IES86373Y1 - Improvements in and relating to horse shoe studs - Google Patents

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO HORSE SHOE STUDS Field of the invention The present invention relates to an improved horse shoe stud and also to a horse shoe for I 5 use with the horse shoe stud.

Background to the Invention. 3 Anyone who has arrived at a horse riding orjumping competition which is taking place on grass knows how challenging it is to put studs in a horse's shoe. The horse’s foot, 9 10 naturally, tends to be very dirty and the threaded screw hole in the shoe affixed to the I horse's foot is filled with compacted mud and dirt. Therefore, the threaded screw hole requires cleaning before the known stud can be inserted. Thus, the current method is to screw the stud into a prepared hole in the horse's shoe. The current method of cleaning out the stud hole and then screwing in the stud involves using tools to clean out the thread maintenance of the threaded hole using a small wire brush and specialised equipment called a "tap". This is then followed by a procedure to screw in the stud which also involves using specialised equipment. Using this tool, the "tap" can, and on many occasions does, result in the “tap" becoming stuck in a horse's foot when the horse has snapped back his foot.

Furthermore, the known stud is made of steel and when it gets dropped, as it does on occasion, finding it can be difficult in the grass.

Statement of Invention.

The present invention accordingiy provides a horse shoe stud comprising an elongate pin and a base, the base including at least one bar projecting from the elongate pin in the region of the base, the bar being adapted to engage in a corresponding shaped slot in a shoe secured to a horse’s foot.

The elongate pin includes a biasing means preferably in the fonn of a spiral spring which ' 15 of the stud hole. The known methodology requires a good deal of cleaning out and is arranged around the elongate pin. 886373- 51205253 Preferably, the stud comprises at least two projecting bars and the two projecting bars are provided at an angle of 180° relative to each other, and the projecting bars are adapted to engage in a corresponding shaped slot of a horse’s shoe.

An advantage of the improved horse shoe studs of the present invention is that the improved horse shoe stud are adapted so that they are quicker and easier to insert and remove than known horse shoe studs.

Advantageously, the stud is moveable between a stud insertable and releasable position in which the stud can be inserted into and removed from a slot in the horse shoe; and a stud locked position in which the stud is secured in the horse shoe and cannot be removed from the horse shoe.

Thus, a further advantage of the stud of the present invention is that the stud is secured in a prepared, correspondingly configured hole in the horse's shoe by a “twist-in" and "twist- out” process which greatly speeds up the process of inserting a stud, thereby making it simpler to insert and remove; as well as safer thanin the prior art.

The length of the horse shoe stud of the present invention can vary. As with the known type of studs, the length used depends on the going and the type of competition taking place. The improved horse shoe stud of the present invention includes a base of the stud where it affixes to the horse shoe. Two bars project out from the improved stud of the present invention. These bars are fixed and measure approximately 15mm in diameter.

They are matched to a correspondingly configured i.e. similar shaped slot in the horse's shoe. To insert the horse shoe stud of the present invention, the stud is inserted in the shoe at the stud insertable and releasable position i.e. a matching point where the projecting bars are aligned with the corresponding configured s|ot(s) in the horse's shoe, the centre bar is depressed preferably, against a biasing means, using a tool; and then twisted through an arc and is subsequently released. Ideally, the biasing means comprises a spring which is preferably, a spiral spring.

To remove the improved horse shoe stud of the present invention, the stud centre bar is depressed with the supplied tool, and turned back to the matching point through an arc of 90° at which matching point, the stud can be easily withdrawn from the horse shoe.

The present invention also provides a horse shoe which is adapted to receive the horse shoe stud of the present invention. Preferably, the horse shoe is adapted to be correspondingly configured to engagingly receive the horse shoe stud of the present invention.

Advantageously, the horse shoe comprises at least one guide slot adapted to receive the at least one projecting bar of the horse shoe stud; preferably, the horse shoe comprises two guide slots adapted to receive the preferred arrangement of two projecting bars on the horse stud of the present invention.

Ideally, the horse shoe further comprises at least one locking slot into which the at least one projecting bar is positioned in order to securely lock the horse shoe stud in the horse shoe.

The horse shoe also preferably includes a recess which enables the projecting bars to be moved in an arc between the stud insertable and releasabte position in which the projecting bars of the stud are positioned in the guide slots of the horse shoe; and the stud locked position in which the projecting bars are located in the locking slots of the horse shoe.

The improved horse shoe stud of the present invention as well as the horse shoe for use with the improved horse shoe stud will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings in which are shown, by way of example only, one embodiment of the improved horse shoe stud.

