Abstract:
A team roping training apparatus that comprises a motor having a motor shaft, a spool having a spool shaft, and a switch to selectively energize the motor. The spool is selectively rotatable with the motor shaft such that when rotation of shaft is impeded through a roper&#39;s grasping of an attached rope, the spool is disengaged form the motor shaft. According to the preferred embodiment, such selective rotation is accomplished with a clutch mechanically coupling the spool shaft with the motor shaft.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to team roping. More specifically, the invention is a team roping training apparatus that allows a team roper to realistically simulate the act of “taking a daily” around a saddle horn, which is an important step of roping a steer. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A roping team is composed of two members, each mounted on horseback. During competition, a steer is freed from a pen, after which the team members follow in close pursuit with the objective of roping and immobilizing the animal. One team member, the header, must rope the steer around its horns and then “take a dally,” which is a couple of wraps of the rope around the horn of the saddle. Once the header has made his daily, the other team member, the heeler, throws a loop of rope under the running steer&#39;s hind legs and also dallies tight around the saddle horn. Both horses then back up to stretch out the steer&#39;s hind legs, thus immobilizing the animal. The team that does this most quickly wins. 
     Because fractions of a second can determine the outcome of the competition, perfecting the technique of dallying, and developing the necessary muscle memory and dexterity for proper dallying through repetitive action, are goals sought by both novice and experienced ropers. An inability to properly and quickly take a dally can also lead to injury. Moreover, aspiring ropers want to make efficient use of whatever practice time they have. 
     There are other inventions that provide practice means for headers and heelers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,101,186 relies upon a non-motorized recoil mechanism that cannot be shut off once activated. The device utilizes a standard clutch that slowly retracts a line, but does not completely disengage the recoiling mechanism. U.S. Patent Application 2004/0101811 discloses a simulated steer and horse with the steer propelled along a straight path. While the device is motorized and useful for practicing a daily, it is limited in use due to its large and cumbersome nature and multitude of parts. Moreover, the invention disclosed by the &#39;811 application only allows one practice daily per run. Neither of these inventions, taken either individually or in combination, discloses all of the limitations of the present invention as claimed. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a team roping training apparatus that comprises a motor having a motor shaft, a spool having a spool shaft, a rope connected to the spool, and a switch to energize and de-energize the motor. The spool is selectively rotatable with the motor shaft such that when rotation of the spool shaft is impeded through a roper&#39;s grasping of the rope, the spool is disengage from the motor shaft. According to the preferred embodiment, such selective disengagement is accomplished with a clutch mechanically coupling the spool shaft with the motor shaft. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the team roping training apparatus. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation of the preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B  are side partial sectional views of the rope, spool, and switch of the preferred embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an apparatus for realistically practicing taking a dally when roping a steer, without the need to use live steers. The invention enables both experienced and novice ropers to perfect their dallying technique through many repetitions in a short period of time. The present invention also allows a roper to practice a series of dallies before resetting the apparatus to its initial state. Moreover, the application provides a safe and reliable mechanism to accomplish these goals. 
       FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  in combination disclose the preferred embodiment  20  of the present invention, which includes a frame  22  having a base area  24  for supporting the other components of the invention. The frame  22  is heavy and durable, which is desirable in order that the frame  22  can adequately support the other components while being relatively difficult to move, as during use the apparatus is preferably immobile. In the preferred embodiment, the frame  22  is constructed of connected steel vertical and horizontal framing members  26 , although any durable, rigid material may be used. In alternative embodiments, the frame  22  may include slots (not shown) for anchoring to a structure or fixture to enhance immobility, and the apparatus may be elevated such that the base area  24  does not contact a floor surface during normal use. 
     A motor  28  having a shaft  30  is mounted to the frame  22  so that a substantial portion of the motor  28  occupies the framed volume. The motor  28  preferably operates off of a 110V AC supply, such as a standard North American wall outlet, connected via cord  33 . In the preferred embodiment, the motor  28  generates ⅓ hp at 1075 rpm. The motor shaft  30  extends from the motor  28  to outside the framed volume and drives an input of a clutch  34 , which in the preferred embodiment is a centrifugal clutch typically used for a go-kart. 
     A spool  36  having a spool shaft  38  is connected to the frame  22  and positioned in the framed volume. The spool shaft  38  is mounted such that its longitudinal axis  40  extends between both sides of the frame  22 . The non-driven end of the spool shaft  38  is connected to a pillow block bearing  41  mounted to the frame  22 . 
     Two end plates  42  of the spool  36  define a volume in which an attached rope  44  may be coiled about the spool  36 . The end plates  42  impede longitudinal coiling about the spool  36  to prevent irregular coiling during use. 
     Although not shown specifically in the figures, connection of the rope  44  to the spool  36  may be accomplished in any number of ways. In the preferred embodiment, the rope  44  is nylon and disposed through a hole in one of the end plates  42 . The nylon end may thereafter be attached by applying heat to cause the end to melt, which expands the end to larger than the hole, thereby securing the rope in a manner sufficient for normal use of the apparatus. In one alternative embodiment, the rope  44  is connected to the spool  36  with a safety lanyard that fails—thus detaching the rope  44  from the spool  36 —in the event the rope  44  is completely uncoiled. 
     In both the preferred and referred-to alternative embodiments, the detachable connection of the rope  44  provides a safety feature should the roper&#39;s horse spook while the roper has taken a dally and the roper is unable to quickly release that dally. This detachable connectability helps prevent entanglement by and injury to both the roper and the horse. 
