IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF MANUFACTURING HORSE SHOES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Josephi Barnard Mills, of the Firm of Harris
and Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF MANUFACTURING
HORSE SHOES." A communication from abroad by James Lithgow Ewin, of
the City of Washington, in the District of Columbia, United States of America,
Solicitor of Patents.
Sealed the 29th August 1879, and dated the 25th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th March 1879.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE ART OF MANUFACTURING HORSE SHOES." A communication from
abroad by James Lithgow Ewin, of the City of Washington, in the District of
Columbia, United States of America, Solicitor of Patents.
This Invention relates to the manufacture of forged or swaged horse shoes by
machinery, and its objects are, first, to dispense with a large and expensive part of
the special machinery or plant usually employed; secondly, to economize in. the
construction and preservation of the required swaging dies; thirdly, to secure the
attachment of steel calks, when desired, with economy and despatch; and, lastly,
to ensure the production of perfectly formed shoes, of superior finish, free from
warp, and with the iron condensed and hardened so as to possess superior wearing
qualities.
The said Invention consists more particularly, first, in a novel method or process
of making steel calked horse-shoes from bar-iron and steel calk blanks, so as to
accomplish the objects aforesaid. The bar-iron is preferably cut into pieces as long
as can be conveniently handled by the forger, so as to obviate the use of tongs as
much as possible.
Each piece is termed a "bar." The calk-blanks are preferably cut of the required
lengths from steel bars rolled with a longitudinal attaching flange or rib, but they
may be separately formed by rough swaging or otherwise. A heated bar and a set
of calk-blanks being ready, a horse-shoe is made therefrom by bending the hot end

page_text: of the bar, and attaching the calk-blanks thereto at one heat; then reheating the
bar until it and the calks have reached a good welding heat, which will also answer
for swaging; then simultaneously rough swaging the shoe and calks, and welding
the same in dies then immediately shearing the marginal fin from the forging by
trimming dies; then reswaging the trimmed forging in dies without reheating the
same; and, finally, retrimming and severing the forging, and cold punching the nail
holes, after which the burr left by the trimming dies and punch may be removed by
means of a grinding wheel or its equivalent. The shoe is then ready for the keg or
for the hoof.
The apparatus preferably employed to produce a given form and size of horse
shoe is an ordinary heating forge or forges; a bending machine of any preferred
style, having a changeable former and other parts of the required shape; a calk
attaching anvil, having pockets to receive the calk blanks and hold them in proper
positions, with an ordinary light drop press or hammer, under which to use the said
anvil; two sets of swaging dies, having matrical cavities of the required shape and
removeable creasers, with a drop press or its equivalent for each set of said dies;
two sets of trimming dies, each set adapted to shear off the marginal fin both inside
and outside at one operation, with one or more shearing or punching machines for
working said trimming dies; a power punch adapted to form holes of the desired
shape singly; and a grinding wheel of any suitable description. Any suitable
apparatus may be used.
By cutting the bar iron preliminarily into short straight blanks, each adapted to
form one shoe, the dies may be made without shank notches, and without this modi-
fication; one set of smooth surfaced swaging dies can be made to answer for both
swagings.
By simply changing the former and a few other parts of the bending machine,
the calk attaching anvil, and the several dies, horse shoes of different patterns and
sizes, and both hind shoes and forward shoes of each variety, are produced.
The present Invention consists, secondly, in that part of the said method or
process which consists in reheating the bent bar, then rough swaging, then trimming
or removing the first fin, then reswaging without reheating, and, finally, retrimming
and cold punching, whereby a superior iron calked shoe may be produced from
thicker bar iron in the same apparatus by simply omitting the use of the calk
attaching anvil, or by the employment of substitute dies and other parts various
patterns of solid iron horse shoes may be produced with and without calks, each
shoe possessing the said advantages of perfect form, superior finish, and freedom from
warp, and with the iron condensed and hardened as aforesaid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th September 1879.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE ART OF MANUFACTURING HORSE-SHOES." A communication from
abroad by James Lithgow Ewin, of the City of Washington, in the District of
Columbia, United States of America, Solicitor of Patents.
This Invention relates to the manufacture of forged or swaged horse-shoes by
machinery, and its objects are, first, to dispense with a large and expensive part of
the special machinery or plant usually employed; secondly, to economize in the
construction and preservation of the required swaging-dies; thirdly, to secure the
attachment of steel calks, when desired, with economy and despatch; and, lastly,
to ensure the production of perfectly formed shoes, of superior finish, free from
warp, and with the iron condensed and hardened so as to possess superior wearing
qualities.
