IMPROVED GUARDS OR PROTECTIONS FOR HORSES' LEGS AND FEET UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUM- STANCES
Year: 1830

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
ROTCH, of Furnival's Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Barrister-at-Law, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His late most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twentieth day of March, in the eleventh year of His reign,
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Benjamin Rotch, His special licence, that I, the said Benjamin Rotch, my
exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Benjamin Rotch, my
exors, adññors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVED
GUARDS OR PROTECTIONS FOR HORSES' LEGS AND FEET UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUM-
STANCES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me,
the said Benjamin Rotch, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be enrolled.
in His said late Majesty's High Court of Chancery within twelve calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully.
and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Benjamin Rotch, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, to
consist in the application of caoutchouc or india-rubber, formed or shaped in
such manner as is herein-after described, to the purpose of protecting horses
legs and feet from what is usually called brushing and cutting, from injury. to
the knee in case of falling, and from injury to tender feet or to young feet in
certain cases, as also from injury to wounds of the leg in certain cases.
And in further compliance with the said proviso I, the said Benjamin Rotch,
do hereby describe the manner in which-my-said-Invention is to be performed,
by the following description thereof, reference being had to the Drawing
annexed, and the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
.
In Figure 1 A represents a caoutchouc boot on a horse's hind fetlock joint,
to protect it from being injured by what is termed brushing, and the same
boot on the fetlock joint of the fore leg, as at B, Figure 2, will equally
prevent it from being injured by what is termed cutting. At Figure 2 C
represents a knee cap of caoutchouc, which by its elasticity binding on the leg
both above and below the knee keeps it firmly to its place; and prevents
injury to those parts in case of the horse falling, while its elasticity prevents its
being any impediment to the action of the horse. E, Figure 1, is a caoutchouc
shoe stretched over the hoof by means of its elasticity, and coming up quite
into the pastern joint over the heel; this shoe will be found useful for young
colts when running in wet ground, or for horses with corns, when turned out
to grass in dry weather, and if protected at the bottom with iron or steel, as.
at D, Figure 2, might be used for breaking or training young colts. Figure 3
represents the iron cut out of a piece of sheet iron; this is rivetted with thin
but large flat-headed rivets, as shewn at Figure 4, to the bottom of the
caoutchouc shoe, and then the parts marked a, b, c, d, e, f, and g," bent upwards
to the form of the hoof, as shewn at D, Figure 2. This sheet-iron guard or
protection to the caoutchouc shoe may be further protected by a small light
steel shoe of the ordinary form rivetted to the bottom of the sheet iron, if
required. FF, Figure 1, represents-two caoutchouc rings-applied to the leg.
above and, below the hock to keep on a poultice, and these caoutchouc rings,
may be applied as bandages to protect-wounds-in various ways, their elasticity
always preserving a sufficient tightness to the bandage without impeding the
necessary circulation..
It is now necessary so describe the manner in which these various caoutchouc.

page_text: protections are formed or shaped for the purposes aforesaid, which is as
follows:-I procure bottles of indian-rubber as usually sold in the trade, taking
care to choose the largest that can be procured of an even thickness, and
having steeped them in hot water just under the boiling point for about five
or ten minutes, I stretch them on moulds to the shape I require for the
purposes aforesaid, and then let them cool, when they will preserve the shape
required. The moulds may be of wood or metal, but I prefer wood. Thus, for
instance, to make a boot for the fore or hind fetlock or a knee cap, I cut off
the neck of the india-rubber bottle, and then cut a hole in the bottom similar
to that left by the removal of the neck, it may then be stretched on a wooden
mould of the shape of a fetlock or part of the leg including the knee of the
size required. In order to make a shoe I merely cut off the neck of the
bottle and stretch the remainder on to the mould made of the shape of
the horse's foot on which it is to be used, as shown at Figure 5. The rings
for bandages are merely made by cutting off the top and bottom of the bottle,
leaving the part between of the breadth required for the bandage. The only
observation required as to their application to the animal is, that the elasticity
of the caoutchouc or indian-rubber will admit of the boots, knee caps, and
rings being all passed over the foot, and of the shoe being drawn on to its
place notwithstanding its contraction at the fetlock, and I prefer their being
applied in that way; but it is evident that straps and buckles may be used in
some cases with advantage, when, of course, the article would be cut open
at the most convenient place to suit the particular occasion, and the straps
and buckles sowed on to the parts, care being taken to set and sow them
tolerably far back from the edge, or they would be very apt to tear out from
so soft and yielding a substance as caoutchouc or indian-rubber. In cold
weather the material is apt to get hard and stiff, thereby losing its elasticity,
in which case it should be slightly warmed by dipping it in warm water before
it is applied to use.
Now, whereas I claim as my Invention the manufacture of the articles
herein-before named of caoutchouc or indian-rubber, for the purpose of pro-
tecting horses' feet and legs in such and the like cases as are herein-before
mentioned, and such my Invention being to the best of my knowledge and
belief entirely new and never before used in that part of His said lato
Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, His
said Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I do hereby
declare this to be my Specification of the same; and that I do verily believe
this my said Specification doth comply in all respects fully and without.

