IMPROVED DEVICES FOR SHOEING OR PROTECTING THE FEET OF HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS.
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Offord, of 79, Wells Street, 67, George Street,
and 92, Gloucester Road, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of
IMPROVED DEVICES FOR SHOEING OR PROTECTING THE FEET OF HORSES
AND OTHER ANIMALS.".
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Offord at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th January 1881.
Joseph Offord, of 79, Wells Street, 67, George Street, and 92, Gloucester
Road, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVED DEVICES FOR SHOEING OR
PROTECTING THE FEET OF HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS,”
My Invention relates to improved devices for shoeing or protecting the feet of
horses or other animals.
I provide a device forming an clastic pad or tread which will obviate the violent
concussions to which an animal, shod in the usual manner, is subjected when his
feet come in contact with the roadway; this pad will also prevent the slipping of
the animal upon roads rendered slippery by frost, or otherwise, as it affords means
for obtaining a secure foothold whatever may be the condition of the road. This
device is constructed as follows, that is to say:-I provide a plate of metal which
may be about one eighth of an inch thick, more or less. The outer edges of the said
plate at the front and sides are rounded or curved to the same shape as the
corresponding edges of the ordinary shoe, and the plate is so formed that it may
cover not only the shoe itself, but also the whole, or more or less, of that portion
of the foot or frog ordinarily exposed within the inner edges of the shoe, and when
the said plate is applied the whole or any portion of the sole of the animal's foot
may be protected against balling by or injury from stones, or otherwise. The
outer face of the said plate, that is to say, the face designed to be in contact with
the road when the device is in use, is covered or partly covered with india-rubber,
or india-rubber composition or similar clastic material, which is preferably applied
to the plate by being cemented or caused to adhere thereto by any suitable means,
which will secure firm adhesion without the aid of screws or other fastening
devices. If preferred however, the india-rubber or other elastic material may be

page_text: secured to the plate by metal fastenings. A convenient thickness for the india-rubber
will be from three eighths to five eighths of an inch. A suitable number of holes are
provided in the plate to receive screws for attaching the plate to the shoe. There
inay be any desirable number of such holes and screws, but I prefer, in addition to
others, to place three or four closely together at the front part of the plate, for the
reason that there is a considerable amount of wear at this point, and the heads of
these screws so arranged will serve to protect the india rubber. The heads are
preferably square and roughened on the outer surface. Holes corresponding to
those in the plate are provided in the horse shoe, and the plato and shoe are
securely fastened together by means of the screws passing through the plate into
the shoe, the heads (when the screws are screwed to their full extent) projecting
slightly from the shoe, but not so far as the outer surface of india rubber. The
screw heads so arranged will take up some of the wear to which the india rubber
would otherwise be wholly subjected. When the plate is entirely covered with
india-rubber, or the like, the screws will pass through the same, suitable apertures
being provided therefor, but when the india-rubber extends only over a portion of
the plate the screws will be outside the edge of the india-rubber.
These india-rubber covered plates may be made in all sizes to suit shoes of
different dimensions, and although I have described the said plates as made for and
applied to ordinary horse shoes, it is obvious that they are equally applicable in
connection with any device which may be used instead of a horse-shoe, the only
modifications required being such as will be necessary to adapt the said plate to the
device whatever it may be...
I also provide a novel device to take the place of an ordinary horse shoe, but
which may be attached to the hoof without the aid of nails, and thus I am enabled
to avoid the many dangers arising from the use of nails. This device is constructed
as follows, that is to say :-I provide a band of metal designed to pass around the
hoof, one end of the band overlapping the other end at the rear or on one side of
the hoof, and being provided with rivets, screws, or other suitable means for
fastening the band, upon the hoof. The said band is formed with a flange bent
under at right angles thereto, and in such a manner that it will pass beneath the
boof and occupy the position of an ordinary shoe. A hinge is provided at the
centre of the front part of the flange, and there may also be a hinge in the upper
part of the band, these hinges being designed to provide for sufficient expansion
in fixing and removing the band. A convenient depth for the band will be about
one inch and a quarter, and it may, if desired, be covered or combined with leather
or elastic material of any kind. This device may be used, either with or witliout
the plate or pad above described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Joseph Offord in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 5th August 1881.
JOSEPH OFFORD, of 79, Wells Street, 67, George Street, and 92, Gloucester
Road, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVED DEVICES FOR SHOEING OR
PROTECTING THE FEET OF HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS."
My Invention relates to improved devices for shoeing or protecting the feet of
horses and other animals. According to the said Invention I provide an elastic pad
or "tread" which is secured to the animal's hoof, as hereinafter described, in such
a manner as to obviate the violent concussions to which an animal shod in the
usual manner is subjected when its feet come in contact with the ground or
roadway; this pad or "tread" will also prevent the slipping of the animal upon,
roads rendered slippery by frost or otherwise, as it affords means for obtaining a
secure foot hold, whatever the condition of the road may be.
Figures 5 and 6 are vertical sections on the lines x, x, and y,y, Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a plan or top view, and
Figure 8, a side elevation of my improved shoe as constructed to be secured to a
horse's hoof without the use of nails.
Figure 9 is a vertical section of the said shoe on the line z, z, Figure 7.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
In carrying that part of my Invention which is illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 into
practice, I provide a metal plate a of the ordinary horse shoe shape, which is to be
secured to the animal's hoof by nails in the usual manner. To this plate a I attach
another plate b, so formed as to cover not only the plate a but also the whole or the
greater part of the surface of the foot or frog of the animal ordinarily exposed to the
ground within the inner edges of the shoe. prefer however to form the said plate
with an opening c at its centre for a purpose hereinafter described. The outer
face of the plate b, that is to say, the face which would otherwise come in contact
with the road, is covered or partially covered with a "tread" or pad d of india
rubber, or a composition of the same or similar elastic material, which is preferably
secured to the plate b by cement, or is attached thereto by any other suitable means
that will secure the firm adhesion of the said pad d to the plate b without the aid of
screws or similar fastening devices. If preferred however the said plate or pad &
may be secured to the plate b by metal fastenings. A convenient thickness for the
elastic plate & will be from three eighths to five eighths of an inch.
To prevent undue wear of the outer edge of the pad d of elastic material I prefer
to form the plate b with the downwardly projecting rim or flange b' which surrounds
and protects the front and side edges of the said pad d, as clearly shewn in Figure 2
of the Drawing.
I will now proceed to describe the means I prefer to adopt for securing or
attaching the plate b to the plate or shoe proper a. For this purpose I form on the
upper edge and at the front end of the plate b a toe-clip 62, provided with a recess f
(preferably rectangular in form) into which the front portion a' of the shoe a fits,
as shewn in Figure 6, so that the shoulders a2 embrace the said clip b² at its sides,

