IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE SHOES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Whitaker, of the Firm of Michael Whitaker, of
Oxenhope, near Keighley, in the County of York, Coal Merchant, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE SHOES."
Sealed the 27th June 1879, and dated the 31st December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Whitaker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st December 1878.
JOSEPH WHITAKER, of the Firm of Michael Whitaker, of Oxenhope, near
Keighley, in the County of York, Coal Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE
SHOES."
The
This Invention has reference to shoes for horses, mules, and other animals, the
object being to render them more durable than the shoes at present in use; also
constructing them so that they can easily be adapted as "frost shces."
improvements consist in the use of an ordinary shoe with moveable or fixed recesses
formed on or attached to the toe or heel part of a shoe, and into these recesses are
slided (or otherwise) triangular or other shaped bits composed of steel or other
suitable material. As these bits wear away they can be reversed or replaced at
pleasure. The bits are secured or held in position by means of set screws or other
suitable means; or bits may be fastened to a shoe by means of screws.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Whitaker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
June 1879.
JOSEPH WHITAKER, of the Firm of Michael Whitaker, of Oxenhope, near
Keighley, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE SHOES."
This Invention has reference to shoes for horses, mules, and other animals, the
object being to render them more durable than the shoes at present in use, also to
construct them so that they can easily be converted into "frost shoes."
The improvements consist in the use of an ordinary shoe with moveable or fixed
recesses formed or attached to the toe or heel part of a shoe, and into these recesses
are slid (or otherwise inserted) triangular or other shaped bits composed of steel or
other suitable material. As these bits wear away they can be reversed or replaced
at pleasure. The bits are secured or held in position by means of set screws or
other suitable means; or bits may be fastened to a shoe by means of screws.
In order that my Invention may be more fully understood I herein give reference
to an accompanying Sheet of Drawings marked with figures and letters of
reference.
Figs. 1, 3, and 4 represents side elevations of a horse-shoe, and Fig. 2 is [plan
view of same looked at from the underside.
It will be seen that the shoe is enlarged or thickened at the toe and heel, the
thickened parts being indicated by the letters a. In each enlargement is a dove-
tailed groove passing from one side to the other, and into these grooves are inserted
the detached pieces b. These pieces may be made with sharp surfaces in contact with
the ground, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 4, in which case they serve as frost shoes, or
the surface may be flat, as in Fig. 3, which renders the shoe available for ordinary
wear and increases the durability, for as soon as the pieces bare worn away they
may be replaced by new ones without removing the shoe from the foot of the animal.
The section of the detached piece shewn in Fig. 4 is that of an equilateral
triangle, the object being to render the same reversible, so that when one edge
becomes blunted it can be turned partially round and a new edge presented to the
ground. Fig. 5 shews another form of detached piece.
With regard to the method of securing the detached pieces it will be apparent
that a variety of plans may be adopted. The grooves instead of being parallel may
be slightly narrower at one end than at the other, so as to wedge the piece; or set
screws may be employed; but I prefer to use a taper pin c inserted through the sides
of the groove from the outside and passing either wholly or partially through the
detached piece. This method of fastening is simple, and presents no difficulty when
the piece has to be removed or replaced.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and shewn by Drawings how
the same may be performed or carried into practice, I would have it understood that
I am aware that it has been attempted to increase the efficiency or durability of
horse-shoes by the use of separate pieces, but that owing to defects in construc-
tion or mode of fastening the same these attempts have practically failed; therefore
I lay no claim to the sole use of detached pieces, but only to the use of the same
constructed and applied substantially as herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Whitaker, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.