GB2098527A

GB2098527A - Equestrian tool

Info

Publication number: GB2098527A
Application number: GB8114942A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: CNC MASTER TOOLS Ltd
Current assignee: CNC MASTER TOOLS Ltd
Priority date: 1981-05-15
Filing date: 1981-05-15
Publication date: 1982-11-24
Also published as: GB2098527B

Abstract

A tool for facilitating the fixing of studs to threaded holes in horse's hoofs comprises a spanner part (1) and a tap (10), the tap being detachably located in a storage recess (9) in the spanner part. The spanner part (1) also serves as a tap wrench or handle which is fitted to the tap (10) when it is to be used for cleaning out the threads in the holes of a horse's hoofs and to this end is provided with a square hole (6) which fits over a square end (11) on the tap. Besides having spanner apertures, such as (2) and (3) the spanner part may include a pick end (5). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Equestrian tool The present invention relates to a tool for equestrians, particularly for use in cases where the equestrian is riding a horse whose hoofs have been tapped, i.e. provided with threaded holes in order that studs can be fitted into the holes. Such studs are frequently fitted for certain eventing purposes and activities.

Since studs are generally only fitted during the time that a horse is taking part in a particular event and are then removed from the horse's hoofs, the holes formed in the hoofs to accommodate the studs become filled with dirt and grit as the horse walks over the ground and also the portion of the thread adjacent the mouth of the hole is liable to become buried over and deformed. It is therefore necessary for a rider, before fitting studs to a horses hoofs, to remove the dirt from the holes and to employ a suitable tool, e.g. a plug tap, to clean out the threads so that the studs can be screwed into position. This necessitates the rider carrying some kind of tool for picking the dirt out of the holes, a tool for cleaning the threads and a spanner or key for tightening the studs threaded into the holes.The need for such a multiplicity of separate implements means that there is a strong likelihood of one or more of them becoming lost or misplaced, probably when it is most needed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combination tool to facilitate the fitting of studs to a horse's hoofs.

According to the present invention, a tool for facilitating the fixing of studs to threaded holes in horse's hoofs comprises a spanner part and a tap, the tap being detachably located in a storage position in the spanner part and said spanner part also serving as a tap wrench or handle which is fitted to the tap when it is to be used for cleaning out the threads in the holes of a horse's hoofs.

The spanner part may include a recess defining the storage position for the tap and the latter may be located and held in the storage position by means of interengaging parts of the tap and recess and/or resilient means for releasably holding the tap in position. Thus, one end of the tap may be provided with a projection engaging in a cavity in the recess and a spring plunger may be provided for releasably engaging with a cavity in the other end of the tap.

In order that the spanner part may act as a tap wrench or handle, it is advantageously provided with an aperture which fits over the square shank end of the tap when the latter is in use to clean the threads in a hole in a hoof.

The spanner part may incorporate a plurality of open and/or closed multi-sided apertures of different configurations and sizes, serving as spanners for different types of stud in order to tighten them in the threaded holes in a hoof. The spanner part may also be provided with a portion shaped as a pick for general cleaning of a horses hoof or for cleaning dirt out of the threaded holes and in addition may be provided with a projecting part which may be used for plugging wadding material into the holes in a hoof in order to minimise the entry of dirt and grit.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of tool according to the invention showing the tap separated from the spanner part and, Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the tap assembled to the spanner part when it is to be used for cleaning out the threads of the holes in a hoof.

Referring to the drawings, the tool comprises a spanner part 1 and a tap 10. The spanner part is stamped from sheet metal, for example 3/1 6 inch cold rolled mild steel, and is formed with both open and closed multi-sided apertures 2 and 3 serving as spanners to fit different types of stud.

Adjacent these apertures at one end of the tool is formed a projection 4 for plugging the threaded holes with a wadding material, such as cotton wool, when the studs are removed from a hoof in order to minimise the entry of dirt and grit into the holes. The other end of the spanner part is formed as a hook-shaped pick 5 for picking dirt from the holes and for general cleaning of the hoof. The central region of the spanner part is provided with a square hole 6 which is dimensioned to receive the square shank end 11 of a threaded plug tap 10. A spring plunger 7 located in a bore in the spanner part has its tip 7a projecting into the square hole 6 and serves to hold the spanner part gripped on the square end 11 of the tap 10.

