Year: 1898

page_text: A communication to ine from abroad by ARCHIBALD LAIDLAW BAIRD, of Sydney, in
the County of Cumberland, in the Colony of New South Wales.
I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 55 and 56, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention consists of a frame work that is erected over a race course,
which is divided into as many parallel tracts as there are competitors, and the
framework may be constructed so as to extend over any number of tracks from
two to twenty or more. A separate thread is made fast by one of its ends to the
upright of the framework on one side of each track, while the other end of each
thread is connected, directly or indirectly, to a shutter that covers a number
corresponding to the number of the track across which the thread is stretched.
All the shutters are suspended just above a locking bar, which is so constructed
that the first shutter released can pass clear of it, while, simultaneously the other
shutters will be locked and prevented from falling or opening, and exhibiting the
number they may cover. This part of the appliances constitutes the "placer,"
and is solely intended to indicate which is the winner of the
"
heat." The
judge" is preferably fixed above the "placer" and consists of a cylinder the
surface of which is ruled with equidistant parallel lines. The cylinder is caused,
by clockwork or other suitable means, to turn or make one revolution in a
specified time. In front of the cylinder are a number of springy markers that
are retained, in any suitable manner, in a position away from the cylinder, but,
when the stretched thread, to which they are connected directly or indirectly,
is broken, they shall be free to spring and to make a mark upon the ruled
surface of the cylinder, thus indicating, to an inch, the relative positions of the
several competitors. In order to insure instantaneous action, and to overcome
the inertia of the moving parts, springs, either in tension or compression,, are
introduced in suitable places.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic general view in front elevation of the arrangement
of the apparatus, and shews it adapted to a course divided into four tracks
for sprint runners, the competitor on No. 2 track being the winner of the
"heat."
Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively an enlarged front elevation and vertical section of
the “placer" and "judge" appliances.

page_text: Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detail views on a further enlarged scale of the
locking apparatus in different positions.
+
Referring now particularly to Fig. 1, A A¹ A2 A3 A4 A5 is the fratne work, A being
the horizontal overhead piece or beam and A¹ and A5 the flank uprights,
and A2 A3 A the divisional uprights between the tracks, that are numbered
respectively 1, 2, 3, 4. Resting upon the piece or beam A is a somewhat similarly
arranged frame B, coustructed on a miniature scale, the upper portions of the divisions
being filled with the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 corresponding to the tracks below, the whole
constituting a sports telegraph board. The locking bar C stretches horizontally across
the centre of the space enclosed by the frame B. Shutters D' D2 D3 D* are suspended,
(in front of the numbers, so as to hide them from view) from one of the limbs of an
equal number of bell cranks E¹ E² Es E¹. Above the bell cranks is placed the
cylinder F, and in front of the cylinder are tho striking spring markers G1 G2 G³ G‘.
A separate thread H¹ H H H is stretched across each track, one end of
each thread being made fast to a pin h' h2 h³h on one of the uprights flanking
each track, while the other end of each thread is passed round a pin or
pulley jjjj placed on the opposite upright that flanks each track, and from
thence, passes directly (as is the case with the No. 2 track) to the bell crank E², or
indirectly through the intermediate bell cranks K K K to the bell cranks E¹ E³ E+,
and from thence to the tails of the striking markers G1 G2 G3 G+. The general
view Fig. 1 shews that the winner of the "heat "has passed through the thread H²
and broken it, thus releasing the shutter D² which has dropped and uncovered the
No. 2 on the telegraph board, while the other shutters D¹ D³ D' are locked by the
locking bar C, and cannot fall.
Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the views are merely an
enlarged front elevation and vertical section of the telegraph board, but with the
parts shewu more in detail. Each shutter is provided with a hook or ring d' d² d³ d³
whereby the bell cranks E¹ E2 E3 E can retain the shutters D' D2 D3 D4 in their
raised positions. Each shutter is provided with a plate spring L1 L2 L3 LA, and
each bell crank E E E E with a coil spring '12 13 14. When the apparatus is
fixed ready to record, the plate springs will be in compression, and the coil springs
in tension. The object of these springs is to ensure that the drop of the shutter
shall practically synchronise with the rupture of the thread, by overcoming the
inertia of the bell crank and the shutter, and thus the three really consecutive
operations of, (1) the rupture of the thread, (2) the partial revolution of the bell
crank, and (3) the drop of the shutter, shall be, for all practical purposes,
instantaneous. The action of these springs will be better understood when the
movement of the locking bar C is fully explained.
•
Each of the shutters is provided, near its lower edge, with a double flanged
stop M, the upper flange being marked m, and the lower flange m. The locking
bar (see Figs. 3, 6 and 7) consists of a half round bar C that is provided, on its flat
side, with an upper lateral extension or limb c¹ and a lower lateral extension or
limb c². The bar can rock freely on an axis c, and on its upper side is provided
with a projection or stop c', which, when the bar C rocks forward from the position
shown in Fig. 4 to the position shewn in Figs. 7 and 8 will engage with a spring
pawl e, that will prevent it from rocking backward to the position shewn in
Fig. 4. When the locking bar is rocked into the position shewn in Figs. 7 and 8 the
ends of the bar will be supported on a. stop or stops Z, which will have the effect of
preventing the bar from rocking any farther in that direction.
When the apparatus is to be prepared to record the result of a race, the shutters
will be raised to the position shewn for instance at I of Fig. 2, the loop or hook d¹
being slipped over the projecting end of the bell crank E¹, and consequently the
plate spring L' will be in compression and the coil spring will be in tension.
The thread H will then be held taut, so as to retain the springs in their potential
positions, and will be passed round the pin or pulley j2 (Fig. 1) will be stretched
across the track and secured to the pin or stud h', on the opposite side of the track.