The said Invention consists more particularly, first, in a novel method or process
of making steel-calked horse shoes from bar-iron and steel calk-blanks, so as to
accomplish the objects aforesaid. The bar-iron is preferably cut into pieces as long
as can be conveniently handled by the forger, so as to obviate the use of tongs as
much as possible.
Each piece is terined a "bar." The calk-blanks are preferably cut of the required
lengths from steel bars rolled with a longitudinal attaching flange or rib, but they
may be separately formed by rough swaging or otherwise. A heated bar and a set
of calk-blanks being ready, a horse-shoe is made therefrom by bending the hot end
of the bar, and attaching the calk-blanks thereto at one heat; then reheating the
bar until it and the calks have reached a good welding heat, which will also answer
for swaging; then simultaneously rough swaging the shoe and calks, and welding
the same in dies; then immediately shearing the marginal fin from the forging by
trimming dies; then reswaging the trimmed forging in dies without reheating the
same; and, finally, retrimming and severing the forging and cold punching the nail-
holes, after which the burr left by the trimming-dies and punch may be removed by
means of a grinding-wheel or its equivalent. The shoe is then ready for the keg or
for the hoof.
The apparatus preferably employed to produce a given form and size of horse-
shoe is an ordinary heating forge or forges; a bending-machine of any preferred
style, having a changeable former and other parts of the required shape; a calk
attaching-anvil, having pockets to receive the calk-blanks and hold them in proper
positions, with an ordinary light drop press or hammer, under which to use the said
anvil; two sets of swaging-dies, having matrical cavities of the required shape and
removable creasers, with a drop press or its equivalent for each set of said dies;
two sets of trimming-dies, each set adapted to shear off the marginal fin both inside
and outside at one operation, with one or more shearing or punching machines for
working said trimming-dies; a power punch adapted to forin holes of the desired
shape singly; and a grinding wheel of any suitable description. Any suitable
apparatus may be used.
By cutting the bar-iron preliminarily into short straight blanks, each adapted to
form one shoe, the dies may be made without shank-notches, and without this modi̟-
fication; one set of smooth surfaced swaging-dies can be made to answer for both
swagings.
By simply changing the former and a few other parts of the bending-machine,
the calk-attaching anvil, and the several dies, horse-shoes of different patterns and
sizes, and both hind-shoes and forward shoes of each variety, are produced,.

page_text: The present Invention consists, secondly, in that part of the said method or
process which consists in reheating the bent bar, then rough swaging, then trimming
or removing the first fin, then reswaging without reheating, and, finally, retrimming
and cold-punching, whereby a superior iron-calked shoe may be produced from
thicker bar-iron in the same apparatus by simply omitting the use of the calk-
attaching-anvil or by the employment of substitute dies and other parts, various
patterns of solid iron horse-shoes may be produced with and without calks, each
shoe possessing the said advantages of perfect form, superior finish, and freedom from
warp, and with the iron condensed and hardened as aforesaid.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
to describe the same
The accompanying Drawings illustrate in succession the said process and the
said abridgement or modification thereof by views of the stock or material and
of the principal parts of the requisite apparatus, with views of the products at
different stages.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figures 1 to 17a inclusive (Sheets 1 and 2) together with Sheet 3 illustrate the
main process.
The requisite plant or large machinery for carrying out the said process will
usually be found in any works or factory where drop forgings are made, and may
be of any suitable description. It is therefore briefly alluded to in the following
description, and is not shown in the Drawings.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) is a perspective view of a piece of ordinary commercial bar
iron, which furnishes the stock for the body of the steel-calk shoe. Flat bar iron
is employed by preference, the proper size being determined by the dimensions and
weight of the shoe to be produced. The long bars are cut into pieces of a con-
venient length to be handled, say, five feet long, more or less; Figure 1 represents
one of these short "bars."
Figure 2 is a face view, and Figure 2b a horizontal section, of certain illustrative
parts of a common bending-machine, whereby one end of said bar, Figure 1, after
being heated in a convenient forge is bent to horse-shoe shape. The essential features
of a bending machine for this purpose are a former z of the required shape and size,
and a bending-roller or rollers y with a grooved bed plate x or its equivalent, for
supporting said parts and guiding said roller or rollers. In the illustration a single
roller is carried by an oscillating arm or sweep w, which is actuated by a power
driven shaft having a head through which said arm slides back and forth. When
the roller y is in the position indicated by a dotted circle in Figure 2 the heated end
of the bar Figure 1 is introduced between said roller y and the former z to a gauge-
mark or stop on the frame. The machine is then started, and the roller bends the
bar around the former. An automatic belt-shipper arrests the motion of the shaft
at the proper point to release the bent bar, which is removed laterally. Any
bending-machine of sufficient capacity may be used.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bent bar, thinner bar-iron is preferably bent
edgewise. In this and succeeding Figures a short holding shauk a is represented.
