Fender attachment for a harness racing sulky

A fender assembly for a harness racing sulky of a variety having at least one bifurcate wheel support including a pair of downwardly-extending fork members spaced-apart to receive a wheel of a given circumference therebetween and an arcuate portion extending above the wheel intermediate the fork members. In one embodiment, a mounting bracket having an upper surface and a lower surface is attachable to the wheel support to extend above the support over the wheel. A fender is provided as having an inner and outer surface defining a generally curved periphery corresponding to the circumference of the wheel. The fender is removably fastenable with a fastener at a proximal end to the upper surface of the mounting bracket for rearward suspension over a portion of the circumference of the wheel from the proximal end to a freely-extending distal end. In a preferred embodiment, the fender assembly includes a generally T-shaped mount having a central permanent fender securement portion which extends to an outboard first portion to which is coupled a flexible strap and connector post assembly which is wrapped about the downwardly curving portion of the arch. Opposite the central fender supporting portion is a second portion which extends substantially to the point of connection of the forward shaft and arch of the sulky frame. A third portion of the mount includes a rearward hook which engages the arch and a forwardly extending stabilizer bar to which a second flexible strap connector and connector post is attached for connection with the sulky shaft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to a mud fender attachment for a 
harness racing sulky or race bike which simplifies the mounting of the 
fender to the sulky. 
In the sport of harness racing, a driver is drawn behind a horse in a 
two-wheeled carriage which is commonly referred to in the vernacular as a 
"sulky" or "race bike." Having a light-weight, generally open design, the 
sulky is constructed of several tubular frame members. One of these 
members, termed the arch, extends between the wheels for rotatably 
receiving each wheel, typically having a diameter of 24 or 30 inches (61 
or 76 cm), within a respective outboard fork portion, and for supporting 
the driver at a rearward position intermediate the wheels. A pair of 
generally parallel shafts forwardly extend from the arch into a straddling 
connection with a harness which is secured to the flanks and forelegs of 
the horse. Control over the horse by the driver is exerted via a pair of 
elongate reins which extend to the driver from a bridle fitted about the 
head of the horse. 
As in other types of horse racing, harness races often must be run in less 
than ideal conditions. During or after periods of inclement weather, the 
track, which typically is dirt or a dirt mixture, may be muddied to an 
extent that debris splashed from the wheels presents a hazard to following 
drivers and horses. It therefore is within the authority of a paddock 
judge to order all teams to install mud fenders to cover a rearward 
portion of each of the wheels. 
Mud fenders heretofore have included an arrangement of struts and 
elastomeric straps engineered for making a three-point attachment of the 
fender to the arch of the sulky. However, as fenders typically are not 
specified for dry track conditions, and as the teams may have only a few 
minutes in which complete the mounting thereof, the fenders previously 
known in the art have proved to be a particular source of displeasure to 
the drivers, trainers, and others charged with their installation. Teams 
often have been observed to be struggling with the mounting of the fenders 
even as the horses are being called to the starting gate. 
During the race, the minimal clearance provided between the fender and the 
wheel is prone after only a relatively short distance of travel to develop 
a packing of mud which increases the frictional forces on the wheel and 
contributes to a decrease in the overall speed of the team. Even without 
such mud packing, the fenders may be misaligned during installation or 
from contact with another horse or sulky causing the wheel to rub on the 
fender. Again, the overall speed of the team is adversely affected. 
Apart from being perceived merely as an inconvenience or as contributing to 
poor running times, the fenders commonly in use have been discovered to 
have been factors in many accidents causing injuries to both drivers and 
horses alike. In this regard, such fenders incorporate a pair of struts, 
similar to those employed with bicycle fenders, for the attachment of the 
fender to the forks of the arch. The space between these struts and the 
wheel form a gap into which another horse may step and become entangled. 
In view of the foregoing it will be appreciated that there has existed and 
remains a need for improvements in the attachment of mud fenders to 
harness racing sulkies. Such improvements would be well-received by 
drivers and trainers, and would represent an important advancement to the 
sport. 
