Abstract:
A hoof care stand ( 10 ) for receiving the leg of an animal, preferably the front leg ( 18 ) or rear leg ( 18   a ) of a horse, for care thereof. The hoof care stand ( 10 ) has a two dimensionally curved leg receiving portion ( 16 ) with padding ( 20 ) on an inner surface ( 32 ) thereof. The leg receiving portion ( 16 ) is flexibly attached relative to a base ( 12 ) using a flexible attaching member ( 22 ) such as a spring. An attachment rod ( 24 ) provides for vertical adjustment of the leg receiving portion ( 16 ) relative to the base ( 12 ) and is selectively held in place therein by an adjusting screw ( 26 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of tools for animal care, and more particularly to a means for positioning and holding the hoof of an animal, particularly of a horse. The predominant current usage of the present inventive hoof care stand is as an aid to cleaning and shoeing the hooves of horses. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Background Art 
         [0004]    Most farriers physically support the leg of a horse during shoeing operations, and the like, by holding the horse&#39;s leg between their own legs, with the horse leg coming through the farrier&#39;s legs from the farrier&#39;s backside. This is a precarious, sometimes dangerous position and always a physically-demanding position. First, the farrier must remove the old horseshoe. Then the hoof must be trimmed and filed. Next, the new shoe must be fitted to the hoof profile and nailed in place. Finally, the nails are clinched and the anterior profile of the hoof is filed and shaped. All of these operations are best performed with the hoof supported at an elevation above ground level. 
         [0005]    In an effort to avoid this problem several implements have been devised to hold, or assist in holding, the leg of a horse or similar animal. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,216, issued to Beaston, teaches a Multiple Stand To Aid Shoeing Horse which has a two-position tripod-type stand having a pair of alternating upright members disposed at a right angle with respect to one another. A pair of opposing legs are connected to the vertex joint of the uprights, each at a slightly obtuse angle with respect to both uprights. In one position, one upright extends vertically upward while the second upright acts as the third leg of the tripod. In the second position, the second upright extends vertically upward while the first upright acts as the third leg of the tripod. A hard hoof cradle is attached to the distal end of one of the uprights and a flat plate is attached to the distal end of the other upright. The cradle holds the hoof in an elevated generally horizontal position to provide access to the bottom of the hoof, while the flat plate provides an elevated platform to support the bottom of the hoof to provide convenient access to the anterior of the hoof. An optional upright with an anvil attachment can be removably substituted for either of the other two uprights. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 89,379, issued to Blackburn, discloses a rest for shoeing horses with a thick base and a hinged, v-shaped member upon which the horse hoof rests. The arms of the v-shaped member extend vertically upward, and one of the arms is hinged to pivot to the side when the weight of the hoof is placed on the v-shaped member. The Blackburn device includes an incremental ratchet adjustment to raise and lower the v-shaped member relative to the base. 
         [0007]    Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,562 issued to Hammonds, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,325,154; 6,640,905; and 6,848,512, all issued to Keeler, teach variations of stands for holding and positioning the lower leg of a horse while the horse is being shoed, or its hoofs cleaned, or the like. 
         [0008]    The inventor believes that all known prior art devices, while useful for their intended purposes, are less than ideal in many situations. For example, many horses may be less than ideally cooperative when one is trying to position their leg. Therefore, any device that forces the user to pre-adjust an exact position for the horse&#39;s leg might not be effective for such animals. Furthermore, it should be noted that any horse might, on some occasion, jerk or bolt away from the farrier or other user. Therefore, any it is important to provide a device which will minimize the risk of injury to the animal in such circumstances. 
         [0009]    What is needed is a device that will be comfortable and safe for both the human user and the horse. However, to the inventor&#39;s knowledge, all known prior art devices have not provided a complete solution to the above described problems. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for positioning the leg and hoof of a horse during shoeing or cleaning operations. 
         [0011]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which is comfortable for the horse. 
         [0012]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus whereby it will be easy for the user to position the horse&#39;s leg. 
         [0013]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that is safe for both the horse and the user. 
         [0014]    Briefly, a known embodiment of the present invention is a hoof care stand having a generally broad and flat base for stability, and an upright portion for holding in position a leg receiving portion. The leg receiving portion is flexibly mounted to the upright portion such that the leg receiving portion can be moved slightly to accommodate movement of the horse, and further to allow position of the horse&#39;s leg therein even when the horse is not ideally cooperative. The leg receiving portion is curved so as to comfortably accept the horse&#39;s leg, and further such that the horse&#39;s leg is held therein without the need for additional devices to hold the leg within the leg receiving portion. The interior of the leg receiving portion is padded, for the comfort and safety of the horse. Furthermore, the combination of the shape of the leg receiving portion and the padding minimizes the risk of injury to the horse, should the horse jerk or bolt out of the hoof care stand. The height of the leg receiving portion relative to the base is optionally adjustable. 
