GB2521168A

GB2521168A - An improved farrier's tool

Info

Publication number: GB2521168A
Application number: GB1321888.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Dean Fennell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-12-11
Filing date: 2013-12-11
Publication date: 2015-06-17
Also published as: GB201321888D0

Abstract

Hoof nippers having a jaw portion 6 with two opposed blade elements 2a, 2b. Moveable from an open position where the cutting edges of said blades are spaced apart and generally parallel. to a closed position where the cutting edges of said blades are abutted, and configured so that when the blades are in the closed position, the external faces 4a, 4b of the blades meet at an angle of less than 180Â°.

Description

1arrier's Jool

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to improvements in a Farrier' s tool commonly referred to as a "hoof l1ll", and methods of using such too!

Background and Prior Art

During routine care of the hooves of horses (and occasionally other hooved animals). a farrier vill typically clean detritus from the base of the horse's hoof, and from the collateral eroove, and will tnm the sole of the hoof. This operation will leave the outer wall of the hoof proud is of the sole. This outer wail then needs to he trimmed, to leave it approximately flush with the horse's sole. A tool known as a "hoof nipper" is typically used at this stage, prior to levelling off the base ol the ho f wall with a file or iasp.

Hoof nippers are known in the art, and have the general form of tools commonly known as pliers, hut usually having longer handles to afford greater mechanical aclvantage Furthermore, the "blades" forming the jaw's of the nippers are sharpened to allow the flippers to cut through the hoof wall.

One problem frequently encountered during such operations is that, due to the geometry of the hoof wall, the outer (in use) blade of the hoof mppers tends to slide down the outside face of the hoof, rather than cutting into the hoof wall. This requires the farrier to exert a considerable force on the nippers (apart front the cutting force), to ensure that the nippers maintain the conect ahgnment with the hoof, and that wall is trimmed in the correct position.

This problem is partcularl' acute during the summer months where the outer face of the hoof $0 wall s substantaily harder than tile inner face, causing the blade te slip more easily on the hoof's outer faee [he specific features of conventional nippers that cause this problem. and will be described in more detail below.

It is amongst the objects of the present invention to provide, an improved hoof nipper to $5 alleviate this problem.

Accordingly, the invention provides hoof nippers having a jaw portion comprising two opposed blade elements 2a, 2b, said blade elements being inoveable from an open posidon where the cutting edges of said blades are spaced apart and generally parallel to a closed where the cutting edges of said blades are abutted, configured such that when the blades are in the closed pos1ton. the external faces 4a. 4b of said blades meet at an ngie. 0.

iyf less (hail 180°. Tn rireferred eoufinuranons. said angle is less than i79°, or i78°, or 177°.

More preferably, said angle is less than 170°, or 165°. or 160°.

particularly preferred embodiments, the external faces of said blades meet at an angle equa or greater than i50° and less than 180°. Preferred minimum angles are 150°. 155° or 160°.

Preferred maximum angles are less than 180°, less than 179°, less than l78°, less than 175°.

less than 170°. 1.5

Also included within the seope of the invention are hoof flippers substantially as described herein, with reference to or illustrated by any of Figures 2-7 or 9-10.

Also included within the scope of the inventon is a method of trimming the wafi of a hoof of an animal eoinphsing the use of hoof nippers described herein. Preferably the animal is a horse Also preferably, the method is not surgical or therapeutic, but i.s carried out for essentially cosmetic rç;es, preferanly entirely cosmetic purposes.

Brief Description of the Figures

The inventIon will he described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan of ajaw section of a pair of hoof nippers of the prior art; Figures 2 and 3 are plan views of a jaw section of an emhodment of a pair of hoof nippers of the present invention: Figure 4 is a perspective view of a jaw section of an embodiment of a pair of hoof mppers of the present invention; Figure 5 is a plan view of an embodiment of a pair of hoof ninpers of the present 1nvention Figures 6 and 7 are plan views ol ajaw section of an embodiment of a pair of hoof nippers of the present invention, in a closed an open configuration respeerively; Figure 8 illustrates operation of hoof nippers of the prior art;

I

Figure 9 illustrates operation of an embodimenu of hoof nippers of the present Invention; and Figure 10 illustrates the geometric relationship between elements of hoof itippers of the present invention.

