Background to the Invention Prior to the start of a horse race, the horses are free to move behind the starting stalls. However, since the area in which they are free to move is unrestricted there can be a delay to the starting of the race if a horse wanders too far from the stalls. Hence, there is a need to cordon off an area immediately behind the stalls so as to confine the movement of the horses to a limited area.

It has therefore been proposed to provide a visible barrier across a part of the racetrack, which is defined between two side fences, behind the starting stalls so as to provide a restricted area in which the horses can move.

Of course, the barrier is required to be safe to horses such that if, for example, a horse bolts in the direction of the barrier it is not injured by impact thereupon.

Visible barriers are described in WO 97/47368, comprising means for mounting the barrier to a support at each side fence of a horse-racing track. The barrier has a position of weakness such that the barrier is designed to break if a horse bolts into the barriers and the barrier further comprises retraction means to retract the broken barrier away from the racing track.

With the system employed in WO 97/47368, the barrier is connected to fixed supports at the side of each fence flanking the racing track. The fixed supports are permanent fixtures which comprise a track and trolley system, along which the barrier may travel to move the barrier or desired distance from the stalls. Once the race has begun, the barrier is removed, the supports remain in place adjacent to the fences. Any coloured material on the supports will cause the horses to become agitated and may cause the horses to veer towards or away from the supports. This not only causes a loss of speed but may result in collisions between horses.

There is therefore a need to provide a barrier mounting apparatus which will not substantially interfere with or impede the performance of horses travelling past.

Furthermore it would be desirable to provide a barrier which may contain colourful support advertising material, but which will not affect the performance of the horse during a race.

It is therefore an aim of preferred embodiments of the invention to overcome or mitigate at least one problem of the prior art, whether expressly disclosed herein or not.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention, there is provided a device for mounting a safety barrier comprising a mounting member arranged, in use, to cooperate with a portion of a fence defining a racetrack, the mounting member being movable between a first, operative configuration in which a safety barrier can be mounted to the mounting member,

and a second, stowed configuration in which the mounting member comprises at least one dimension smaller than in the first configuration.

The apparatus may be arranged to be mounted on the fence or mounted on the ground adjacent to the fence.

Thus the mounting member may be mounted on the fence or near the fence and moved to the first configuration when it is desired to mount the safety barrier and then moved to the second configuration when it is desired to substantially remove the mounting member from view from the racetrack. In this way, advertising material may be displayed on the apparatus which may be viewed when the mounting member is in the first configuration, but which is hidden from view from the racetrack when the mounting member is in the second configuration.

The mounting member may comprise first and second movable portions, the first and second portions being movable relative to one another to effect movement of the mounting member between the first and second configurations.

The first and second portions are preferably hingedly connected therebetween. Thus the first and/or second portion may be rotated about the hinged connection in order to effect movement of the mounting member between the first and second configurations.

Suitably the first and second portions comprise substantially planar members. Suitably the first and second portions, when the mounting member is in the first configuration, extend in the same plane. The first and

second portions, when in the first configuration may form a planar display panel, arranged, in use, to be decorated with advertising material. The planar display panel may be decorated on one or both sides of the planar panel.

Advertising material may be placed onto either the first portion, the second portion or both portions of the mounting member.

Preferably, when the mounting member is in the second configuration, the first and second portions are parallel with each other and abut.

The mounting member may comprise locking means, arranged, in use, to effecting locking of the mounting member in the first configuration after the mounting member has been moved to the first configuration.

The locking means may comprise at least one locking bar, movable between a stowed configuration and a locking configuration. Preferably the or each locking bar is rotatably mounted on the mounting member and is rotatable between the stowed and locking configurations. Suitably the or each locking bar is rotatably mounted to the first portion of the mounting member, and is rotatable such that the locking bar extends from the first portion across the hinged connection and across the second portion of the mounting member.

Preferably the second portion of the mounting member comprises a locking bar retaining means, arranged in use to releasably retain the or each locking bar in the locking configuration.

Suitably the mounting member comprises movement means, for moving a mounted safety barrier along the mounting member.

The movement means may comprise a track and means for moving a mounted safety barrier along the track. The means for moving the mounted safety barrier along the track may comprise a trolley oriented to run along the length of the track. Suitably the track comprises a rail situated on the first or second portion of the mounting member, but preferably comprises two rails, one located on each of the first and second portions.

There may be a trolley locking means, arranged in use, to lock the trolley in a desired position on the mounting member.

The apparatus may comprise a stand or may be free- standing. Alternatively the apparatus may comprise means for connecting the apparatus to a fence defining a racetrack. The connection means may comprise any suitable means, such as a clamp, bracket and the like. The connection means may enable the apparatus to be integrally connected into the fence, preferably integrally connected between two spaced apart fence portions.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided safety barrier apparatus comprising two safety barrier mounting devices of the first aspect of the invention, and a safety barrier connected therebetween.

