Abstract:
A continuously height-adjustable jump cup attachment bracket for a sporting fence to support a rail includes a jump cup carried on a bearing plate that frictionally engages a support post provided with a channel and a clamping means associated with the bearing plate. The clamping means may be selectively engaged to set the height of the rail of the fence and also to be displaced from such setting in the event of accidental downward movement of the rail in relation to the post.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Benefit of U.S. Provisional Application for Patent Ser. No. 60/691,294, filed on Jun. 17, 2005, is hereby claimed. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates in general to easily adjustable attaching devices, and more specifically to a continuously adjustable mechanism further comprising a safety feature mechanism for use on a show jumping obstacle, e.g. a fence.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     In the field of equestrian show jumping jump cups for supporting poles or rails are required, and the show jumping course builder must first prepare the arena by building obstacles or fences arranged in a predetermined pattern and height. The fences include wing pieces having uprights or posts to which the cups are releasably attached and the fences are installed on what can often be uneven terrain, thus complicating the course building process. Even when only two posts are used for one fence, it is not always easy to ensure that they are level, thereby necessitating time-consuming height adjustments. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, these adjustments are made to ensure that the attachment system or bracket for the jump cups are at substantially the same level in order to put the rail, into a generally horizontal position.  
         [0004]     The course builder will set the rails at the appropriate height for the competition and this setting operation is repeated many times through proceedings due to the change in height necessary, or due to a knock-down or disturbance of the fence caused by the horse and rider.  
         [0005]     Most apparatus in the art further provides attachment brackets for jump cups that are secured in holes at different predetermined heights, such as at an interval of every six (6) inches for example, thereby limiting the scope for vertical adjustments. When a bracket is repositioned, the speed and easiness at which such an operation is done is of considerable importance, especially considering the number of times this simple operation has to be repeated during a competition.  
         [0006]     Another aspect to consider for the safety and security of the horse and rider is the consequences when a rail is knocked down. Various situations may arise in practice, each with different results. A rail most generally falls easily as long as it is pushed in the direction of horse motion rather than in a generally downwardly vertical force, just by being knocked out of the jump cup. In the event however where the force is generally vertically downwards, as if the horse literally “falls” on the fence, the rail stays wedged on the jump cups and then, if the brackets holding the jump cups to the vertical posts are not designed for such a circumstance, injuries can be sustained to the horse and/or the rider. Some releasing systems have been developed in the art but offer different mechanisms.  
         [0007]     Many attachment systems for jump cups or the like have been proposed such as those disclosed in the following documents: 
        U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,180 granted to Favre on Jun. 5, 1979 for an “Adjustable Support for a High Jump Bar”;     U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,875 granted to Weiss on Jan. 18, 1983 for a “Fence Support Structure, Especially for Equestrian Show Jumping”;     European Patent Application Publication No. 408,829 submitted by Bramsiepe and published on Jan. 23, 1991 for an “Equestrian Jumping Stand”;     PCT Patent Application Publication No. 93/24197 submitted by Sebilleau and published on Dec. 9, 1993 for a “Jumping Hurdle with Continuously Height-Adjustable Bar”;     PCT Patent Application Publication No. 99/30791 submitted by Luber and published on Jun. 24, 1999 for a “Device for Releasing Jump Bar Rests”; and     U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,835 granted to Santi on Jul. 24, 2001 for an “Apparatus for Training Horses”.        
 
         [0014]     All the above lack the simplicity of an easily, reliable, safe and quickly height adjustable bracket for jump cups. Some fasteners or attachments are not easily and manually installed and repositioned, are not safe if a horse falls heavily on the horizontal bar in a generally downwardly vertical orientation, and are not continuously vertically adjustable.  
         [0015]     Accordingly, there is a need for an improved jump cup attachment bracket.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved jump cup attachment bracket.  
         [0017]     An advantage of the present invention is that the jump cup attachment bracket is simple, ergonomic, inexpensive, lightweight, easy to operate manually and quickly continuously height-adjustable on a vertical post comprising a channel, thereby saving time in preparing and re-setting the obstacle and also in giving greater flexibility in the height adjustments of jumping sports.  
         [0018]     An advantage of the present invention is that the jump cup attachment bracket provides for a safety feature mechanism and is safe if a horse and/ or rider falls in a generally downwardly vertical direction onto the rail supported by the jump cup, by providing a downward sliding action subsequent to an adjustable predetermined force, thereby avoiding injuries.  
         [0019]     Another advantage of the present invention is that the jump cup attachment bracket often remains in the channel of the vertical post or in close proximity when displaced following a knockdown or disturbance, thereby saving time in resetting the fence.  