     A belt-and-pulley system  46  connects the clutch  34  with the spool shaft  38  to cause selective rotation of the spool  36  with the motor shaft  30 . In the preferred embodiment, a first pulley  48  is coupled to the output of the clutch  34  and a second pulley  50  is coupled to the spool shaft  38 . First and second pulleys  48 ,  50  are coupled with a belt  52  such that rotation of the first pulley  48  causes corresponding rotation of the second pulley  50 , which in turn causes rotation of the spool shaft  38  and connected spool  36 . 
     A switch  54  having an actuator  56  is mounted to the frame  22  proximal to the spool  36  and electrically coupled to the motor  28  through a cable  57 . When in the “on” position and the motor  28  is connected to a power source, the motor  28  is energized. When in the “off” position, the motor  28  is de-energized. The switch  54  is preferably oriented so the actuator  56  moves upwardly and downwardly relative to the ground, and so that moving the actuator  56  upwardly energizes the motor  28 , and moving the actuator  56  downwardly de-energize the motor  28 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the actuator  56  is a loop having a loop volume  55  so that the free end  58  of the rope  44  can be disposed through the actuator  56  to the roper. 
       FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B  are side elevations showing the actuator  56  of the preferred embodiment in the “on” and “off” positions. An actuator arm  59  is mechanically coupled to a toggle  61  through conventional connection means (e.g., fasteners, welding, etc.) so that movement of the actuator  56  causes corresponding movement of the toggle  61 .  FIG. 3A  shows the switch housing  54  connected to the actuator  56  in the “up,” or “on,” position, wherein the motor  28  is energized and driving the spool shaft  38  in the counter-clockwise direction D CCW . This counter-clockwise rotation of the spool shaft  38  causes corresponding rotation of the spool  36 , which attempts to coil the rope  44  against any resistance from the roper.  FIG. 3B  shows the switch  54  connected to the actuator  56  in the “down,” or “off,” position, wherein the motor  28  is de-energized. 
     The actuator arm  59  has a first end  67  proximal to and rotatably connected to the spool shaft  38  and a second end  69  distal from the spool  36  terminating in the actuator  56 , which defines the loop volume  55  (see  FIG. 2 ). Rotation of the actuator arm  59  around the longitudinal axis  40  defines a partial shell of revolution  71  between the “up” position shown in  FIG. 3A  and the “down” position shown in  FIG. 3B . The actuator arm has a hinge barrel  73  at the first end  67  that is concentrically aligned around the spool shaft  38  and longitudinal axis  40 . As shown in both  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the toggle  61  of the switch  54  intersects the partial shell of revolution  71  defined by the range of rotation of the actuator arm  59  between the “up” and “down” positions. 
     Use of the invention is initially described with reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . Prior to use, the rope  44  is uncoiled from the spool  36  between the end plates  42 . The roper is positioned facing the front side of apparatus, while grasping the free end  58  of the rope  44  that is extruded through the actuator  56 . The placement of the roper is preferably the distance the roper would be from a steer after heading or heeling during an actual competition, and varies from roper to roper. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3A , when the roper is ready to practice a daily or series of dallies, the roper lifts the free end  58  to cause the rope  44  to contact the upper bar  63  of the actuator  56 , with the resulting upward movement of the actuator  56  to the “up” position thus toggling the switch  54  to the “on” position to energize the motor  28  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). After energizing, the motor shaft  30  (see  FIG. 2 ) begins rotation and attempts to engage the clutch  34  to cause the spool  36  to “wind up” the rope  44  and pull the free end  58  away from the user. 
     To practice a daily or series of dallies, the roper resists the coiling of the rope  44 , and instead pulls the rope  44  in the roper&#39;s direction D R  to counteract the coiling force caused by attempted rotation of the spool  36 . The coiling force caused by the spool  36  is sufficiently small that it can be resisted by an average or worse roper. 
     If the roper successfully restrains the free end  58 , the clutch  34  slips, but will still exert a force on the spool  36  and attempt to coil the rope  44 , which simulates the force that would be caused after having roped a steer during competition. By taking a daily against this force, the roper practices his or her dallying skills under realistic conditions. 
     The roper may thereafter release the daily, again let a length of rope  44  slip as if a steer had just been heeled, and then repeat the process of taking a daily. Each daily formed by the roper coils an additional length of rope  44  around the spool  36 , and the roper may repeat the process until the length of uncoiled rope  44  is insufficient to take another daily. In the preferred embodiment, the length of the rope  44  is sufficient to take four or five dallies. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3B , after the roper is done with a daily or series of dallies, the roper may de-energize the motor  28  by forcing the free portion of the rope  44  downward against a lower bar  65  of the actuator  56 , which moves the switch  54  to the “off” position. In the preferred embodiment, simply dropping the uncoiled portion of the rope  44  is sufficient to force the actuator  56  downward by the weight of the rope  44  and move the toggle  61  to the “off” position, which is a safety feature should the operator unintentionally let go of the rope  44 . Thereafter, the apparatus may be reset to its initial state by uncoiling the rope  44 . 
     The present invention is described above in terms of a preferred illustrative embodiment of a specifically described team roping training apparatus. Those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative constructions of such an apparatus can be used in carrying out the present invention. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention may be obtained from a study of this disclosure and the drawings, along with the appended claims.