US2478482A - Electronic timing device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 9, 1949. R. R. HARRls 2,478,482

I ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE Filed Aug. l, 1947 l1 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 9, 1949. R. R. HARRIS 2,478,482

ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1, 1947 11 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR Aug. 9, 1949. R. R. HARRIS ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. l, 1947 mi mb QS l l l l l l l R.R.Harrz's INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug- 9, 1949 R. R. HARRIS 2,478,482

ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE Filed Aug. l, 1947 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY l l 4 ATTORNEYS ug- 9, 1949 R. R. HARRIS 2,478,482

ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE Filed Aug. l, 1947 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIIII I I O I I I I 7/ z i laf l I l I I I l l I I I I O O O INVENTOR Aug. 9, 1949. R, R, HARRIS 2,478,482

ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE Filed Aug. l, 1947 l11 Sheets-Sheet 6 R.P.Hart'9 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 9, 1949. R. R. HARRIS ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Aug. 1, 1947 Harris INVENTOP ATTORNEYS R. R. HARRIS ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE Aug. 9, 1949.

11 Sheets-Shet 8 Filed Aug. l, 1947 RRHanis INVENTOR l l j BY 7 1 f f ATTORNEYS Aug. 9, 1949. R. R. HARRIS ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE l1 Sheets-Sheet l9 Filed Aug. l, 1947 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 9, 1949. R. R. HARRIS ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE `1l Sheets-Sheet lO Filed Aug. l, 1947 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug 9, 1949 R. R. HARRIS ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE 11 Sheets-Shes?I 11 Filed Aug. l, 1947 umg INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 9, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE Richard R. Harris, Ojus, Fla.

Application August 1, 1947, Serial No. 765,427

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in timing devices, and more particularly to the provision of a timing device of the electronic type for timing sporting events such as dog and horse races, and the like.

Devices heretofore provided for timing races have been objectionable in that they were not automatic and required manual control which made them subject to errors due to the human factor. Also, the marking on dials used by such devices were crowded and close together rendering them illegible at great distances and diicult to read at short distances. Also, the photoelectric relay used in such devices will operate to stop the timer at any time the light beam is broken during the period of operation, and thus stopping the timer before the end of the event being timed. Further, such timers are capable of registering a time lapse no lower than V second, which is not close enough for accurate tim- 111g.

The device is truly automatic in that after the power is turned on by pushing a button, the device will time a race, stop for a predetermined interval, and reset itself for the timing of the next race. The timing operations and resetting will continue as long as the power is on.

An object is to provide an electronic timer which cannot be stopped until the end of a race. This is accomplished by placing a small auxiliary lamp in a photoelectric cell housing, which lamp constantly directs rays to the photo cell in addition to the rays from a second light across the racetrack, which second light has no effect on the small lamp rays until the lamp within the housing has been extinguished by the closing of a switch or the light by a lure, in the case of rabbit and greyhound races, and the second light takes control. When a dog passes the iinish line, the beam from the second light across the track is interrupted and the photoelectric relay operates to instantly stop the timer. Thus, the operation of the timer cannot be stopped until the lure, which is the rabbit moving on a track, has closed the switch.

A further object is to provide a timing device which can be readily adapted and adjusted to accommodate peculiar and special incidents of racing competition between men, boats or aircraft, animals, vehicles, so that the winning speed by time-for-distance can be accurately determined and authoritative records established.

In greyhound racing where the competing animals are enticed and paced to greatest eiort by electrically propelled and controlled lures, such as stuffed rabbits, the timer can be adjusted so that the forerunning lure or pace setter will not interfere with the timing of the competing dogs, irrespective of the number of times around'the track that the particular race may be run.

These and other objects are attained by the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic wiring diagram of a section of a timing device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a further schematic wiring diagram tieing in with the diagram shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a further schematic wiring diagram tieing in with the diagram shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side view diagrammatically showing the arrangement of parts in the device.

Fig. 4a is an end view of the device shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 isa side View showing the arrangement of parts of a motor driven time relay.

Fig. 6 is a view showing the arrangement of certain parts of a relay used in the device.

Fig. '7 is a front View of a dial used in the device.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view showing the positioning of the timing apparatus on a `race track.

Fig.10 is a view showing the arrangement of a light source and a -photoelectric relay relative to a track.

Fig. 11 is a. view showing the arrangement of parts of a timing motor device used in the apparatus.

Fig. 12 is a view showing the arrangements of contacts of a tally used in connection with an indicating dial.

