Abstract:
An animal release chute for use in steer or calf roping competitions is described. The chute has a fixed section and a moveable section that telescopes forwardly relative to the fixed section. A release gate at the forward end of the moveable section is moveable between a closed position for retaining a steer or calf inside the chute and an open position releasing the steer or calf from the chute. A sensor at the rearward end of the fixed section senses the presence of the horse of the roper at the rearward end of the fixed section. Only when the roper&#39;s horse is at the rearward end of the fixed section can the gate be released to release the calf. The chute system assures that there is always the fixed, predetermined distance between the calf and the roper at release.

Description:
This invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/771,343, filed Feb. 8, 2006. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates generally to apparatus for use in rodeo events and, more particularly, to apparatus for timing the release of a calf in a calf roping event in a rodeo which assures that the calf is released the same distance from a rider every time. 
   Through the progression of the sport of rodeo it became obvious that timed-events involving cattle required that the animal be given a “head-start.” Beginning in 1950 and subsequently during the next fifty-plus years, various techniques were devised to give the animals in timed rodeo events (steer wrestling, team roping, steer tripping, and tie-down calf roping) a head start. All of these techniques originated from the idea that some type of barrier, for example, a rope, wand or electric eye, be placed at the front of a starting box containing the horse, and that barrier be released by some technique, for example, rope, lever or electric eye, when the animal to be chased reached a predetermined “head start” distance. 
   There was really no clear reason, other than established practice, why these types of techniques were utilized in various applications through the years. Unfortunately, in an era when most rodeo athletes compete at near par physically, the outcome of decades of utilization of these barrier techniques resulted in winners being determined by their ability to anticipate or navigate the “head-start.” In other words, those with a better mastery of the head-start technique could win more often than those with less mastery of the head-start technique. In the view of many, when a starting technique is more of a determining factor in winning than the athletic ability of the competitor, the purity of competition is lost. Therefore, a solution is needed. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the present invention, rodeo livestock are placed at the desired head-start distance with the use of a telescoping chute. The chute holds the livestock animal that is the target of a rodeo competitor and is closed by a gate that is opened by a chute release button under control of a controller that is in communication with other components of the preferred embodiments to assure correct positioning of the competitors. A pair of roping boxes are positioned on either side of the chute. Electric eyes are placed in the back of each of the roping boxes. Through the use of the controller which, in the preferred embodiment is in wireless communication with the electric eyes, the target animal will not be allowed to leave the chute unless the rear end of the horse or each rodeo competitor is breaking the electric eye beam in the back of the roping box. The present invention thus forces the rodeo competitor to place and hold the horse in the back of the roping or starting box, so that when the chute release button is operated, the rodeo competitors and horses are released simultaneously with the release of the target animal to be pursued. The present invention thus accomplishes the two purposes of giving the target animal the desired head start by adjustment of the length of the telescoping chute, and every rodeo competitor will have exactly the same head start. The competition once again becomes a competition of animals and athletic endeavor, with no deference to starting judgment or technique. 
   One implication of use of the present invention is that faster horses will probably become more valuable. However, if a horse will not hold in the box until all is set, a false start penalty could apply. The present invention will also create parity, which, hypothetically, could be dealt with by implementing time penalties for necking or half-heading a steer. 
   Currently, when a team backs into the box, one of three things can happen: The first is a perfect start, which does not happen very often; second, they can be late and get out-run; or third, they can break the barrier. A broken barrier is basically a no time. Using the chute system of the present invention, the only negative thing that might happen is a steer sliding back in the box or turning his head just as the header calls for him. But rather than that being a negative for the ropers, it is a positive. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1   a - c  are plan views of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in three different configurations of a telescoping roping chute and roping boxes: Showing in  FIG. 1   a , the telescoping roping chute fully closed or retracted; showing in  FIG. 1   b , the telescoping roping chute fully extended; and showing in  FIG. 1   c , the telescoping roping chute fully retracted and the roping boxes moved back relative to the roping chute. 
