Abstract:
An integrated horseshoe stud storage, insertion and removal apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a stud storage cylinder containing a multi-function tool set for cleaning horseshoe stud holes; and removing and inserting horseshoe studs. The multi-function tool set is adapted to secure storage within the stud storage cylinder. In addition, the stud storage cylinder is adapted securely hold a variety of studs readily visible and available.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to, claims the earliest available effective filing date(s) from (e.g., claims earliest available priority dates for other than provisional patent applications; claims benefits under 35 USC §119(e) for provisional patent applications), and incorporates by reference in its entirety all subject matter of the following listed application(s) (the “Related Applications”) to the extent such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith; the present application also claims the earliest available effective filing date(s) from, and also incorporates by reference in its entirety all subject matter of any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Related Application(s) to the extent such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith. 
     U.S. provisional patent application 61/394,033, entitled “Integrated Stud Insertion and Removal Apparatus”, naming John E. Bahret, as inventor, filed 18 Oct. 2010 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Use 
     These teachings relate generally to a system for fitting studs to the shoes of hoofed animals, in particular for the fitting and removal of studs in the shoes of horses and ponies. 
     2. Description of Prior Art (Background) 
     Horses wear a certain number of studs on each horse shoe for competitions on different surfaces. Generally, the studs must be installed on the grass and removed before the horse leaves the grass area. Currently, the studs must be screwed into a horseshoe with a wrench, and three to four full rotations are required to install or remove the stud. This has to be done while holding a horse&#39;s foot in an upright position, a difficult task that must occur in an often hectic environment where the horse is uncomfortable and excited. In addition, several tools are necessary for preparing the holes for stud installation and the most commonly used tool for actually screwing in the studs is an adjustable mechanics wrench. The studs are usually stored loosely in box containers and are not easily accessible while holding the horse&#39;s foot off the ground, cleaning the stud holes, selecting the stud and screwing it in while reaching for and using several different tools which are generally stored separately. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a stud system designed for easy and quick stud insertion and removal. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The foregoing and other problems are overcome, and other advantages are realized, in accordance with the presently preferred embodiments of these teachings. 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention an integrated stud insertion and removal apparatus is provided. All the tools necessary for installing the studs are pre-sized and contained in one apparatus. The necessary wrenches for stud installation and removal are pre-sized so no adjustable wrenches are required. The apparatus also provides pre-tapped holes for storing various types of studs. For example, several sizes and types of studs may be stored: Road Studs ½″ 6 side, Road Studs ⅜″ 6 side, Road Studs ⅜″ 4 side, Road Studs 4 side, Road Studs 4 side, Road Studs ⅜″ 6 side, Road Studs 6-side low profile, Grass Studs ⅜″ 4 side, Grass Studs ⅜″ 4 side, Grass Studs 9/16″ 6 side, Tall Mud Studs ⅜″ Round, Deep Footing Studs 4 side, and Deep Footing Studs 6 side. 
     The invention is also directed towards an integrated horseshoe stud insertion and removal apparatus. The apparatus includes a stud storage apparatus; a first tool; and a second tool. The second tool is adaptable to mate with the first tool are adaptable for storage within the stud storage apparatus. The tools are mated inside the storage apparatus and an arrangement of bevels, or shoulders, on the tools and within the stud storage apparatus securely hold the mated tools within the storage apparatus. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention a horseshoe stud storage device is provided. The device includes a hollow cylindrical tube having a plurality of pre-tapped holes disposed on an outer surface of the hollow cylindrical tube; a first beveled shoulder disposed on an interior end of the hollow cylindrical tube; and a second beveled shoulder disposed on an the other interior end of the hollow cylindrical tube. The device also includes a first tool having a beveled shoulder mateable with the beveled shoulder disposed on an interior end of the hollow cylindrical tube. The device also includes a second tool, mateable with the first tool, and having a beveled shoulder mateable with the beveled shoulder disposed on the other interior end of the hollow cylindrical tube. 
     The invention is also directed towards a horseshoe stud kit having a substantially cylindrical first tool, a substantially cylindrical second tool, and a hollow stud storage cylinder. The first tool includes a pick disposed towards one end of the cylindrical first tool. The first tool also includes a first wrench disposed towards the other end of the cylindrical first tool. The second tool includes a tap disposed towards one end of the cylindrical second tool. The second tool also includes a second wrench disposed towards the other end of the cylindrical second tool. The hollow stud storage cylinder includes a plurality of holes disposed on the outer surface of the hollow stud storage cylinder for storing horseshoe studs. The holes may be tapped, self tapping, or adaptable to receive threaded inserts. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an offset vertical pictorial illustration of a stud storage cylinder showing a portion of the beveled interior shoulder in accordance with the invention shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 2  is horizontal pictorial illustration of the storage cylinder in accordance with the invention shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a pictorial illustration of the tool set in accordance with the invention shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a pictorial view of the tool set that illustrates the integrated relationship of the tool set shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a pictorial representation of the disassembled stud removal and insertion apparatus in accordance with the invention shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a pictorial representation of an exterior view of an assembled stud removal and insertion apparatus in accordance with the invention shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a pictorial representation showing a portion of the beveled interior shoulder of an assembled stud removal and insertion apparatus in accordance with the invention shown in  FIG. 8 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a pictorial representation illustrating the beveled interior shoulders of an assembled stud removal and insertion apparatus mating with the beveled tool set shoulders in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an offset vertical pictorial illustration of a stud storage cylinder  10  showing a portion of a beveled interior shoulder  10 S in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The stud storage cylinder  10  may be any suitable synthetic material, such as a plastic. In addition the stud storage cylinder  10  may be any suitable outside diameter and any suitable inside diameter sized to accommodate stud holes  14  tapped to hold various stud sizes and shapes (See  FIG. 8 ). 
