AN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO THE HOOFS OF HORSES AND OTHER LIKE ANIMALS DURING THE OPERATION OF PREPARING SUCH HOOгS FOR THE CURE OF THE DISEASE KNOWN AS SAND CRACK.
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Alfred South, of New Bond Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, for the
Invention of "AN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO THE HOOFS OF HORSES AND
OTHER LIKE ANIMALS DURING THE OPERATION OF PREPARING SUCH HOOгS FOR
THE CURE OF THE DISEASE KNOWN AS SAND CRACK.'"`.
4
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Alfred South at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th August 1878.
WILLIAM ALFRED SOUTH, of New Bond Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. "AN APPARATUS TO BE
APPLIED TO THE HOOFS OF HORSES AND OTHER LIKE ANIMALS DURING THE
OPERATION OF PREPARING SUCH HOOFS FOR THE CURE OF THE DISEASE KNOWN
AS SAND CRACK.'
"
This Invention relates to an apparatus to be applied. to the hoofs of horses and
other like animals during the operation. of preparing such hoofs for the cure of the
disease known as "sand crack," and it consists of two plates, an upper one and an
under one, the former being larger than the latter.
The upper plate has three slots formed in it, one of which is a longitudinal slot
(with inwardly bevilled edges) passing up its centre and terminating near its upper
end, and the other two slots are curved or arc-shaped slots, and are located at the
lower end of the plate, one on each side of the longitudinal slot. The longitudinal
slot is furnished with a travelling block or stop provided with a thumb nut, its
purpose being herein-after mentioned.
The under plate is hinged or pivoted between two blocks or eyes having screw
shanks which pass through the curved or arc-shaped slots in the upper plate, and
are furnished with thumb nuts in order to keep the said under plate firm in the
position set on the hoof. This under plate is provived with a gauge formed by two
claw-shaped plates pivoted on the same axis, and travelling backwards and forwards

page_text: in a slot in the under plate. These claw-shaped plates are also capable of a partial
revolution in either direction around their axis, and they can be opened and closed,
and when set for the purpose herein-after mentioned they are kept at the extent at
which they are set by means of a thumb nut.
The curved or arc-shaped slots in the upper plate are for permitting the move-
ments of the screw shanks of the blocks or eyes carrying the under plate, in order
that such under plate may be turned to any angle required so as to enable the
apparatus to be fitted to any part of the hoof which is to be operated upon.
The apparatus is used as follows:-It is placed on the hoof of the animal with
the upper plate lying upon the outside of the hoof, and its longitudinal slot over
that portion of the hoof to be cut away, and the under plate is placed against the
sole of the hoof. When the apparatus is fitted in place it is securely held to the
hoof by means of buckles and straps on the plates, and the block or stop travelling
in the longitudinal slot is then brought down to the required extent, and is there
held by its thumb nut, and thus limits the length to which the hoof is to be cut
away. The saw or other cutting or operating instrument is then inserted in the
longitudinal slot and the hoof sawn down on each side of the slot in such manner
as to make a dovetail cut, the bevil of the slots and the gauge guiding the saw or
other cutting instrument in the proper direction. When the hoof is cut in dovetail
shape the apparatus is then taken off and the portion of the horn of the hoof
between the incisures is then removed by a gouge or by other suitable tools, and
the recess or groove is then filled up with a whalebone or wooden plug, which must
correspond in shape with the recess or groove, and be a trifle larger than such recess
or groove, so as to elevate the edges and bring the hoof to its usual shape or form
and at the same time to make a tight fit therewith.
The under side of the whalebone or wooden plug is slightly grooved, so as to
'permit any moisture from the interior of the hoof to pass away.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Alfred South in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
February 1879.
•
WILLIAM ALFRED SOUTH, of New Bond Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. "AN APPARATUS TO BE
APPLIED TO THE HOOFS OF HORSES AND OTHER LIKE ANIMALS DURING THE
OPERATION OF PREPARING SUCH HOOFS FOR THE CURE OF THE DISEASE KNOWŃ
AS SAND CRACK.'
"
This Invention relates to an apparatus to be applied to the hoofs of horses and
other like animals during the operation of preparing such hoofs for the cure of the
disease known as "sand crack."
I proceed, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, to describe an apparatus
constructed according to my Invention, Figure 1 being a front elevation, and
Figure 2 an end view of same.
