A New or Improved Game or Mechanical Race Course.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1890-Accepted, 31st May, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Game or Mechanical Race Course.
I, AUGUSTIN AVRIAL of 183 Rue de l'Université Paris in the Republic of France
of no occupation 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 :-
-
The new game or mechanical race course which forms the object of the present
application consists of a track of any suitable form upon which run mimic horses,
loose or harnessed to carriages, the drawing along of which is effected by aid of
cables, cords, wires or bands or by a steel ribbon or band concealed under the surface
of the said track and set in motion by means of a suitable apparatus at a variable
speed by a suitable motor. The drawing along of the horses by the cords or wires or
steel ribbon which is in continued movement is obtained by the aid of a connection
which the amateur riders or players are able to break during the advance but which
they are not able to renew in course of the running.
The track is not a plane surface inequalities can be produced and change of the
positions of such inequalities at will attained. In any case the goal to be attained is
always placed on an eminence the height of which may be changed in each race, at
the same time the speed of drawing may be changed also.
Whenever a rider has broken the attachment which completes his connection with
the drawing cord, which sets him in motion, the horse continues his course by virtue
of the impetus already acquired. The game consists then in attaining the disconnec-
tion at a suitable moment so as to get the nearest possible place to the goal. If the
rider effects the disconnection too late he overleaps the goal and his mount is quickly
moved far away drawn as it is by the declivity, if otherwise he disconnects too soon
the force of motion of his mount is not strong enough to reach the goal.
It is to be understood that all the horses are set in line at the moment of starting
and connected each upon its respective cord. The number of horses running at once
is optional.
For the better comprehension of my invention and the manner of practically
carrying the same into effect I will now describe it in detail by aid of the accom-
Figure 1 on sheet 1 shows the whole track in plan.
Figures 2 and 3 (sheet 2) are respectively longitudinal and transverse sections on
a larger scale taken on the lines 1-2 and 3-4 of the first figure.
Figures 4 and 5 (sheet 2) give respectively detail in elevation, plan and side view
of one of the drawing cleats mounted on the metallic cords and of the disconnecting
means at the disposal of the riders.
The track (Figure 1) comprises a certain number of metallic cords a arranged in
circles or ellipses or any other form of concentric curve beneath a surface or
floor P.
These cords, consisting each of a simple endless steel ribbon are borne by the
rollers b, b (Figures 2 and 3) suitably distributed in direction of their length and
resting on two wires c, e pinned on the castings F hereinafter referred to.
Upon each cord are set at suitable distances the lateral cleats d (Figure 4) firmly
pinned two and two and the internal surface of which is slightly undulated so as to
avoid all possible slipping off.

page_text: .
These cleats engage as rack teeth between the teeth of the wheels A (Figures 2
and 3) by which the cords are put in motion in the direction of their length. The
wheels A are mounted upon a horizontal shaft B operated by a suitable motor M
(Figure 1) situated outside of the track and at a speed which may be varied at will
by the aid of the conical drums (and C¹; they are formed with a circular groove in
which the cords pass and are guided, and the shaft B perpendicular to them is borne
by the bearings D fixed upon a suitable frame in the lower part of the trench
receiving the motion communicated.
Above each cord a is a groove e provided in the floor P with the object of affording
passage to the vertical uprights m―m² of a carrier G (Fig. 2 & 3) the wheels f of
which roll upon the parallel rails r,r solidly fixed upon the blocks F and hidden
under the floor.
The blocks F are besides held by the heads c¹ c' and ¹¹ (Fig. 3) provided to carry
for the one part the rollers b of the cords and for the other part the wheels f of the
carriers G for the purpose of avoiding all possible reversal either before or behind to
right or to left in the turning pieces by centrifugal force. The blocks thus stayed
united by say eight iron wires constitute a firm and unalterable base upon which the
floor P securely rests.
:
The carrier G so far as can be seen are independent of the cords above which they
are placed, their uprights m m¹ are arranged to receive a free horse or a horse
harnessed to a carriage as desired.
