System for controlling the starts in running contests

Claim 1

RACE START SYSTEM COMPRISING A CIRCUIT HAVING THEREIN: (A) A RACE-START INDICATOR HAVING ELECTROMAGNETIC LOCKING MEANS; (B) AT LEAST ONE STARTING PLATE ADAPTED TO BE LAID ON THE GROUND AT THE STARTING PLACE OF EACH RACER, AND HAVING TWO ELECTRODES BRIDGED BY THE RACER WHEN IN THE BODY POSITION; (C) EACH PLATE HAVING ELECTRONIC SWITCHING MEANS HAVING AT LEAST ONE TRANSISTOR, AN INPUT AND AN OUTPUT CIRCUIT, SAID ELECTRODES BEING IN SAID INPUT CIRCUIT, SAID SWITCHING MEANS BEING IN ONE STATE WHEN SAID ELECTRODES ARE BRIDGED BY THE RACER AND IN ANOTHER STATE WHEN NOT BRIDGED; (D) A PLURALITY OF RELAYS, EACH RELAY BEING IN THE OUTPUT CIRCUIT OF SAID SWITCHING MEANS, SAID RELAYS BEING IN THE NONENERGIZED STATE WHEN SAID ELECTRODES ARE BRIDGED, AND IN THE ENERGIZED STATE WHEN NOT BRIDGED EACH RELAY BEING CONNECTED TO A COMMON ENERGIZING SOURCE; (E) A PLURALITY OF CONTACTS FOR EACH OF SAID RELAYS, (1) ONE OF SAID CONTACTS BEING CONNECTED TO AN ENERGIZING SOURCE HAVING THEREIN A FALSE START LAMP, SAID LAMP BEING IDENTIFIED WITH A GIVEN STARTING PLACE; (2) ANOTHER OF SAID CONTACTS SERVING AS A SELF-SUSTAINING CONTACT FOR SAID RELAY TO MAINTAIN THE SAME IN THE ENERGIZED STATE; (3) ANOTHER CONTACT IN THE CIRCUIT OF SAID LOCKING MEANS; (F) MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID RELAYS ADAPTED TO BE ACTUATED, WHEN ONE OF SAID ELECTRONIC SWITCHING MEANS IS ENERGIZED AS A RESULT OF THE PREMATURE CESSATION OF THE BRIDGING OF THE ELECTRODES CONNECTED THEREWITH TO DISCONNECT ALL THE OTHER RELAYS FROM SAID ENERGIZING SOURCE;