Abstract:
A horse shoe cassette system for an animal&#39;s hoof. The cassette system comprises a plurality of hollow holders that are screwed into the hoof. Each holder has a threaded outside surface and a threaded inside opening defined therein. A flexible covering, of a general hollow ungulate shape to fit an ungulate&#39;s hoof, has a bottom plate that includes a first opening defined therein. A horse shoe is attached to the bottom plate of the flexible covering and the horse shoe has a second opening. A threaded screw member extends through the first and second openings and is screwed into the threaded inside opening of the holder disposed in the hoof.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     A horse shoe cassette system that provides protection of an injured horse hoof while permitting easy removal and attachment of a horse shoe to the hoof. 
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Horse hoofs are sometimes injured for various reasons, and it is often painful for the horse to walk and to have horse shoe nails removed from and attached to the injured hoof. There is also a risk of infection of the injured hoof, particularly if the injury of the hoof is exposed. Another problem is that the horse hoof may be too dry and that, in turn, can cause harm to the hoof. 
     There is a need for a horse shoe cassette system that would enable the horse to be outside walking, and even trotting, despite an injury to one or many of its hoofs. There is also a need for a fastening mechanism of a horse shoe to the horse hoof without having to rely on horse shoe nails. 
     Various devices have heretofore been provided to be worn by hoofed animals such as horses, cows, mules, or the like. The prior art devices are attached to the hoofs by means of straps provided with hook or loop fasteners. Such devices have suffered from lack of sufficient protection to prevent water, manure, and other debris from contacting an injured hoof. Other bandages have suffered from lack of sufficient fixation means to hold the same in place when worn by an active animal. Also, the prior art devices are cumbersome to use. 
     The present invention is a horse shoe cassette system that provides effective protection of an injured hoof while permitting convenient removal and attachment of a horse shoe to the hoof. The cassette system comprises a plurality of hollow holders that are screwed into the hoof. Each holder has a threaded outside surface and a threaded inside opening defined therein. A flexible covering, of a general hollow ungulate shape to fit an ungulate&#39;s hoof, has a bottom plate that includes a first opening. A horse shoe may be attached to the bottom plate of the flexible covering, and the horse shoe may have second opening defined therein. A threaded screw member extends through the first and second openings and may be screwed into the threaded inside opening of the holder disposed in the hoof to tightly hold the horse shoe to the flexible covering and the bottom of the hoof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the horse shoe cassette system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the horse shoe cassette system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of a horse shoe of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a horse protector of the present inventor. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to FIGS. 1-4, the horse shoe cassette system 10 of the present invention preferably includes a flexible hoof protector 12 that may have a horse shoe 14 attached thereto. It is to be understood that the cassette system of the present invention is not limited to be used for horses, and may be used for other ungulate such as cows, mules, donkeys, etc. The cassette system 10 enhances healing and protects injuries of a hoof 15 or coronet of a horse while permitting the horse to walk or trot during the healing process. The cassette system 10 is also useful to protect healthy hoofs. The hoof 15 may have a plurality of holes defined therein to receive threaded holders. A threaded holder 17 preferably is hollow so that the holder is threaded on both an outside surface 6 and on an inside surface 8. In this way, the holder 17 may be screwed into the hoof 15 by turning the holder 17 so that the threaded outside surface 6 may engage the hoof 15. The holders 17 are firmly secured to the bottom of the hoof 15 and can conveniently be removed by unscrewing the holders from the bottom of the hoof. Preferably, the hoof 15 has about six threaded holders 17 screwed into the bottom of the hoof 15. The primary function of the holders 17 is to tightly hold a horse shoe and other devices against the bottom of the hoof 15. The upper end of the holder 17 may have a cavity defined therein so that it can be easily removed by a conventional screw driver. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the hoof protector 12 is a flexible shoe that is dimensioned to snugly fit over a healthy or an injured horse hoof. The hoof protector 12 may have a flexible side wall 13 and a sturdy bottom plate 16 having an under surface 28. A plurality of holes 18 are preferably distributed evenly on the bottom plate 16 to receive main bolts 20 that may extend through the holes 18 and be screwed into the holders 17 of the horse hoof 15. The holes 18 are preferably placed on the bottom plate 16 so that they align with the threaded holes of the holders 17. The bottom plate 16 may include a stiff support plate 9 to provide further support of the hoof 15. The support plate 9 preferably extends along the whole length of the bottom plate 16. 
