IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE-SHOES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hicks Withers, of Dundalk, Ireland, Veterinary
Surgeon in Her Majesty's Royal Artillery, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE-SHOES."
Sealed the 6th August 1861, and dated the 9th February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hicks Withers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
February 1861.
I, HICKS WITHERS, of Dundalk, Ireland, Veterinary Surgeon in Her
Majesty's Royal Artillery, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE-SHOES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of horse-shoes in such a
manner that they will allow of the expansion of the hoof as it grows without
the necessity of taking the shoe off for paring the hoof. I propose forming
such shoes in two separate parts, divided at the toe, either cut in a straight
line across, or curved inwards from the point of the toe, in which latter case.
it is obvious that an ordinary sized shoe will fit many different sized and
shaped hoofs.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Hicks Withers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HICKS
WITHERS, of Dundalk, Ireland, Veterinary Surgeon in Her Majesty's Royal
Artillery, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Hicks Withers, Her special licence that I, the said Hicks
Withers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such other as I, the
said Hicks Withers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN HORSE-SHOES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Hicks
Withers, my executors, or administrators, by an instrument in writing, under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Hicks Withers, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of horse-shoes in such a manner
that they will allow of the expansion of the foot of the horse during motion,
and also tend to preserve the foot in its natural shape and thereby prevent in
a great measure its disease and contraction.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, as follows, viz. I form horse-shoes and having
fitted them to the feet, I turn down four clips, two at the toe and two at the
sides. The nail holes at the toe, one on each side of the toe clip, are counter-
sunk, and the bevelling I do not continue all round the sole surface, but

page_text: leave the toe portion flat. I then divide the shoe on the inner or outer
side of the toe somewhat in the form of an inverted V, the upper division
however being half-moon shaped. The heels are gradually narrowed in the
web and shortened.
This Invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying
Sheet of illustrative Drawings, where Fig. 1 is a plan view of the ground
surface of a near fore shoe, divided at the inner side of the toe in a V shape,
the upper division being slightly curved and shewing countersunk nail holes
b, b, at the toe, one on each side of the toe clip. c, c, shew the heels
shortened and narrowed in the web, and Fig. 2 represents a plan of the sole
surface of an off forc shoe shewing the bevelling a, a, carried nearly to the
toe, and b, b, b, b, the clips which give additional strength and firmness to the
shoe.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention for "Improvements
in Horse Shoes," and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I
would remark in conclusion that what I claim as my Invention, intended to
be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent, is the
manufacture of horse shoes in the manner herein described and shewn in
the accompanying Sheet of illustrative Drawings for the purpose herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hicks Withers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
5 Witness,
JAMES ALEX. DIXON,
3rd Dragoons.
HICKS WITHERS. (L.S.)