Abstract
A heading and heeling roping practice sled apparatus having a heeling practice sled and a heading practice dummy, where the heeling sled has a single mainframe bar, a tow arm with an open-faced front tow hook as well as a closed or closeable ring for towing, a wheel assembly attached to the tow arm below the horns of the heading practice dummy, support legs configured to provide support for the mainframe and dummy, dummy mounting brackets attached to the support legs, securing straps and a quick release latch attached to the dummy mounting brackets, the dummy having a flanged base for securing the dummy to the sled within the dummy brackets, and a roping leg apparatus attached to the rear of the mainframe. The roping leg apparatus has a hip assembly with a coupling attached thereto which are non-linear axles, and hinges positioned about the axles to which roping legs are mounted.
Claims
1. A heeling roping practice sled apparatus comprising: a mainframe having a front and a back, the mainframe having a right support leg with a right skid attached thereto and a left support leg with a left skid attached thereto, a quick release dummy bracket apparatus attached to the top of the right and left support legs, said quick release dummy bracket apparatus comprising dummy brackets with clasps, securing straps, and a quick release mechanical device, a tow bar with a front hook and a front wheel attached to the front of the mainframe, and a roping leg apparatus attached to the back of the mainframe, the roping leg apparatus comprising: non-linear axles affixed to a mounting hub, coupling, spindle or other mounting element which may be mounted over or secured to a mounting receptor of complimentary configuration, left and right leg hinges, each leg hinge comprised of a bracket hub having an axis and a bracket arm affixed to said bracket hub at an angle that is non-perpendicular to the axis of the bracket hub, left and right roping legs affixed to said leg hinges, each roping leg having a toe and a hock, an angular configuration of the non-linear axles and the leg hinges being such that when the roping legs are in a stationary position the toes and the hocks are separated from each other, and when apprehended by a rope, the roping legs come together and overlap at the hocks by means of angular rotation about the non-linear axles and the leg hinges upon the rope being pulled taught, and whereby each roping leg is retracted to the stationary position by a single tension element operating in a single plane.
2. The invention of claim 1 whereby the bracket hub of the roping leg apparatus is comprised of holes or settings about the bracket hub that allow for rotation, vertical adjustment, and securing of the roping leg apparatus to the mainframe such that the roping legs may be positioned in a skewed, raised, or lowered manner relative to the mainframe of the heeling roping practice sled apparatus.
3. The heeling roping practice sled apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising: wherein the non-linear axles are comprised of holes wherein a push pin or other element may be inserted or positioned to serve as a stopper for the leg hinges to allow for various settings for which the stationary position of each roping leg may be adjusted such that a distance between the toes may be varied and such that the roping legs may be positioned asymmetrically relative to the mainframe.
4. The invention of claim 1 where the right support leg is longer than the left support leg.
5. The invention of claim 1 where the right skid or left skid or both skids are comprised of a stabilizing fin affixed to a bottom rear of the skid.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had by reference to the following descriptions when taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:
(2) Prior Art
(3) FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of the prior art whereby the ground heading dummy is either bolted or strapped onto the sled.
(4) FIG. 2 depicts a second embodiment of the prior art whereby the ground dummy is secured to the sled by being lifted over the body of the sled and positioned on top of the frame, thus requiring the ground dummy to have a hollow base.
(5) FIG. 3 depicts the sled frame of FIG. 2 over which the heading ground dummy is positioned.
(6) FIGS. 3 and 4 depict embodiments of the prior art illustrating collapsible roping legs whereby the functioning of each leg is dependent on two springs, one spring being a tension spring that is positioned longitudinal to the sled, and another tension or compression spring positioned parallel to the sled and connected to the legs above or below the axle about which the legs rotate, thus preventing the legs from operating independently.
(7) FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of the prior art of collapsible horns, by Copenhaver, illustrating that the horns rotate about two axes that operate within the same plane and come together at tor near the tips of the horns upon collapse.
(8) Current Invention
(9) FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views of the current heeling sled and heading ground dummy apparatus, with and without the heading dummy secured to the sled.