Fig. 13 is a view of a step by step ratchet device used in connection with the arrangement shown in Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a front view of the timing device.

Fig. 15 is a side view of the device of Fig. 14.

Fig. 16 is a view of a spiral spring used on a reset relay.

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic view of sections of a tally indicator.

Fig. 18 is a view of an electro-magnet and contact making device for use with a section of the indicator.

In accordance with the invention, a photoelectric relay is mounted at the finish line of a race track, and is connected with a timing device having a dial as shown in Fig, 7, which is traversed by a hand |21, made of Balsa Wood or the like. The dial 200 which is a complete circle of 360 is divided into 10 sections, each of which is divided into 10 parts. The hand or pointer |21 makes 6 revolutions per minute, so that each small division on the dial represents 116 second. The dial is preferably five feet in diameter and preferably made of sand blasted plate glass with the divisions marked in black, and the dial is illuminated from the rear enabling it to be read at a distance of 500 feet. The dial is unique in that a dial of feet in diameter with the timing mechanism described herein enables spacing that would require a dial of 30 feet in diameter with other timing devices. The number of revolutions of the hand |21 can be increased from 6 per minute to any desired number.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, the arrangement of the apparatus on a track is shown. The photoelectric relay 9 is positioned on the side of the track opposite the lure car rail. A small lamp 32 located inside the photoelectric relay housing is so placed as to Idirect its light rays on to the photoelectric tube. This lamp keeps the photoelectric tube energized which causes it to generate a small electric current which is amplified and passed through the coil of a sensitive relay. As long as light falls on the photoelectric tube the relay remains open. Another light source 20| is located across the race track and so placed that the light from it is directed on to the same photoelectric tube. So long as the small lamp 32 inside the photoelectric relay housing is sending forth light rays and shines on the photoelectric tube, the second light 20| located across the race track has no effect on the operation of the photoelectric relay. At the end of a race when the lure car passes the finish line and arrives at a point 5 feet past the finish line, it does either one of two things; it closes a track switch or passes through the light beam of a separate photoelectric relay. This causes a relay on the timer to open and remove or turn off the power to the small lamp 32 located inside the housing. Immediately as this lamp is extinguished `the light source 20| is in control of the nish line photoelectric relay 9.

The relay remains open because the light from the light source located across the vtrack keeps the photo tube energized. When the dog or other contestant passes in front of the light from source 20|, it blacks out the light to the photo relay 9 and the tube is deenergized, current to the relay is decreased to the drop out point and the relay closes and applies power to relay I on the timer which trips relays 3, 4, 5,16, 1 and |25 on the timer, as hereinafter explained. The timer stops and the reset relay starts and will reset the timer back to the home position in the time it is set for. When the light beam across the track was interrupted power to the small lamp 32 inside the housing was restored and it took control of the relay and will remain in control so long as it remains in alight emitting condition. There are two lamps 32 in this device so that the possibility of both burning out at one time is remote.

The apparatus comprises a photoelectric relay mounted `on the outside of the track and connected by suitable wires to the timer 203 which is mounted on the inner side of the track. A light source 20| is positioned on the inner side of the track between the track and the rail 205 for the lure car. The light source 20| is positioned directly opposite the relay 9 so that its rays are directed on lthe photoelectric cell of relai7 9, and a track switch 28 is mounted on the rail a short distance from the light source 20|. The starting box 204 from which the dogs or other contestants leave is arranged so that when the box is opened it closes switch 28 or switch 21, depending upon the timing desired, that is the time delay before the switch 28 will be able to be eifective. Micro-switch 28 is connected to the timer bysuitable Wires.

The timer is contained in a housing 206 (Fig. 14) and has mounted in the lower part thereof a motor 42 having a shaft 201 to which are xed Icams I5I, |52, |50 arranged to respectively engage micro-switches 22, 23, 2| (see Fig. 1l) Relays I, 2, 3, 4, 5 are mounted in the housing above the relay 8. Above the main housing 200 are mounted the motors 12 which are connected by gears 209 and 2|0 to shaft |28, which carries cam 64 and detent members 65 and 06 and the hand |21, the latter moving behind the dial 200.