         [0015]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art in view of the description of modes of carrying out the invention, and the industrial applicability thereof, as described herein and as illustrated in the several figures of the drawing. The objects and advantages listed are not an exhaustive list of all possible advantages of the invention. Moreover, it will be possible to practice the invention even where one or more of the intended objects and/or advantages might be absent or not required in the application. 
         [0016]    Further, those skilled in the art will recognize that various embodiments of the present invention may achieve one or more, but not necessarily all, of the described objects and/or advantages. Accordingly, the objects and/or advantages described herein are not essential elements of the present invention, and should not be construed as limitations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of an example of the inventive hoof care stand, showing a horse&#39;s front leg resting therein; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the example of the inventive hoof care stand of  FIG. 1 , showing a horse&#39;s rear leg resting therein; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a partially exploded perspective view of the example of the hoof care stand of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of an example of a the base portion of the hoof care stand; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a partially cut away perspective view of the leg receiving portion of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    This invention is described in the following description with reference to the Figures, in which like numbers represent the same or similar elements. While this invention is described in terms of modes for achieving this invention&#39;s objectives, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations may be accomplished in view of these teachings without deviating from the spirit or scope of the present invention. 
         [0023]    The embodiments and variations of the invention described herein, and/or shown in the drawings, are presented by way of example only and are not limiting as to the scope of the invention. Unless otherwise specifically stated, individual aspects and components of the invention may be omitted or modified, or may have substituted therefore known equivalents, or as yet unknown substitutes such as may be developed in the future or such as may be found to be acceptable substitutes in the future. The invention may also be modified for a variety of applications while remaining within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, since the range of potential applications is great, and since it is intended that the present invention be adaptable to many such variations. 
         [0024]    A known mode for carrying out the invention is a hoof care stand for positioning the leg and hoof of a horse. The inventive hoof care stand is depicted in a perspective view in  FIG. 1  and is designated therein by the general reference character  10 . The hoof care stand  10  has a broad, flat base  12 , for locating the hoof care stand  10  on the ground, barn floor or other surface, with a minimum of instability. It should be noted that, in this present example, the base  12  is generally round, although this is not a necessary characteristic of the invention. Also, it should be noted that the inventor has found that, while there is a range of acceptable sizes for the base, such range is not infinite. Generally, the base  12  should be sufficiently large such that the hoof care stand  12  will stand upright by itself and not tip over easily. However, the base  12  should also not be so large that it is difficult to move the hoof care stand  10  about or position it on relatively uneven ground. It has been found that the best size for the base  12  is generally in the range from about 1 foot to about 2 feet in diameter, although sizes somewhat outside this range are still considered to be within the scope of the invention. Affixed to the base  12  is an upright portion  14 . In the example of the prototype embodiment of the hoof care stand  10  described herein, a washing machine agitator is used to comprise both the base  12  and upright portion. 
         [0025]    As can be seen in the view of  FIG. 1 , a leg receiving portion  16  forms a complex curve such that a horse&#39;s leg (a horse&#39;s front leg  18  in the example of  FIG. 1 ) fits comfortably therein and is supported from accidentally slipping out of the leg receiving portion  16  both longitudinally and laterally. In the example of the prototype embodiment of the hoof care stand  10  described herein, the leg receiving portion  16  is a portion cut from a motorcycle fender, although any similarly shaped rigid piece could be substituted therefore in a manufactured product. 
         [0026]    In order to protect the horse&#39;s leg  18  and also to make it comfortable for the horse, the interior of the leg receiving portion  16  is padded, in this example with close celled sheet foam rubber padding  20  which is affixed to the interior of the leg receiving portion  16  with an adhesive (not shown). Alternative padding materials, such as sheep skin padding, or the like, could be used for the purpose. 
         [0027]    According to the described embodiment of the hoof care stand  10 , the leg receiving portion is flexibly attached to the upright portion  14  by a flexible attaching member  22  which, in this example, is a spring. The flexible attaching member  22  is sufficiently stiff such that the horse&#39;s leg  18  will be retained generally in its desired position, but the flexible attaching member  22  also provides sufficient movement such that slight movements of the horse tend to be absorbed rather than causing the hoof care stand  10  to tip over. Also, the slight flexibility provided by the flexible attaching member  22  has been found to make it somewhat easier to position the horse&#39;s leg  18  therein. Finally, the flexibility provided by the flexible attaching member  22  also provides some measure of safety in that, should the horse move so much that the stand tips over, the flexible attaching member  22  will bend and allow the hoof care stand  10  to fall free from the horse without injuring the horse or the human user, as might a more rigid fixture. In the view of  FIG. 1  the movement of the leg attaching member  22  that is provided by the flexible attaching member  22  is represented by an arrow  23 . One skilled in the art will recognize that the arrow  23  is merely an example of a potential direction of movement, since a spring such as used in this embodiment of the invention to form the flexible attaching member  22  can readily be moved in any of several directions. 