page_text: The stop M will then occupy the position shewn at Fig. 4; the locking bar C will
be released from its pawl ct, and the bar rocked, so that its lower limb c²
shall underlie the lower flange m¹ of the stop M, and the apparatus will be ready
to record. On the thread H¹, being broken, the counter acting force will be
removed from the spring which latter, being in a potential position, will imme-
diately act, drawing the bell crank upwards to the position shewn at E2, thus
releasing the hook or ring d¹, when the spring L' will instantly force the shutter.
downwards. The effect of the fall of the shutter will be that the lower flauge m¹
of the stop M will strike the lower limb c² of the locking bar C, and rock it into
the position shewn in Figs. 7 and 8. The limbed side of the rocking bar C is so
constructed that the stop M shall just be able, and no more, to pass between the
points of the limbs c¹ and c², and thus, when the lower flange m¹ strikes the lower
lib c², the upper flange m shall just pass clear of the upper limb c¹ and the shutter
will be enabled to fall to the position shewn at D2, Fig. 2, while, at the same time
the upper limb c¹ will be interposed to prevent the fall of any of the other shutters,
unless their respective threads were all broken at the same instant. Fig. 4 shews
all the shutters and locking bar set, ready to record. Fig. 7 shews the same parts,
the instant after the first thread has been broken and the stop M just falling clear
of the locking bar. Fig. 8 shews the same parts after the second thread has been
broken. In this illustration the first stop M has fallen quite clear and has
disappeared from the field of view, while the second stop has started to fall, but
has been caught and intercepted by the locking bar, and the third thread has not
been broken.
Fig. 5, is a front elevation of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a plan of Figs. 4 and 5, and Fig. 9
is a plan of Fig. 8.
The judge," which is preferably above the telegraph board, consists of a
cylinder that is caused to rotate by any suitable mechanism (not shewn in the
drawings) such for instance, as clockwork, or a pulley and weight. The surface of
the cylinder is ruled with a number of horizontal equidistant parallel lines-mounted
near the cylinder, in such a way that their points shall strike the surface of the
cylinder at right angles, to it are striking markers G1 G2 G3 G4, one marker being
provided for each track. These strikers are preferably of bell crank form, the
lower limb n being hammer headed, while the upper limb n¹ is formed as a socket
to receive a springy piece n² that is also hammer headed, the hammer head n³ being
provided, in this instance to strike the ruled surface of the cylinder. The striker
is retained in the backward or striking position (Fig. 3) by a wire or thread con-
necting it with its corresponding bell crank E E E E below. When the thread
is broken and the bell crank E E E E is released, the striker will also be
released, and by the resilient action of a spring O, the power of which is regulated
by a thumb screw o will be drawn in with force towards the cylinder C, when the
hammer headed limb n will strike the floor beneath it, and will thus cause the
springy piece n² to bend forward, and with its hammer head n³ to strike the ruled
surface of the cylinder, and then retire or rebound therefrom a short distance, as is
illustrated in the vertical position shewn in Fig. 3. The cylinder will not rotate
during the whole time that the race is being run, but may be started by the human
judge or by any attendant, as the competitors are approaching the winning post.
It is considered best to cause the cylinder to make one revolution in one second,
and, the speed of sprint runners, or other racers, being known within a very small
margin, the distances that the dots, made by the markers n³, are apart, may be
estimated or calculated almost to an inch, and thus as an example, the second
competitor may be shewn to be four inches behind the winner, and the third and
fourth men ran a "dead heat" for third place at a distance of 5 inches behind the
second man, distances which, it has been demonstrated, are impossible to gauge by
the eye in sprint races, where all the competitors finish in a bunch.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-