Brief description of drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a horse shoe adapted for use with the horse shoe stud of the present invention; the horse shoe being adapted to engagingly receive the horse shoe stud; Figure 1a is an exploded view of the encircled portion of Figure 1; Figure 2 is an isometric view of the horse shoe of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the horse shoe of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end view of the horse shoe of Figure 1; Figure 5 is an isometric view of the horse shoe stud of the present invention; Figure 6 is a plan view of the horse shoe stud of the Figure 5; Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the horse shoe stud of the present invention; Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of the horse shoe stud of the present invention aiong the line A-A of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a further cross sectional view of the horse shoe stud of the present invention; Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of one side of a horse shoe (the visible side when the shoe is in use on a horse's foot) in accordance with the present invention for use with the horse shoe stud of Figures 1 to 9; and Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the other side of a horse shoe (the side of‘ the horse shoe that is flush against a horse's foot) in accordance with the present invention for use with the horse shoe stud of Figures 1 to 9.

Detailed description of one embodiment of the invention.

Referring initially to Figures 1 to 9 of the drawings, a horse shoe for use with the horse shoe stud of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference number 100.

The improved horse shoe stud 1. The horse shoe stud 1 has a body 20, shoulder portion and also includes an elongate pin 2 and a base portion 5. The base portion 5 includes two projecting bars 6, 7 each of which project from the elongate pin 2 at an angle of approximately 90° to the longitudinal axis of the stud; thus the projecting bars 6, 7 are arranged at an angle of 180° to each other. The elongate pin portion 2 includes a biasing means preferably in the form of a spiral spring 8 which is arranged around the elongate pin 2.

Referring now to Figures 10 and 11, the horse shoe for use with the horse shoe stud 1 will now be described. The horse shoe of the present invention is indicated generally by reference numeral 100. The horse shoe 100 includes a recess 120 cut into the shoe surface into which the stud 1 sits. The horse shoe 100 also includes guide slots 126, 127 which are cut out of the shoe and are shaped to receive the projecting bars 6, 7 of the stud 1. The guide slots 126, 127 extend through the shoe 100.

The horse shoe 100 also includes locking slots 130, 131. The locking slots 130, 131 are cut only part-way into the shoe 100. There are also stop-tabs 150 included in each guide slot 126, 127 and each locking slot 130,131 to prevent the projecting bars 6, 7 from rotating beyond 90 degrees.

The regions 120 (as also indicated by arrows B on Figure 11) between the guide slots 126, 127 and the locking slots 130, 131 are recessed to allow the projecting bars 6, 7 to be slided between the stud insertable and releasable position in which the projecting bars 6, 7 are inserted in the guide slots 126, 127; and the locked position in which the projecting bars 6, 7 are located in the locking slots 130, 131.

The use of the horse shoe stud of the present invention together with the horse shoe of the present invention will now be described. in use, to insert the stud into the horse shoe, the hole in the horse-shoe is given a general clean to remove any substantial debris using a mini wire brush; the stud is inserted into the hole in the horse-shoe by locating the stud in the stud insertable and releasable position in which the stud can be inserted into the horse shoe and removed from the horse shoe i.e. by aligning the projecting bars 6, 7 with the guide slots 126, 127 in the horse- shoe.

Using the supplied tool, the centre bar of the stud is pressed fully downwardly against the biasing force of the spiral spring; the stud is turned in a clockwise direction, through an arc of 90 degrees to the stud locked position in which the projecting bars 6, 7' are located in the locking slots 130, 131; and the downward force on the centre bar is then released. In this stud locked position, the stud of the present invention is secured in the horse shoe.

To remove the stud, the following steps are carried out: Using the supplied tool, the centre bar of the stud is pressed fully downwardly; turned in a counter-clockwise direction through an arc of 90 degrees such that the stud of the present invention is moved from the stud locked position to the stud insertable and releasable position in which the projecting bars 6, 7 are located in the guide slots 126, 127; and in this position. the stud can be removed easily from the horse shoe; with the stud in the stud insertable and releasable position, the stud is withdrawn from the horse- shoe.

It will of course be understood that aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that additions andlor modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS:

1. A horse shoe stud comprising an elongate pin and a base, the base including at least one bar projecting from the elongate pin in the region of the base, the bar being adapted to engage in a corresponding shaped slot in a shoe secured to a horse's foot.

2. A horse shoe stud as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the horse shoe stud comprises at least two projecting bars and the two projecting bars are provided at an angle of 180° relative to each other, and the projecting bars are adapted to engage in a corresponding shaped slot provided in a horse shoe.

3. A horse shoe stud as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the horse shoe stud is moveable between a stud insertable and releasable position in which the stud can be inserted into and removed from a slot in the horse shoe; and a stud locked position in which the stud is secured in the horse shoe and cannot be removed from the horse shoe when in the stud locked position.

4. A horse shoe adapted to engagingly receive a horse shoe stud as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, optionally, the horse shoe having a guide slot adapted to receive the at least one projecting bar provided on the horse shoe stud; preferably, the horse shoe also having a locking slot into which the at least one bar is receivable to securely lock the stud in the horse shoe.

5. A horse shoe stud substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. MACLACHLAN & DONALDSON Applicants’ Agents 47 Merrion Square DUBLIN 2