IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE-SHOES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Stokes Williams, of Riverton, New Jersey, United
States of America, now of 8, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE-SHOES."
Sealed the 9th April 1878, and dated the 11th October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Stokes Williams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1877.
JOSEPH STOKES WILLIAMS, of Riverton, New Jersey, United States of America,
now of 8, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE-SHOES."
My Invention relates to improvements in horse-shoes, and is designed to furnish
horse-shoes which will give greater ease and freedom to the animal's feet than here-
tofore, and will be more durable when put on, and which shoes may have all
their parts made by machinery, and may be made of either iron or steel. And
one very important feature of my Invention is that the several parts thereof,
herein-after specified, may be formed by moulding and casting, so that the costly
process of forging is entirely avoided.
The said Invention comprises the combination of a metal plate, which is nailed
upon the hoof with another plate or piece, which forms the shoe proper, and which
is herein-after termed the shoe, and with a ring or disc, which unites the saidshoe
to the plate in such a manner that the said shoe may be taken off and put on
without removing the said plate from the hoof. Or in place of the said ring or
disc I may use separate segments or pieces for this purpose.
The said Invention also comprises the combination, with the other parts of the
horse-shoe, of a ring or cushion of india-rubber or other suitable elastic material
interposed between the said plate and shoe to give an elastic bearing or support to
the shoe, and enable it to be secured to the plate with a uniform pressure. It also
comprises the employment of locking devices for preventing the turning back or
unscrewing of the said disc or ring.
The said Invention also comprises various details of construction, herein-after
specified.

page_text: In one form of my Invention, the part for securing the shoe to the said plate is a
ring, which has a screw thread cut on its periphery to fit a corresponding female
screw cut in the said plate.
The said plate has a circular rim or projection. The interior surface of the said
shoe is bevelled or tapered, and the head or flange of the screw ring is
similarly bevelled, so that when the said ring is screwed tightly into its place, this
head or flange will lie within the bevelled cavity of the shoe, and flush with or
nearly flush with its under surface. The upper surface of the said shoe is provided
with holes or recesses to receive the heads of the nails, whereby the plate is secured
on the hoof; and the india-rubber or other elastic piece is perforated with corres-
ponding holes for the same purpose.. Lugs provided on the upper side of the shoe
project up outside the hoof, and fit the same, and keep the shoe in place; and there
are lugs or shoulders which facilitate the application of a wrench or other imple-
ment for screwing and unscrewing the part.
In a modification of my Invention, instead of using a screw thread as the means
for effecting the adjustment of the aforesaid part to secure the shoe to the plate, I
form on the said part or ring three inclined lugs or bearing pieces, and on the said
plate I form three inclined or sloping surfaces, on which the said bearing pieces rest.
Between these bearing pieces are slots, through which the bearing pieces are in-
serted; then by turning the ring these bearing pieces will be moved over the
inclines, and will thereby fix the shoe tightly to the plate. Shoulders are
provided to facilitate the use of a wrench or spanner to fasten or unfasten the said
ring.
In another modification of my Invention, the part that secures the shoe to the
plate is a solid plate or disc with a central boss projection, on which is cut a screw
thread that fits a corresponding screw thread cut in the hole in the centre of the
said plate.
In all of the various forms or modifications of my Invention, I retain the
bevelled head of the part that secures the shoe, the same fitting in a bevelled cavity
in the under side of the shoe. I also use in each case the india-rubber or other
elastic material between the shoe and plate and the holes or perforations for the
reception of the nail heads.
My improved horse-shoe is in some instances provided with removable or
detachable caulks. The shoe has taper holes, which are largest at the upper side of
the shoe. The caulks are similarly tapered or bevelled, and are inserted into the
said holes with their small ends projecting at the under side of the shoe. The tops
of these caulks are covered by the india-rubber, and thereby have an elastic
support. These removable caulks when worn may be readily removed and replaced
with new caulks.
It is necessary that the part that secures the shoe to the said plate, in whatever
form it may be applied, in my improved horse-shoe, should be provided with means
for securely locking it when screwed up to prevent its unscrewing, so that the shoe
would become loose, or might be disengaged from the plate.
For this purpose I may employ any suitable and convenient device; for instance,
a split or spring pin passed through the ring in such a position that its point will
enter one of a series of notches formed in the bevelled cavity of the shoe; or a split
screw passed through the plate or disc in such a position that its point will come
opposite a series of notches in the bevelled cavity of the shoe, into one of which
notches the point of the said screw will spring when the said screw is turned to
cause it to project through the plate.
Or I may use a locking device consisting of a small spring plate or tongue secured
to the upper side of the aforesaid plate, and having a projection or tooth on its
under side, which is arranged to enter notches formed in the said ring.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Stokes Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th April 1878.
JOSEPH STOKES WILLIAMS, of Riverton, New Jersey, United States of America,
now of 8, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE-SHOES."
My Invention relates to improvements in horse-shoes, and is designed to furnish
horse-shoes which will give greater ease and freedom to the animal's feet than here-
tofore, and will be very durable when put on, and which shoes may have all their
parts made by machinery, and may be made of either iron or steel.
And one very
important feature of my Invention is that the several parts thereof, herein-after
specified, may be formed by moulding and casting, so that the costly process of
forging is entirely avoided.
The said Invention comprises the combination of a metal plate, which is nailed
upon the hoof, with another plate or piece which forms the shoe proper, and which
is herein-after termed the shoe, and with a ring or disc which unites the said shoe
to the plate in such a manner that the said shoe may be taken off and put on
without removing the said plate from the hoof; or in place of the said ring or disc
I may use separate segments or pieces for this purpose.
The said Invention also comprises the combination with the other parts of the
horse-shoe of a ring or cushion of india-rubber or other suitable elastic material
interposed between the said plate and shoe to give an elastic bearing or support to
the shoe, and enable it to be secured to the plate with a uniform pressure. It also
comprises the employment of locking devices for preventing the turning back or
unscrewing of the said disc or ring.
The said Invention also comprises various details of construction, herein-after.
specified.
The manner in which the said Invention may be convenienly and advantageously
carried into practice is clearly shewn in the accompanying Drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a plan or top view illustrating one form of the said Invention; Figure 2
is an under side view of the same; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line
x, x, Figure 1.
The remaining Figures are similar views illustrating various modifications of the
said Invention.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
a is the plate to be secured to the horse's hoof; b is the shoe; c is the part for
securing the said shoe to the plate; d is the india-rubber or other elastic material
interposed between the plate and the shoe.
In the form of my Invention illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3 this part c is a ring
which has a screw thread cut on its periphery at c¹ to fit a corresponding female
screw cut in the said plate.
The plate a has a circular rim or projection a¹. It will be seen that the interior
surface of the said shoe is bevelled or tapered, and the head or flange c² of the screw
ring c is similarly bevelled, so that when the said ring is screwed tightly into its
place this head or flange c will lie within the bevelled cavity of the shoe, and flush
with, or nearly flush with, its under surface. The upper surface of the said shoe is
provided with holes or recesses e to receive the heads of the nails whereby the plate
is secured on the hoof, and the india-rubber or other elastic piece d is perforated
with corresponding holes for the same purpose. g, g, are lugs on the upper side of
the shoe, and which project up outside the hoof and fit the same, and keep the shoe
in place. h, h, are the caulks. i, i, are lugs or shoulders which facilitate the
application of a wrench or other implement for screwing and unscrewing the
part c.
In the modification of my Invention illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 6, instead of
using a screw thread as the means for effecting the adjustment of the part c to

