Horse race starting gate

Abstract

A modular starting gate having a truss module, a door releasing module, a stall divider module, a front door module, a rear door module, a towing module, and a wheel assembly module. The door releasing module includes a roll-bar having articulated members that are coupled to the front door module via a coupling bar and a turnbuckle adjuster. The roll-bar is coupled to the truss module via a bearing and includes a first section coupled to a second section via a U-joint. A rebound stop is coupled to the starting gate, wherein the rebound stop has a first portion mounted to the front door module which cooperates with a second portion coupled to the stall divider module.

1. A horse race starting gate, comprising:
 a truss module, the truss module positioned in a first orientation;    a door release module coupled to the truss module;    a stall divider module coupled to the truss module;    a front door coupled to the stall divider module; and    a rebound stop having a first portion coupled to the front door and a second portion coupled to the stall divider module, the first portion having a first member for frictionally engaging the second portion.    
     
     
       2. The horse race starting gate of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the rebound stop is an L-shaped structure. 
     
     
       3. The horse race starting gate of  claim 2 , wherein L-shaped structure has a plate that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity. 
     
     
       4. The horse race starting gate of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion includes adjustment slots for adjusting the first portion in a vertical direction. 
     
     
       5. The horse race starting gate of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion comprises a coupling plate coupled to an adjustable plate. 
     
     
       6. The horse race starting gate of  claim 5 , wherein the second portion further comprises a spring loaded bolt, the spring loaded bolt for adjusting a space between the coupling plate and the adjustable plate. 
     
     
       7. The horse race starting gate of  claim 6 , wherein the coupling plate further comprises an angled plate, and wherein the horse race starting gate further includes means for dampening vibration coupled to the angled plate. 
     
     
       8. The horse race starting gate of  claim 1 , wherein the door release module comprises a roll-bar coupled to the truss structure, the roll-bar having articulated members extending therefrom. 
     
     
       9. The horse race starting gate of  claim 8 , wherein the door release module further comprises means for rotating the roll-bar. 
     
     
       10. The horse race starting gate of  claim 9 , the means for rotating the roll-bar comprises one of a solenoid and a magnet. 
     
     
       11. The horse race starting gate of  claim 1 , wherein the door release module comprises a pivot arm coupled to the articulated member via a coupling bar having a turnbuckle adjuster coupled thereto. 
     
     
       12. The horse race starting gate of  claim 1 , further including a transport module coupled to the truss module. 
     
     
       13. A starting gate, comprising:
 a horse stall having first and second sides;    a door coupled to the first side of the horse stall; and    means for actuating the door, wherein said means for actuating includes a roll-bar coupled to the horse stall via a plurality of bearings, said roll-bar comprising: 
 a first section coupled to a second section by a U-joint, wherein said roll-bar spans at most two bearings without a U-joint;  
 means for rotating the roll-bar coupled to the horse stall;  
 an articulated member extending from the roll-bar; and  
 coupling bar coupled to the articulated member.  
   
     
     
       14. The starting gate of  claim 13 , further including a turnbuckle adjuster coupled to the coupling bar. 
     
     
       15. The starting gate of  claim 13 , wherein the means for rotating the roll-bar comprises one of a magnet and a solenoid. 
     
     
       16. The starting gate of  claim 13 , wherein the horse stall comprises a plurality of horse stalls and wherein the roll-bar spans at most two stalls without a bearing. 
     
     
       17. The starting gate of  claim 13 , further including a door coupled to the second side of the stall divider. 
     
     
       18. The starting gate of  claim 13 , further including a rebound stop having a first portion coupled to the door coupled to the first side of the starting gate and a second portion coupled to the stall divider module, the first portion having a first member for fictionally engaging the second portion, wherein the first portion is an L-shaped structure having a plate substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity and a plate having adjustment slots and the second portion comprises a coupling plate coupled to an adjustable plate via a spring loaded bolt. 
     