(10) FIG. 8 depicts an embodiment of the current hip and leg apparatus with independently operating and overlapping legs, a hub and axle assembly consisting of a coupling with holes to which non-linear axles are affixed, to which roping leg mounting hinges are secured, the holes in the coupling allow the legs to be raised or lowered, leg hinges are mounted to the axles whereby the legs rotate independently about each axle and whereby upon rotation, or collapse, the hocks, or center portion of the legs, come together, and whereby each leg is retracted to the stationary vertical position by its own single tension element, which is held stationary by a tension element, which in this embodiment is a bungee strap that operates along a plane that is governed by the non-horizontal axis about which the hubs of the leg hinges rotate, a plane which is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the forward motion of the sled, and whereby the position of the legs as they rotate about the axle is governed by the angle of the mounting arm of the hinge relative to the hub of the hinge, and whereby the stopper plate on the leg apparatus, and stopper bar on the leg hinge, may be adjusted to alter the stationary orientation of the legs relative to each other.
(11) FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate perspective, side and top views of the hub and axle assembly depicting the angles of configuration relevant to the functionality of the legs operating independently and within individual single planes and crossing over each other upon being roped together and pulled taught, and being retracted to the stationary position by a tension device acting through a singular plane, whereby the legs are spread apart in the stationary position.
(12) FIGS. 12, 13 & 14 show the front, side and top views of the leg mounting brackets and depict representations of the angles of configuration relevant to the operation of each leg about a single plane, allowing the toes or hocks of the steer to be spread apart upon the stationary retracted position, and allowing the toes, hocks, or other part of the roping legs to come together and crossing over upon being roped.
(13) FIG. 15 is a side view of the hip and overlapping leg apparatus pulled taught with both legs captured by a rope, and thus oriented in the collapsed and overlapping position.
(14) FIG. 16 is a rear view of the hip and overlapping leg apparatus pulled taught, illustrating the overlapping of the hocks, which emulates a live steer. This Figure also illustrates the extended width of the right support leg which helps stabilize the sled when towed by a rope around the horns of the dummy and offsets the turnover tendency when the sled is rapidly turned to the left. Also illustrated in this embodiment is a stabilizing fin on the left skid, which further helps stabilize the sled as it is being towed by a header on a horse with a rope around the horns of the dummy.
(15) FIG. 17 depicts a side view of the sled and crossover leg apparatus whereby a single leg is captured and pulled taught by a roper, thus illustrating the independent operation of each leg.
(16) FIG. 18 depicts the hip and independent collapsible leg apparatus rotated about the mainframe to replicate the action of a steer's legs. The apparatus is securely positioned at a skewed angle to the outside to emulate the position of a steer's hind legs as it is pulled through the corner during a roping run, but may also be positioned to the left or inside to emulate a steer that swings back inward after washing outward.
(17) FIG. 18 also illustrates that the dummy brackets may be raised or lowered to alter the orientation of the dummy body and the horns.
(18) FIG. 19 is a cross-section of the dummy bracket with an angled clasp which provides leverage to the flanged base of the dummy to keep the dummy secured within the brackets, even when the sled is pulled by a rope around the dummy horns.
(19) FIG. 20 illustrates that the dummy may be tilted forward to practice a more difficult heading angle of attack by removing the rear securing strap from the strap securing link, thus releasing the downward tension applied to the rear of the flanged base of the dummy, and thus allowing the rear of the dummy to rise and thus the head to be lowered to replicate a steer that runs with his head down.
(20) FIG. 21 depicts the bungee tow rope apparatus in the relaxed position being approximately seven feet long.
(21) FIG. 22 depicts the bungee tow rope in the stretched position, approximately twelve feet in length, or approximately 70% longer than in the relaxed position, thus providing less of an abrupt impact to the horse and or rider practicing dallying about the saddle horn.
(22) FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a collapsing and overlapping horn socket wherein a horn of any practical length is designed to be inserted and secured, and may be rotated to varying orientations, while still allowing a rope to slip off the horns when pulled taught and collapsed.
(23) FIG. 24 is a top view of the horn socket illustrating the hubs of the sockets and axles for the hubs attached to the head of a roping dummy, are oriented along different vectors in the horizontal plane, thus allowing the sockets and horns secured therein, to rotate through separate planes, thus allowing the left horn and the right horn to rotate through different planes upon collapse, yet allowing the sockets to be oriented symmetrically about the head of the dummy while in the lowered, stationary position.