In practice a shank of sufficient length to be handled without tongs is preserved
as long as possible.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a common steel calk-bar produced by rolling,
and adapted to be divided into calk-blanks by transverse cuts; and Figures 5 and 6
are perspective views respectively of a toe-calk blank and a heel-calk blank sheared.
from said bar for use in this process. Any preferred form of calk-bar or calk-blank
having an attaching-rib b or its equivalent may be employed by a proper adapta-
tion of the calk-pockets hereinafter mentioned.
Figure 7 is a plan view of the anvil (A) of a calk attaching machine, which 5

page_text: machine is formed by inserting such an anvil in an ordinary drop-press beneath a
plain follower or hammer (B); Figure 7ª, Sheet 3, represents a front elevation of.
the said anvil and hammer; and Figure 7b, a vertical longitudinal section of the
same on the line 7b, Figures 7, 78. A groove g in the flat top of the said anvil (A)
is adapted to receive the bent bar, Figure 3, loosely within it, and in the bottom
of said groove depressions or pockets p, p, are formed to receive respectively in
like manner toe and heel calk blanks, Figures 5 and 6. The latter in cold condition
are inserted in the pockets p, p, by an attendant, their ribs & projecting upward
within the groove g.
The bent bar, Figure 3, is taken hot from the bending
machine, and laid in said groove upon said ribs. The drop (B) of the calk attaching
machine is then started. A single blow imbeds the ribs b sufficiently, leaving the
calk blanks c, c, securely attached to the bar in proper positions respectively, as
represented by Figure 8, which is a perspective view of the product at this stage.
The calked bar, Figure 8 (Sheet 1) is now returned to the forge until its parts
reach a good welding-heat, which will also answer for swaging; and a suitable flux
is applied to the joints between the calks and bar to assist the welding operation.
Figure 9 is a plan view of a bed-die (C) illustrating a set of welding and rough
swaging dies in a drop-press or its equivalent, to which the calked bar, Figure 8,
is carried from the said heating-forge; Figure 9a, Sheet 3, is a face view of the
upper-die (D) of said set; Figure 9b is a vertical transverse section of both dies (C, D,)
in working position; and Figure 9e is a vertical longitudinal section of the same,
the planes of the respective sections being indicated by lines correspondingly
numbered. The matrical-cavity u of said bed-die (C) contains depressions or
pockets t, s, to receive and swage the toe and heel calks and creasers r, r, of
hardened steel to form indented nail grooves or creases, said creasers being prefer-
ably removable, as shown, so that they can be readily removed. This is accom-
plished by forming vertical pockets in the bed-die to receive separately formed
creasers, said pockets extending partially through the die, with holes 7° to admit a
removing-punch at bottom. A notch q at one end of the matrical-cavity u accommo-
dates the shank a. The upper die for making flat-topped shoes (for "hind" hoofs)
would have a perfectly plain flat face, excepting preferably a small recess (c) to
raise a toe-clip on the top of the shoe. The upper die (D) for making top-bevilled
shoes (for "forward" hoofs) has a like toe-clip recess c° and a projection b°, ns
shown, to render the top of the shoe concave or bevilled. As regards details of
shape the matrical cavity between the dies when closed is simply the counterpart
of the desired pattern of shoe, which will vary and is not a part of the present
Invention. In these dies (C, D,) the steel-calks are welded on, and the shoe as a
whole is rough-swaged at one operation, every detail of shape being imparted (in
rough) to the iron and steel at this operation, so as to insure this result while the
metal is in its most plastic condition. The surplus metal escapes in a marginal fin,
and consequently heel-calks can be attached as readily as toe-calks by this
process.
.
Figure 10 (Sheet 1) is a top view of the product as taken from the said
welding and swaging dies, with its said marginal fin f. This Figure shows the toe-
clip c¹ and top-bevel b¹, as formed by the said upper-die (D) together with dotted
outlines of the face of the shoe, as formed by the said bed-die (C) and its creasers;
Figure 10, Sheet 3, represents a vertical transverse section on the line 10ª,
Figure 10.
