U.S. patent number 3,771,786 [Application Number 05/309,724] was granted by the patent office on 1973-11-13 for nonfatal cock fighting.
Invention is credited to Thurman N. Bouldin.
United States Patent |
3,771,786 |
Bouldin |
November 13, 1973 |
NONFATAL COCK FIGHTING
Abstract
Method and apparatus for nonfatal fighting of game fowl such as
cocks, characterized by replacing spurs, which are frequently
fatal, with spur substitutes and connecting the spur substitutes
into a suitable circuit to energize an apprising means when one
cock makes a scoring contact with the body of his opponent with his
spur substitute. Several specific embodiments are described,
including the use of miniaturized batteries and transmitters that
may be carried by each cock, and including a central scoring means
that is responsive to the respective frequencies of the transmitter
serving as the apprising means. The spur substitutes are attached
to the legs of a cock by a shank encircling band of substantially
uniform lateral cross section and of sufficient dimension to
necessarily encircle and enclose at least a portion of the natural
spur area.
Inventors: |
Bouldin; Thurman N. (Baird,
TX) |
Family
ID: |
23199400 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/309,724 |
Filed: |
November 27, 1972 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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104259 |
Jan 6, 1971 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
273/455 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01K
45/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A01K
45/00 (20060101); A01k 029/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/1E,1F |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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635,176 |
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Dec 1927 |
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FR |
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286,534 |
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Feb 1953 |
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CH |
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Other References
Encyclopedia of Rural Sports, Delabere P. Blaine, 1852, pages
1209-1215..
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Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Shapiro; Paul E.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending
application Ser. No. 104,259, filed Jan. 6, 1971 and now abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. Apparatus for nonfatal cock fighting comprising two sets, each
set including:
a. a diminutive power source having means for being fastened to a
cock;
b. apprising means for effecting an apprisal of a score serially
connected with said power source and having means for being
fastened to said cock; and
c. a plurality of shank engaging means for engaging both legs of
said cock; each shank engaging means having means for being
fastened to a respective leg and including a shank encircling band
of substantially uniform lateral cross section and of sufficient
dimension to necessarily encircle and enclose at least a portion of
the natural spur area, each shank engaging means having a switch
means; said switch means being in the form of a spur substitute and
operationally closing in response to contact with a body of an
opponent; said switch means being serially connected with said
power source and said apprising means for energizing said apprising
means in response to said contact with said body of said
opponent.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are two shank engaging
means and two switch means, respectively, and said switch means are
connected in parallel with a single said power source and said
apprising means.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are two circuits, each
comprising said power source, said serially connected apprising
means, and said serially connected switch means for discriminating
whether the right or left leg scored on the opponent.
4. Apparatus for nonfatal cock fighting comprising:
a. first and second sets of harness, each set having a plurality of
lightweight scoring plates that are interconnected and have
respective means for emplacing them on respective areas of a
respective cock, each said scoring plate being designed for a
respective scoring area on the cock;
b. a second and first pair of shank engaging means for engaging the
legs of a respective cock, each shank engaging means having means
for being fastened to a respective leg and including a shank
encircling band of substantially uniform lateral cross section and
of sufficient dimension to necessarily encircle and enclose at
least a portion of the natural spur area, and having a spur
substitute means, each said spur substitute means having at least a
portion of a means for effecting, in conjunction with said scoring
plates, a switch means that will effect electrical continuity in
response to contact of said spur substitute means with one of said
scoring plates;
c. a power source; and
d. a first and second apprising means for effecting an apprisal of
a score; said apprising means being serially connected with said
power source via respective said switch means effected by
respective scoring plates and the opponent's spur substitute means
so as to apprise of a contact of a cock's spur substitute means
with a scoring plate of his opponent such that a cock fight may be
effected and the winner determined without a fatality.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each said scoring plate is
electrically serially connected with said power source and said
apprising means and contains a switch means that is closed upon
impact by a spur substitute means of an opponent.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each said spur substitute means
comprise a pair of exposed contact means, one contact means being
serially connected with said power source and one contact means
being serially connected with said apprising means so that when
said contact means come in contact with an electrical conductor
said apprising means is energized; and wherein said scoring plates
are electrical conductors so as to complete the circuit when
contacted by said contact means in said spur substitute means.
7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each said spur substitute means
of one cock contains an exposed electrical contact means that is
serially connected with one side of said serially connected power
source and apprising means and each said scoring plate of the
opponent's set of harness is electrically conductive and is
serially connected with the other side of said serially connected
power source and apprising means so that said apprising means is
energized when said exposed electrical contact means of said one
cock contacts an electrically conductive plate means of his
opponent.