         [0020]     Another advantage of the present invention is that the jump cup attachment bracket does not require two adjacent vertical posts to be precisely aligned one with the other, thereby saving installation time.  
         [0021]     Still another advantage of the present invention is that the jump cup attachment bracket is made of a solid and shock-resistant material, which furthermore does not deteriorate rapidly with time and weather conditions.  
         [0022]     Still another advantage of the present invention is that the jump cup attachment bracket and the associated post are cost effective and easy to manufacture.  
         [0023]     According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided in combination a jump cup attachment bracket and a post associated therewith wherein the post defines a guideway for the bracket, the bracket comprising a bearing plate arranged to bear on one side of the guideway frictionally to engage same and adapted to carry a jump cup and further comprising resiliently biased releasable clamping means operable upon another side of the guideway and actuable to locate the bracket at any desired position along the guideway.  
         [0024]     The guideway is conveniently in the form of a channel or slot extending along the length of the post which in use is to be disposed vertically or substantially vertically as part of, for example, a show jumping fence. The bearing plate of the bracket may preferably carry the show jump cup as an integral element thereof or may be separately attached thereto. Abutments in the form of blocks may advantageously be arranged on the bearing plate for the purpose of positively locating the plate on the guideway.  
         [0025]     The resiliently biased releasable clamping means comprise a rotatable elongate member extending through the bearing plate and having an operating handle at one end on the same side as the jump cup and a stop at the other end thereof. A resilient bias, which may be in the form of an open-coil compression spring, is disposed between the stop and a clamping cam that is rigid with the elongate member, which may be in the form of a rod, the cam being arranged on the opposite side of the guideway with the rod protruding through the guideway. The rod preferably has a handle for facilitating rotation of the rod. The stop is typically a nut, preferably a wing nut, screwably mounted on the threaded other end of the rod. A further stop may be provided intermediate the handle and the clamping cam to distance the latter from the handle to ensure ease of operation.  
         [0026]     The invention also relates to a show jumping or other sporting fence including in practice two posts, at least one rail extending between the said posts and supported by a jump cup attachment bracket in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention.  
         [0027]     The invention further concerns the jump cup attachment bracket per se.  
         [0028]     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided herein, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0029]     Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the description in association with the following Figures, in which similar references used in different Figures denote similar components, wherein:  
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a jump cup attachment bracket in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, one with each vertical post, also with an horizontal bar and in dotted lines a horse and rider;  
         [0031]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged top perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , showing the safety feature mechanism;  
         [0032]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged top perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is a back perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with sections taken out of the vertical post;  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is a back perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the insertion of the attachment bracket into the channel of the vertical post;  
         [0035]      FIG. 6  is a back perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the continuous generally vertical height-adjustment within the post;  
         [0036]      FIG. 7  is a back perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the initial tightening on the post; and  
         [0037]      FIG. 8  is a back perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the final tightening on the post. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0038]     With reference to the annexed drawings the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be herein described for indicative purpose and by no means as of limitation.  
         [0039]      FIG. 1  shows a jump cup attachment bracket device  10  used in conjunction with each vertical post  20  in a jumping competition. More than one device per post  20  can also be used such as in a triple bar contest. A horse H and its rider are shown in dotted lines jumping a fence, represented by a generally horizontal rail R in this equestrian example. Each end of the rail R rests on a respective device  10  to provide the necessary stability.  
         [0040]     As more clearly seen in  FIG. 3 , each device  10  comprises a generally vertical plate  40 . A standard cup  42  of generally concave form is secured on the plate  40  to receive the rail R end (as seen in  FIG. 1 ). A handle  44  is rotatably mounted in the plate  40 . The post  20  is preferably hollow with at least one preferably flat surface  22 . The flat surface  22  comprises a channel  24  extending longitudinally and continuously most of the height or length of post  20 . The flat surface  22  of the post  20  comprises a first face  26  and a second face  28 . Preferably, the plate  40 , cup  42  and handle  44  are on one side, such as on the first face  26 , of the flat surface  22  of the post  20 . It will be easily understood also that the two devices  10  used in conjunction to support a rail R are facing each other so as to have the two cups  42  opposing one another, and not having any of the vertical posts  20  intervening therebetween.  
