GB2101463A - Horseshoe - Google Patents

Abstract

A horseshoe comprises five separate and distinct plastic segments 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E selected from a pre-manufactured range and secured fast to one another. A means of securing the segments is shown in Fig. 3 and other means are disclosed. This provides the secure fixing advantage of a steel shoe together with the performance advantages of modern plastics, and allows a large range of shoes to be produced from few parts. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to horseshoes This invention relates to horseshoes.

A horseshoe is used to inhibit wear on a horses foot. Traditionally the shoe is made from steel and is individually shaped to fit each particular foot. A steel shoe has a number of disadvantages, for example, high weight, poor grip on metalled surfaces and a high rate of wear. In addition shock is readily transmitted to the horses leg when working on hard surfaces. In an effort to reduce these problems attempts have been made to exploit the virtues of modern materials, most notably polyurethane elastomers.

First efforts were simply to form a flexible polyurethane shoe of the same design as the conventional steel shoe. These were flexed during fitting to conform to the shape of the horses foot and nailed around the whole periphery. This shoe had three serious disadvantages. First, more nails were required in order to ensure the shoe achieved and maintained the desired shape. The extra nails unduly damaged and weakened the foot. Second, nails were required in the extreme open ends of the shoe (the heels). In this region the dead horny wall of the foot is particularly weak and thin so that nails here greatly increase the risk of lameness, both due to the possibility of the wall splitting and nails inadvertently entering the sensitive laminea. Steel shoes are never nailed at the heels, the stiffness of the shoe makes it unnecessary.Third, with the simple polyurethane shoe nails are prone to tear out of the side of the hoof. This is because the shoe is very flexible and each nail gains no support from its neighbour.

When a large sideways and outward force is applied to the nail by local force on the shoe the plastic stretches and the nail tears the hoof. In a steel shoe any local load is transmitted by the stiff shoe to all nails and security of fixing is maintained.

In the course of unpublished development work leading to the present invention we made shoes from a series of segmented parts each segment being made from a much stiffer material than employed in one piece flexible polyurethane shoes of the prior art. This had some advantages since each segment had two or three nails and there was some restraint between segments. However, a complete segment could still tear its nails outward from the hoof hingeing in the process about its neighbouring segment; also it was necessary to nail the foot close to the heel if a small heel segment was used or employ a large segment which was insufficiently versatile in providing close fit to the horses foot in a region where great variability of shape was encountered.

Two developments were subsequently made.

The first was to substitute for the single segmented shoe a range of individual segments from which we could select the best combination for an individual foot. From a small range of segments a very large range of shoes can be formed to suit almost all horses. The second was to make each segment fast with respect to its neighbour so that a relatively rigid shoe was formed, in this way each nail is supported by all others as in the steel shoe and also a small heel segment with considerable adjustment can be used which does not rely on nails for its security.

We have now found that a large range of shoes of varying shape can be formed from a small range of easily manufactured parts. This shoe, at least in its preferred embodiments, provides substantially all the secure fixing advantage of a steel shoe, together with the performance advantages of modern plastics.

According to the present invention there is provided a horseshoe comprising a toe portion and two heel segments separate and distinct from said toe portion, but secured fast thereto.

Preferably the toe portion comprises at least two separate and distinct segments.

Advantageously the segments forming said toe portion are secured fast relative to one another.

Preferably portions of said segments overlap and are secured fast by means of a locking washer which interacts between said overlapping portions.

Advantageously segments are secured fast by locking segments which overlie adjacent segments.

Advantageously segments are secured fast by bars extending between adjacent segments.

Desirably portions of said segments overlap and are secured fast by means of a splined pin which interacts with each of the overlapping segments.

Advantageously segments overlap and are secured fast by the interaction of serrations on the overlapping portions of said segments.

The present invention also provides a kit of parts for making a horseshoe in accordance with the present invention.