BROAD STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a mud fender attachment for a harness 
racing sulky or race bike and to the method for installing it. In one 
embodiment, the attachment provides for a secure, single-point mounting of 
the fender above the arch of the sulky which simplifies and expedites the 
removable installation of the fender. Moreover, in eliminating the struts 
employed with the fenders heretofore known in the art, and in increasing 
the clearance between the fender and the wheel, the attachment of the 
present invention improvements both the safety and the performance of the 
sulky. 
One aspect of the invention involves a fender assembly for a harness racing 
sulky of a variety having at least one bifurcate wheel support including a 
pair of downwardly-extending fork members spaced-apart to receive a wheel 
of a given diameter therebetween and an arcuate portion extending above 
the wheel intermediate the fork members. A mount having an upper surface 
and a lower surface is attachable to the wheel support to extend above the 
support over the wheel. A fender is provided as having an inner and outer 
surface defining a generally curved periphery corresponding to the 
circumference of the wheel. The fender is removably fastenable with a 
fastener at a proximal end to the upper surface of the mount for rearward 
suspension over a portion of the circumference of the wheel from the 
proximal end to a freely-extending distal end. 
In a preferred embodiment, a fender assembly is provided which includes a 
mount having an arched central fender supporting portion, a first portion 
extending outboard which is attached to the arch of the sulky utilizing a 
flexible polymeric strap and connector post assembly. The central fender 
supporting portion of the mount then extends to a second portion which is 
dimensioned to be positioned in adjacency with the point of connection of 
the sulky arch with its forwardly extending shaft. A third portion of the 
mount then includes a strap-like structure having a rear hook which 
engages the arch in abutting relationship. The third portion also includes 
a stabilizer bar which extends forwardly along the sulky shaft, and is 
connected thereto by a second flexible polymeric strap and connector post 
assembly. A highly stable securement of the fender assembly is thus 
realized, and the interval of time required for mounting is very short, 
i.e. less than about ten seconds. 
Advantages of the present invention include a fender attachment for a 
harness racing sulky which allows for the removable mounting of the fender 
to the sulky in a minimum amount of time. Additional advantages include 
the provision of a single-point fender attachment which may be provided as 
original equipment or as retrofitted to existing sulkies. Further 
advantages include a secure fender attachment which provides greater 
clearance between the wheel to mitigate misalignments and mud packing 
therebetween, and which eliminates the struts heretofore typical in the 
art for improved safety. These and other advantages will become readily 
apparent to those skilled in the art based upon the disclosure contained 
herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to the figures wherein like parts are designated with like 
reference numerals, a representative harness racing sulky or race bike is 
shown generally at 10. Sulky 10 has a light-weight, generally open design 
incorporating a tubular frame, 11, which includes an arch, 12. Arch, 12, 
extends between the wheels, one of which is shown at 14, for rotatably 
receiving each wheel within a respective bifurcate wheel support, 16, and 
for supporting a driver, 18, at a rearward seat position, 19, intermediate 
the wheels. A pair of generally parallel shaft members, one of which is 
shown at 20, forwardly extend from a connection 13 with arch 12 into a 
straddling attachment with a harness, 22, strapped about the flanks and 
forelegs of a horse, 24. Control over horse 24 by driver 18 is exerted via 
a pair of elongate reins, one of which is shown at 26, which extend to the 
driver from a bridle, 28, fitted about the head of horse 24. In accordance 
with an initial embodiment of the invention, a fender assembly, 30, is 
removably attached to frame 11 above arch 12. 
Looking next to FIGS. 2 and 3, fender assembly 30 of FIG. 1 is illustrated 
in enhanced detail. With particular reference to FIG. 3, bifurcate wheel 
support 16 may be seen to include a pair of downwardly-extending fork 
members, 32a and 32b, spaced-apart to receive wheel 14 of a given 
circumference therebetween. Fork members 32 receive an axle, 34, of wheel 
14 which is secured via a pair of lugs, 36a and 36b. Although fork member 
32a is shown to be formed as an integral outboard portion of arch 12, with 
fork member 32b being separately provided as a discrete frame member, it 
will be appreciated that other configurations of bifurcate wheel support 
16 may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention 
herein involved. Looking momentarily to FIG. 4, it may be seen that arch 
12 includes an arcuate or downwardly extending curved portion 38. 