8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said power source and said
apprising means are diminutive and are carried by each said
cock.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said power source and said
apprising means are serially connected with electrically conductive
said scoring plates as a first portion of a switch means in the set
of harness for said cock and with an electrically conductive second
portion of a switch means in the opponent's spur substitute means
for energizing said apprising means in response to contact of said
scoring plates by the opponent's spur substitute means.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said scoring plates are
connected with only one side of said serially connected power
source and said apprising means and the other side of said serially
connected power source and apprising means is connected with an
electrical common by a trailing conductor means; and wherein said
spur substitute means of the opponent has an exposed electrical
contact means that is connected with an electrical common by a
trailing conductor means.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said power source and said
apprising means are serially connected with a plurality of exposed
contact means in at least one spur substitute means in said shank
engaging means carried by said cock.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said power source and said
apprising means are serially connected with a plurality of exposed
contact means in both spur substitute means in said shank engaging
means carried by said cock.
13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said power source and said
apprising means have one side serially connected with an exposed
contact means in at least one spur substitute means in said shank
engaging means carried by said cock and the other side connected
with an electrical common by a trailing conductor means; and
wherein said scoring plates of the opponent's set of harness are
electrically conductive and are electrically connected with said
electrical common by a trailing conductor means.
14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each said scoring plate is
electrically serially connected to said power source and said
apprising means and contains a switch means that is closed to
complete an electrical circuit including said serially connected
power source and apprising means upon impact by a spur substitute
means of an opponent.
15. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said apprising means comprises
a compact transmitter.
16. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said power source comprises a
battery.
17. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein a central scoring means is
provided for registering respective scores; said central scoring
means having means that are responsive to said first and second
apprising means so as to discriminate which cock scored on the
other.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said apprising means
comprises a pair of transmitters having different frequencies and
wherein said central scoring means includes a pair of receivers
that are responsive to respective said frequencies.
19. A method of cock fighting comprising:
a. removing the spurs on a pair of game cocks and attaching to both
the respective legs thereof respective spur substitutes having at
least a protrusion portion of a switch means for effecting a
continuous circuit between a power source and an apprising means in
response to contact with the body of an opponent;
b. providing each cock with respective power sources and apprising
means; electrically serially connecting said respective power
sources and apprising means via a switch means that effects
electrical connection in response to contact of said protrusion
means in said spur substitute means with the body of said opponent;
and
c. scoring said respective cocks by registering the respective
outputs from said respective apprising means such that a nonfatal
cock fight is effected.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein said scoring is effected by a
central scoring means that is responsive to each respective
apprising means.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein said apprising means comprises
transmitters of respective frequencies and said central scoring
means has at least two receiving means that are responsive to
respective said transmitters such that the registration of said
outputs is effected by electromagnetic energy transmission.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the fighting of game fowl; and, more
particularly, to method and apparatus for determining the winner in
a match between game fowl without a fatality.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The fighting of game fowl, or cocks, has been a sport of long
standing. Because the sport has been brutal heretofore and
frequently resulted in the maiming or killing of one of the cocks,
statutes have been enacted to prevent or control the sport of cock
fighting in most states in the United States. Cock fighting is
still legally practiced in its brutal form in many places in the
world. As has been noted in prominent magazines, however, the sport
of cock fighting is an intriguing one and should be interesting for
spectators if the brutality were eliminated.
Insofar as I am aware, there has been no protective harness and
spur substitutes, such as are employed in my invention, for
enabling cock fighting to take place with assurance that there will
not be a fatality of one of the adversaries.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an artist's conception of cocks fighting and employing
one embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of two adversary cocks facing each
other and carrying respective spur substitutes, protective scoring
plates, transmitters, and batteries in accordance with an
embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 3 is an electrical schematic diagram of the embodiment of FIG.
2.
FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a scoring plate employed in the
embodiment of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a partial side elevational view, partly schematic,
illustrating the spur substitute means and the scoring plate means
in accordance with another embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 6 is an electrical schematic diagram in conjunction with a
partial side elevational view illustrating still another embodiment
of this invention.
FIG. 7 is a partial side elevational view, employing an electrical
schematic diagram, in accordance with still another embodiment of
this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
It is an object of this invention to provide method and apparatus
for nonfatal fighting of game fowl characterized by the use of spur
substitutes that will effect scoring upon contact of the spur
substitutes with the body of an adversary, or opponent; thereby
enabling determining the winner without the death of either game
fowl.