Mounted above shaft |28 is a shaft 2II of the reset relay which is connected by gears |29 and 89 to the motor 86. Mounted on the shaft 2II are cams 95, 96, 91, 98 and a clutch 88, the latter being controlled by an arm 90 and a spring |33. An electromagnet 81 tends to move the arm 90 to clutching position and a spring |34 tends to normally move the arm to clutch release position. The cams on the shaft are arranged to engage contacts 9|, 92, 93, 94 and are adjustable on the shaft. At one end of the shaft 2II is a collar |32 having an arm 2|2 adapted to engage a stop 2|3 to limit the movement of the shaft, and connected to the shaft is a spiral spring I3I to return the shaft to its initial position (see Fig. 5).

The tally mechanism comprises a shaft 2 I4 upon which are mounted IIB, |I1, ||8, II9, |20, I2| respectively engaging micro-switches 99, |02, |03, |04, |05, |06. Attached to the shaft 2M is a ratchet Wheel 2|0 engaging a pawl 2 I1 connected to a spring and controlled by coil |00. The teeth of the wheel 2I6 are engaged by an arm 2li) attached to a bell crank 220 connected to a spring 2 I 8, the movements of the arm and bell .crank being limited by stops 222 and 223. The ratchet is moved step by step `by the impulse relay IOI (see Figs. 12 and 13).

|06 and I2| close on the first impulse, and remain closed until relay is returned to its home or initial position by a spring 2|5. `Cam II1 closes |02, a micro-switch, on the first impulse, IIS closes and I|1 opens on the second impulse, I|8 closes and IIB opens on third impulse, |20 closes and I I9 opens on the fourth impulse. IIB opens on the rst impulse and remains open until the relay returns to its home position.

The structure shown in Figs. 12 and 13 control circuits to the tally device which comprises two windows in a housing 2I8 mounted above the dial, and in which the 10 second intervals of time are recorded. The housing 208 has a plurality of metal tubes 224 with glass windows 225, through which pass light from incandescent lamps mounted in keyless lampholders 226 (see Figs. 7, 8). The lamps are included in a plurality of circuits to produce a plurality of numerals, the

gram, Fig. 1, which in turn closes the hot side of line to coils 39 and 4| of relays 4 and 5. The timer is now connected to switches 26 and 21 on the starting boxes. When the timer starts and makes one revolution -or ten seconds, it will apply power to coil 34 and relay 2 and open contacts This will remove power from coils 39 and 4| of relays 4 and 5. This prevents false starts or over runs caused by accidental closing of switches 26 or 21. Power is applied to coil 34 of relay 2 by connecting it in parallel with coil of tally selector relay.

Starting from the box 204, Fig. 9, switch 26 or switch 21 will close when doors of starting box are opened. This will complete the circuit through coils 39 or 4|, depending on whether 26 or 21 was the switch closed.v If 26 is closed, contacts |1, 8, |9, and 20 of relay 5 will close. Contacts |1 will connect one side of coil 44 of relay 1 to track switch 28. Contacts I8 will connect one side of coil 31, relay 3 to one contact 24 of relay 1. Contacts |9 close a circuit 29 and 30 which is connected to 52 and 53 (Fig. 2). Contacts 20 connect coil 46 of relay 6 to contacts 22 of the time relay 8. When contacts |9 of relay 5 close they apply power to coil 6| of relay |22 and contacts 60 open. Power to coil 1| pulls down stop lever 68, against the action of spring |35, and removes pawl 202, from slot |40 of Cam 66 and contacts 61 close. Power is applied to relay |23, through the center of contact 54 to coil 10 which pulls lever 69 down and out of mesh with gear 65. and the time hand |21 starts to rotate. As the timer main shaft |28 turns, cam 64 turns with it. In iive seconds from the start, projection |29 engages 62 and close contact which applies power to coil 13 of relay |24 and close contacts 11 and locks them in closed position. As shaft |28 continues to revolve, projection |29 of cam 64 engages 63, closing the contacts momentarily and applies power to coil |0|. The tally selector relay makes one impulse, closes contacts |02 by cam ||1, |06 by cam |2|, and opens contacts 99 by cam H6. This is l0 seconds, and 10 seconds appears on the tally indicator. As the hand continues to revolve, projection |29 engages 63 at 20 seconds, applies power to |0| and the tally relay makes another impulse, cam ||1 moves forward, opens |02, cam ||8 closes |03 and 20 seconds appears on the tally indicator. This continues until the timer is stopped.

