Improvements in Horseshoes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 27th Nov., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Horseshoes.
I, PHILANDER HALSEY GRAVES, Horse Dealer, of 635 46th Place, Chicago, in the
County of Cook, and State of Illinois, one of the United States of America, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to horseshoes and has for its abject to provide an elastic
or resilient horse-shoe having removably fitted and embedded therein a metal
strip or reinforcement constituting an inelastic frame through which the nails or
other fasteners pass. by means of which the shoe is secured to the animal's hoof,
the arrangement being such that the said strip or frame is located wholly within
the plane of the shoe proper so as to cause the heads of the nails to be encased
between the side portions of the shoe where they afford no projections.
The horseshoe is also provided at the toe and heel portions with toe and heel
plates, the lower edges of which are flush with the lower face of the horseshoe, and
reinforcing wear plates are also placed upon the top of the shoe at the toe and
heel thereof.
The invention consists in a horseshoe embodying certain novel features and
details of construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter fully described
illustrated in the drawings and incorporated in the claims hereto appended.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure is a perspective view of a horseshoe constructed in accordance with
this invention, looking from the underside.
Figure 2 is a similar view with the inclastic strip or frame omitted.
Figure 3 is a detail section taken through the toe of the shoe.
Figure 4 is a similar section taken through the heel of the shoe.
Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the heel.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modification of the invention.
Figure 7 is a section taken through the toe of the shoe.
Figure S is a section taken through the heel.
Figures 9 and 10 are sections taken through the heel and toe and illustrating
another modification.
From the various modifications shown it is to be noted that the reinforcing
plates for the underside of the shoe, shown in Figures 1 to 5, are separate from
the strip or plate 4 through which the nails pass that fasten the shoe to the hoof,
while in the Figures 6 to 10 these heel and toe reinforcing and wear plates on
the lower side of the shoe, form an integral part of said strip or frame. Referring
to the Figures 1 to 5 1 designates the main body of the shoe, which may be of any
suitable size and shape and which is composed of rubber or analogous material.
The toe of the shoe is increased in width and provided with a rearwardly project-
ing V-shaped extension 2, giving to the shoe a heart-shape and increasing the
wearing and bearing surface of the shoe at the toe portion.
Upon the undersile the shoe is provided with a continuous groove 3, extending

page_text: from one heel portion to the other, the ends of the groove terminating just short
of the extremity of the heel plates hereinafter described.
Within the groove 3 is a metal strip or frame 4 corresponding in length and
shape. to the groove, said strip or frame being convex in cross section with its
rounded side disposed inward and fitting snugly the rounded base or floor of the
groove 3. The outer or flat side of said strip or frame is located within the plane
of the bottom of the shoe so as to prevent the nails from projecting below the lower
surface of the shoe. At suitable points the strip or frame is provided with
openings 5 to receive the nails not shown, and these openings are countersunk
so as to let the heads of the nails lie flush with the frame or strip. The strip is
made of less thickness than the depth of the groove so that the edges 7 of the
shoe will project below the boltom surface of such strip or frame, thus forming
ribs which will engage the ground and guard against the lateral slipping of the
shoe when traveling upon smooth and wet or icy surfaces. The strip or frame 4
instead of being exactly in the form of a horseshoe, has its central portion deflect-
ed or given a backward V-shaped offset, as indicated at S, so as to make room for
a toe plate 9.
The toe plate 9 consists of a single piece of sheet metal which is beat so as to
lie under the toe portion of the rubber shoe, the front edge of said plate being
bent round and upward in front of the toe portion of the shoe and having its
edge rolled, as indicated at 10, and embedded in the rubber, as clearly shown
in the sectional view, thus preventing any possibility of the toe plate becoming
detached. The rear portion of the plate 9 is pressed inward so as to conform to
the groove 3, as indicated at 11, and is extended along the rear portion of the
groove and embedded in the rearwardly projecting extension at the center of the
toe portin of the shoe, as indicated at 12. The toe plate 9 is thus held securely
in place and in addition to forming a re-inforcement for the toe portion, which adds
greatly to the life and durability of the shoe, said plate also affords a bearing for the
toe portion of the strip or frame 14. Upon the upper side of the shoe at the toe
portion is arranged a bearing plate 13 which has its end portions rolled and
embedded in the rubber similarly to the toe plate 9, the plate 13 lying flush with
the upper surface of the shoe and forming a bearing for the toe of the hoof. Other
bearing plates 14 are located at the heel ends of the show and are intended to
receive the heel portions of the hoof so as to prevent the same from cutting into
the rubber and effecting a too mapid wearing away of the same.
held in place by rolling their end portions and embedding them in the rubber in
The plates 14 are
a manner hereinbefore described.
16 indicates a pair of heel plates which consist of sheet metal, each having its
corners rolled and embedded in the rubber of the show adjacent to the heel ends
thereof, said plates 15 lying flush with the underside of the shoe and serving to take
the excessive wear occuring at such points.
By means of the construction above described, it will be seen that a resilient
hora shoe is obtained which will absorb all jar and vibration and prevent the
same being imparted to the hoofs and legs of the animal. It will also be seen that
the peculiar construction described renders the slipping in any direction unlikely,
thus adapting the shoe particularly for wet and icy weather and obviating the
necessity for using calks. The construction described also combines simplicity and
durability and will outlast many sets of calks, the shoe preventing any slipping as
long as it lasts.
The toe and heel plates prevent too rapid wearing away of the rubber and
greatly increase the life of the shoe, as the rubber will wear away no faster than
the said reinforcing plates. By making the metal strip or plate of less depth than
the groove in which it fits, fot only are the heads of the nails concealed and pre-
vented from projecting beyond the plane of the shoe, but oppositely located ribs
are provided which serve to prevent the slipping of the shoe. In addition to the
advantages above enumerated, the shoe as a whole, is to a certain extent, flexible
laterally so that it may accomodate the natural growth of the animal's foot and not