(24) FIG. 25 is a side view of the collapsing horn socket apparatus depicting the left and right horn socket axles attached to a heading dummy and the hubs through the base of the horn sockets oriented along different vectors in the vertical plane.
(25) FIGS. 26, 27, and 28 are top views of the illustrating that the collapsible horn socket allows the horns to overlap upon collapse while being oriented in numerous different positions in the stationary or retracted state, including down, forward, and up, or any independent non-symmetrical horn configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(26) Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment of the prior art consisting of a sled 10 with a ground heading dummy with a solid flat base 11 attached thereto by a tie down strap 12.
(27) Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a second embodiment of the prior art consisting of sled 20, a ground heading dummy with a hollow base 21, the dummy 21 being mounted to the sled 20 by being positioned over and lowered onto the sled 20.
(28) Referring now to FIG. 3, THERE IS SHOWN THE Sled 20 without the dummy 21 illustrating the pins 22 over which the dummy 21 is positioned for securing.
(29) Referring again to FIG. 3, there is also shown the prior art of collapsible legs consisting of a collapsible leg apparatus 30, with a tension spring 31 oriented parallel to the sled 10 in order to retract roping legs 32 forward, and a compression spring 33 positioned at the top of the legs 32 and operating perpendicular to the sled 10.
(30) Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a second embodiment of a collapsible leg apparatus 40, with a tension spring 41 oriented parallel to the sled 42 in order to retract roping legs 43 forward, and a tension spring 44 mounted between the legs 43 and operating perpendicular to the sled 40.
(31) Referring now to FIG. 5, there is depicted an embodiment of the prior art of collapsible horns consisting of a left horn 50 positioned about a left horn axle 51 and a right horn 52 positioned about a right horn axle 53, each axle being oriented along parallel vectors, thus rotating within a single plane resulting in the horns 50 and 52 colliding upon collapse.
(32) Referring now to FIG. 6 there is a perspective view of the current invention, a heeling and heading roping practice apparatus 60 comprising a heeling sled apparatus 61 with a ground heading dummy 62 with a flanged base 63 and solid flat bottom 64 secured to the sled 61 via a dummy bracket apparatus 65, and a crossover roping leg apparatus 66 mounted to the rear of the sled 61.
(33) Referring now to FIG. 7, there is a perspective view of a heeling sled apparatus 61 comprising a mainframe 70, a tow arm 71 with an open faced tow hook 72, a closed tow ring 73, a wheel assembly 74, left support leg 75, right support leg 76, left skid 77, right skid 78, a dummy bracket apparatus comprising dummy brackets 79 having an inward angled clasp 80 and being attached to the support legs 75 and 76 with securing devices which in this embodiment are coupler pins 81, dummy securing straps 82 which in this embodiment or steel cables, and a quick release latch 83 which in this embodiment is a j-hook clamp, and dummy securing strap attachment rings 84 which in this embodiment are closeable chain links, a crossover roping leg apparatus 66, a left roping leg 85, a right roping leg 86, a left leg tension device 87, and a right leg tension device 88, said tension devices being rubber bungee straps in this embodiment.
(34) Referring now to FIG. 8, there is shown a roping leg apparatus with independent and overlapping legs 64, with a hub and axle assembly 87, comprising a mounting hub 88, with securing holes 89, a stopper plate 300, non-linear left and right axles 90 and 91, a left leg hinge 92 and right leg hinge 93 (not visible), attached thereto are left and right roping legs 85 and 86, with the middle bent portion of the roping legs being the left and right hocks 94 and 95, and the bottom or distal end of the legs being the left and right toes 96 and 97, and left and right tension devices 87 and 88 which in this embodiment are rubber bungee cords.
(35) Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown in more detail a perspective view of the hub and axle assembly 87 with a mounting hub 88, non-linear axles 90 and 91, and securing holes 89.
(36) Referring now to FIG. 10, there is a rear view of the hub and axle assembly 90 depicting an angle 100 of a degrees from horizontal.