Figure 11 (Sheet 1) is a face-view of a bed-die (E) illustrating a first pair of
trimming or shearing dies; Figure 11ª, Sheet 3, is a like view of a matching upper
die or punch (F); Figure 11b represents a vertical transverse section of the two
dies (E, F) on the line 11, Figure 11; and Figure 11c represents a horizontal
section or plan of the said bed-die (E) on the line 11, Figure 11b. Said bed-die
has an opening o, n, in its steel top-plate or cutter of the same outline as the said
matrical cavity u of the said welding and swaging dies with its shank-notch q
(Figure 9), while the upper die or punch F has a counterpart projection m; the
office of these dies being to remove at one operation the fin f (Figures 10, 10%) of

page_text: the said product of the said welding and swaging dies, but not the shank a, by
which it is attached to the bar. The upper trimming-die (F) may be reciprocated
by a pitman from a slow motion crank. The product, as indicated by arrow 1
(Figure 11), is withdrawn from the cavity 1 of the bed-die (E) through an opening k
beneath the shank-notch n after being pushed back a little and turned on edge by
means of the bar.
Figure 12 (Sheet 1) is a face view of the inverted product after removal from
said first trimming-dies, showing the swaged calks c, c², and indented nail-creases c³
as well as the trimmed edges of the product.
Figure 13 (Sheet 2) is a face view of a bed-dic (C²) representing a second set of
swaging dies which are or may be duplicates or fac-similes of the said welding and
swaging dies (C, D,) hereinbefore particularly described, except that the die-surfaces
of said second set are smooth finished, while those of the first set are not or need
not be. The trimmed forging (Figure 12) is immediately removed from the
trimming-dies (E, F,) to this second set of swaging-dies (Figure 13) for reswaging
without preliminary reheating, the object and effect of the second swaging being to
condense and harden the iron, and to render the shoe stiff and true, as well as to
perfect its shape and finish.
If the shoe were reheated before the second swaging there could obviously be
little if any hardening or trueing effect, but the forging in such case would be nearly
as soft and quite as liable to warp after removal from the second dies as after
removal from the first. The cool metal also takes a better surface in the dies.
In an inferior modification both swagings may be done in one set of dies, provided
the same be properly smooth-finished; but the amount saved by rough-finishing
the first set, together with greater convenience, render the use of two sets of swaging
dies as above described preferable. In either case however but one pattern of
Bwaging-dies is required for each product, and considerable saving in their manu-
facture is thus effected, while their renewable creasers provide for their protracted
use.
The intermediate trimming or removal of the first fin accomplished by the said
first-trimming dies (E, F,) is a step of first importance and one of the distinguishing
features of this Invention. With its aid the shoe is finish-shaped, hardened, and
trued, as aforesaid, by a second swaging in what may be one and the same matrical
cavity as above stated. Otherwise this would be impracticable, as without reheating
the force of the second dropping or pressing would be met and resisted by the chilled
fin between the lands of the dies. The removal of said fin permits the faces of the
same or similar dies to approach nearer each other the distance represented by the
thickness of said fin, or a sufficient distance to fill the lower die-cavity perfectly
with metal from the plane of said fin at the second swaging, and to bring the full
force of the blow or pressure upon the forging proper with the effects before stated.
Figure 14 (Sheet 2) is a face-view of the inverted product of the said second
swaging dies (Figure 13), showing its fin f2 and its perfected calks and nail-
creases c, c², cs.
Figure 15 is a face view of a bed-die (E2), and Figure 15º, Sheet 3, is a like view
of an upper-die or punch (F2) illustrating a second set of trimming or shearing
dies to which the reswaged product (Figure 14) is next subjected. Figure 15b
(Sheet 3) represents a vertical transverse section of this set of dies (E2, F2,); and
Figure 15c a horizontal section or plan of the bed-die on the lines correspondingly
numbered. The steel plate or cutter of this bed-die (E2) has an opening o² of the
exact outline of the shoe proper, and being solid beneath both ends of said opening,
as shewn by Figure 15°, said die is adapted to sustain the strain of severing the
shoe from the bar by trimming off the shank a with the second fin f2. This is
accomplished by means of the matching projection m² of the upper die or punch (F2).
The trimmed forging is withdrawn backward from the cavity 12 of the bed-die, as
indicated by the arrow 2, Figure 15.
Figure 16 (Sheet 2) is a top view of the product at this stage.

page_text: After the said second trimming the shoe is cold-punched so as to form the nail-
holes without danger of warping the shoe. Any ordinary power-punch may be
employed for this purpose, the holes being preferably punched one at a time.