page_text: cause too great contraction thereof, which, as is well understood, is extremely
injurious to the animal. The light metal frame or strip permits the shoe to shape
itself to the animal's foot, and the shoe as a whole forms an agreeable cushion
to the animal's foot, which is especially desirable when traveling upon
asphalt or stone pavements. The upper and lower plates are preferably formed of
spring steel and the rolled or curled edges of said plates lie apart and separate from
each other and do not interfere with the elasticity of the shoe as a whole. By this
construction a practically noiseless shoe in produced.
Referring now to the construction shown in Figures 6 to 8, the said frame 4 is
provided at the toe portion with a plate 16 that extends forwardly and upwardly
and lies within a socket 17 formed in the body portion of the shoe, so that the outer
face of this plate 16 lies flush with the face of the body portion. At the end of
the frame are the heel plates 18 that are flat and are situated within the sockets
19 in the corresponding portion of the body portion of the shoe. The said frame
is also concave on its lower side and convex on its upper side, and being formed of
steel affords the desired strength. The concavity of the lower side of the frame
also affords a space to receive the head of the nail. In this form of shoe it is
not necessary to employ the reinforcing plates on the upper side of the body por-
tion, although they or a plate or layer such as 20 could be used if found
desirable.
In the modifications shown in Figures 9 and 10 the construction is the same in
every particular, except that the toe plate 16 and heel plates 18 are concaved
slightly on their outer or lower faces, while the sockets in the body portion are
correspondingly shaped.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same of to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A horseshoe composed of rubber for analogous material, provided on its
underside with a groove, in combination with a metal strip or frame located with-
in said groove and provided with openings for nails, and wear plates at the toe
and heel of the shoe having their outer surfaces practically flush to the surface of
the body portion of the shoe.
2. A horseshoe composed of rubber and provided upon its underside with a
groove extending continuously from heel to heel, in combination with a metal
strip or frame of less depth than the groove and located therein, the bottom surface
of said strip or frame being located in a higher plane than the bottom surface
of the shoe and being provided with openings to receive the nails, substantially as
described.
3. A horseshoe composed of rubber and having at its the portion a rearwardly
projecting V shaped extension giving increased width and bearing surface to
said toe portion, said shoe being provided in its underside with a groove extending
from heel to heel, in combination with a metal strip or frame having a central
V-shaped offset and located in said groove which is of corresponding shape and
provided with openings for the reception of attaching means, substantially as
described.
4. A horseshoe composed of rubber and provided in its underside with a groove, in
combination with a metal strip or frame located in said groove and having openings
for the reception of attaching means, and a toe plate formed from sheet metal and
embracing the toe portion of the shae, said toe plate extending around the under-
side of the shoe and having its edge curled or rolled and embedded in the rubber,
substantially as described.
5. A horseshoe provided in its underside with a groove, in combination with a
metal strip or frame located in said groove and provided with openings for the
attaching means, and a toe plate formed of sheet metal bent around the underside
of the shoe and having its front edge curled or rolled and embedded in the rubber,
said plate being also deflected or curved in the plane of the base of the groove so

page_text: na to form a seat or bearing surface for the metal strip or frame, substantially as
described.
6. A horseshoe composed of rubber and provided along its underside with a groove
in combination with a metal strip or frame fitted in said groove and provided
with openings for the attaching means, and a pair of heel plates each consisting of
a piece of sheet metal having its corners or edges rolled and embedded in the rubber,
said heel plates being flush with the underside of the shoe, substantially as described.
7. A horseshoe composed of rubber and provided in its underside with a groove,
in combination with a metal strip or frame arranged in said groove and having
openings for the attaching means, and bearing plates on the upper side of the shoo
arranged at the toe and heel end thereof, said plates having their edge portions rolled
and embedded in the rubber, substantially as described.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT
Agents for Applicant. 17 St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT
Agents for Applicant. 17 St. Ann's Square, Manchester,