IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE SHOES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN STEWART ROBERTSON, of 2 Clyde St. Dumbarton, in the County of
Dumbarton, North Britain, Coachman do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE SHOES to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the providing of appliances by means of which
horses may in a few minutes be suitably fitted for encountering all sorts of weather,
and it consists, first-of moveable heels and toes fitted in ordinary Horse shoes and
held in position by keys in a peculiar manner-second, a composition shoe
(composed of Iron, Steel, Copper, Brass, Leather and Indian rubber) to be used
instead of the ordinary shoe, or as an overshoe (without the sole) composition heels
and toes fitted and fixed in same manner as in first part of Invention-the object
of this shoe is to prevent horses slipping in paved streets or for a horse with tender
feet.

page_text: I JOHN STEWART ROBERTSON, 2 Clyde Street, Dunbarton, Scotland, Coachman,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE SHOES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My said invention has for its object the providing of appliances by means of
which horses may in a few minutes be suitably fitted for encountering all sorts of
weather, at a cost considerably less than one half of the present mode of shoeing;
and as the improvements can all be embodied on the ordinary or original horse
shoe, the overshoe, or heel and toe pieces hereinafter described, can be adjusted
without taking the ordinary shoe off the horse's foot.
In order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same may be
properly understood, I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory Drawings, to be
hereinafter referred to.
The First part of my said invention consists of a self acting key with an egg-
shaped bulge of the form of Figure 1 of the Sheet of Drawings annexed, or similar
thereto. Figure 2 being a section thereof, made of iron, steel, or other suitable
metal or material, to be used for fixing and holding moveable heel and toe pieces,
made either of iron or other metal, or of the composition referred to in the Second
part hereof, in proper position on the ordinary or other horse shoe; or for fixing
and holding in the like manner, the composition shoe, also referred to in the second
part hereof, when it is to be used as an overshoe.-The way in which this part is
to be performed is by dovetailing the overshoe (Figure 3) or the heel and toc
pieces, as the case may be, on to the ordinary shoe, represented by Figure 4 (the
dovetail being shewn throughout the Drawings by the letter A), and then fixing
them in position by inserting the self acting keys in apertures shaped and
constructed for the purpose-containing cavities as shewn in Figure 8, corre-
sponding to the bulge in the keys,-passing through the heels and toe of the shoe
and the corresponding dovetail of the overshoe, or heel and toe pieces, as the case
may be, and will thus effectually prevent the overshoe, or heel and toe pieces from
becoming displaced by the action of the horses foot.-Figure 5 is a side elevation
of the ordinary shoc (4), showing the overshoc (3) fitted on by the dovetail A and
fixed in position by the self acting keys (1) inserted at the heels and toe.
The Second part of my invention consists of a composition shoe (Figure 3) made
of india-rubber, intersected with strips or bands of iron, steel, copper, or brass, as
may be found most suitable for the purpose of strengthening the india-rubber and
rendering it firm; constructed so that it can, when fitted with heel and toe pieces
in the manner above described, be used as an ordinary shoe for a lame horse, or for
a horse with a tender foot; or it can be used as an overshoe by fitting it on, and
fixing it to the ordinary shoe by self acting keys in the manner before described,
and as shewn in Figure 5.-It will when thus used prevent horses from slipping
and falling in frosty weather, or on streets, pavements, &c.
I also include under this part, composition heel and toe pieces (Figures 6 and 7)
made of the same materials, and in the same way, which may be fitted on and fixed
to the ordinary or other shoe, by the self acting keys in the manner already
described. Figure 7 shews a side elevation of the ordinary shoe (4) with the
composition heel and toe pieces (B) fitted on by the dovetail (A) and fixed in
position by the self acting keys (1).

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, though not restricting
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, I declare that what
I claim is, viz :-
(1) The composition toe and heel pieces and the composition shoe and overshoe
as above described.
(2) The self acting bulge keys for fixing heel and toe pieces or overshoes, which
dovetail on to the ordinary shoes in the manner described.
JOHN STEWART ROBERTSON,
2, Clyde St., Dumbarton.