Returning to FIGS. 2 and 3, fender assembly 30 is shown to include a mount, 
40, having an upper surface 42 and a lower surface 44 (FIG. 4), which is 
attached to wheel support 16 to extend above the support over wheel 14. A 
fender, 50, is configured as having an inner and an outer surface, 52 and 
54 (FIG. 2), respectively, which define a generally curved periphery 
corresponding to the circumference of wheel 14. Fender 50 is removably 
fastened at a proximal end, 56, to the upper surface 42 of mount 40 for 
rearward suspension over a portion of the circumference of wheel 14 from 
the proximal end 56 to a freely-extending distal end, 58. A fastener, 60, 
removably fastens the proximal end 56 of fender 50 to the upper surface 42 
of mount 40. 
Referring next to FIG. 4, fender attachment 30 is shown in enhanced detail, 
fender 50 proximal end 56 is shown as having at least one aperture, 70, 
formed therethrough for registration with a corresponding hole, 72, of 
mount 40. With such an arrangement, fastener 60 may be received through 
registered aperture 70 and hole 72 for removably fastening fender 50 to 
mount 40. In this regard, fastener 60 may be provided as a 
hand-tightenable knob or wing bolt which extends from a head portion, 74, 
to an elongate threaded portion, 76. A retaining ring, 78, which may be a 
nut, lug, or the like, is configured to threadably receive the threaded 
portion 76 of fastener 60 for compressively engaging fender 50 proximal 
end 56 and mount 40 between fastener 60 head portion 74 and retaining ring 
78. For ease of installation in view of the limited degree of access to 
inner surface 44 of mount 40, it is preferred that retaining ring 78 be 
brazed, bonded, or otherwise affixed thereto. Alternatively, hole 72 of 
mount 40 may be tapped to threadably receive fastener 60. 
As discussed hereinbefore, the fenders heretofore known on the art are 
prone to becoming misaligned with respect to the wheel from contact with 
another horse or sulky as the teams jockeyed for positions during a race. 
To securely mount, therefore, fender 50 to mount 40, it is preferred that 
the upper surface 42 of mount 40 be configured in non-planar fashion as is 
shown to substantially conform to fender 50 inner surface 54 which defines 
with outer surface 52 a generally curvilinear cross-sectional profile. It 
will be appreciated that such an engagement is effective to delimit any 
lateral movement of fender 50 with respect to wheel 14. 
Mount 40 is formed as a generally L-shaped bracket having an outboard first 
end, 80, and an inboard second end, 82, each attached to arch 12 
intermediate fork members 32. As is shown in FIG. 4 at 83a-b, first and 
second ends 80 and 82 of mount 40 may be mechanically fastened to wheel 
support 16 with pop rivets or the like. Alternatively, ends 80 and 82 may 
be welded or otherwise bonded to support 16. To facilitate their 
attachment by either means, ends 80 and 82 may be flanged to better 
conform to the geometry of wheel support 16. The ability to effect the 
attachment of mount 40 to wheel support 16 via a variety of means makes 
assembly 30 of the present invention universally adaptable either as 
original equipment or as a retrofit to most of the racing sulkies of 
current manufacture. 