The spanner part is also provided with an elongate recess 9 which is intended to act as a storage location for the plug tap 10. To this end, a spring plunger 8 is located in a bore in the spanner part such that its tip 8a can project into one end of the recess 9 whilst the other end of the recess is provided with a small depression or cavity 9a.The plug tap is provided with a small pip or projection 12 at the end of its square shank 1 whislt the plug end is provided with a small cavity 1 3. The overall length of the recess 9 is only slightly greater than the length of the plug tap and therefore the latter can be located in its storage position by engaging the pip 1 2 in the cavity 9a and by causing the tip 8a of the spring plunger 8 to snap into the cavity 13 in the plug end of the tap.

When the components of the tool are assembled in this way, the tool may be readily carried in the pocket and as will be apparent, it includes all the components and facilities necessary for both fitting studs to and removing studs from holes in the hoofs of a horse in a convenient and easy manner.

When the tool is to be used to clean out the threads in the holes in a hoof, the plug tap 10 is removed from its storage position and is assembled to the spanner part 1, as is shown in Figure 2, with the square end 11 located in the aperture 6 and held by the spring plunger 7. In this position the spanner parts serves as a convenient tap wrench or handle for turning the plug to and fro as it cleans out the threads. After use in this way the tap 10 can again be clipped into its storage position in the recess 9 of the spanner part 1.

The present invention thus provides a simple and convenient tool for the purpose set forth which avoids the necessity for a rider to carry numerous different tools and thereby reduces the chance of loss of one of these tools with the resulting inconvenience.

As shown, the tool may also be provided with a hole 14 by which it may be hung up when not in use.

Whilst a particular embodiment has been described it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this invention. Thus, the tool may be made in various different shapes and configurations besides that specifically shown and other means may be provided for retaining the tap in the storage recess in the spanner part. Such means could comprise, for example, one or more spring clips on the spanner part which gripped round the body of the tap and such a construction would avoid the necessity of providing the pip 12 on the tap and the spring plunger 8 on the spanner part, as well as eliminating the associated cavities 9a and 13.

The tap 1 0 may also. be of a form other than a conventional plug tap provided that it is effective to clean out the threads in the holes of a horse's hoofs.

Claims

1. A tool for facilitating the fixing of studs to threaded holes in horse's hoofs comprising a spanner part and a tap, the tap being detachably located in a storage position in the spanner part and said spanner part also serving as a tap wrench or handle which is fitted to the tap when it is to be used for cleaning out the threads in the holes of a horse's hoofs.

2. A tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spanner part includes a recess defining the storage position for the tap and the latter is located and held in the storage position by means of interengaging parts of the tap and recess.

3. A tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, comprising resilient menas for releasably holding the tap in the storage position.

4. A tool as claimed in claim 3, wherein the resilient means comprises one or more spring ciips.

5. A tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein one end of the tap is provided with a projection engaging in a cavity in one end of the recess and a spring plunger is provided at the other end of the recess for releasably engaging with a cavity in the other end of the tap.

6. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein in order to facilitate the spanner part acting as a tap wrench or handle, it is provided with a shaped aperture which fits over a correspondingly shaped shank end of the tap when the latter is in use to clean the threads in a hole in a hoof.

7. A tool as claimed in claim 6, wherein a spring plunger is located in a bore in the spanner part and has a tip projecting into said shaped aperture in order to hold the spanner part gripped on the shaped shank end of the tap.

8. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the spanner part incorporates a plurality of open and/or closed multi-sided apertures of different configurations and sizes, serving as spanners for use with different types of stud.

9. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the spanner part is also provided with a portion shaped as a pick for general cleaning of a horses hoof or for cleaning dirt out of the threaded holes.

10. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the spanner part is provided with a projecting part which may be used for plugging wadding material into the holes in a hoof in order to minimise the entry of dirt and grit.

11. An equestrian tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.