IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HORSE SHOES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Sheather, of York Terrace, Regent's Park, in the
County of Middlesex, Veterinary Surgeon, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HORSE SHOES."
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Sheather at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th July 1879.
CHARLES SHEATHER, of York Terrace, Regent's Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Veterinary Surgeon.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
HORSE SHOES."
"
The object of this Invention is to prevent horses cutting, "brushing," or inter-
fering with the inner sides of the hinder limbs or fore limbs (with the exception of
'speedy cutting" or cutting in close proximity to the knee joint in the fore limbs)
by reason of the limb (the foot of which is on the ground) standing in the way of
the advancing foot.
To remedy this inconvenience I construct the shoes of a peculiar shape.
The shoe commences at the toe, and proceeds round the outside portion of the
ground surface of the foot (where it is attached in the ordinary way by nails) to
the heel of the outside portion of the hoof. It then crosses the "frog," thickening
as it crosses the median line of the foot, and terminates in a projection about twice
the thickness of the rest of the shoe, but from this there may, if desired, be a small
portion proceeding forwards under the inside heel of the foot containing nail holes,
for the better security of the shoe should the foot and action of the horse need it.
The effect of this projection of iron under the inner portion of the hinder part of
the hoof is to provide an inclined bearing in an outward direction for the horse's
hoof.
By removing the portion of shoe from the toe to the inside quarter of the foot I
get rid of the hard substance of the shoe on the inner part of the foot just at the
part where the shoe causes injury to the adjacent limb, and I thus provide for the
hoof itself in that part being rasped away sufficiently to prevent its striking
the opposite limb.
By giving the foot an inclined bearing outwards on the shoe by means of a pro-
jection under the inner half of the heel I cause the inner side of the limb to which
that hoof belongs to stand out of the way of the advancing foot, tilting it outwards,
and thus ensuring a clear action for each or one hind limb, as may be necessary,
according to the action of the horse.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Sheather in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
January 1880.
CHARLES SHEATHER, of York Terrace, Regent's Park, in the County of
-Middlesex, Veterinary Surgeon. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
HORSE SHOES."
"
The object of this Invention is to prevent horses cutting, "brushing," or inter-
fering with the inner sides of the hinder limbs or forelimbs (with the exception of
speedy cutting" or cutting in close proximity to the knee joint in the forelimb)
due to the limb (the foot of which is on the ground) standing in the way of the
"advancing foot,
To remedy this inconvenience I construct the shoes of a peculiar shape.
The shoe cominences at the toe, and proceeds round the outside portion of the
ground surface of the foot (where it is attached in the ordinary way by nails) to
the heel of the outside portion of the hoof. It then crosses the "frog," thickening
as it crosses the medium line of the foot, and terminates in a projection about twice
the thickness of the rest of the shoe, but from this there may, if desired, be a small
portion proceeding forwards under the inside heel of the foot containing nail holes
for the better security of the shoe should the foot and action of the horse need it.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn the mode of carrying out my Inven-
tion as applied to the near hind boof of a horse, certain variations in the form of
the shoe being indicated to adapt it to horses of different gait. Fig. 1 shews
in inverted plan view, Fig. 1a in side view, and Fig. 1b in back view one form of
'my improved shoe as applied to a hind near hoof, such shoe being adapted for
cases where cutting is effected by the toe portion of the common shoe.
The Drawing shews three modifications of this form of shoe, but in all the same
principle of construction is embodied. Besides these other modifications will
suggest themselves to the experienced farrier, as horses' gaits vary greatly, and
necessitate slight alterations in the form of shoes employed.
In manufacturing my improved shoe a piece of iron of the required length is cut
off from a bar of the requisite stoutness, and heated and curved to the shape of the
hoof, for which it is intended, beginning at the inside toe (marked a), and following
the outline of the hoof round its outer side to the heel (marked b). It is then
made to cross the back part of the foot, under the bulbs of the frog, as at c, c.
Towards the inside heel of the wall of the foot the iron is narrowed and heightened
into a shoulder d this is situated under the inside heel of the wall of the foot, and
it may, if desired, be hardened by the welding in or upon it of a piece of steel.
The shoulder d is by-hammering,-cutting, and filing (if necessary) shaped into
somewhat of a parallelopiped shape with the object of elevating the inside heel
higher from the ground than the outside, and thus causing the fetlock of the same
limb to be moved outwards from a perpendicular line of the body let fall
between the legs. A portion of the iron is now turned forwards to go under the
inside heel and portion of the quarter of the wall of the foot e. A piece of steel
may also, if desired, be welded into the toe of the shoe at f. Nail holes are now
punched with a farrier's stamp for as many nails as can conveniently be got in from
the toe of the hoof to the outside heel of it without inordinately injuring its struc-
ture, and one or more holes may be stamped in the portion extending forwards
from the shoulder d to the quarter of wall of foot e.
These holes are subsequently
perforated by a farrier's pritchel. Clips g, g, are also drawn in the usual way, and
the shoe, while warm, is fitted to the foot and secured by nailing.
Figures 2, 2, 2b, shew a modification of the shoe just described, there being no
extension of the shoe beyond the shoulder d, the shoulder in this case being formed

page_text: by turning down the extremity of the shoe as when making the ordinary cog or
calkin of hind shoes.
This variation in the form of shoe will be found necessary for horses which cut
with that part situate near the heel of the foot.
Fig. 3 and 3 shew a modification of the shoe represented at Fig. 1, and
Figures 4 and 48 shew a modification of the shoe illustrated at Fig. 2.
In these examples a substitute is provided for the shoulder or calkin d in the
screw head. The shoe is made of a uniform breadth, and at the heel extremity in
the one case, Fig. 4, or somewhat short of that extremity as at Fig. 3, a hole is
tapped in the shoe to receive the thread of a screw d, which admits of being
removed and replaced by another screw when worn or broken. The head of this
screw may be of square, wedge, or pyramidal shape, and it may be made of cast
steel or case hardened iron.
From the foregoing it will be understood that the principle on which the Inven-
tion is based is the removal of iron from that part of the hoof by which the
striking is effected, and the elevation of the inner half of the foot to throw the
fetlock out of the vertical plane of motion of the advancing hoof.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of Horse Shoes," and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim,―
The construction and use of horse shoes as above described, whereby the hoof
will receive an inclined bearing outwards, and there will be an absence of metal at
the part of the hoof to which a tendency to strike is given.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Sheather, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
CHARLES SHEATHER. (LS.)