When contacts |9 of relay 5 are closed, they also apply power to motor 42 of relay 8. This is a one minute maximum delay relay. On relay 5 the delay is 20 seconds, on relay 4 the delay is 10 seconds. As the description is concerned with relay 5, the delay will be 20 seconds. At 20 seconds contacts 22 will close, and power will go from 22 on 8 to 20 on 5 to coil 46 on 6, which will close and lock in, close 25 and complete the circuit through coil 44 of relay 1 to contacts I1 of relay 5 to track switch 28. When the lure car passes the switch 28 at the end of the race, it will make momentary contact by closing the switch. This will contact 24 by applying power to coil 44 of relay 1. When contacts 24 closed they completed the circuit of coil 31, relay 3, through contacts I8 of relay 5. This causes contacts |2 of relay 3 to open and remove power from transformer 41 which in turn removes power from by-pass lamp 32 in photo relay 9. This allows main light source 20| to take control. When this light beam is interrupted contacts 3| of photo relay 9 will close and apply power to coil 33 of Power is applied to timing motor 12 relay l. This will close contacts |0 and apply power to coils 36, 38, 40, 43, 45, 14. This will trip relays 3, 4, 5, 6, 1 and |25, and the timer will stop. Relay |22 will close and contacts 60 will apply power to motor 86 and coil 81 of the reset relay. The arm 81 will pull in the clutch 88, and the motor 86 will start the shaft to revolve. As cams 95, 96, 91 and 98 travel forward they will close contacts 9|, 92, 93, 94. Cams 98, 96 cause the machine to reset after 2 minutes and cams 91, 95 cause the machine to reset after 5 minutes to 15 minutes, the cams being adjustable. When cams 98, 96 close contacts 9|, 93, the contact 9| will close 15 seconds before 93 and apply power to coil 55 of relay |23 through contacts 61 on arm. 68 held closed by cam 66. Contacts 54 will make contact with |62 and apply power to coil 10 and pull down the lever 69, apply power to motor 12 and the hand |21 will revolve until the pawl on arm 68 drops into the slot |40 on cam 66. This will open 61 and remove power from 10 and 12. The hand will be stopped at zero position. 15 seconds later cam 96 will close contact 93. This will apply power to coil 16 of relay |25. Contact 18 will move from |63 to |64, apply power to coil |00, and trip tally selector relay to allow cams ||6, ||1, ||8, ||9, |20, |2| to return to oil position. Contacts |06, |05, |04, |03, |02, |0| will open. Contact 99 will close. When relay |25 opened 18 and |63, it removed power from motor 86 and coil 81, clutch 88 springs open and cams 95, 96, 91, 98 return to off position by the action of spring 3|. The timer now is completely reset and ready for the next race.

The same operating procedure can be employed where pace-Setters are used instead of lures; however, the timer can be adjusted to accommodate races or exhibitions in which neither lures or pace-Setters are used.

As stated above the tally selector has a. housing 2|8 with two windows which are associated with compartments and ||2. The tube 224 prevents the light from the several lamps interfering with each other. Compartment has 23 lamps 33|, 332, 334, 335, 336, 331, 338, 339, 340, 34|, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 341, 348, 349, 350, 35|, 352, 353 and 333. The compartment ||2 has a plurality of lamps arranged to form a zero. The function of the tally relay is to change the ccnnections to the lamps in compartment to form the numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Referring to Fig. 17, the selector is shown to comprise four sections, |08, |01, |09 and ||0 each of which has twelve bronze spring wire contacts |61, insulated from each other.

Associated with the four sections of contacts |61 are electromagnets |43, |44, ||4 and |42, respectively, Since the structure of the four sections and magnets are identical, one only will be described. The contacts are connected to the lamps.

Referring to section |09 and electromagnet ||4, see Figs. 17 and 18, the contacts |61 are engaged by a cross bar |45 attached to an arm of an angle lever |69, the other arm of which is attracted by an electromagnet 4 to cause the cross bar |45 to engage the contacts |61. A spring |46 tends to move the lever |68 to a disengaging position, the tension of the spring being adjustable by a nut |48, which abuts a post |41 through which one end of the spring passes. The lamps in compartments and ||2 are grounded as indicated in Fig. 3, and the contacts of the four sections are arranged in circuits to form the numerals 1, 2, 3, or 4.