page_text: secure the shoe to the plate a, I form on the part or ring c three inclined lugs or
bearing pieces c³, and on the plate a I form three inclined or sloping surfaces a³, on
which the said bearing pieces rest. Between these bearing pieces are slots a*,
through which the bearing pieces are inserted; then by turning the ring c these
bearing pieces will be moved along the inclines a³, and will thereby fix the shoe
tightly to the plate a. c, c, are shoulders to facilitate the use of a wrench or
spanner to fasten or unfasten the part c.
In the modification of my Invention shewn in Figures 7, 8, and 9 the part c,
instead of being a ring, is a solid plate or dise with a central boss or projection c³, on
which is cut a screw thread that fits a corresponding screw thread cut in the hole in
the centre of the plate a.
It will be observed that in all of the various forms or modifications of my Inven-
tion shewn in the Drawings I retain the bevelled edge of the part e fitting in a
bevelled cavity in the under side of the shoe. I also use in each case the india-
rubber or other elastic material between the shoe and plate, and the holes or perfo-
rations for the reception of the nail heads.
In Figures 10 and 11 I have shown my improved horse-shoe provided with
removable or detachable caulks h¹. The shoe b has taper holes at b', which are
largest at the upper side of the shoe. The caulks h¹ are similarly tapered or
bevelled, and are inserted into the said holes with their small ends projecting at the
under side of the shoe, as shewn in Figure 11. The tops of these caulks are covered
by the india-rubber d, and thereby have an elastic support. These removable caulks
when worn may be readily removed and replaced with new caulks.
It is necessary that the part c, in whatever form it may be applied in my
improved horse-shoe, should be provided with means for securely locking it when
screwed up to prevent its unscrewing, so that the shoe would become loose or might
be disengaged from the plate a. For this purpose I may employ any suitable and
convenient device.
In Figures 2 and 3 I have shewn for this purpose a split or spring pin k, which
is pressed through the ring c in such a position that its point will enter one of a
series of notches formed in the bevelled cavity of the shoe.
с
In Figures 8 and 9 I have shewn a modification of this device, which consists of
a split screw passed through the plate or disc c in such a position that its .point
will come opposite a series of notches in the bevelled cavity of the shoe, into one of
which notches the point of the said screw will spring when the said screw is turned
to cause it to project through the plate c. For convenience of turning this screw l,
and to render its head very durable, I form therein a deep square hole for the
insertion of a square pointed screwdriver.
In Figure 4 I have shewn a locking device consisting of a small spring plate or
tongue in secured to the upper side of the plate a, and having a projection or tooth
on its under side, which is arranged to enter notches formed in the ring c, as
shewn at c³.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same I wish it understood that although I have shewn for the sake of illustra-
tion these various locking devices, yet I wish it understood that I do not limit
myself to the use of these particular devices, nor to the precise form or arrangement
of the other details of this Invention as shewn in the Drawings, and that I
claim,―
First. The combination of parts comprising the plate a, the shoe b, and the part c,
either in the form of a ring or a disc, or consisting of a number of segments con-
structed and fitted together in the manner described, and for the purpose specified.
Second. The interposition between the said plate and shoe of the india-rubber or
other elastic material, as above set forth, and for the purpose specified.
Third. The combination with the said part c and the other parts of the shoe of a
device for locking the said part c, for the purpose specified.
Fourth. In a horse-shoe which has a plate nailed on the horse's hoof, and separate
parts which are fitted and secured upon the said plate, the formation of the holes or

page_text: perforations in such separate parts for the reception of the nail heads, as above set
forth.
Fifth. A horse-shoe consisting of the separate portions herein-above described
produced by moulding and casting, so that the cost and inconvenience of forging any
part thereof is entirely obviated, as above set forth.
Sixth. Providing my improved horse-shoe with removable or detachable caulks,
as above set forth, and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Stokes Williams, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JOS, S. WILLIAMS. (LS.)
Jus.