AU731067B3 - Horseshoe and method of horseshoeing - Google Patents

Description

APPLICANTS: CHRISTIAN DANIEL BOYD JOHN TAYLOR KAROOZ Form COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA The Patents Act 1990 PETTY PATENT SPECIFICATION FOR AN INVENTION ENTITLED: HORSESHOE AND METHOD OF HORSESHOEING The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: -1- "HORSESHOE AND METHOD OF HORSESHOEING Technical Field This invention relates to a horseshoe and to a method of shoeing a horse.

Background of Invention It is known to shoe horses by various means including inter alia the conventional nailing of the horseshoe to the hoof and also by glueing, binding by straps and wire, and by using a boot-like fastener.

Summary of Invention The present invention aims to provide an alternative to known horseshoes and known methods of shoeing a horse.

This invention in one aspect resides broadly in a horseshoe for fixing to a horse hoof, the horseshoe including:a resiliently flexible substantially U-shaped one-piece base member adapted in use to substantially abut the bearing surface of the horse hoof; engagement means integral with and extending from the U-shaped base member proximate at least the toe and jaws thereof and adapted in use to engage the exterior surface of the wall of the horse hoof, the engagement means being resiliently flexible relative to the base member and at least proximate the jaws thereof being inclined thereto at an angle more acute than that of the wall of the horse hoof to the ground and being higher at the rearmost portions than at the front thereof, and pinching means adapted to pinch the jaws of the base member; whereby the wall of the horse hoof is clamped between the base member and the engagement means solely by the pinching together of the pinching means.

As used herein the expressions "pinching" and "pinch" are to be understood to include functions such as clamping, cramping, compressing and squeezing or other actions which describe the jaws of a horseshoe being forced 9 towards each other.

In another aspect this invention resides broadly in a method of shoeing a IDr horse including:locating a substantially U-shaped base member beneath the bearing surface of the horse hoof, the base member having engagement means extending therefrom to engage the exterior surface of the wall of the horse hoof, and pinching the jaws of the base member to clamp the wall of the horse hoof between the base member and the engagement means. It is preferred that the jaws of the base member are pinched by pinching means.

The jaws of the base member may be pivotally connected at the toe thereof. However it is preferred that the base member is resilient such that the jaws thereof are adapted to flex.

It is also preferred that the engagement means is peripherally located about the base member.

It is preferred that the engagement means is a plurality of tabs.

Alternatively the engagement means may be a circumferentially extending flange.

It is preferred that the pinching means is a bolt.

Alternatively the pinching means may be a clamp, screw, cam lock etc.

Description of Drawings In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:- FIG 1 is a plan view of a horseshoe in accordance with the present invention; FIGS 2 and 3 respectively are side and end elevations of a horseshoe in accordance with the present invention; FIG 4 is a side view showing a horseshoe of the present invention fitted to a hoof; FIG 5 is a perspective view of the horseshow in FIGS 1 to 4, and FIGS 1A to 5A are corresponding illustrations to those of FIGS 1 to 5 as outlined above, of an alternative embodiment of a horseshoe in accordance with 7 the present invention with corresponding features referenced similarly.

Description of Preferred Embodiment of Invention 4 As can be seen in FIGS 1 to 5 and 1A to 5A, the horseshoe has a resilient substantially U-shaped base member 10 consisting of a toe portion 11, branches or jaws 12 and heel portions 13 and is adapted in use to substantially abut the bearing surface of the horse hoof in conventional manner.

Engagement means in the form of tabs or wings 15 extend from base member 12 and are adapted in use to engage the exterior surface of the wall of the horse hoof. Toe clip 14 engages the exterior surface of the wall of the horse hoof at the toe in conventional manner. As seen in FIGS 1A to 5A, tabs 15A may extend towards toe 11A to be continuous with toe clip 14A.

Pinching means are provided in the form of a bolt 18 which screws into a threaded bore in post 21 which is loosely received in socket 19 in one heel portion 13. Bolt 18 passes through a bore in post 22 which is loosely received in another socket 19 in the other heel portion 13 with the head 23 of bolt 18 bearing against post 22. Bolt 18 when turned is thus adapted to pinch the jaws 12 of base member 10 to clamp the wall of the horse hoof between the base member 10 and the tabs The loose retention of the posts within the sockets allows for the retention of alignment of bolt 18 when tightened. If bolt 18 were screwed directly into a threaded bore of one heel when bearing against a surface in the other heel, bolt 18 would tend to bow as the bores in the heels which receive the bolt become misaligned when the bolt is tightened.