The apparatus consists of two plates, an upper one and an under one, lettered
respectively A and B, and which are connected together in the manner herein-after
described, the upper plate A being larger than the under plate B.
and
In the plate A are slots a, b, bx, the slot a being a longitudinal one, passing
up the centre of the plate for the greater portion of its length, while the slots b, bx,
are curved or arc-shaped slots, and are contrived at the lower end of the plate, one
on each side of the longitudinal slot. This longitudinal slot a has its edges bevilled
in dovetail shape, as shewn in Figures 2 and 4, and it is furnished with a travelling
block or stop c fitted with a shank which is provided with a thumb nut c*.
The under plate B is hinged or pivoted between two blocks or eyes d, d*, which
are provided with screw-threaded shanks e, ex, which pass through the slots b, bx,
in the upper plate A. These screw-threaded shanks e, e*, are furnished with thumb
nuts E for the purpose of keeping the plate B firm in the position at which it may
be set on the hoof. This plate B is furnished with a gauge or director C, which is
formed by two claw-shaped plates o, ox, pivoted on the.axis f and capable of
travelling backwards and forwards in a slot g contrived in such plate, the object of
the slot being to allow the points of the claw-shaped plates to abut against the
under surface of the upper plate when this gauge or director is properly adjusted.
These claw-shaped plates forming gauge are also capable of a partial revolution to
the right or left around their axis f, and they can be opened and closed by means of
the studs h, and when set for the purpose herein-after mentioned they are kept at
the required extent at which they are so set by means of a thumb nut H.
The object of the curve or arc-shaped slots b, b*, in the upper plate A is to permit
the movements therein of the screw shanks e, ex, attached to the blocks or
eyes d, d, to which the under plate B is connected, so that such plate B may be
set at any angle required in order to enable the apparatus to be applied or fitted on
to any part of the hoof upon which it is desired to operate. When so fitted the
gauge or director must then be set by opening or closing the claws, so as to corre-
spond with the width of opening of the under surface of the longitudinal slot,
the under plate finding itself at an acute angle to the upper plate, as shewn in
Figure 2*.
X, Y, and Z are straps provided with D shaped loops x and y, and with buckles z;
these straps and their appurtenances are securely attached to the plates A and B,
either as shown, or by rivets or other suitable means, in order to fasten the apparatus
on to the hoof, the D loops permitting the straps to be passed round the hoof in
various directions.
Figures 3 and 4 show the apparatus fitted on to the hoof of a horse, Figure 3
being an elevation and Figure 4 an under plan of same.
The apparatus is used as follows:-It is fitted to the hoof of the animal as seen
the shoe being removed, and with the upper or larger plate A lying upon the

page_text: outside of the boof with its longitudinal slot a over that portion of the hoof
affected with "sand crack" and which it is desired to cut away, the under plate B
being placed against the sole of the hoof, as seen in Figure 4. When the apparatus
is in place it is securely held to the hoof by means of the straps and buckles, the
strap X passing around the "coronet," and the strap Y around the lower part of the
hoof; the strap Z passes under the hoof and over the "frog," and under the other
two straps, as shewn. The block or stop c in the longitudinal slot a is then moved
'down to the required distance to which the hoof is to be cut away, and it is there
set by means of its thumbscrew 'c* The saw or other cutting or operating
instrument is then inserted into the longitudinal slot a, and the hoof is sawn down
on each side of the slot in such manner as to make a dovetail cut, the bevilled sides
of the slot a and the gauge or director C guiding the cutting instrument in its
'proper direction. The hoof having been cut in dovetail shape, that portion of the
horn of the hoof between the incisures is removed by means of a gouge or other
suitable 'tool acting in the longitudinal slot; I then fill up the dovetail groove or
recess by inserting a whalebone or wooden plug, which must correspond in shape
with the recess or groove, but which must be a trifle larger than the groove or
recess in order to elevate the outer edges of the cut portion of the hoof and bring
the same to its usual shape or form, and to make at the same time a tight fit there-
with. The hoof is now fitted on in the usual way.
The under side of the whalebone or wooden plug should be slightly grooved, so
as to allow of any moisture which may accumulate from the interior of the hoof to
pass away.
As the hoof grows the shoe should be removed from time to time and the "sole"
and plug rasped or cut away in the ordinary manner.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same may be performed, I declare that I claim as constituting the said Invention,
the apparatus having its parts arranged, combined, operated, and applied substan-
tially in the manner herein described for the purpose-set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Alfred South, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
1
WILLIAM ALFRED SOUTH. (L.S.)