With ends 80 and 82 provided for attachment to support 16, mount 40 is 
configured to extend from a generally upstanding outboard portion, 84, to 
a transverse inboard portion, 86, generally spanning the arcuate portion 
38 of arch 12 and defining the upper and lower surfaces 42 and 44 of mount 
40. As is shown at 88, upstanding portion 84 of mount 40 positions lower 
surface 44 a distance above wheel 14, the achieved spacing being effective 
to dispose the inner surface 54 of fender 50 a predetermined distance from 
the outer circumference of wheel 14. The described configuration and 
attachment of mount 40 therefore affords the capability to provide 
additional clearance, as is shown at 90 in FIG. 2, between fender 50 and 
wheel 14 which substantially mitigates the effects of any mud packing 
between the fender and the wheel. Additionally, such configuration 
advantageously strengthens and reinforces wheel support 16 and, 
particularly, arcuate portion 38 thereof. So configured, mount 40 may be 
stamped or otherwise formed of a metallic material such as a 3/32-inch 
(2.38 mm) thick sheet steel or the like. However, other configurations of 
mount 40, such as an upstanding, elongate nut, adapted to dispose fender 
50 a predetermined distance from wheel 14 may be envisioned and therefore 
are to be considered within the scope of the present invention. 
Returning to FIGS. 2 and 3, it may be seen that mount 40 and fastener 50 of 
the present invention cooperate to support fender 50 thereof in a 
cantilevered-arrangement over wheel 14 which obviates the needs for the 
struts heretofore known in the art. With fender 50 so supported, it is 
deflectable to a substantial degree, but is resiliently biased to return 
to its original orientation following any momentary contact and 
speed-reducing friction with wheel 14. In this regard, it is preferred 
that fender 50 be molded of a polymeric material having a certain 
resiliency. 
As is shown in FIG. 3, fender 50 optionally may be provided with a 
plurality of radially-disposed apertures 74, one of which is designated at 
74a, for respective registration with hole 76 (FIG. 4) of mount 40. 
Fastener 60 is receivable through each registered one of apertures 74 and 
hole 72 for removably fastening fender 50 to mount 40 for rearward 
suspension over a now variable portion of the circumference of wheel 14. 
As there currently is no prescribed fender length under the rules of the 
United States Trotting Association (USTA), the governing body of the 
sport, the provision of a plurality of apertures 74 affords the advantage 
of tailoring the length of fender 50 to meet driver preferences. 
Looking lastly to FIGS. 5 and 6, a representative fender assembly typical 
of the prior art is shown for purposes of comparison at 30'. Fender 
assembly 30' includes fender 50' which is configured as having an inner 
and an outer surface, 52' and 54', respectively, defining a generally 
curved periphery corresponding to the circumference of wheel 14. Fender 
50' is removably fastened at a proximal end, 56', to the arcuate portion 
38' of wheel mount 16' with the strap assembly shown at 100. Strap 
assembly 100 includes a C-shaped, female support, 102, attached at one end 
to proximal end 56' and configured at another end to receive arcuate 
portion 38' of wheel support 16'. An elastomeric strap, 104, is belted 
around support 102 and arcuate portion 38', and is secured at a buckle, 
106. 
For supporting a distal end, 58', of fender 50' over wheel 14', a pair of 
struts, one of which is shown at 108, extend in a straddling arrangement 
with respect to wheel 14' from an intermediate portion of fender 50' to a 
respective fork 32'. As is shown at 110a and 110b (FIG. 6), each of struts 
108 is fastened to a respective fork 32' with another strap assembly. In 
FIG. 5, strap assembly 110a may be seen to involve an arrangement similar 
to assembly 100. Particularly, assembly 110a includes a C-shaped, female 
support, 112, attached at one end to strut 108 and configured at another 
end to receive fork 32a'. Another elastomeric strap, 114, is belted around 
fork 32a' and is secured at another buckle, 116. 
Assembly 30' is inherently prone to becoming misaligned, and may be 
permanently damaged should either of struts 108 thereof become bent. As is 
shown at 90' in FIG. 5, the three-point mounting arrangement of fender 
assembly 30' provides only minimal clearance between fender 50' and wheel 
which increases the susceptibility of speed-reducing mud packing 
therebetween. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, struts 108 present a 
hazard during racing conditions, the elimination of which alone will be 
viewed as an important advantage of the present invention. 