The traction of each carrier is effected by the cord to which it corresponds and
upon which it has been caught at starting by aid of a forked engaging piece k which
from above holds the ribbon a between two cleats d (Fig. 2).
This fork is provided with a rod t to which a spring nimparts the constant tendency
to keep in an upward direction which spring takes bearing for the one part upon a
plate p fixed to the carrier G and for the other part upon a knob fixed to the rod t.
Whenever the engagement is to be effected for this purpose one presses with the foot
upon the pedal the spring n is drawn and a click-spring & (Figs. 12 & 3) takes
into a corresponding notch in the rod t thus preventing the rising of that rod.
To disengage the click the rider should turn by hand the button u which by the
connecting rod æ, hidden within the breast of the horse, displaces a lever which pushes
off the click v. At this moment the rod t being no longer held down rises under the
influence of the spring u and the connection of the carrier G with the cord a is broken
by the fork k being disengaged from the said cord whereupon the horse borne by the
carrier G continues to advance on the road by the acquired impetus but stops after a
longer or shorter period proportioned to the speed of the cord's movement.
The game thus consists in effecting this disengagement at the desired moment for
which the horse maintaining its course may arrive and stop at the nearest possible
point to the goal determined beforehand and situate, as indicated, by a post on the
endless track. It is to be observed that the player or amateur rider who has
disengaged the fork k cannot again take hold upon the cord because by his
operation the button u cannot act again upon the rod carrying the fork to depress it.
This fork can only be operated for starting by acting upon the pedal 9 apart from the
action of the rider mounted on the horse.
In order that points of marking may not be available for the players the position
of the goal is changed by shifting the arrival post and by varying the speed of
draught-of the-cords-by-means of the drums c c. For the same purpose the
inclination of the surface of the course may be changed by raising more or less by
means of wedges the floor P and the place of the goal which should always be at a
culminating point. Whilst the mechanical arrangements above described give good
results I nevertheless reserve to myself the modification of those and the substitution
for them of equivalent means, possessing like advantages. I also reserve the adaptation
for the track of whatever form may be suitable and the arrangement of the cords
in any variable number. I also reserve the use of all suitable materials for the
construction of all the parts of my mechanical game.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
The new game of mechanical horse race particularly as follows :
1. The application of the principle of mechanical drawing by cord with means of
release during course of the races of horses or vehicles, or horses and vehicles running
upon rails arranged in circles, ellipses etcetera with varied inclinations as hereinbefore
described.
2. In this new mechanical game the arrangement of cords a by means of a steel
ribbon furnished with lateral cleats d and with rollers b in combination with toothed
wheels A in a circular groove for the purpose of putting the said cords in motion and
at a variable speed as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings herewith.
3. In this new mechanical game the arrangement of the drawing cables a con-
sisting of a steel ribbon furnished with lateral cleats d and with rollers in connection
with a hooking fork k provided for the horses or for the vehicles as may be, to take
upon these cords to cause them to participate in their motion the said horses or
vehicles mounted upon a carrier a rolling upon a special way as herein before described
with reference to the drawings herewith.
g
4. In this new mechanical game the arrangement of the drawing cords a and of the
hooking fork k in combination with a mechanism of release of the kind of that shewn
in the drawings or any equivalent means for effecting during advance the breaking of
the attachment and abandoning the mount to itself substantially as hereinbefore
described.
5. In this new mechanical game the particular arrangement of the blocks F upon
which are fixed the ways or rails c, c' and r, ¹ appropriated to the rollers b, to the
wheels of which the reversal is rendered impossible the said blocks constituting by
their connection by means of the ways or rails before described a solid and unalterable
base on which rests the floor P provided with grooves e above the cords for the
purpose of giving passage to the uprights m, m which attach the horses to their
carriers G as herein before described with reference to the drawings herewith.
Dated the 31a day of March 18901
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.