(37) Referring now to FIG. 11, there is a top view of the hub and axle assembly 87 with an angle 110 of b degrees aft of the mounting hub 88 positioned on a sled 61 for reference.
(38) Referring now to FIGS. 12, 13, and 14 there are shown front, side and top views of a right leg hinge 93, with a right roping leg 66 attached thereto for reference, comprising a bracket hub 121, bracket arm 122, tension device connector ring 123, bolt holes 124, and stopper bar 125, with vertical angle c 126 and horizontal angle d 127 relative to the hinge 121 and hub 122. The left leg hinge (not shown) is a mirror opposite of the right leg hinge 93.
(39) Referring now to FIGS. 15 and 16, there are side and rear views of the sled apparatus 61 with the hip and leg apparatus 64 attached thereto, with the left leg 65 and the right leg 66 roped and pulled taught, the hock 90 of the right leg overlapping the hock of the left leg 89. FIGS. 15 and 16 also show the slide stabilizer fin 400.
(40) Referring now to FIG. 17, there is a side view of the sled 61 with roping leg apparatus 64, with only the right leg 86 pulled taught and the left leg 85 remaining in the stationary position, the right bungee cord 88 extended and the left bungee cord 87 stationary.
(41) Referring now to FIG. 18, there is a rear view of the sled 61 with a heading dummy attached thereto and crossover roping leg apparatus 64 rotated about the rear of the mainframe 70 at an angle of q 180 and secured by coupler pins 78.
(42) Referring now to FIG. 19, there is an end view of a left dummy bracket 79 with an inward angled clasp 80, being mounted on a sled 61 and securing a heading dummy 64 with a flanged base 63.
(43) Referring back to FIG. 18, there is shown a heading roping dummy 62 with a flanged base 63 secured to a heeling sled 61 by a dummy securing brackets 79 which can be raised or lowered thus resulting in the tilting of the dummy 62 to the left or right in order to change the orientation of the left and right horns 185 and 186.
(44) Referring now to FIG. 20, there is a side view of the sled 61 with heading dummy 62 where the rear securing strap 82 is removed from the securing ring 84, thus releasing the downward tension applied to the rear of the base of the dummy 62 and thus allowing the rear of the dummy 200 to lift up resulting in the lowering of the dummy head 201 by an angle of e 202.
(45) Referring now to FIG. 21, there is a bungee tow rope apparatus 210 with an unstretched length of L 211 attached to a tow vehicle 212 and a sled 61 in the stationary position.
(46) Referring now to FIG. 22, there is roper 220 having roped the legs 85 and 86 and dallied around the saddle horn 221 and stopping his horse 223 thus impeding the forward momentum of the sled 61, and thus applying tension to the bungee tow rope apparatus 210 resulting in elongation to a length of m 224 which is approximately 70% longer than in the relaxed position.
(47) Referring now to FIG. 23, there is perspective view of a crossover collapsible horn socket 230 designed for a horn 231 to be inserted therein, and comprising two asymmetrical hubs 232 and 233 and holes 234 to secure the horn 231 in place, and a tension device mounting arm 235.
(48) Referring now to FIG. 24, there is a top view of two horn sockets 230, secured to a roping dummy head 240 by a left axle 241 and a right axle 242, which in this embodiment are hex bolts secured to the dummy 240, the left and right axles 240 and 241 being oriented at different horizontal angles represented by f 243 and g 244, thus allowing rotation through separate planes.
(49) Referring now to FIG. 25, there is a cross-sectional side view of two horn sockets 230, secured to a dummy head 240 by a left axle 241 and a right axle 242 being oriented at different vertical angles, H 250 and I 251, with a tension device 252 secured to the mounting arm 235 and secured to a mounting ring 253 attached to the inside of the dummy 240, to retract the horn sockets 230 and thus the horns 231.
(50) Referring now to FIGS. 26, 27 and 28, there are top views of a dummy head 240 incorporating two crossover collapsible horn sockets 230, with horns 231 positioned down FIG. 27, straight forward FIG. 28, and up FIG. 29 secured therein, and illustrating that when the horns rotate, regardless of the stationary position of each horn, they overlap rather than collide upon collapse.