     The hoof protector 12 has an upper rim portion 61 defining an upwardly facing opening 22 that is dimensioned to receive the hoof 15. A front end 24 of the hoof protector 12 has a backwardly sloping profile relative to the bottom plate 16 and a back and 26 includes a cavity that is shaped to snugly fit over the bulb of the hoof 15. A strap 27 may be attached to the back and 26 to make it easier to pull the hoof protector 12 onto the hoof 15. The hoof protector 12 is preferably made of a flexible material such as polyurethane or any other flexible polymeric or non-polymeric material. A plurality of reflectors 21 may be attached to the outside of the side wall 13 of the hoof protector 12. Also, the hoof protector 12 may be colored in a wide variety of bright colors. 
     A channel 23 is defined at the back end 26 that is in operative engagement with a valve 25. By injecting air into the channel 23 under high pressure via the valve 25, the hoof protector 12 may be partially inflated to make it easier to remove the hoof protector 12 from the hoof 15 due to less contact and friction between the hoof protector 12 and the hoof 15. The channel 23 may also be used to moisturize the hoof 15 by injecting water into the hoof protector 12. 
     As beat shown in FIG. 4, the hoof protector 12 may have a durable bottom surface 50 that has a slip resistant pattern so that the horse may safely walk with the hoof protector 12 mounted on the hoofs without slipping. The bottom surface 50 may also have studs 54 formed therein that protrude outwardly from the bottom surface 50 to further reduce the risk of slipping. 
     As best seen in FIG. 2, the horse shoe 14 is preferably attached to the bottom plate 16 of the hoof protector 12 by the bolts 20. The horse shoe 14 may be made of a metal or any other suitable material that is durable and provides good wear resistance such as a carbon fiber composite material. For example, the horse shoe 14 may be made of Alumec 79 that is about three millimeters thick. In the preferred embodiment, the horse shoe 14 may be coated with a polymeric material such as a polyurethane coating 31. 
     As best seen in FIG. 3, the horse shoe 14 defines a plurality of openings 32 and chamfered openings 34. The opening 32 are preferably larger than the openings 34 that are designed to accommodate the bolts 20. The openings 34 preferably have chamfered upper ends so that the bolts 20 are flush with the bottom of the horse shoe 14. The bolts 20 may also extend beyond the surface of the horse shoe 14 and function as a stud 54. Because the bolts 20 are threadedly attached to the holders 17, the horse shoe 14 may conveniently be removed by unscrewing the bolts 20 without having to withdraw nails from the hoof 15. 
     Threaded weights 36 may be screwed into the holder 17, instead of the bolts 20, so as to balance the horse shoe 14 to make sure the trot of a horse is smooth. If the horse shoe 14 is not properly balanced, then the weight distribution of the horse shoe 14 may easily be modified by adding or removing the threaded weights 36 from the horse shoe 14. The weights 36 may have the same shape as the bolts 20 but are preferably heavier or lighter than the bolts 20. The convenience of being able to screw or unscrew the bolts 20 and weights 36 from the hoof 15 is particularly important if the hoof 15 of the horse is injured because it may be painful to the horse to have conventional nails inserted into and withdrawn from the hoof 15. A front portion of the horse shoe may include an adjustment cavity 33 to make sure that the horse shoe 14 is properly placed on the hoof 15 before the bolts 20 or weights 36 are screwed into the holders 17 and tightened. 
     The polyurethane coating 31 may penetrate the openings 32 of the horse shoe 14 to provide extra cushioning of the horse shoe 14. The penetration of the coating 31 also ensures that the coating is not easily pulled off from the horse shoe 14. It is also possible to add a plate 40 between the bottom plate 16 of the hoof protector 12 and the horse shoe 14 if it is necessary to adjust the thickness of the horse shoe to ensure proper walking or trotting of the horse. 
     An added feature of the present invention is that extra cushions or plastic foam 42 may be placed inside the hoof protector 12 between the bottom plate 16 and the hoof 15. Also, the plastic foam 42 may be impregnated with a medicament or other substance that is suitable to aid in the healing process of the hoof 15. The hoof protector 12 may also contain inlays 39, disposed between the hoof 15 and the bottom plate 16, that may be used to adjust the horizontal position of the hoof 15 relative to the bottom plate 16. The inlays 39 are particularly important if the hoof 15 is injured and it is not possible to adjust or cut the hoof edges. 
     While the present invention has been described in accordance with preferred compositions and embodiments, it is to be understood that certain substitutions and alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.