         [0028]    An attachment rod  24  is rigidly affixed to the flexible attaching member  22  by welding it thereto in this example, although other means of attachment are within the scope of the invention. The distal end of the attachment rod  24  is inserted into the upright portion  14  of the base  12  and held in position therein by an adjusting screw  26 . As can be appreciated in light of this description and the view of  FIG. 1 , the height of the leg receiving portion  16  can be adjusted in height relative to the base  12  by loosening the adjusting screw  26 , moving the attachment rod  24  selectively up or down relative to the base  12 , and then retightening the adjusting screw  26 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the example of the inventive hoof care, similar to the view of  FIG. 1  except that  FIG. 2  illustrates how a horse&#39;s rear leg  18   a  might be placed therein. 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is a partially exploded perspective view of the example of the hoof care stand  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In the view of  FIG. 3  it can be seen that the attachment rod  24  is elongated such that it extends into the attachment rod receiving aperture  28  ( FIG. 4 ) of the upright portion  14  such that the relative height of the leg receiving portion  16  can be adjusted, as previously described herein, and further such that the leg receiving portion  16  is stable within the upright portion  14  when the adjusting nut  30  is screwed in and secured against the attachment rod  24 . An adjusting nut  32  is rigidly affixed, by welding in this present example, to the upright portion  14  such that the adjusting screw  26  is threaded through the adjusting nut  30  and can be screwed in and out of the upright portion  14  as previously described herein. 
         [0031]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of an example of the base  12  of the hoof care stand  10 . In the view of  FIG. 4  it can be seen that there is an attachment rod receiving aperture  28  generally in the center of the upright portion  14  of the base  12 . The attachment rod receiving aperture  28  receives the attachment rod  24  and provides for movement of the attachment rod  24  relatively further into or out of the attachment rod receiving aperture  28 , as required by the user. 
         [0032]      FIG. 5  is a partially cut away perspective view of the leg receiving portion  16  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . As can be seen in the perspective view of  FIG. 5 , the leg receiving portion  16  is curved both longitudinally and laterally, as is typical of the shape of a motorcycle fender, from which this example of the leg receiving portion  16  is cut. This shape generally tends to help position and hold the horse&#39;s leg  18  or  18   a  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) therein. As discussed previously herein, the padding  20  is affixed to an interior surface  32  of the leg receiving portion  16 . In the view of  FIG. 4  the interior surface  32  can be seen through a partial cut away of the padding  20 . 
         [0033]    Various modifications may be made to the invention without altering its value or scope. For example, while this invention has been described herein in terms of a flexible attaching member  22  in the form of a coil spring, other flexible members could be used for the purpose. Similarly, different sizes of coil springs might be employed for the purpose. In like manner, although in the example of the invention described herein the base  12  and upright portion  14  are formed as a single unit, separate portions could be joined together to form this structure. Yet another example of the many possible variations of the invention would be to alter the curvature and/or size of the leg receiving portion  16  while retaining the general structure and advantages of the invention as described herein. 
         [0034]    While specific examples of the inventive hoof care stand  10  have been discussed herein, it is expected that there will be a great many applications for these which have not yet been envisioned. Indeed, it is one of the advantages of the present invention that the inventive method and apparatus may be adapted to a great variety of uses. 
         [0035]    All of the above are only some of the examples of available embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous other modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the disclosure herein is not intended as limiting and the appended claims are to be interpreted as encompassing the entire scope of the invention. The inventive hoof care stand  10  is intended to be widely used in a great variety of applications. It is expected that it will be particularly useful in applications wherein ease of use and the comfort and safety both of a horse and the human user are important considerations. The hoof care stand  10  can be used either for shoeing a horse, or for more routine maintenance, such as cleaning the hooves, and the like. 
         [0036]    Since the hoof care stand  10  of the present invention may be readily produced and integrated with existing methods of hoof care, and the like, and since the advantages as described herein are provided, it is expected that it will be readily accepted in the industry. For these and other reasons, it is expected that the utility and industrial applicability of the invention will be both significant in scope and long-lasting in duration.