Description of Preferred Embodiments

Figures IA and 113 illustrate, in plait view, the jaw portion of a known, conveutonal set of hoof nippers. The flippers comprise a pair of opposed blade elements 2a, 2b. The blade to elements (2a. 2h) nay he binugn! together by the act o of a patr of handles (not U lustratedi connected to the blade elements via a rotational joint 3. acting as a fulcrum and providing mechanical advantage to allow a user to cut through a hoof wall. in conventonai hoof flippers, [he external faces 4a, 4b of the blades 2a, 2b are coplanar when in the closed position. illustrated in Figure 1 B, as can he seen with reference to the datum line 5. 1.5

Figures 2A and 2B illustrate, again in plan view analogous to Figure 1, the jaw portion of improved hoof nippers of the present invention. Like elements are numbered as hi Figure 1.

Again, the nippeN comprise a jaw portu n 6 having a pair of opposea blade elements 2a, 2h connected to a pair of handles (not illustrated) via a rotational joint 3 acting as a fulcrum to provide mechanical. advantage in use. Tn nippers of the invention, when the jaws are in the closed position, as illustrated in Figure 2B, such chat the edges of the blade elements 2a. 2h are essentially in contact with each other, the external faces 4a, 4h of the blades 2a, 2h are alignedrt an angle. (I), of less than 180°. This is again illustrated by reference to the datum line. 5. For clarity, this angle. @. is best illustrated in Figures 3 and 6. By external faces, we mean those faces of the blade elements that are furthest away from the rotatable joini 3.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate in plan and perspective view respectively, the jaw portion 6 of hoof nippers of the present invcnton. The jaw portions arc shown in Figs 3 and 4 in their closed and open configurations respectively. Like elements of the nippers illusirated in other figures are numbered accordingly. The angle, (I), between the faces 4a. 4h of the blade elements 2a, 2h of the jaw portion 6 when in the closed position is illustrated in Figure 3 Figure 5 ilustrates in plan view, an embodiment of a hoof nipper of the present invention, generally indicated by 1. The nipper I comprises ajaw portion 6 and a handle portion 7. The $5 nippers illustrated generally comprise two halves jointed together by a rotatable connection 3 forming a fulcrum, thereby providing a lever action to give a mechanical advantage in use.

The figure i Uustrates a length r, being the distance between the fulcrum point 3 and the edge of the blade portion of the nippers, being the radius of the are through which the edge of the blade moves, in use. The figure also illustrates a length L, being tile distance between the fulcrum point 3 and the end of the handles. Nippers of the invention wih tvpcal ly be made of metal, such as steel. Atypical dimension for the blade arc radius will he approxtinatelv 35 mm, ranging from approximately 20mm to 50mm or even 7Onmi, although other dimensions may he envisaged, as required. A typical length. L, of the handle will he 320mm. ranging from approximately 200mm to approximately 400mm or 450mm. although again other dimensions may he envtsageU. as requited.

to' Whilst the nippers illusliated in Figure 5 have the 101111 f a simple ever, it is anticipated that other embodiments of the lever might comprise a multiple lever arrangement. known in the art, to provide additional mechanical advantace in use. The arrangenrent of (he jaws. and in particular the an'angement of the blade faces nippers could also readily be incorporated into a po%'eied nipper driven e.g. ny electrical or pneLlrnaflc pos' 1.5 Figure 6 and 7 illustrate, in plan view, a jaw portion 6 of mippers of the present invention in a closed configuration. Figure 6 again shows the angle (F between the external faces 4a, 4h of the blade portions 2a...2h. It will he apprecated that, whilst a fiat external face 4a, 4b is to he preferred to allow the nippers to he abutted to the sole of the hoof of an animal, the face might also eompnse a curved porlion.

l-'igule 7 illustrates a jaw rH}rtion 6 of n ippers of the present invention in a partially (pen position, and in a configuration where the external faces 4a, tb of the jaws are co-planar The configuration is achieved at a separation, S. between the edges of the blade elements 2a. 2h.