Suitably the barrier is as described in our United Kingdom patent GB 2314028.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of mounting a safety barrier across a racetrack, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing two safety barrier mounting devices of the first aspect of the invention; (b) mounting one of the safety barrier mounting devices on or near to a fence defining one side of a racetrack; (c) mounting the second safety barrier device on or near to a fence defining the other side of the racetrack; (d) moving the mounting member of the device from the second stowed configuration to the first, operative configuration; and (e) connecting a safety barrier to the first and second devices such that the safety barrier spans the racetrack between the two devices.

Preferably the mounting devices comprise a safety barrier movement means and the method further comprises the step of moving the safety barrier along the mounting members to a desired position.

The method may comprise removing the safety barrier when desired, by disconnecting the safety barrier from the mounting members. The mounting members of the mounting devices may then be moved from the first, operative configuration to the second, stowed configuration.

The method may comprise mounting the safety barrier across the racetrack behind the starting stalls of the racetrack before the beginning of the race. The method may comprise

removing the safety barrier from the mounting members and moving the mounting members from the first, operative configuration to the second stowed configuration after the race has started.

Alternatively the method may comprise mounting the safety barrier across the racetrack infront of the starting stalls.

Brief Description of the Drawings In order to better illustrate the various aspects of the invention and to show how embodiments of the same may be put into effect, the invention will now be described with reference to the following diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a rear view of an embodiment of a safety barrier mounting device of the first aspect of the invention in the first, operative configuration, without a connected trolley; Figure 2 illustrates a side view of the embodiment of the safety barrier mounting device of Figure 2; Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the embodiment of the mounting device of Figure 2 in the second, stowed configuration.

Figure 4 illustrates a side view of a trolley arranged to connect to the mounting device in the operative configuration as shown in figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a safety barrier apparatus of the second aspect of the invention, mounted on a racetrack.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment We refer firstly to figures 1 to 4, which show a safety barrier mounting device for mounting a safety barrier of the first aspect of the invention without an attached safety barrier movement means. The mounting device 2 comprises a mounting member 4. The mounting member 4 comprises upper 6 and lower 8 portions hingedly connected therebetween by a hinge 10. Each of the upper 6 and lower 8 portions comprises an elongate planar board. Extending along the length of the peripheral elongate edge of the upper portion 6 is a movement means comprising a track in the form of an upper rail 18, arranged to cooperate with the safety barrier mounting trolley 24 shown in Figure 4.

Extending along the peripheral elongate edge of the bottom portion 8 of the mounting member 4 is a second track in the form of a lower rail 18, also arranged in use to cooperate with the safety barrier mounting trolley 24.

Extending from and parallel with the upper and lower rails 18 and 20 are upper and lower locking bar retaining means in the form of retaining lips 14 and 16, which extend spaced apart and parallel with the plane of the upper and lower portions 6 and 8, facing the hinge 10.

Extending behind the upper lip 14 are a series of pivots 15 from which extend a number of locking means in the form of locking bars 12, rotatable about the pivots 15 such that they may be moved from a stowed configuration in which the locking bars 12 are substantially retained

behind the upper retaining lip 14, to an operative locking configuration in which the retaining bars 12 are rotated about the pivot 15 to extend across the upper portion 6, hinge 10, lower portion 8 and behind the lower lip 16 in order to prevent the upper and lower portions 6 and 8 of the mounting member 4 from being rotated about the hinge 10.

Extending from the peripheral elongate edge of the lower portion 8 of the mounting member 4 is a stand in the form of two legs 22.

We refer now to figure 4 which illustrates a safety barrier mounting means in the form of a trolley 24, of the mounting device 2 of the first aspect of the invention.

The mounting trolley 24 comprises a mounting board 26 connected to a backing board 27. The backing board 27 comprises a back plate 29 extending parallel to and flush with the mounting board 26, and spaced apart upper and lower flanges 28 and 31 extending perpendicularly to the backing plate 27. Upper and lower mounting blocks 30 and 32 are positioned extending perpendicularly from the upper 31 and lower 28 flanges, towards each other. Extending from the upper 30 and lower 32 mounting blocks are upper and lower connecting lips 34 and 36, arranged in use to cooperate with the upper and lower rails 18 and 20 of the mounting member 4.

Use of the safety barrier mounting device 2 of the first aspect of the invention will now be described with reference to figures 1 to 4.

Referring firstly to figure 3, the safety barrier mounting device 2 is first present in the stowed configuration, in which the upper and lower portions 6 and 8 are rotated about the hinge 10 such that the rear surfaces of each of the upper and lower portions 6 and 8 lie parallel with and abut one another. In this configuration, the mounting device 2 is positioned in the desired orientation adjacent to a racetrack fence, by inserting the legs 22 into the ground adjacent to the racetrack fence to a desired height.

In the stowed orientation, the dimensions of the mounting device 2 are kept to a minimum, thus, in a preferred embodiment, the mounting device 2 will not be able to be viewed from the racetrack in the stowed configuration.

