Stopping device for a time measuring apparatus, particularly for swimming races

Claim 1

A STOPPING DEVICE FOR A TIME MEASURING APPARATUS, PARTICULARLY FOR SWIMMING RACES OF A PLURALITY OF SWIMMING LANES, COMPRISING A TIME MEASURING MEANS, MEANS FOR STARTING AND STOPPING, RESPECTIVELY, SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS, SAID STARTING MEANS BEING DISPOSED AT THE START OF SAID SWIMMING LANES COMPRISING A FIRST CIRCUIT INCLUDING IN SERIES SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS, A CIRCUIT CLOSING SWITCH ADAPTED TO BE CLOSED TO INITIATE THE OPERATION OF SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS AND A RELAY RESPONSIVE SWITCH NORMALLY IN CLOSED POSITION, AND A SECOND CIRCUIT INCLUDING IN SERIES A VOLTAGE SOURCE, A RHEOSTAT, A RELAY OPENING SAID RELAY RESPONSIVE SWITCH, A FIXED ELECTRODE AND A MOVABLE ELECTRODE BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID FIXED ELECTRODE AT THE END OF THE TIME PERIOD TO BE MEASURED, SAID STOPPING MEANS BEING DISPOSED AT THE END OF SAID SWIMMING LANES OPPOSITE THE START THEREOF, SAID VOLTAGE SOURCE ESTABLISHING A PREDETERMINED POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODES, A BODY OF WATER, SAID ELECTRODES BEING AT LEAST PARTLY SUBMERGED IN SAID BODY OF WATER AND SPACED APART FROM EACH OTHER AT A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT A CLOSING OF SAID SECOND CIRCUIT AT THE GIVEN VOLTAGE FROM SAID VOLTAGE SOURCE, SAID RELAY COOPERATING WITH SAID RELAY RESPONSIVE SWITCH OF SAID FIRST CIRCUIT, SO THAT SAID RELAY IS RENDERED OPERATIVE UPON CONTACT BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODES, THEREBY OPERATING SAID RELAY RESPONSIVE SWITCH AND OPENING SAID FIRST CIRCUIT.