However if the horse shoe is relatively stiff, the degree of flexure of the jaws and consequential tendency to bowing of the bolt will be relatively minimal and the arrangement described above with vertical posts can be replaced by a pair of horizontally aligned bores in the jaws.

Alternatively in a manner not illustrated, the pinching mechanism could comprise an overcentre clamp.

As is seen best in FIG 2, tabs 15, which are resiliently flexible relative to base member 10, are inclined thereto at an angle more acute than that of the wall of the horse hoof to the ground. Tabs 15 are contoured to fit about the outer surface of the wall of the hoof at the quarter.

The horseshoe is preferably made from a suitable hard wearing plastic material such as Nylex or the like which provides the resiliency to enable the jaws Sto be pinched, and consequent on this pinching action, the wall of the hoof to be clamped between the upper surface of the base member and the inner surface of the tabs. The clamping action is thus effective to impart forces inwardly against the outer surface of the wall of the hoof and upwardly against the lower surface of the wall of the hoof.

Thus as seen in FIG 3, tabs 15 are shown in an "unsprung" position before shoeing. When shoed, the tabs will flex to assume an inclination similar to that of the outer surface of the wall of the hoof.

As seen in FIGS 1 to 5, the toe portion of the horseshoe is seated out as seen at 16. The upper surface of the horseshoe has raised stipples 17 or the like to assist engagement with the lower surface of the wall of the hoof, and a ridge pattern 20 on the lower surface to enhance traction. A pair of flap-like covers 24,25 extend inwardly from heels 13 and overlap when bolt 18 is tightened to cover the bolt when the horseshoe is in place.

In use, a horseshoe is placed against the lower surface of the wall of the hoof with toe clip 14 and side tabs 15 positioned loosely about the outer surface of the wall of the hoof. Posts 21 and 22 are positioned in the sockets in heels 13, bolt 18 is then passed through the bore in post 21, screwed into the threaded bore in post 22, and tightened. The horseshoe becomes firmly affixed by the wedging/clamping action on the wall of the hoof by tabs 15 and base 10 as described above.

It will be appreciated that the horseshoe and horse shoeing method of the present invention is different to and has a number of advantages over known horseshoes and horse shoeing methods.

In particular there are no nails, glue, wire or straps. Faster hoof growth is stimulated due to less trauma to the animals foot. The horseshoe of the present invention substantially eliminates damage to the wall of the hoof caused by the traditional nailing of shoes. There is also no need to shape the shoe by hitting with a hammer because the shoe shapes to the hoof as the bolt is tightened.

Being preferably of plastic construction, the shoes are light weight and moreover shock is absorbed far better than in traditional shoes and concussion injuries are reduced.

The shoes are low cost being easy to manufacture and are quick and Ssimple to fit without any trauma to the animal. They can be fitted by nonprofessionals without causing damage to the animal, are sized to fit all horses and have a wide variety of therapeutic and veterinary applications.

It will of course be realised that whilst the above has been given by way of an illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations hereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

CHRISTIAN DANIEL BOYD and JOHN TAYLOR KAROOZ by PIZZEYS PATENT AND TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS

Claims (3)

1. A horseshoe for fixing to a horse hoof, said horseshoe including:- a resiliently flexible substantially U-shaped one-piece base member adapted in use to substantially abut the bearing surface of the horse hoof; engagement means integral with and extending from said U-shaped base member proximate at least the toe and jaws thereof and adapted in use to engage the exterior surface of the wall of the horse hoof, said engagement means being resiliently flexible relative to said base member and at least proximate the jaws thereof being inclined thereto at an angle more acute than that of the wall of the horse hoof to the ground and being higher at the rearmost portions than at the front thereof, and pinching means adapted to pinch the jaws of said base member; whereby the wall of the horse hoof is clamped between said base member and said engagement means solely by the pinching together of the pinching means.

2. A horseshoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said engagement means is a circumferentially extending flange.

3. A horseshoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said engagement means is a plurality of tabs.