When it is desired to operate the mounting device 2, the upper portion 8 is rotated about the hinge 10 to an operative configuration in which the upper and lower portions 6 and 8 extend in a continuous plane and the upper portion 6 extends above the height of the fence next to which the mounting device 2 is located. When the upper portion 6 has been rotated into position, the locking bars 12, under the influence of gravity, are pivoted about the pivots 15 such that they extend down the rear face of the upper portion 6, over the hinge 10, over the rear face of the lower portion 8 until the free distal ends of the locking bars 12 are retained behind the lower retaining lip 16 on the lower portion 8 of the mounting member 4.

In this orientation, as shown in figures 1 and 2, the locking bars 12 prevent the upper and lower portions 6 and 8 from being rotated about the hinge 10, thereby retaining

the mounting device 2 in the operative configuration until desired.

The safety barrier mounting trolley 24 is then connected to the mounting member 4 as follows. The mounting trolley 24 is positioned at either end of the mounting member 4, and the upper and lower connecting lips 34 and 36 of the mounting trolley 24 are located within the rails 18 and 20 on the mounting member 4. The mounting trolley is then moved along the mounting member 4 by sliding the mounting trolley 24 along the upper and lower rails 18 and 20, to the desired position.

The mounting member or trolley may comprise trolley locking means to lock the trolley into place on the rails.

We refer now to figure 4 which illustrates a safety barrier apparatus of the second aspect of this invention comprising two safety barrier mounting devices 4 spaced apart, and comprising a safety barrier 44 extending between the mounting devices 4 and connected to the mounting trolley 24 located on each of the mounting devices 2.

Use of the apparatus will now be described with reference to figure 5. The apparatus is oriented on a racetrack which is defined by left 38 and right 39 fences. One of the mounting devices 2 is located on the outside of the left fence 38, and inserted into the ground by way of legs 22 to the desired height. The other mounting device 2 is located on the outside of the right fence 39 and inserted into the ground via legs 22 to the identical height to the first mounting device 2. The safety barrier 44 is then

connected to the mounting trolleys 24 of each of the mounting devices 2, to extend therebetween across the racetrack.

The mounting barrier 44 comprises upper 46 and lower 48 mounting tapes, preferably comprising silk tape, separated by connecting strips 50. The tape is designed such that it will break if a horse or other animal bolts and crashes into the safety barrier 44, thereby preventing harm to the horse or animal.

The safety barrier 44 may be moved along the racetrack by sliding the mounting trolleys 24 along the mounting devices 2 to the desired position on the mounting devices 2.

Thus, the apparatus may be mounted at the start of a horse race, behind the starting stalls on the racetrack, to indicate to jockeys the extent to which they may roam behind the stalls at the start of a race. If however a horse accidentally bolts into the safety barrier 44, it will break and therefore not cause damage to the horse or jockey. The safety barrier 44 may be gradually moved towards the stalls by sliding the safety barrier 44 along the mounting device 2 by way of the mounting trolleys 24.

When the race has started, the safety barrier is disconnected from the mounting trolleys 24. The mounting trolleys 24 are then removed from the mounting devices 2 by sliding the mounting trolleys 24 off an end of the mounting member 4. The mounting member 4 is then moved from the operative configuration to the stowed configuration by firstly rotating each of the locking bars

12 to its stowed configuration, then rotating the upper portion 6 about the hinge 10, such that the mounting member is in the stowed configuration, as shown in figure 3. In this configuration, the mounting devices are substantially hidden from view from the racetrack, behind the fences 38 and 39, such that when the horses move past the mounting devices 2, as they race round the track, the horses will not be able to substantially view the mounting devices 2 and therefore not veer towards or away from the mounting devices 2. Thus, the likelihood of an accident will be reduced.

The mounting trolleys 24 may be decorated with suitable advertisements. The front and/or rear faces of each of the mounting devices 2, facing away from or towards the racetrack, may also be decorated with suitable advertisements for viewing by the spectators, thereby forming a planar display panel. In alternative embodiments only the upper 6 or lower 8 portions of the mounting members 4 may be decorated with advertising material. The apparatus and mounting devices of the invention enable advertisements to be placed on the mounting trolleys 24 and mounting devices 2 without affecting performance of horses racing past the devices 2 as the devices may be moved to the stowed configuration which substantially hides the devices 2 and hence any advertisements placed on the devices 2 from view from the racetrack. Also the upper portion 6 which extends above the height of the face will not cause any additional distraction, when in the stowed configuration.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the mounting devices 2 do not comprise legs 22, but include means for

integrating the mounting devices into the fences 38 and 39, and each mounting member 4 is arranged such that in the operative configuration the upper portion 6 of each device 2 extends above the height of the fences 38 and 39.

Advertising material may be placed onto the upper portion 6 of the mounting member 4. When the upper portion 6 is rotated back to the stowed configuration, the advertising material will be entirely removed from sight from the racetrack and thus horses will not be distracted by it.

Alternatively the surface of the mounting member 4 which faces away from the racetrack may include advertising material or both the upper 6 and lower 8 portions.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each

feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.