The shoe is next, in practice, taken to a grinding wheel against which the top of
the shoe is held for an instant to remove the burr left by the last trimming-dies and
punch. The shoe is then ready for the keg or for the hoof.
Figure 17 (Sheet 2) is a top view of the said finished shoe showing the nail-
holes has formed by cold-punching, together with the toe-clip c¹ and top-bevil b¹
aforesaid, the same being a "forward" shoe.
Figures 17 and 17c, Sheet 3, represent respectively a vertical longitudinal
section and a transverse section of the said "forward" shoe on the lines correspond-
ingly numbered; and Figure 17ª an edge view of the same partly in section showing
its calks c, c², and nail-creases c³, together with the said holes h, toe-clip c¹, and
top bevil bl
Figure 17 (Sheet 2) is a top view of a finished "hind" shoe made by the same
process in substitute dies, and Figures 17 and 17, Sheet 3, are sections thereof. on
the lines correspondingly numbered, showing its toe-clip c', calks c, c², nail-creases c³,
and nail-holes h.
The process and apparatus above described are applicable in part to the manu-
facture of iron-calked horse-shoes, the process as thus applied or modified being
illustrated by Figures 18 to 25b inclusive (Sheet 2), to wit,-
Figure 18 is a perspective view of a piece of square bar-iron of ample size in
cross section for the product, including its calks.
Figure 19 is a perspective view of the bent bar produced by heating one end of
said bar (Figure 18) and subjecting the same to the said bending machine
(Figures 2, 2b, Sheet 1) as above described.
1
Figure 20 is a top view of an unfinished iron calked shoe with it marginal fin f¹
of surplus metal, as produced by reheating the said bent-bar (Figure 19) and sub-
jecting the same to the said rough swaging-dies (C, D).
Figure 21 is a face view of the said product after subjection to the said first
trimming dies (E, F,) the Figure showing the clean edges of the product at this
stage, and also its iron calks c, c², and indented nail-creases c³, as formed by the said
swaging dies (C, D,).
Figure 22 is a face view of the said iron product after a second swaging without
preliminary reheating as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 13. At
this operation the body of the solid iron shoe is finished, shaped, hardened, and trued
in the same manner as that of the steel-calk-shoe, and its iron calks are at the same
tine finished, shaped, and hardened so as to be sharp and durable, a last fin f² of
surplus iron being formed as in the main process.
Figure 23 is a top view of the said iron product after subjection to the second-
trimming-dies (E2, F2) aforesaid, and
Figure 24 is a top view of the finished iron shoe showing its nail-holes has
formed by cold-punching, together with its toe-clip c¹ and top bevil b', as formed by
the swaging dies.
Ordinary round bar-iron, equivalent to a given size of square bar-iron, may be
employed instead of the latter in forming iron-calked shoes, and the quantity of
iron driven into the fins may be reduced by drawing out the bar between given
.calk-points kl, k², as illustrated by Figures 25, 25%, of which the former is an edge
view of a short piece of reduced bar, and the latter a cross-section on the line 25b,
Figure 25. Stock of this description may be prepared beneath any ordinary, light
power-hammer.
By the employment of suitable bar-iron and substitute formers and dies of the
required construction, calkless horse-shoes and horse-shoes of other styles may also
be produced by this process, the same being applied in part as last described. And
it will be understood that the said process is designed to produce both hind and
forward shoes of each description.
The bar or stock of either of the forms herein described may if preferred be cut

page_text: Other
up into short pieces, each of the proper length for a shoe, before the bending
operation. In this case the shank notches in the dies will be omitted, and the
blank and shoe will be handled by means of tongs or their equivalent.
unessential modifications of the said process will occur to those skilled in making
iron forgings of other descriptions, and in the manufacture of horse-shoes by
machinery.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode in which
the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
First. The said mechanical process of making steel-calked horse-shoes from bar-
iron and steel calk-blanks, consisting in hot bending the bar to impart contour, and
affixing cold calk-blanks thereto in proper relative positions to form toe and heel
calks, then reheating the bent bar and heating the said calk-blanks, then welding
and rough swaging the same at one operation in dies, the surplus metal escaping in
a marginal fin, then removing said fin in trimming-dies, then reswaging the forging
without preliminary reheating, and finally, retrimming and cold-punching the same
in the order, and substantially in the manner herein illustrated and described, for
the purposes set forth.
Second. That part of said process which consists in reheating the bent bar, then
rough swaging, then trimming or removing the first fin, then reswaging without
preliminary reheating, and finally retrimming and cold punching, in the order, and
substantially in the manner herein described for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.