There is also provided a method of shoeing a horse which comprises applying a kit of parts in accordance with the present invention to the foot of a horse.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of five segments selected for assembly into a horseshoe in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the assembled horseshoe; Figure 3 is an exploded view of one embodiment of a locking device between two segments; Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the locking device of Figure 3 in use; Figure 5 is a plan view of another locking device; Figure 6 is a plan view showing the locking device of Figure 5 in use; Figure 7 is a plan view of another locking device in use; Figure 8 is a side elevation along line VIll-VIll of Figure 7.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, for each horse's foot five reinforced polyurethane segments 1 A, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D and 1 E are selected so that each segment has substantially the same radius and length as the corresponding part of the foot it will cover.

Both ends of segments 1 B, 1 C and 1 D (which form the toe portion) and one end of segments 1A and 1 E (which form the heel segments) are halved as shown in Figure 3.

In use, the segments 1 A, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D and 1 E are first temporarily pinned together with locking washers 3 (Figure 3) disposed between the joints 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D (Figure 2). The segments are then adjusted until the horseshoe conforms to the shape of the horse's foot. At this stage the segments are pressed together so that the locking washers penetrate the segments and render them fast relative to one another (Figure 4).

The horseshoe 10 is then attached to the horse's foot by nails passing through holes 8. It will be noted that none of the nails passes through the segments 1 A and 1 E which is particularly advantageous as the horse's foot is very delicate in this region.

Various other means for locking the segments can be used. Thus, as shown in Figure 5, the locking device comprises four segments 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D. In this particular embodiment the segments 1 A, 1 B, 1C, 1 D and 1 E are first pinned together as shown in Figure 2 (but without the locking washers) and arranged to conform to the horse's foot. The segments 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D are then disposed over the segments 1 A, 1 B, 1C, 1 D and 1 E and secured thereto by short pins 5A, 5B, 5C, SD, 5F, 5G, 5H and 51, which do not project beyond the segments 1 A, 1 B, 1C, 1 D and 1 E. The whole horseshoe is then secured to the horse's foot via nail holes 8. It will again be noted that there are no nail holes in the vicinity of segments 1Aand 1E.

Another locking device is shown in Figures 7 and 8 and comprises a bar 6 which extends between and is secured to adjacent segments as shown.

It should be appreciated that the locking washer 3 could, if desired, be used in the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6 in addition to the segments 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D. Similarly the locking washer 3 could be used in addition to the bar 6, Other possible locking devices could be formed, for example, by serrating the interferring faces of the segments or using a splined pin.

Welding or adhesive could also be used in certain cases.

It is also envisaged that shoes in accordance with the invention might conceivably be glued to the horse's foot in addition to or as a total replacement of the nails, Whereas 5 segments have been found particularly practical, a smaller or larger number of segments may also be used.

Whilst a reinforced polyurethane appears most generally suitable, other materials may have benefits in certain circumstances, for example ultra high molecular weight polyethelene and super tough nylon.

Claims (11)

1. A horse-shoe comprising a toe portion and two heel segments separate and distinct from said toe portion but secured fast thereto.

2. A horse-shoe as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said toe portion comprises at least two separate and distinct segments.

3. A horse-shoe as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the segments forming said toe portion are secured fast relative to one another,

4. A horse-shoe as claimed in any preceding claim wherein portions of said segments overlap and are secured fast by means of a locking washer which interacts between said overlapping portions.

5. A horse-shoe as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said segments are secured fast by locking segments which overlie adjacent segments.

6. A horse-shoe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said segments are secured fast by bars extending between adjacent segments.

7. A horse-shoe as claimed in any preceding claim wherein portions of said segments overlap and are secured fast by means of a splined pin which intersects with each of the overlapping segments.

8. A horse-shoe as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said segments overlap and are secured fast by means of the interaction of serrations on the overlapping portions of said segments.

9. A horse-shoe substantially as described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

10. A kit of parts for making a horse-shoe as claimed in any preceding claim.

11. A method of shoeing a horse which comprises applying a kit of parts as claimed in Claim 10 to the foot of a horse.