In operation, as the timer starts to turn, the projection |29 on cam 54 closes switch 63 to apply power to coil IGI. This occurs seconds after the shaft carrying the cam 64 started to turn. This produces an impulse to cause shaft 2|4 to turn and cause cam H1 to inove forward (see Figs. 1, 12, 13) and close contact |52, one element of which is connected to a live wire and the other element connected to the electromagnet |42, which is grounded. One of the wire contacts |61 is connected to a live wire (see Fig. 1) and the current is conducted to the other contacts by the M145, the lamps in compartment being grounded to complete the circuit. Magnet |42 is associated with section IIU, and when the bar |45 engages the contacts IG'I, a circuit is cornpleted through the indicator lamps 333, 337, 34|, 345, 348 and 352 to form the numeral one. At the same time cam |2| closes switch |06, one element of which is connected to compartment I I2, which is grounded, and the other element of switch |06 is connected to a live wire (see Fig. 1). This lights the lamps in compartment I I2 to form a zero.

Contacts |02 remain engaged until the timer main shaft |28 has completed the second revolution, which is seconds from the start, at which time power is again applied to coil 50| and cam moves forward and opens switch 502, removing power from magnet |42 and spring |43 pulls the bar |45 clear of the wire contacts I4? of section I I0, and the lamps showing the numeral one are extinguished. Cam ||8 has now moved to close the switchV |03 and power is delivered to magnet ||4 to cause the bar |45 associated with I|4 to engage the contacts I4? of section |69 and form a circuit through lamps 332, 333, 335, 338, 34|, 344, 347, 350, 35|, 352, and 353 to produce the numeral two, on the indicator.

When the main shaft |23 makes another revolution, cam |I9 closes switch |83 to produce numeral three by means of the circuit resulting from the arrangement of the contacts |61 in section |08. Similarly, another rotation of the main shaft will cause cam |23 to close switch |05 to produce the numeral four by means of section |01.

The operation of the timer has been hereinbefore described for a 20 second delay when switch 26 is closed. When a 10 second delay is desired, switch 21 is closed. Switches 26 and 21 are micro-switches controlled by the opening of the starting gate or boX 204. When switch 21 is closed, contacts |3, I4, I5, I6 of relay 4 are closed. Contact |3 connects one side 0f coil 44 to switch 28, which is a micro-switch. Contacts I4 connect one side of coil 3l of relay 3 to one contact of switch 24 of relay l. Contact I5 closes circuit 29, 30, which is connected to terminals 5,2, 53 of Fig. 2. Contacts |6 connect one side of coil 46, relay 6, to contact 2|, relay 8 (10 second delay). Terminals 48 and 4S connect coils 34 and |0| in parallel, and terminal 85 connects one element of switch I0, Fig. 1, to one side of coil '14, Fig. 3.

Referring to the reset mechanism, coil 'I5 is energized to close contacts 18 and |63. Contacts 54, and |54, of relay |23 are normally closed.

Referring to the reset relays, as cam 38 rotates, switch 84 is closed energizing coil 8| to close contacts 'I9 to complete the circuit through coil 55 to ground when switch 9| is closed. Similarly, rotation of cam 96 closes switch 83 to energize coil 82 to close contacts 80 to close a circuit through coil 'I6 and switch 33 to ground. See relay |26.

From the above description it will be seen that there has been provided an eiiectively operating device for automatically timing a dog race in which a lure is used, or other races. The device automatically resets itself, and when once started, no further manual operations are required.

The above description is to be considered as illustrative and not limitative of the invention of which modications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. In combination with a race track having a rail` upon which a lure movsfma p hotoelectricw relayhaving a photo" tube, said relay beingpositioned at the iinish line of the track, a light source positioned at the finish line across the track from the relay and having its rays directed on the photo tube, a lamp mounted in the relay and having its rays directed on the photo tube, means controlled by the lure after passing the finish line to extinguish the lamp, and a timing device controlled by the relay.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 further characterized by the means controlled by the lure comprising a switch mounted on the rail.

3. In combination with a race track having a movable lure associated therewith, a micro-switch adapted to be momentarily closed by the lure, starting boxes for the contestants adapted to be simultaneously opened, a switch arranged to be closed by the opening of the boxes, a timing device adapted to be set in operation by the closing of the switch, a photoelectric relay positioned at the nish line of the track, a lamp near the relay and having its rays directed on the photo tube of the relay, a light source having its rays directed on the photo tube of the relay, said lamp being extinguished when the microswitch is closed, said timing device being stopped when the lamp has been extinguished and the rays from the light source are interrupted, and a time delay relay in the time device to cause the microswitch to be eiective after a predetermined delay.

RICHARD R. HARRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,220,109 Heiny Mar. 20, 1917 1,289,371 Blades Dec. 31, 1918 2,239,894 Keen Apr. 29, 1941 2,351,707 Rouprich June 20, 1944

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