Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1887
Specification Accepted, 30th Sept., 1887
We, JOHN ERNEST BINGHAM, of Walla Walla, Washington Territory, United
States of America, Surgeon, and EDWARD WINGARD BINGHAM, of Portland, in the
State of Oregon, and United States of America, Attorney at Law, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the manufacture of horse-shoes in interchangeable
sections consisting of toe-sections and side-sections of various curves and dimen-
sions, any three of which may be combined and secured upon the hoof of a horse,
so that, by a suitable selection of pieces of the proper size and shape, the hoof
may be shod with cold irons conforming accurately thereto, without re-heating or
shaping the irons or cutting the hoof to fit them, whilst, by the use of said irons, the
foot and hoof of the horse are allowed freedom of movement without being un-
naturally bound and cramped and may, after being shod, grow and expand in all
directions in a free and natural manner.
Our present invention does not consist broadly in the manufacture or the use
of these sectional shoes, as such have heretofore been constructed and may be
found described in Her Majesty's Letters Patent No. 9681 and 9682, of 1886, but
it consists specially in a peculiar and novel form of joint by which the several
sections required to shoe a hoof are to be united thereon; and in the combination
with the side-sections of the shoe of a series of plates each formed with a pin adapted
to fit in a perforation in the ends of said side-sections and with a lug projecting
parallel with the pivot from the opposite side of the plate at its outer end, the interval
between the lug and pin being different in each plate, whereby a selection may be
made from the series to permit the lug to be adjusted in the recess between the bar of
the hoof and the frog in any form of foot when the pivot has entered the perforation
in the plate, so that the lug may, by a close engagement with the bar, support the side-
section of the shoe against any outward lateral thrust or strain, as hereinafter more
fully described.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the sectional horse-shoe with its several sections fitted
together with our improved joint and provided with the improved interchangeable
har-lugs

page_text: Figure 2 is a similar Aiew of the same shoe with its sections drawn apart and one of
the bar-lugs detached, in readiness to be joined and fitted together, in the manner
shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the upper, or hoof face of the same shoe, made up as
shown in Figure 1, and
Figure 4 a similar view of its several parts detached from each other as shown in
Figure 2, in readiness to be assembled.
Figure 5 is a transverse section in line x, x, of Figure 1 illustrating the formation
of the novel joint by which the sections are united.
Figure 6 is a view in perspective of a toe-section and Figure 7 a similar view of a
side-saction of the shoe, in position to illustrate more fully the form of the joint by
which they are to be united.
Figure 8, is a view in perspective of a horse's hoof shod with the improved toe and
side-sections.
Figure 9 is a transverse section in line y, y, of Figure 8, illustrating the application
and function of the bar-lugs attached to the side-pieces.
Figure 10 illustrates a modification in the form of the joint between the sections.
Figure 11 illustrates a modification in the form of the sections of the shoe.
Figure 12 illustrates a series of the bar-lug plates adapted to be united to any one
of the heel sections to permit a selection to be made therefrom of one adapted to the
peculiarity of the foot to be shod.
Similar letters indicate like parts in all of the Figures.
A represents a toe-section and B, B, represent the side-sections of our improved
horse-shoe formed in three sections.
All the various forms and sizes of toe-sections and of side-sections, from which a
selection is to be made to obtain the three parts which, when assembled and joined
together upon the horse's hoof, shall conform thereto and fit the same, are, by means
of interchangeable joints, made to unite properly so as to form a complete shoe when
assembled and secured upon the hoof.
These joints are obtained by forming tenon like projections or tongues c and d at
the inner ends of the side sections B, B, the one projection c, constituting an exten-
sion of the outer edge of the outer or ground face of the section, and the other projec-
tion d, an extension of the inner edge of the inner or hoof face thereof, as clearly
shown in Figures 2, 4 and 7.
These two terminal tenons, projecting respectively from opposite faces and sides of
the inner end of each side-section of the shoe, are adapted to fit into and interlock
with, two counterpart recesses f, and g, formed in the ends of the toe-section A, the
one recess, being cut out in the outer or ground face and at the outer side of the end
of the toe-section, and the other recess 9 being cut out in the inner or hoof face and at
the inner side of the same end of the toe-section, as shown in Figure 6. Preferably a
septum or transverse partition m, see Figure 6, is left between the two recesses fand g
at a right angle with the face of the toe-section A, as shown in Figure 6, a
corresponding slot n being formed to receive it between the projections c and d at the
ends of the side-sections (see Figure 4.).
It is evident that this septum m will tend to strengthen the joint, yet it may be
omitted without departing materially from our invention.
As a modification, the septum m² may be made to extend only part way between
the recesses, and g in the toe-section, the counterpart slot n' in the opposite end of
the side-section being correspondingly shortened, so as to leave a corresponding
septum in that section, as illustrated in Figure 10, and the septum and the slot or
recess to receive it, may be made irregular in form instead of rectangular, it being
simply required that the one shall be the counterpart of the other in fashion to admit
of being brought together end wise.
The tongues or tenons c and d may be cut away on their proximate sides, as
indicated by the dotted lines in Figures 2 and 4, to any extent necessary to
permit the desired freedom of movement at the heel ends of the side-sections.
In connecting the several sections by means of this improved joint, the tongue c