     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a portion of the beveled interior shoulder  10 S. It will be appreciated that the beveled interior shoulder  10 S mates with a beveled tool shoulder (See  FIG. 5 ) to prevent the tool(s) from sliding through the cylinder when tools are stored. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 2  there is shown a horizontal pictorial illustration of the stud storage cylinder  10  in accordance with the invention shown in  FIG. 8 . As noted earlier storage cylinder  10  may be any suitable material and thickness sized to accommodate stud holes  14  tapped to hold various stud sizes and shapes (See  FIG. 8 ). In addition, storage cylinder  10  may be any suitable material and thickness sized to accommodate self-tapping  21 , or non-self-tapping  22 , threaded inserts. It will also be understood that stud holes  14  may be suitably sized to hold studs by exerting a suitable inward pressure, or compression, on stud screw when the screw is inserted into storage cylinder  10 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 3  there is shown a pictorial illustration of the assembled multi-function tool set  30  in accordance with the invention shown in  FIG. 8 . Tool set  30  includes wrench/pick tool  32  with beveled shoulder  32 S and wrench/tap cleaner tool  34  with beveled shoulder  34 S. Wrench/pick tool  32  includes pre-sized four-sided spanner or flat wrench fitting  321  and handle  322 . It will be appreciated that flat wrench fitting  321  is suitably sized to fit four-sided studs. It will also be appreciated that handle  322  may be knurled for improved gripping. Wrench/pick tool  32  also includes pick  324  for cleaning mud, cotton packing, and other debris or hole plugs from the horseshoe. It will be understood that pick  324  may by any suitable pick including a pick/brush combination wherein the pick is substantially encircled along its length by a brush. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 3 , wrench/tap cleaner tool  34  includes hollow cleaning tap  344  for cleaning tapped horseshoe stud holes and receiving pick  324 . Wrench/tap cleaner also includes pre-sized six-sided flat wrench fitting  341  and handle  342 . It will be appreciated that flat wrench fitting  341  is suitably sized to fit six-sided studs. It will also be appreciated that handle  342  may be knurled for improved gripping. 
     It will be understood that wrench/pick tool  32  is pre-tapped to match hollow cleaning tap  342  threads allowing wrench/tap cleaner tool  34  and Wrench/pick tool  32  to be fastened together as shown in  FIG. 4   
     Referring also to  FIG. 5  there is shown a pictorial representation of the disassembled stud removal and insertion apparatus in accordance with the invention shown in  FIG. 8 . The apparatus includes stud storage cylinder  10 , wrench/pick tool  32 , and wrench/tap cleaner tool  34 . Also shown are various multi-sided sized studs in their stored positions. It will be understood that the arrangement of the studs in their stored position is arbitrary and may be any suitable arrangement. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  there is shown a pictorial representation of an exterior view of an assembled stud removal and insertion apparatus  60  in accordance with the invention shown in  FIG. 8 . Assembled stud removal and insertion apparatus  60  includes stud storage cylinder  10 , wrench/pick tool  32 , and wrench/tap cleaner tool  34 . Also shown are various multi-sided sized studs in their stored positions. It will be appreciated that in the assembled position in  FIG. 6 , wrench/pick tool  32  is not visible from a side view. Also, it will be understood that the wrench fitting  341  protrudes from the stud storage cylinder  10  to provide an attachment connection for carrying the assembled stud removal and insertion apparatus  60  by, for example, key chains, belt clips, and C-clips. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 6 , it will be understood that the storage positions of wrench/pick tool  32 , and wrench/tap cleaner tool  34  may be reversed such that the wrench fitting  321  protrudes from the stud storage cylinder  10  to provide an attachment connection for carrying the assembled stud removal and insertion apparatus  60 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 8  there is shown a pictorial representation illustrating the beveled interior stud storage cylinder shoulders  10 S,  10 S 1  of an assembled stud removal and insertion apparatus mating with the beveled tool set shoulders  32 S,  34 S in accordance with the invention. It will be understood that wrench/pick tool  32 , and wrench/tap cleaner tool  34  are inserted into the ends of the stud storage cylinder  10  and assembled or fastened together inside the stud storage cylinder  10 . It will be appreciated that the beveled shoulders  10 S and  10 S 1  prevent the assembled tool set  30  from sliding through the stud storage cylinder  10 . 
     It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Thus, various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention.