

Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizont-al section illustrating the locking means for the doors.

Referring to this drawing, it will be seen that the multiple-compartment starting cage has back doors 10, a bottom wall 11` and a top wall 12, its several.. dog-housing compartments being supplied at the front of the structure with a plurality of doors 13, 14. 15, 16, etc. arranged in pairs, as shown, one door being employed for each cage.

In order that the animals accommodated in such cages may view the race-course, the lower portions of such doors are preferably supplied with wired glass affording the view indicated.

Each such door laissais Tusr PATENT oFFlc- Y ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HARRY B. STAVER, OF CHICAGO,v

ai No. 166,942. Renewed Mayas, 1932.

at onevupright edge has a vertically-arranged hinge-shaft 17journaled' at the top and bottom of the cage and door also has a pair of upper and lower metal@ straps 18 bent at 19 around the corresponding' hinge-shaft, as shown in Figure 5, and extending across door, being securely fa the front and back faces of the stenedto the latter by vrivets 21 and similarly secured to the hinge shaft by pins or rivets is properly mounted on its hinge-s As is clearly shown,

doors are arranged close together and the top ends two adj acent.4

bent to form are connected by coiled or plate 26 on the back of the structure. Obviously,

confined in their cages til it is desired to open them to diverging arms these springs, act, will quickly swing all releasing participation in the race.

22, whereby each door haft. the hinge-shafts of 23 and 24 which springs 25 to a bracket the top portion of if permitted 4to the caged animals closed with the dogs of the `doors tov or compartments, un-..-

mals, a plurality of vertically-slidable locking-bars 29, protruding ends of the are accommodated in upright members 27 doors and also at the cages.

These bars 29 are 29 ,are provided to overlap the hinge-straps 18'which between the pairs of outer sides ofthe end slidingly mounted l'in place by screw and slot connections 31, 31 and they have properlypositioned recesses 32, 32 in their edges bars 18 andrtheir into register with designed to release the doors when they are raised the ends of the former, all

as will be readily understood.

All of such bars 29,

at their kupper ends,

are connected by chains 33, each havingy a link 34 adjustable as to length, to arms 35 fixed on a. shaft 36 oscillatory in bearings 37 and disposed lengthwise the row. of cages,

at the ltop thereof, such.

having an Then'all of the doors have beenclosed 5and locked in ofthe bars 29, they w that position by vthe descent ill be retained in such recesses 28, 28 in the l shaft at one end Y appropriate operating handle 38.

' means of its han forth without departure condition thus confining the dogs in their several ad'acent cages.

When t e right time arrives for releasmg the animals, the o rator rocks the shaft by e lifting or elevating the bars 29 and freeing the doors which swing open quickly under the action of their springs, thus liberating the dogs which 1mmediately share in the race.-

If the chains are ent is to be inion one or more dogs, the answering or chains 1s or are made lon r byl or time delay Ior im posed chain of equal length, the doors l will open simultaneously?, but if a handicap and an oscillatory bar to shift the la shaft connected with said tter into a dposition where in it does not overlap said oor portions.

In witness wher hand and seal.

adjustment ofI the 'extensible link or llnks 34 I andthe associated cage `door or doors will open correspondingly later and by this means a more even and'i. uniform race can be had between dogs ofdii'erent abilities.

Inyorder. to limit doors-during this lopening action, each set of bentwarms 23 and 24 is provided on the top of the structure ment element.v 39 adapted to strike open. I

Many minor mechanical changes may be incorporated in the structures herein set when the doors are fully essenceaof this invention as defined b the appended claims and without the sacrilihe of auf of its material benefits and advantages.

claim Y n l 1. In an lapparatus of the character described, a plurality of separate doors pivoted to swing forwardly in opening, sprin means tending to swing the doors open, an av shiftably mounted bar arranged to overportions of the doors adjacent the free la -edlglres of the latter to prevent the doors from swmging open, said bar being shiftable into a position wherein it does not overlap said oor portions, whereby to release the doors and permit the spring means to swing the latter open. 4

2. 'In an apparatus of the character degfllfscribed, a plurality of pairs of separate doors *pivoted to swing wherein they do not overlap fj scribed,V a plu 'to swing'forwardly in opening,

forwardlyin opening, said the movements of the i with a fixed block or abutagainst which they are from the heart 'and door pairs belng so mounted that the free eof I have hereunto set my `JOHN F.

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