INSPECTION AND INSTALLATION OF TIMESTOPPER TS200 START AND FINISH SENSORS (Refer to Figures 1 through 10)

1. The operation of the unit should be checked as soon as you receive it and before mounting the Start Sensor and Finish Sensor(s) onto the track.   For this purpose, the supplied metal starting Flag, which serves as an optical blocking device for the Start Sensor, can be manually positioned within the slot of the Start Sensor (see Figure 2B below), and manually removed (see Figure 4B) to simulate starting of a race.   In a similar manner, any thin and opaque object, such as a card, can be inserted into and removed from the slot in each of the Finish Sensors when simulating events at the finish line.  The operation of the timing unit can then be tested by manually simulating a race and verifying the timing and display steps described separately in the section on DETAILED OPERATING PROCEDURES.   In your simulation, be sure to remove the card blocking the slot of each Finish Sensor within 10 seconds of having removed the Start Flag from the Start Sensor; otherwise the results displayed will not be fully useful in assuring that the unit is working properly.



2. Mount the metal Start Flag (see Figures 1 through 4) to the track Start Bar using one No. 6 x1/2" long, oval-head, self-tapping screw as supplied.   Mount this metal Start Flag in such a way that its Flag part moves cleanly and fully into the slot of the Start Sensor when the Start Bar is in the "Ready" or cocked position.   This positioning is best done in conjunction with the mounting step of the Start Sensor itself, given in the next step.



3. Mount the Start Sensor (see Figures 2A&B and 4A&B) to the underside of the track such that the metal Start Flag can be repeatably positioned within the slot of the Start Sensor when the Start Bar is in the Ready or cocked position.   This slot is in the black plastic part of the Start Sensor assembly.   Use two of the No. 4 x3/4" long oval head self-tapping screws as supplied for this purpose.   In preparation for mounting the Start Sensor, make a shallow groove about 1/2" to 1" long in the bottom of the track (and clear of the holes used for the mounting screws) to allow cable clearance under the Start Sensor assembly.   Alternatively to providing a cable-clearance groove, space the Start Sensor off from the bottom surface of the track by using washers or other suitable spacers.   Before a race starts, the metal Start Flag blocks the invisible infrared light beam that otherwise crosses the width of the slot of the photosensor which is inside the Start Sensor.   Rotating the Start Bar swings the metal Starting Flag out of the slot of the photo-sensor and thereby starts the timing of a race.   The alignment of the metal Start Flag in relation to the slot of the Start Sensor should be performed carefully so that the metal Start Flag will not crash against the body of the Start Sensor when the Start Bar is rotated into the Ready position.   In other words, the metal Start Flag should be made to swing smoothly into and out of the slot in the Start Sensor without interference.



4. Attach a rubber band (see Figure 2) between the Start Bar and the underside of the track to enable the Start Bar to be automatically rotated by the force of the rubber band when opening the gate to release the cars in starting a race.   This will help assure that the track operator will not affect the race times by lowering the Start Bar at a different rate with each race.   It is recommended that each end of the rubber band be anchored to a nail or eyelet as illustrated (see Figures 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4a).   [Also, it is suggested for your convenience, and for race-time repeatability, that you install a simple Trigger/Release mechanism on the track Start Bar to hold the start gate closed until an operator triggers it, or otherwise releases it, to start a race.   The recommended mechanism for this purpose is the Start Handle illustrated in Figures 1A&B, 2A, 3A&B, and 4A.   An alternative Trigger/Release mechanism can be made from a strip of 3/32" thick aluminum, and then attached to the underside of the track with a screw.   Another alternative is a piece of heavy-gauge coat-hanger wire bent-to-suit for this same purpose.]



5. Figure 5 shows how Finish Sensors (with Collision Blocks) operate, whereby each car crossing the finish line collides with a Collision Block located on the finish line in the middle of that car's lane.   Figures 6A and 6B illustrate the installation of a Finish Sensor within a gap cut into a lane's guide-rail on the track.   The printed-circuit-board of each Finish Sensor spans a length of 1.5" across the width of a guide rail, and is therefore designed to easily accomodate a standard 1 5/8" wide guide rail.   [WARNING: It is important if you have guide rails with a width of only 1 3/8", that you cut or file away 1/16" from each end of each printed-circuit-board.]   Each Finish Sensor has a slot across which an infrared beam of light passes, the beam of which can be interrupted by insertion of the optically opaque Flag that comes built into each Collision Block.   Figure 7 illustrates a Collision Block and its protruding opaque Flag.   Figure 8 shows two acceptable and alternative ways to position the Finish Sensor.   The first way is to use the supplied elevating washers as spacers to position the bottom of the slot in the Finish Sensor at an elevation that is at or only slightly above the top surface of a lane's guide rail.   [WARNING: This first way, however, requires that no race car be allowed to have any obstacle protruding below the bottom of the car such that it could strike and damage a Finish Sensor.]   The second way is to mount each Finish Sensor such that the bottom of its printed circuit board is flush against the track where it will be parallel to the running surface of the track.   This second way does not use the elevating washers, and it requires cutting a clearance groove within the lane's guide rail to provide a clearance path for the Flag of the Collision Block for when it is knocked away from the finish line by a race car traveling across the finish line.   If your track is metal and not wood, then this second way also requires that you insert an insulating film between the bottom of each sensor's printed circuit board and the surface of the track where it is mounted.   Figures 9A and 9B show more clearly how the Flag of a Collision Block is to be positioned within the slot of a Finish Sensor before a race begins.   Figure 10 shows, from a top view, the dimensions and placements required for Finish Sensor Installation in each lane of the track.   For proper lane-to-lane alignment at the finish line, refer to the next paragraph.



6. Be careful to mount the Finish Sensors in each lane along a common finish line.   First draw a straight reference line perpendicular to the lanes at the finish line.   Drill the Finish Sensor mounting holes along this line.   After mounting the sensors to the track, carefully position the flags of the collision blocks into the slots of respective slotted photosensors.   Once all blocks are equally positioned in respective sensor slots and along a common imaginary finish line, draw (or score, or paint, or tape) an official finish line such that it lies directly under the collision surfaces of the collision blocks.   Thereafter, from race to race, always replace the collision blocks in their positions on this finish line to an accuracy of at least better than 1/16".



7. Before mounting the Finish Sensors on the track, choose them to correctly correspond to which lane numbers are associated with each lane.   It is advisable to mark the track lanes with their desired lane numbers.

IMPORTANT: To protect each sensor from potential damage caused by excessive pull on its cable, clamp each cable securely to the track within 4" to 6" of the respective sensor, leaving some slack between the fastening clamp and the sensor.   Also remember at the end of a derby, before taking your track down for transportation and/or storage, to remove the sensors and cables for their protection.