Referring to FIG. 1, cocks 11 and 13 are engaged in a nonfatal
fight in accordance with this invention. Each of the cocks have had
their spurs, which can kill or maim their opponent, removed and
spur substitute means emplaced on each leg. Specifically, each cock
has a shank engaging means, such as leg band 15, with a protruding
spur substitute means 17 thereon. The leg band 15 may comprise any
suitable structure; from elaborate leather or plastic gloves
fastened about the shank as by snaps or zipper; to metallic or
plastic rings. However, it is to be understood that the leg band
shall be of substantially uniform lateral cross section and of
sufficient dimension to necessarily encircle and enclose at least a
portion of the natural spur area. Each spur substitute means has at
least a portion of a means for effecting electrical continuity in
response to contact of the spur substitute means with the opponent.
For example, cock 11 carries a battery 19 serving as a power source
and a transmitter 21 serving as an apprising means. Other forms of
apprising means such as lights may be employed, as long as the
apprising means effect an audio or visual signal to apprise
spectators of a score by a cock. The score may be effected by
contact of the protruding spur substitute means with a body of the
opponent. Cock 13, similarly, carries a battery and transmitter for
apprising the spectators of his scoring on cock 11, although the
battery and transmitter are hidden by feathers as illustrated.
Suitable means such as bands 22 are employed to fasten the
batteries and transmitters to the respective cocks.
To help keep score, a central scoring means 23 may be employed. The
central scoring means 23 may have respective audio or visual
effects such as a buzzer or lights 25 to apprise the spectators of
the cock scoring on his opponent. The central scoring means 23 has
a transducing means for energizing the buzzer or lights in response
to a signal from the respective apprising means. As illustrated,
the central scoring means has receivers that are responsive to
respective transmitters of the respective cocks. Moreover, the
central scoring means may have appropriate counters; such as
electromechanically actuated counters or purely electronic counters
like ring counters; to keep track of the score of the respective
adversaries.
Each respective cock may employ a pair of switch means 27, FIG. 7,
in each of the spur substitute means 17. The switch means 27 may be
connected with a single battery and transmitter carried by the
cock, illustrated by dashed lines 29 and 31 of FIG. 7.
Alternatively, a plurality of batteries and transmitters 19 and 21
may be connected with respective switch means 27 in order to
discriminate whether the right leg or the left leg of the cock made
the score. Such discrimination is helpful in delineating and
matching right legged cocks versus left legged cocks, or such other
fine points in the sport of cock fighting.
In any event, the switch means 27 are operationally closed in
response to contact of a respective spur substitute means with the
body of an opponent. When closed, as can be seen from FIG. 7, a
series electrical circuit is completed from the battery 19 to the
transmitter 21. Accordingly, a transmission is effected. The
respective circuit in the central scoring means 23, if it is
employed. is adjusted in frequency to be responsive to the
respective transmitter 21 from the respective cocks to register a
score for the cock scoring on the body of his opponent. Any type of
switch means that is closed in response to contact with the body of
an opponent may be employed. A wide variety of such spring mounted
switch means are available. An arrangement similar to that
illustrated in FIG. 4 can be employed. Ordinarily, the switch means
per se, is enclosed within a suitable flexible housing such as a
synthetic rubber cover for protection.
The simple embodiment illustrated schematically in FIG. 7 and
described hereinbefore is advantageous in its simplicity but has
the disadvantage that this scoring is indiscriminate and a cock can
register a score on an adversary even though he may contact the
leg, wing, or other nonvital part of the body of his adversary.
A greater sport may be realized if scoring plates are employed on
the opponents, as illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2 the cocks are
equipped with respective first and second sets of harness having a
plurality of lightweight scoring plates that are interconnected and
have respective means for emplacing them on the respective areas of
a respective cock. Each of the scoring plates are designed for a
respective scoring area on the cock; for example, some may be
shaped to fit the cocks head while others are larger for being
emplaced on the breast. The cocks have a second and first pair of
shank engaging means having a protruding spur substitute means.
Each spur substitute means has at least a portion of a means for
effecting, in conjunction with the scoring plates, a closing of a
switch means that effects electrical continuity in response to
contact of the spur substitute means with the scoring plate. The
cocks have first and second apprising means that are serially
connected with a power source and with the respective switch means,
the closing of which was effected by the respective scoring plates
and the opponents' spur substitute means so as to apprise
spectators of a contact of a cock's spur substitute means with a
scoring plate of his opponent.
Specifically, the cocks 11 and 13 have leg bands 15 with the
protruding spur substitute means 17 and have a transmitter 21 as
described in connection with the cocks of FIG. 1. In addition, each
of the cocks has a set of harness comprising a plurality of scoring
plates 33 that are disposed over scoring areas. The plurality of
lightweight scoring plates 33 are interconnected. They have means
such as bands or strings for emplacing them on the respective
scoring areas of the cock.