page_text: as shewn in Figure 1. To secure the said plates a and b together at the rear and
hold the parts b², a¹, in close engagement, I provide the plate or shoe a with the
tapped holes g, into which screws h passed through corresponding countersunk
holes in the plate bare inserted. The heads of these screws when the latter are
screwed up to their full extent are flush with or project but slightly from the lower
surface of the plate b, so that they will not be below the outer surface of the india-
rubber or other elastic material d.. Instead however of the above described method
of fastening the one plate to the other, I may form a suitable number of holes in
the plate 6 to receive screws for attaching the latter to the plate or shoe a, which is
provided with holes corresponding with those in the said plate b. There may be
any desirable number of these holes and screws, and if the plate has no flange b¹
I employ in addition to others three or four screws close together at the front part
of the plate b, for the reason that there is considerable wear at this point, and the
heads of these screws so arranged will serve to protect the india-rubber. The heads
of these screws are preferably square and roughened, and when screwed tightly up
or into their holes they project slightly from the plate b, but not so far as the
outer surface of the india-rubber or other pad. The screw heads so arranged will
relieve this pad of some of the wear to which it would otherwise be subjected.
When the plate b is entirely covered with india-rubber or the like the screws
will pass through the latter, suitable apertures being provided therefor, but when
the india-rubber extends over a portion only of the plate b the said screws will be
outside the edge of the india-rubber.
To increase the foothold of the animal shod with my improved india-rubber-
covered plates, and consequently prevent slipping, I in some cases form the elastic
pad d of increased thickness at its centre, as shewn at d¹, so that this portion will
come in contact with the road prior to the contact of the metal rim b¹ therewith.
When however the foot of the animal is brought fully down upon the road, this
thick portion d' will be forced upward, and will enter the aperture c in the plate b
provided for this purpose, as shewn in dotted lines in Figures
and 6.
In some cases I may dispense with the plate a, and secure the plate b covered
with india-rubber as above described directly to the animal's hoof, by nails passing
through holes formed in the rim or flange 6 of the said plate.
My improved india-rubber covered or padded plates may be made in all sizes to
suit shoes of different dimensions, and when properly applied will protect the soles
of the animal's feet against balling by snow, or injury from stones or otherwise.
I will now proceed to describe the device shewn in Figures 7 to 9 of the
Drawing for securing a plate covered with india-rubber, as above described, to an
animal's hoof without the aid of nails. For this purpose I employ two bands or
pieces i preferably of openwork metal designed to embrace the lower portion of the
hoof. These pieces are pivotted or hinged to each other at the toe or front end by
a screw pin or pivot j, upon which the said pieces may be turned to permit the
same to be readily placed upon or removed from the animal's hoof. The said pieces i
are provided with a flange i¹, which is adapted to extend beneath the hoof and
occupy the position of an ordinary shoe thereon. To permit the india-rubber-
covered plate 6 to be readily secured to or removed from the said pieces. ȧ, I
provide the said plate with dovetail projections 6*, adapted to enter correspondingly
shaped recesses or grooves in the flanges of the pieces when they are closed upon
the animal's hoof, and to clamp and hold the said pieces upon the latter, and effect
a connection of the plate b with such pieces at the rear of the hoof, I employ
screws h similar to those herein before described, which screws enter the flanges .
If desired the pieces i may be covered or combined with leather or elastic
material of any suitable kind, and in some cases may be used without the afore-
said india-rubber covered plate.
Although in the above description and Drawing I have described and shewn the
india-rubber covered plates as made for and applied to ordinary horse shoes, it is
obvious that they are equally applicable in connection with any device which may
be used instead of an ordinary horse-shoc, the only modification required being that

page_text: which is necessary to adapt the said plate to the particular device with which it is
to be used.
"
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. A shoe or plate adapted to be secured to the hoof of a horse or other
animal, and provided with a flexible or elastic pad or piece, substantially as above
set forth, and for the purposes specified.
Second. The combination with a plate covered with india-rubber or other suitable
flexible or elastic material of the hinged pieces i, substantially as above set forth
and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Offord, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
JOSEPH OFFORD. (L.S.)