       FIGS. 2   a - d  are plan views of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in the four different configurations: Showing in  FIG. 2   a , neither the header or heeler horse is positioned in the back of its roping box and the roping chute will not open; showing in  FIG. 2   b , the header horse is positioned in the back of its roping box, but the heeler horse is not and the roping chute will not open; showing in  FIG. 2   c , the heeler horse is positioned in the back of its roping box, but the header horse is not and the roping chute will not open; and showing in  FIG. 2   d , both the header and heeler horses are positioned in the back of their roping boxes and the roping chute will be allowed to open. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of the electronic control circuitry of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged, forward upper perspective view of the rearward end portion of the telescoping section of the roping chute in its retracted condition. 
       FIG. 5  is a rearward, perspective view of the telescoping section corresponding to  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a rearward, perspective view of the telescoping section of the roping chute in its extended condition. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of the invention consists of a chute system  10  which is comprised of three principal sections, a front animal chute  12  which holds a target animal  14 , or animals, in the “on deck” position, and a fixed rear section  16  that is secured to the ground, and a central telescoping lead-up section  18  interconnected between the front animal chute  12  and the fixed rear section  16 . The telescoping section  18  includes a fixed rear section  20  and a telescoping, extendible and retractable front section  22  that is moveable between a retracted or closed position ( FIG. 1   a ) and an extended position ( FIG. 1   b ). The chute  12  is mounted to the forward end portion of the front section  22  and is mounted on wheels  24  that support it above the ground for rolling movement forwardly and rearwardly. Accordingly, extension and retraction of the front section  22  of the telescoping lead-up section  18  will advance and retract the front animal chute  12 . In a preferred embodiment, the front section  22  can then be adjusted relative to the rear section  20  in six-inch increments over a total working range of five feet. The telescoping section  18  can be retrofitted to existing alley set-ups. 
   The preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  describes an embodiment of the present invention in which two rodeo competitors, commonly referred to as a header and a heeler, are mounted on horses and participate in a rodeo event involving the target animal  14 . The header horse and rider  26  is the competitor on the left of the chute  10  and the heeler horse and rider  28  is the competitor on the right of the chute  10 . Each competitor  26  and  28  is positioned generally within a corresponding roping box  30  and  32 , respectively. A butt bar  34  and  36  defines the rear of the roping boxes  30  and  32 , respectively. Cooperating pairs of sensors  38   a  and  38   b  are mounted on the left roping box  30  and the left side of the fixed rear section  16 , and pairs of sensors  40   a  and  40   b  are mounted on the right roping box  32  and right side of the fixed rear section  16 . In a preferred embodiment, the sensors  38  and  40  are a set of so-called electric eyes that are in an “open” state if there is no occluding object interposed between the pair of sensors and are in a “closed” state if an occluding object prevents the sensors from “seeing” each other. The sensors  38  and  40  are mounted proximate to the butt bars  34  and  36 , respectively, and so sensors  38  will be “closed” when the header horse  26  is properly positioned near the butt bar  34  and sensors  40  will be “closed” when the heeler horse  28  is properly positioned near the butt bar  36 . 
   In another preferred embodiment, the fixed rear section  16  is provided with a rearwardly extendible extension  42  ( FIG. 1   c ) that serves to extend the length of the chute system  10  and thereby increase the lead or distance between the competitors  26  and  28  and the target animal  14 . 
   It will be appreciated that there are four possible configurations of the competitors  26  and  28  relative to the sensors  38  and  40 . One configuration is when neither competitor horse  26  or  28  is sufficiently close to the corresponding butt bar  34  or  36  to occlude the sensors  38  or  40 , respectively ( FIG. 2   a ). Another configuration is when the header competitor horse  26  is in the proper position occluding sensors  38 , but the heeler competitor horse  28  is forward of the proper position ( FIG. 2   b ). A third configuration is when the header competitor horse  26  is forward of the proper position, but the heeler competitor horse  28  is in the proper position occluding sensors  40  ( FIG. 2   c ). The fourth configuration is when both competitor horses  26  and  28  are in proper position, occluding both pairs of sensors  38  and  40 , respectively ( FIG. 2   d ). Only when both competitor horses  26  and  28  are in proper position, occluding both pairs of sensors  38  and  40 , respectively, should the target animal  14  be released by opening of a release gate  15  at the front of the animal control chute  12 . 