page_text: reserve or disguise with the proviso in the said herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent contained, wherefore I hereby claim to maintain exclusive right
and privilege to my said Specification.
In witness whereof; I, the said Benjamin Rötch, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-one.
BENJN (LS.) ROTCH.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Third day of March, in the
year of our Lord 1831, the aforesaid Benjamin Rotch came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore- 1
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was, stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-one.
1

page_text: In the Matter of a Patent granted to Benjamin Rotch, of Lowlands,
near Harrow, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, for his Inven-
tion of "IMPROVED GUARDS OR PROTECTIONS FOR HORSES' LEGS AND FEET
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES," bearing date at Westminster, the
Twentieth day of March, One thousand eight hundred and thirty.
DISCLAIMERS AND MEMORANDUMS OF ALTERATIONS entered by
the said Benjamin Rotch, with the Clerk of the Patents of England,
pursuant to an Act passed in the fifth and sixth years of His present
Majesty's reign entitled "An Act to amend the Law touching Letters
Patent for Inventions."
I, the said BENJAMIN ROTCH, do hereby declare that since the enrollment
of the Specification of the said Patent, I have discovered many practical diffi-
culties in the way of applying caoutchouc or india-rubber generally to the
protection of horses' feet, and the overcoming of those difficulties is attended
with much expense; and I do hereby also further declare that I have further
discovered, since the inrolment of the said Specification, that surgical bandages
made of caoutchouc or indian-rubber have been applied by surgeons and others
to the human frame, wherefore I fear that the rings for bandages which I
have described in the said Specification as applied to protect wounds on
horses' legs from injury in certain cases, may not be considered a new Inven-
tion, though I am not aware of their having been used prior to the date of my
said Patent; and for these several reasons aforesaid, I, the said Benjamin
Rotch, do hereby disclaim all such parts of my said Specification as relate
to the application of caoutchouc or indian-rubber to horses' feet or to
the application of the same material for elastic rings for keeping other
bandages over wounds on horses' legs, (that is to say,) I hereby disclaim
the following words of my said Specification, for which reason I also
make such alterations in the context as are thereby rendered necessary,
namely, in that part of the Specification describing the nature of my said
Invention, I disclaim the words "and feet" and introduce the word "and".
between the word "cutting" and the word "from;" and further, in the same
part of the said Specification, I disclaim the words "and from injury to tender
eet or to young feet in certain cases, as also from injury to wounds of the leg
in certain cases;" and further on in the said Specification, where the Drawing

page_text: 66
66
66
"
"
is described, I disclaim the words "E, Figure 1, is a caoutchouc shoe stretchied
"over the hoof by means of its elasticity, and coming up quite into the pastern
joint over the heel; this shoe will be found useful for young colts when run-
ning in wet ground, or for horses with corns when turned out to grass in dry
"weather, and if protected at the bottom with iron or steel as at D, Figure 2,
"might be used for breaking or training young colts: Figure 3 represents the
iron cut out of a piece of sheet iron; this is rivetted with thin but large flat-
"headed rivets as shewn at Figure 4, to the bottom of the. caoutchouc shoe,
"and then the parts marked a, b, c, d, e, f, and g bent upwards to the form of
the hoof, as shown at D, Figure 2. This sheet-iron guard or protection to the
caoutchouc shoe may be further protected by a small light steel shoe of the
ordinary form rivetted to the bottom of the sheet iron if required. F, F;
Figure 1, represent two caoutchouc rings applied to the leg, above and below.
* the hock to keep on a poultice, and these caoutchouc rings may be applied as
bandages to protect wounds in various ways, their elasticity always preserving
a sufficient tightness to the bandage without impeding the necessary circu-
"lation." And further on in the same part of the said Specification, I disclaim
the words "In order to make a shoe I merely cut off the neck of the bottle,
is and stretch the remainder on to the mould made of the shape of the horse's
"feet on which it is-to-be-used, as shewn at Figure 5. The rings for bandages
are merely made by cutting off the top and bottom of the bottle, leaving the
part between of the breadth required for the bandage." And further on in the
said Specification, where I describe the mode of applying the Invention to
the animal; I disclaim the words "and rings," and introduce the word "and"
between the word "boots" and the word "knee.". And further on in the
same part of the said Specification, I disclaim the words "and of the shoe
being drawn on to its place notwithstanding its contraction of the fetlock.
And further on in the said Specification, (that is to say,) in the claiming
clause of the same, I disclaim the words "feet and." And further, I, the said
Benjamin Rotch, do hereby make the following disclaimer of part of the title
of iny said Invention, and for this reason, namely, in order to make the same
consistent with what my said Specification will describe my said Invention to
be, when such Disclaimers and Alterations as aforesaid shall have been entered
as aforesaid; (that is to say,) I disclaim the words "and feet in the said.title.
દ
66
1.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth
day of November, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.

page_text: To the Clerk of the Patents of England.
This is to certify that Benjamin Rotch, of Lowlands, in the County of
Middlesex, Esquire, has applied to me for leave to enter with you the above-
written Disclaimers and Memorandums of Alteration of part of the title, and
of the Specification of a certain Invention, for which Letters Patent were duly
granted to him under the Great Seal dated the Twentieth day of March One
thousand eight hundred and thirty, and the Specification of which was enrolled
on the Eighteenth day of March, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-one,
and in consequence of the said application, I directed him to advertize his
said Disclaimers and Alterations in the London Gazette, and in the Times and
Morning Chronicle newspapers; and such advertizements have been duly
made in the said Gazette and Morning Chronicle on the Eleventh day of this
instant month of December, and in the Times on the Twelfth day of this
same month of December; and no objection having been made to the said
application, I have accordingly granted leave to the said Benjamin Rotch, to
file his said Disclaimers and Memorandums of Alteration, pursuant to the
Statute passed in the sixth year of the reign of His present Majesty, entitled
An Act to amend the Law touching Letters Patent for Inventions.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-second day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1835, the aforesaid Benjamin Rotch came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Disclaimer
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Disclaimer aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.