         [0041]     As more clearly seen in FIGS.  4  and/or  5 , a generally horizontal rod  46  goes through an aperture (not shown) in the plate  40  and is secured to the handle  44 . A stopper  48  is positioned at one extremity of the rod  46  opposite the handle  44  and restrains a coil spring  50  or other resilient mechanism. The spring  50  covers the rod  46  and extends from the stopper  48  to a wing cam member  52 . Typically, the stopper  48  is a conventional nut, or wing nut (for direct operation thereof without specific hand tool), screwably mounted on a threaded end of the rod  46 , with a conventional washer  49 . The wing cam member  52  is prevented from coming into contact with or being pushed towards the plate  40  by an abutment  54  in the rod  46  in close proximity with the plate  40 . The sides or wings  56  of the cam  52  have a slightly curved shape wherein the initial rotating edges  58  are slightly bent away from the plate  40  to engage more easily the channel  24  of the post  20 , as will be explained in more detail below. Abutments  60  of the width corresponding to the width of the channel  24  are secured on the plate  40  on the side of the cam  52 , as shown with the dotted lines of  FIG. 5 . The device  10  is inserted within the channel  24  of the post  20  by following the direction indicated by arrow A 1 . It should be noted that the lateral dimension of the post  20  is preferably greater than the length of the rod  46 , and that the device is manufactured in such a way that the sides  56  of the cam  52  of the device  10  do not obstruct the insertion prior to being secured to the post  20 , i.e. prior to the handle  44  of the device  10  being turned.  
         [0042]     As indicated in the  FIG. 6 , when the back of the plate  40  rests on the first face  26  of the flat surface  22  of the post  20 , and the abutments  60  snugly fit in the channel  24 , the device is free to continuously move up or down as indicated by the arrow A 2 . This provides an infinite amount of vertical positions for the device  10  along the post  20 . As one skilled in the art will understand this is extremely useful since the arena where the two adjacent posts  20  of the fence shown in  FIG. 1  are located is not generally horizontally level.  
         [0043]     As indicated in the  FIG. 7 , to secure the device  10 , the handle  44  is then rotated, as shown with arrow A 3 . The abutments  60  prevent the plate  40  of the device  10  to simultaneously rotate. The cam  52  is therefore forced to rotate following arrow A 4 . This is where the bent of the initial rotating edges  58  becomes useful in such a way that said edges  58  of the sides  56  engage the channel  24  of the post  20  more easily. This rotational movement of the cam  52  forces a slight longitudinal displacement of the spring  50 . Since the stopper  48  prevents the spring  50  to move at one end, a compressing action, which can be varied by changing the position of the wing nut  48  along the rod  46 , is applied to the spring  50  as indicated by arrow A 5 . A corresponding tightening and clamping action starts to maintain the device  10  in place. Of course, the given stiffness, elasticity or compressive constant of the spring  50  affects how easy it becomes to set up the device  10  on the post  20 .  
         [0044]     Alternatively, the stopper  48  could be located at a fixed location on the rod  46  to ensure a predetermined known stiffness, elasticity or compressive constant of the coil spring  50 .  
         [0045]     As indicated in the  FIG. 8 , further rotation of the handle  44  as indicated by arrow A 6  causes further movement on the cam  52  as indicated by arrow A 7  and a better tightening of the device  10  at the desired height position on the post  20 .  
         [0046]     In some circumstances, a horse H or a rider may fall on the rail R and provide a strong and sudden generally downwardly vertical force, as represented in  FIG. 2  by the arrow A 8 . Usually, the cup  42  is configured so as to let the rail R go relatively easily, especially on the side of the cup  42 , but one will understand that the wind for example should not cause the rail R to fall, thereby the need for the concave cup  42 . When the force of a horse H falling does not bring the rail R down on the sides of the cup  42  and instead pushes down vertically on the cup  42 , the appropriate and chosen stiffness, elasticity or compressive constant of the spring  50  permits the device  10  to descend if subjected to a predetermined initial force. For instance, an initial force of about thirty pounds (30 lbf or 135 Newtons) could override the resisting force keeping the device  10  in place and push said device  10  downwardly. Once the initial force is overridden, a lower friction force of for example twenty pounds (20 lbs) would need to be superseded to continue to push the device  10  downwardly, as represented by arrows A 9 . In such unfortunate circumstances, a horse H or rider would see their fall not obstructed by any mechanical obstacle since the device  10  can slide down until said horse H would be in close proximity to the ground and therefore avoid potentially damaging injuries. In the situation where more than one device  10  is used per post  20 , the same principle applies with the exception that the cumulating friction force of the two devices  10  would have to be taken into account to determine the forces to overcome and the constants to be used by each spring  50 .  
         [0047]     Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the disclosure has been made by way of example only and that the present invention is not limited to the features of the embodiments described and illustrated herein, but includes all variations and modifications within the scope and spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.