   Control of the release of the animal  14  from the animal control chute  12  only under the proper conditions is accomplished by a control system, a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The sensors  38  and  40  are each equipped with a wireless communication device that transmits its “open” or “closed” condition to a controller  44  that is mounted on and controls the opening of the front animal chute  12  ( FIGS. 1 and 3 ). The controller  44  is configured such that it will only open the release gate  15  of the front animal chute  12  when a release button  46  is held in the closed position and when both sensors  38  and  40  are in the “closed” condition indicating that both the header competitor horse  26  and heeler competitor horse  28  are in the proper position. In the preferred embodiment, a pair of indicator lights  48  and  50  are displayed on the top of the controller  44  and are illuminated when the corresponding rodeo competitor  26 ,  28  is in the proper position ( FIGS. 2   a - d ). Optionally, a timer  52  is in communication with the controller  44  and starts timing of the rodeo event upon opening of the release gate  15  and thus release of the animal  14 . 
   While the preferred embodiments illustrated in the figures describe the invention with respect to a rodeo event involving two competitors, the present invention can easily be adapted for use with a single competitor on one side of the chute  10 . One method would be to put a mask or cover over one of the pair of sensors associated with the missing competitor. Another method would be to simply modify the controller so that responds to a single pair of sensors and releases the animal  14  when that pair is in the “closed” condition. 
   A preferred embodiment of the structure of the central telescoping lead-up section  18  is illustrated in  FIGS. 4-6 . The rearward end portion of the fixed rear section  16  includes a gate  54  that is opened to permit the target animal  14  to enter the telescoping section  18  and proceed into the front animal chute  12 . A gate  55  between the front animal chute  12  and the forward, extendible section  22  is then closed to prevent the target animal  14  from backing out of the front animal chute  12 . The forward, extendible section  22  is supported for rolling movement on the fixed rear section  20  by a pair of rollers  56  and  58  so that it may be easily manually extended and retracted. Upon adjusting the length of the central section  16  to the desired length, the extendible section  22  is secured against undesired extension or retraction by a pair of pins  60  and  62  mounted in a corresponding bracket  64 ,  66  of the extendible section  22  that are dropped into a pair of corresponding openings  68 ,  70  of the fixed rear section  20 . A plurality of the openings are spaced at regular intervals, which is six inches in the preferred embodiment, to permit adjustment of the length of the chute section  18  to any of the pairs of openings. 
   To summarize the operation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when both the header  26  and heeler  28  horses are backed into the their respective roping box  30 ,  32 , each breaking their respective beam from the sensors  38 ,  40 , both lights  48 ,  50  will illuminate. In order for the release gate  15  to be opened and steer or animal  14  to be released, the head and heel horses  26 ,  28  must be breaking the beams from their respective electronic eyes  38 ,  40 . At that moment, the header  26  can call for his steer, the button  46  will be pushed and all involved are released: steer  14 , header  26  and heeler  28 . In this system, everything starts from a standstill and other than the chute gate  15  opening, there is no mechanical apparatus involved. 
   The perfect start is afforded to every roper. Additionally, the present invention completely eliminates the break out penalty. No one can ever break out because the chute won&#39;t open unless both ropers are backed completely into the box, breaking the beam of the electronic eye. 
   The telescoping chute aspect is important so different score lengths can be set for different talent levels as well as arena sizes. For higher-numbered ropers, the chute would be placed further out, while the less advanced ropers would start with the steer closer. 
   The foregoing description and drawings comprise illustrative embodiments of the present inventions. The foregoing embodiments and the methods described herein may vary based on the ability, experience, and preference of those skilled in the art. Merely listing the steps of the method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of the method. The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the claims are so limited. Those skilled in the art that have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.