     
       19. A starting gate, comprising:
 an overhead support structure;    first and second stall dividers coupled to the overhead support structure, the first and second stall dividers having first and second ends, wherein the first ends of the first and second stall dividers are adjacent each other and the second ends of the first and second stall dividers are adjacent each other;    a first set of doors coupled to the first ends of the first and second stall divider;    a second set of doors coupled to the second ends of the first and second stall dividers;    a door release mechanism coupled to the overhead support structure, the door release mechanism comprising: 
 a roll-bar having a first section coupled to a second section by a U-joint, wherein said roll-bar spans at most two bearings without a U-joint;  
 means for rotating the roll-bar coupled to the horse stall;  
 a plurality of articulated members extending from the roll-bar; and  
 a coupling bar coupled to each of the plurality of articulated members wherein  
   a first coupling bar is coupled to a first door of the first set of doors and a second coupling bar is coupled to a second door of the first set of doors; and    first and second rebound stops coupled to the first and second doors, respectively.    
     
     
       20. The starting gate of  claim 19 , wherein the first and second rebound stops comprise a first portion coupled to the respective first and second doors and a second portion coupled to the stall divider, the first portion having a first member for frictionally engaging the second portion, wherein the first portion is an L-shaped structure having a plate substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity and the plate having adjustment slots and the second portion comprises a coupling plate coupled to an adjustable plate via a spring loaded bolt. 
     
     
       21. A horse race starting gate, comprising:
   a plurality of stall divider modules, plural of said plurality of stall divider modules comprising at least a front support column, a back support column and a plurality of lengthwise braces welded together as a unit prior to welding said stall divider module to a truss module;        a truss module having a plurality of said stall divider modules welded thereto;        a door release module coupled to the truss module;        a front door coupled to the stall divider module; and        a rebound stop having a first portion coupled to the front door and a second portion coupled to the stall divider module, the first portion having a first member for frictionally engaging the second portion.     
     
     
       22. The horse race starting gate of  claim 21 , wherein the stall divider module further comprises a caboose, a front fender and a rear fender and wherein said caboose, said front fender, said rear fender, said front support column, said back support column and said plurality of lengthwise braces are welded together as a module prior to welding said stall divider module to a truss module. 
     
     
       23. The horse race starting gate of  claim 22 , wherein the stall divider module further comprises a plurality of door hinges, and wherein said caboose, said front fender, said rear fender, said front support column, said back support column, said plurality of lengthwise braces and said plurality of door hinges are welded together as a module prior to welding said stall divider module to a truss module. 
     
     
       24. The horse race starting gate of  claim 21 , wherein the door release module comprises a roll- bar supported by a plurality of bearings, said roll bar comprising at least two roll bar sections joined by a U - joint, wherein the roll bar spans at most two bearings without a U - joint.   
     
     
       25. The horse race starting gate of  claim 24 , wherein the door release module further comprises means for rotating the roll- bar.   
     
     
       26. The horse race starting gate of  claim 25 , wherein:
   the means for rotating the roll - bar comprises one of a solenoid and a magnet.     
     
     
       27. The horse race starting gate of  claim 21 , wherein:
   the first portion of the rebound stop is vertically adjustable by means of vertical slots operatively disposed between said first portion and said front door.     
     
     
       28. A starting gate, comprising:
   a horse stall having first and second sides;        a door coupled to the first side of the horse stall;        a door latch; and        means for actuating the door, wherein said means for actuating includes a roll - bar coupled to the horse stall via a plurality of bearings, said roll - bar comprising:      a first shaft section coupled to a second shaft section by a U - joint, wherein said first shaft section spans no more than two bearings without a U - joint;        means for rotating the roll - bar coupled to the horse stall;        an arm extending from the roll - bar; and        a coupling bar coupled between said arm and said door latch for actuating said door latch.       
     
     
       29. The starting gate of  claim 28 , wherein said coupling bar comprises a turnbuckle adjuster. 
     
     
       30. The starting gate of  claim 28 , wherein the means for rotating the roll- bar comprises one of a magnet and a solenoid.   
     
     
       31. The starting gate of  claim 28 , wherein the starting gate comprises at least three shaft sections coupled together by a plurality of U- joints and wherein each of said at least three shaft sections spans no more than two bearings without a U - Joint.