page_text: formed on the ground surface of each side-section, is made to overlap the counterpart
tongue h on the toc-section, and in a similar but reversed manner the tongue d formed
on the hoof surface of each side-section slips underneath the counterpart tongue i of
the toe-section, whilst the septum m, which connects the parts hand i, in the too-
section, fits into the slot n which separates the tongue c, and d, in the side-section.
To yet further strengthen the joint in large shoes made with heel calks for heavy
draft horses and overcome any tendency to a separation of the sections by a longi-
tudinal strain thereon resulting from the use of the calks, we contemplate formning a
pin to project from the tongue of the toe-section to enter a counterpart aperture in the
underlying tongue of the heel section.
This pin may be upset and rivetted when the appropriate sections for the shoe have
been selected and joined in readiness to be applied to the foot, and a loose pin or rivet
may thus be employed in lieu of one formed integral with the section.
To secure the side-sections against lateral strain, we fit thereto adjustable lugs K, K,
so that they shall project upwards from the hoof surface of said sections on the inner
side and near to the heel ends thereof, in position to fit into the natural crease or
recess found in the horse's foot between the bar and heel, and the frog.
Each lug K is preferably made in one with a plate L, to project from one end
thereof at an angle of about 80 degrees, or thereabouts, so as to incline slightly out-
wardly therefrom as shown in section in Figure 9, and in Figure 12, and a pin p is
also made in one with the plate L to project centrally therefrom on the opposite side
from the lug K. The ends of each side-section of the shoe are perforated to receive
this pin and the lugs are made fast to the side-sections by passing said pin into the
perforation in the section so as to bring the lug on the hoof side of the section, as
shown in Figure 9, and then upsetting and rivetting the pin in its seat. By making
the lug-plates L of various sizes, with the lug at a greater or less distanco from the
pin, as shown in Figure 12, a selection may be made in fitting a shoe to a hoof, of a
Ing-plate and lug to fit any width of bar, so that it is not required to pare away the
bar to make a fit, and by the use of a pin as described to connect the lug to the shoe,
the lug may be adjusted to fit the inclination of the inner side of the bar as related to
that of the shoe, before it is made fast by rivetting the pin.
With the old style of horse-shoes made in one rigid piece and fastened securely to
the hoof at the front and sides thereof, as the heel of the foot expands and contracts in
action it moves and rubs upon the rigid heels of the shoe so as to produce a hurtful
irritation. An attempt to prevent this movement by nailing the rear part of the hoof
fast to the rigid shoe, produces yet worse results. The use of a sectional shoe, con-
structed as herein described, obviates these disadvantages, and permits a shoe to be
attached to the hoof not only at the front but also at the rear thereof so as to protect
it fully from wear, without any interference whatever with its natural functions and
movements.
The special advantage of our present invention is found in the fact that it protects
the nails by which the shoe is fastened to the hoof from any strain thereon which may
tend to break out or split the hoof.
We have found by practical experience, that the hoof expands the most at the heels
and along the sides at the moment the foot comes in contact with the ground, and
that immediately after the blow is delivered, and while the shoe is fastened down
between the hoof and the ground by the weight of the animal, partial retraction of the
expanded parts takes place producing a strain which tends to split off the crust of the
hoof where the nails secure the side-section to it, the crust of the hoof being thin and
the nails having but little hold to resist this outward strain. Now in our improved
shoe, herein described, the septum m or, if it is omitted, the side of the part in con-
junction with the tongues c and d, secure the forward end of the side-section against
lateral strains upon the nails either outward or inward, whilst at the heel end of each
side section the lug K resting against the inside of the heel or bar of the foot, so
supports this section that when retraction takes place as described, the lug K relieves
the nails from this strain and brings the side-section of the shoe in with the hoof.
The nails operate to securely hold each side-section against the sole of the foot and

page_text: the lug K, against the bar or heel, and the latter, cooperating with the nails, prevents
the side-section from twisting or rolling inwardly under the foot. The tongue c pro-
jecting underneath the part h, of the toe-section, assisted by the other parts of the
joint, effectually prevent the side-section from twisting or turning inwardly under the
foot, against which movement it will be seen the nails in the side-section would exert
but little resistance. The lug K, operates by its bearing against the bar to keep the
heel section upon the hoof and to prevent a lateral displacement thereof indepen-
dently of the nails, which are thereby relieved from outward lateral strain.
The sections A, B, and the lug-plates L and lugs can be most readily formed by
casting in malleable iron or steel, or by drop forging. It is also apparent that a
variety of styles of shoes may be made and the number of parts or sections con-
stituting the shoe may be increased, without departing from the principles of our
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
1. In a horse-shoe, the combination with a toe-section formed at its ends with
mortises f, g, constituted by the parts h and i and connecting septum m, of the side-
sections formed at their corresponding ends with tongues e and d, and an intervening
slot n into which the septum is received, substantially as described.
2. In a horse-shoe, the combination with a toe-section formed at its end with
mortises f and g, and tongues h and i, of the side-sections formed at their corresponding
ends with similar tongues and mortises designed to fit each other in the manner and
for the purpose herein described.
3. The combination with the heel section of a sectional horse-shoe, of a plate L
resting upon the hoof surface thereof parallel therewith; a pin p projecting froin said
plate at right-angles therewith through an aperture in the shoe to be upset and
rivetted on its outer or ground face; and a lug K projecting in the opposite direction
from the opposite end of said plate, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein set forth.
4. The combination with the heel section of a sectional horse-shoe having an aperture
pierced therein at its heel and transversely, from the ground to the hoof face, of a
series of pivottal plates each formed with a pin P adapted to fit in said perforation and
be rivetted therein and each provided with a bar-lug K projecting therefrom at a
right angle therewith from the side opposite to the pin, the interval between the lug
and pin in each plate in the series being different from all the others, substantially in
the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
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