page_text: tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The apparatus for automatically placing the winner of a race in which each
competitor races on a separate track, the said apparatus consisting essentially
of a separate thread that is stretched across each racing track, one end of the thread
being made fast to an immovable point, while the other end of the thread is connected
either directly or indirectly to one in a series of shutters or doors that it retains
in a potential position covering a number of figures, corresponding to the number
of the track across which the thread is stretched, and which shutter when
released from the support or tension of the thread shall be impelled or forced to
open and uncover the number or figure behind it, while at the same time, the
opening or moving shutter shall actuate a locking apparatus that shall lock and
prevent from moving or opening, any other shutter or shutters in the apparatus,
the whole constituting a sports telegraph board that shall exhibit the number of
the winner only, the winning number being actuated automatically from the
racing track.
2. In combination a thread that is stretched taut across a racing track, one
end of said thread being connected directly or indirectly, with a shutter that
covers a number corresponding to the number of the track across which the
thread is stretched, the said thread holding the shutter in such a position that
when the thread is broken the shutter shall be caused to move away and uncover
the number behind it, and a locking bar, so disposed and arranged that the
first shutter that moves, shall so actuate the locking bar as to cause the said
locking bar to lock all other shutters in the apparatus and prevent the numbers
they cover from being exhibited, as herein specified.
3. In combination a thread that is stretched across a racing track, a catch
or bell crank that is connected to the thread, the said catch being provided with
a spring acting against the tension of the thread, a shutter that is held or retained
in position by the catch or bell crank, but which when released shall be forced
away from the catch by the action of a spring, so as to cause the shutter to uncover
a number or figure behind it as herein set forth.
4. In combination a thread that is stretched across a racing track a shutter or
door that the thread retains in a potential position, a spring that will impel the
shutter when it is released from the tension of the thread, a locking bar that is
actuated by the movement of the shutter in such a manner that while it will
permit the shutter that actuates it to press or open freely it will lock and prevent
from moving or opening any other shutter or shutters that may be connected with
or form part of the same apparatus, as herein specified.
5. The apparatus for recording the position at the finish of the competitors
in a race that is run on a course divided into separate tracks, and consisting
essentially of the following combinations; A thread that is stretched taut across
each track, one end of such thread being secured, either directly or indirectly, to
a springing hammer or marker, which hammer or marker shall, upon the thread
being broken, be caused to spring in towards and strike the surface of a
revolving cylinder, making a mark upon such surface, and thus indicating
and judging the relative positions of the competitors in the race as herein
specified.
6. The combined apparatus for "telegraphing" the number of the winner, and
at the same time recording and judging the relative positions of all the competitors
in a race that is run on a course that is divided into separate tracks, one for each
competitor, and consisting essentially of the following combination:-a separate
thread that is stretched across each track on the course, such thread being
connected directly or indirectly (1) to a door or shutter, covering a number
.corresponding to the number of that particular track which door or shutter shall
be caused to open or drop when the thread is ruptured and (2) to a springy striker
or marker that shall be caused to spring in and strike the surface of a revolving

page_text: cylinder when the thread to which it is connected is broken as herein set
forth.
7. The general arrangement construction and combination of parts in this
invention of an automatic "placer" and "judge" for races, substantially as herein
described and for the several purposes set forth.
1
10/1
1000