IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DIES TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HORSE-SHOES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DIES TO BE USED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF HORSE-SHOES." A communication from abroad by Gerard
Dunning, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, Blacksmith.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th December 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DIES
TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HORSE-SHOES." A communication from
abroad by Gerard Dunning, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America,
Blacksmith.
The main object of this Invention is to provide a die to be used in the manu-
facture of horse-shoes, which die I form by an improved process that also constitutes
part of the present Invention. Horse-shoes manufactured by the use of my
improved die are of peculiar construction, in that they have a series of calks on
each side, and special heel calks as well as the ordinary toe calk. The manufacture
of these shoes of proper quality by the methods known prior to the making of my
improved die was difficult and expensive, owing to the peculiar construction of the
shoe, and hence such shoes could not be brought into general use. By means of
the said die however I am enabled to readily and cheaply make perfect shoes of
this kind of the best quality, and provided with all the calks and with proper nail-
holes.
In the accompanying Drawing-
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of my improved die, and
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line x. z. Figure 1.

page_text: Figure 4, a longitudinal section on the me 2, 2, and
Figure 5, a transverse section on the line w, w, Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a plan of the former used in making the die, and
Figure 7, a side elevation of the same.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section on the line x1, x¹.
Figure 9, a transverse section on the line y, y, and
Figure 10, a longitudinal section on the line z', z¹, Figure 6.
It is provided
A represents the completed die formed in a block D of steel.
with recesses a, b, and c, differing from each other in form, and with projections & on
each side. In the recess a the toe calk of the shoe is formed, in the recesses b the
heel calks are formed, and in the recesses c the side calks are formed. The
projections d form the nail-holes in the shoe.
In manufacturing these dies I use a former which has been previously prepared
of the proper size and shape to make a die which will form the shoe. This former,
which is represented in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, consists of a block B of metal, having
the exact form of one of the horse-shoes connected therewith and projecting there-
from, as shewn in the Drawing; in fact that portion of the former marked C if
removed from the block B would correctly represent one of my horse shoes,
e representing the toe-calk, f the heel calks, the side calks, and h the nail holes.
I then take a steel block and heat the same to the temperature required for
working steel; then I place the former on such heated block, and force the former
into the face of the said block by means of blows thereon, or by other suitable
force until the calks are forced down into the block. This operation will also
force some of the metal of the block up into the depressions or holes h of the
former, but not sufficiently to form points upon the die of suitable length for
making the nail-holes in the shoe. Therefore I then plane down the face of the
block or partially formed die to the top of the points (partially formed by the
process described), which are designed when complete to form the nail-holes in the
shoe, and I then continue to plane down the block about one quarter of an inch
more. I then heat the block as before and place the former therein, and again
stamp or force the same into the block, which operation will usually complete the
die. If however the dies should not then be found complete, the above described
operation must be repeated.
I prepare dies of different sizes for different sizes of shoes. In manufacturing
shoes I first prepare blanks of suitable size corresponding to the size and general
form of the desired shoe, but without projections or holes.
Each shoe is made by placing one of the heated blanks in or on the die, and
submitting the same to such power as may be required to force the blank into the
die, so that a part of the metal of the blank will be forced into the recesses a, b, c,
forming the calks, and at the same time the projections d of the die will be forced
into and through or nearly through the metal of the blank, so as to form the nail-
holes. I prefer not to force these points d entirely through the blank lest the
points might be injured. The thin scale remaining can be easily punched out to
complete the nail-holes. I use any suitable press or means for forcing the blanks
into the die, and employ either steel or iron blanks for the shoes; it has been
found that Bessemer steel is well adapted to the purpose.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The manufacture of horse-shoes, the die provided with the recesses a, b, c,
in which the toe, heel, and side calks of the shoes are formed, and with projections d
which form the nail-holes in the said shoes, all substantially as above described.
Second. The process of forming a die to be used in the manufacture of horse-
shoes, the said process consisting, first, in heating a steel block, and forcing into
the same the former corresponding in size and form with the shoe to be made;
and, secondly, in planing down the face of the said block or partially formed die,

page_text: and then forcing the said former again into the block to make the points in the die
of sufficient length to form the nail-holes in the shoe, all substantially as above set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W RUB LAKE. (LS.)