Refering to FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, a preferred embodiment for a fender assembly 
is represented generally at 120. Assembly 120 retains the highly 
advantageous aspect of being mountable upon the sulky frame within a very 
short time span commensurate with the mounting time required for the 
embodiment at 30 (i.e., less than about ten seconds). However, no 
permanent installation of a mount is required. In this regard, the mount 
component represented generally at 122 is formed of strap metal having a 
thickness of about 1/8 inch and a substantially greater widthwise 
dimension. The mount has an outboard first portion 124 which as seen in 
FIG. 8, is configured to nest or abut against the curved portion 38 of the 
arch 12. The first portion 124 also supports an upstanding connector pin 
126 having a slightly enlarged retainer bead or head on it, which is seen 
in FIGS. 7 and 8. First portion 124 of the mount 122 is integrally formed 
with a next adjacent central portion 128 which functions to permanently 
support a light polymeric fender as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8 at 130. 
Attachment of fender 130 is by pop rivets or the like as seen at 132 and 
134 in FIGS. 7 and 8. Note that the central portion 128 of the mount 122 
is formed in an elevated curvilinear fashion such that the fender 130 is 
spaced adequately outwardly from the outside of wheel 14 and that it is of 
a curvilinear profile matching the corresponding profile of fender 130 to 
stabilize the fender 130 in proper position over the wheel 14. Central 
portion 128 of the mount 122 then is integrally formed with a second 
portion 136 which extends inboard of the wheel 14 a distance such that it 
may extend along the arch 12 to its connection 13 or point of adjacency 
with the elongate shaft 20. Second portion 136, in turn, is welded to a 
transversely disposed third portion represented generally at 138 and also 
seen to be formed of metal strap material having a widthwise extent 
greater than its thickness. Preferably, the width of first, second, and 
central portions 124, 136, and 128 is about one inch, with a thickness of 
1/8 inch. Correspondingly, the third portion 138 is formed of strap 
material having a thickness of about 1/8 inch, and a widthwise extent of 
about 3/4 inch. The third portion 138 includes a rearwardly-depending hook 
140 and a forwardly extending stabilizer bar 142. Hook 140 is configured 
to open forwardly when mounted, and to engage a portion of the arch 12 as 
seen in FIGS. 7 and 8. The stabilizer bar 142 then extends forwardly in 
adjacency with the shaft 20 (preferably on top of the shaft), and is seen 
to support a second upstanding connector post 144. FIG. 9 reveals that 
attached to the upstanding connector post 126 is a first flexible elongate 
polymeric or rubber strap 150 having a linear array of holes or apertures 
formed in it, the aperture in one end of which is flexibly pushed or 
positioned over the connector post 126. In similar fashion, a second 
flexible elongate polymeric strap 152 having a linear array of holes or 
apertures formed therein is connected at one end hole or aperture to 
upstanding connector post 144. The procedure for mounting mount 122 and 
its associated fender 130 to the sulky involves the positioning of the 
hook 140 over arch 12 in adjacency, (preferably, just behind) with its 
connection to shaft 20. Stabilizer bar 142 then extends along in abutting 
adjacency with shaft 20. In this regard, preferably it is canted upwardly 
slightly during manufacture. However, its lesser width, i.e. 3/4 inch, 
permits its manual bending adjustment by the installer. Connection with 
the loose end of shaft 152 then is made by tightly wrapping the strap 
around the shaft 20 and positioning an appropriate one of the holes 
therein over the connector post 144. Then, in similar fashion, the loose 
end of strap 150 is wrapped around the curved portion 38 of arch 12 and a 
similar connection is made. Note that the slightly lesser widthwise extent 
of the third portion 138 of mount 122 enhances the adjacent positioning of 
the hook 140 and bar 142. Preferably, the entire mount 122 is coated with 
a polymeric coating such as nylon. This coating protects the framework 
arch 12 and shaft 20, and functions to enhance the securement of the mount 
against the metal frame components of the sulky. Driving experience with 
the fender assembly 120 has shown it to be highly stable under the 
rigorous circumstances of racing, and that it is mountable in very short 
order once an announcement to install fenders has been promulgated. 
It is anticipated that certain changes may be made in the present invention 
without departing from the precepts herein involved. Accordingly, it is 
intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description shall be 
interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.