IMPROVEMENTS IN SHOES FOR HORSES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hay Downie, of Corstorphine, Saddler, and Isaac
Blue Harris, Superintendent, Castle Mills, Edinburgh, both in the
County of Mid Lothian, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHOES
FOR HORSES."
Sealed the 10th August 1869, and dated the 27th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hay Downie and Isaac
Blue Harris at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 27th March 1869. -
We, HAY DOWNIE, of Corstorphine, Saddler, and ISAAC BLUE HARRIS,
5 Superintendent, Castle Mills, Edinburgh, both in the County of Mid
Lothian, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN SHOES FOR HORSES," to be as follows:-
Our improvements relate to certain novel combinations of metal and
india-rubber or other clastic or flexible material, the most distinguishing

page_text: features of which are that the metal portion of each shoe is made in
one piece, and the india-rubber or other clastic or flexible material
combined therewith is so fitted that it projects slightly beyond the metal
on the treading surface, and so serves as a cushion, and consists,―
First. In constructing the metallic portion of a shoc adapted to be
attached to the hoof by nails, or in any other convenient manner, with
one or more grooves or recesses on the treading side, and in fitting
therein a piece or picces of india-rubber or other clastic or flexible
material.
nails
Second. In constructing the metallic portion of a shoe with a treading
ridge or surface, preferably at the outer edge, and a flat inner web, and in
combining therewith india-rubber or other material as aforesaid in such
manner that it surrounds and is in contact with both of the flat sides and
also the inner edge of the said web. The said india-rubber or other material
is carried between the metal portion and the hoof, so that the fastening
pass through it. To prevent shoes so constructed from becoming
loose we make that portion of the rubber which is interposed between
the metal and the hoof of sufficient hardness to obviate lateral working,
and to prevent sand from reaching the sole of the foot, and to prevent
balling, and for other purposes we, when necessary, form the rubber so
that it extends backwards and fits close to the base of the frog of the
foot.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Hay Downie and Isaac Blue Harris in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 27th September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HAY
DOWNIE, of Corstorphine, Saddler, and ISAAC BLUE HARRIS, Super-
intendant, Castle Mills, Edinburgh, both in the County of Mid Lothian,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-

page_text: cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Hay Downic and Isaac Blue
Harris, Her special license that we, the said Hay Downic and Isaac
Blue Harris, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Hay Downie and Isaac Blue Harris, our
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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SHOES FOR HORSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said IIay Downie and Isaac Blue Harris, our executors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one
of our or 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 we, the said Hay Downic and Isaac Bluo
Harris, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being
had to the accompanying Sheet of illustrative Drawings, and to the
figures and letters of reference thereon, that is to say :-
Our improvements relate to certain novel combinations of metal and
india-rubber or other clastic or flexible material in the manufacture of
shoes for horses. The most distinguishing features of the said com-
binations arc, the metal portion of each shoc is made in one piece, and
india-rubber or other clastic or flexible material (hereafter called rubber)
is so fitted or combined therewith that it projects slightly beyond the
metal or the treading surface.
The principal objects of our improvements are to provide shoes which
while they tend to prevent slipping on ice and pavements, are durable
and suitable for general use both on draught and saddle horses, shall
efficiently perform the important function of releiving the legs and
frames of horses from the shocks and jars to which they are now sub-
jected under the present practice of inclastic shoeing when travelling
on hard roads.

page_text: And our said improvements consist,—
First. In constructing the metallic portion of a shoe adapted to be
attached to the hoof by nails, or in any other convenient manner, with
one or more grooves or recesses on the treading surface, and in fitting
therein a piece or pieces of india-rubber or other elastic or flexible
material.
Second. In constructing the metallic portion of a shoe fitted with a
treading ridge or surface, preferably at the outer edge, and a flat inner web,
and in combining therewith india-rubber or other material as aforesaid, in
such manner that it surrounds and is in contact with both of the flat
sides and also the inner edge of the said web. The said india-rubber
or other material is carried between the metal portion and the hoof, so
that the fastening nails pass through it. To prevent shoes so constructed
from becoming loose we make that portion of the rubber which is
interposed between the metal and the hoof of sufficient hardness to
obviate lateral working. And to prevent sand from reaching the sole
of the foot and to prevent balling and for other purposes we when
necessary form the rubber so that it extends backwards and fits close
to the base of the frog of the foot.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a view of the treading surface, and
Fig. 3 a vertical transverse section at the line A, A, all of a shoc con-
structed in accordance with the first part of our Invention; a is the
metal portion with groove and nail holes of the ordinary kind and a
continuous groove for the anti-concussion pad of rubber b.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation, Fig. 5 a view of the treading surface, and
Fig. 6 a vertical section at the line B, B, all of another shoe made
under the first part of our Invention; c is the metal portion formed
with two continuous grooves or recesses for anti-concussion rubber
pads d.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation, Fig. 8 a view of the treading surface, and
Figs. 9 and 10 vertical transverse sections respectively at the lines C, C,
and D, D, of still another modification under the first part of our
Invention; e, metal portion with four recesses for anti-concussion rubber
pads f

page_text: Fig. 11 is a side elevation, Fig. 12 is a view of the treading surface,
Fig. 13 an end or heel elevation, and Fig. 14 a vertical transverso
section at the line E, E, all of a shoe constructed in accordance with
the second part of our Invention. Of the metal portion g is the treading
ridge here formed with a groove to receive the heads of fastening nails,
and the inner web. Of the rubber portion i is the anti-concussion pad,
this as will be seen fits both sides and the inner edge of h; it prevents
sand and other matter from passing between the hoof and shoe;
j, bedding flange, this is made by preference of india-rubber, cloth, or
of some other flexible but not clastic material, the object being to
prevent lateral working of the shoo on the hoof.
Fig. 15 is a side clevation, Fig. 10 a view of the treading surface,
Fig. 17 an end or heel elevation, and Fig. 18 a vertical transverse
section at the line F, F, all of a shoe constructed under the second part
of our Invention, with a sole shield to prevent balling, and for other
purposes; g, the treading ridge; h, inner web; i, anti-concussion pad;
j, bedding flange; k, sole shield made in one piece with j and k, and
shaped so as to fit close to the base of the frog.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention and illus-
trated the same by practicable details, we would have it understood that
we do not confine ourselves to any particular mode of fastening the
shoc to the hoof, neither do we confine ourselves to the exact forms
shewn on the Drawings and described herein as many modifications
may be made without departing from that leading feature of our In-
vention, namely, that the rubber or anti-concussion flexible pad shall
project beyond or below the treading surface of the metal, so that
when the horse steps the first part to come into contact with the ground
shall be the rubber, and so that when he has firmly planted his foot
and thrown his weight on it the said pad shall be compressed, and both
metal and rubber, the one a rigid, and the other a yielding material,
shall simultaneously bear on the ground, what we claim is,―
First, The combination of a grooved or recessed metallic portion
with a projecting anti-concussion rubber pad or pads, substantially as
herein described and illustrated by Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive of the
Drawings herewith for the purpose set forth.
And, second. The combination of treading ridge and inner web h
with anti-concussion rubber pad i and bedding flange j, with or without

page_text: the sole shield k, substantially as herein described and illustrated by
Figs. 11 to 18 inclusive of the Drawings for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Hay Downic and Isaac Blue Harris
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fourth
day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-nine.
HAY DOWNIE.
(L.S.)
W. STEELE, Witness.
JOHN TOUDEN, Witness.
W. STEELE, Witness.
WM. MEADE, Witness.
ISAAC BLUE HARRIS. (L.S.),