Figure 7 also illustrates the definition of the blade arc radius, r.

Figures SA and Sf3 illustrate in schematic plan view, the jaw portion 6 of hoot nippers of the prior art (as also i]lustrakd in Fgs IA and I Bi in use, in which the external faces 4a, 4h of the blade portions 2a, 2b are co-planar in the closed position. Also illustrated in the figures is a schematic cross--section of a portion of a horse's hoof 8, showing the hoof wall 9, to be trimmed, the sole 10, the collateral groove 11, and the frog 12. As pressure is exerted on the pnor art nippers. the angle between the external face 13 of the hoof S and the edge of the blade 2a that abuts it is such that there is a significant component of force in the direction indicated by the arrow 14. As illustrated in Figure SB, this causes a rotational force on the $5 tool which can cause the edge of the external blade portion 2a to sup down the outside face 14 of the hoof wall 9 that would lead to misalignment during; trimming. To avoid this, a farrier needs to put a restraining force on the tool, whilst applying pressure to the handles to effect the trimming action. it wiLl he appreciated that this is not only difficult. but adds additional strain to the work of the fhrrier who will also usually be supporting the horse's hoof and maintain the anrnai in a cairn condition.

By contrast, i:gUres YA and YB illustrate, again in schematic plan view. the jaw portion 6 of nippers of the present invention, in usagain. a section ofa horse's hoofS is illustrated with ]ike elements numbers as per Figure 8 As a result of the angle of the blades 2a, 2h of the Juppers, the cage of the blade abuts the outer surface 13 of the hoof wall 9 a] tuost perpendicularly. In consequence. the component of force in [he direction shown by arrow 14 ic issigiiifieantly reduced, thereby reducing the effoit needed to counteract the rotational force on the tool. En use, therefore, the blades bite into the hoof wall 9 at the desiredpoint, rather than shpping down the outside face 13 of the wail 9.

Figure 0 illustrates. in schematic form, the geometrical relationship between the blade 1.5 elements 2a. 2b. their respective faces 4a. 4b. and the centre of rotation 3 of the of the blades about the fulcrum. The blades are illustrated in two configurations: an open position 2a, 2b such that the external faces 4a, h of the blades al-c essentially co-planar; and a closed poswon 2a', 2h', when the edges of the blades are substantially in abutment. When the jaws are open such that the external faces 4a, 4h are coplanar, they create a blade separation S. Each edge of the blade subtends an angle 0 between the fulcrum 3 (the centre of rotation) and the centre-line of the tool. as illustrated. In the closed eonficuration, the external faces 4a', 4b' meet at an angle tD.

Geometrical considerations show that the relationship between the.se dimensions is such that S = 2 r sinti. Geometrical considerations also show that the angle, W, between the external faces 4a, 4h in the closed position is given by tD 180-20 (in degrees). Especially prefen'ed configurations of the blade are such that the angle @ is chosen so that the spacing S of the blade edges is approximately the thickness of a typical hoof wall when the bLade laces 4a, b are coplanar. The following table gives examptes of vartous configurations of nippers for to different bade arc radius. r, and required separa ion, &

D

Blade are radius Separation Half angle, 9 Blade faee r (mm) when parallel (degrees) angle, (I) L (mm) (degrees) 5 4.8 170.4 8 7.7 164.7 10 9.6 160.8 15 14.5 151.0 5 4.1 171.8 8 6.6 166.9 10 8.2 163.6 15 12.4 155.3

Claims

CLAIMSHoof nippers having ajaw portion comprising two onposed blade elements, said hade elements being moveable from an open position where the curting edges of said blades ate spaced apart and generally parallel to a closed position where the cutting edges of said blades are abutted, configured such that when the blades are in the closed position, the external tbces of said blades meet at an angle ot less than 180°.
2. 1-loof flippers according to Claim 1 wherein [he external faces of said mcci at an angle to equal or gteater lIlian 1 50° and less than 1 80°.
3. Hoof flippers substantially as descrihed herein, with reference and/or as illustrated by to any of Figures 2-7 or 9-10.t.
4. A method of trimming the wail of a hoof of an anrmal comprising the use of hoof nippers according to any preceding claim.