Several embodiments of this invention may be employed. For example,
as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the respective scoring
plates 33 has a switch means 35 that completes a series circuit
connecting battery 19 with transmitter 21. Referring to FIG. 4, the
switch means 35 comprises a plurality of electrical contacts 37 and
39 that are exposed and protrude above a base plate 41. A
conductive outer plate 43 is biased away from base plate 41 and
contacts 37 and 39 by springs 45. The springs 45 are weak, however,
so that outer conductive plate 43 can be readily depressed inwardly
toward the electrical contacts 37 and 39 via contact with the
opponent's spur substitute means 17, as in a fight. Thus, it can be
seen that the switch meand 35 is effectively closed when the
conductive outer plate 43 contacts the electrical contacts 37 and
39. Consequently, the transmitter 21 is energized to emit a
suitable signal. The signal may be an audio signal, the frequency
of which indicates to the spectators which cock scored, or it may
be a signal that is received by the central scoring means 23, FIG.
1, for registration of a score, or both.
In operation, the cocks 11 and 13 fight and attempt to close one of
the plurality of switch means 35 in the plurality of scoring plates
33 carried by the opponent. When a protruding spur substitute means
17 depresses the conductive outer plate 43 of a scoring plate 33 of
an opponent, the apprising means such as transmitter 21 is
energized. Consequently, scoring of the respective cocks can be
kept to determine the winner without a fatality.
Referring to FIG. 5 for another embodiment, the scoring plates 49
therein need not be electrically connected with each other, but are
conductive and are disposed on scoring areas of a cock, as
described hereinbefore. Each leg band 15 has a protruding spur
substitute means 17 that has a pair of exposed electrical contacts
51 and 53 therein. The pair of exposed electrical contacts are
serially connected with the transmitter 21 and battery 19, whether
only one set is employed or whether two sets are employed as
illustrated, so as to energize the transmitter 21 serving as the
apprising means when the electrical contacts come into contact with
a conductor. Since, as indicated, the scoring plates 49 are
electrically conductive, when the protruding spur substitute means
17 emplaces the exposed electrical contacts 51 and 53 into contact
with a scoring plate 49, a respective transmitter 21 is energized.
Consequently, the spectators are apprised of a score by the means
previously described. A central scoring means 23 is employed, if
desired.
Referring to FIG. 6, the scoring plates 57 are electrically
conductive and are electrically serially connected together and
with one side of the serially connected battery 19 and transmitter
21. The other side of the serially connected battery 19 and the
transmitter 21 is connected with an electrical common, or ground,
as by a trailing conductor means 59. Each leg band 15 of the
opponent cock has a protruding spur substitute means 17 having a
single exposed electrical contact means 61. The contact means 61 is
also serially connected with electrical common or ground via
trailing conductor means 63. The electrical common will be the
arena in which the cocks will fight. Ordinarily, the arenas are
ground, or dirt. To insure electrical conductivity, the dirt may be
sprinkled with a conductive liquid such as a mildly saline
solution.
In operation, a cock such as cock 11 may strike the conductive
plate 57 of his opponent with his own exposed contact means 61 to
complete an electrical circuit and energize the transmitter 21 to
score on his opponent.
It will be readily apparent, as described hereinbefore, that a
single battery 19 and transmitter 21 may be employed. Moreover, the
serially connected battery 19 and transmitter 21 may be serially
connected at one side with the exposed contact means in the spur
substitute means on a given cock and have the other side of the
serially connected battery and transmitter means connected with the
electrical common, or ground; while the opponent will have only the
scoring plates serially connected with ground.
Several embodiments have been specifically illustrated and
described herein. The embodiment chosen will depend upon whether
scoring is to be indiscriminate or a score is to be registered upon
the contact with predetermined scoring areas. Other embodiments
will doubtless occur to one skilled in the art after I have
described my invention. What is significant is that the often fatal
spurs, or portions thereof are excised; and spur substitute means
that are nonfatal are employed to register a score in a nonfatal
fight between game cocks. For example, cutting off a sharp tip
portion of a cock's spur and using the non-lethal remainder as a
spur substitute means is deemed within the scope of this invention;
particularly, in the embodiment wherein the scoring plates embody a
complete switch means, except for the protruding portion of the
spur substitute means.
If desired, more elaborate electrical and electronic circuitry and
components may be employed to effect the desired results. For
example, holding relays and similar well known apparatus may be
employed to effect an apprisal of sufficient duration to register
with the spectators and with a central scoring means. Such
additional apparata, or equipment, are well known; are not, per se,
a part of this invention; and need not be described in detail
herein.
Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of
particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure is made
only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of
construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be
resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *