1988-09-22
1991-03-26
Swiatek, Robert P.
Farriery
Shoes
168 24, A01L 102
Patent
active
050021338
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention concerns a horseshoe.
There is known from FR-A-2 262 491 a horseshoe having a substantially plane upper surface designed to come into contact, after horseshoeing, with the hoof of the horse and comprising on a portion of its surface an extra thickness or rib intended to bear on the ground, the horseshoe having over the remaining portion of its surface a reduced and substantially constant thickness, the rib forming two branches which diverge laterally from each other towards the rear.
This known horseshoe, like all those proposed until now, has to be forged to adapt it to the exact shape of the hoof to which it is to be fitted.
This forging operation requires lengthy and costly training of the farrier.
The objective of the invention is to eliminate the need for forging.
This objective is achieved, in accordance with the invention, in a horseshoe of the kind defined above, in that the reduced thickness portion of the horseshoe extends beyond the branches of the rib, on the one hand, sideways and outwardly and, on the other hand, sideways and inwardly, leaving a medial free space between the two branches of the rib, and/or rearwards so as to come into contact, after horseshoeing, both with the wall and with the bars, the branches of the rib facing completely the sole.
In a horseshoe of this kind the fact that only the thin portion comes into contact with the lateral regions of the wall and the bars, which are the rigid portions of the hoof surrounding the sole, enables the horseshoe to deform in use, its upper surface becoming convex to conform to the more flexible sole, so improving comfort and the stability of the contact between the horse and the ground. This favourable position can be obtained by adapting the horseshoe to the shape of the hoof by simple machining of the portion of the horseshoe whose thickness is small as compared with that of the remainder of the horseshoe comprising the rib.
The horseshoe in accordance with the invention is preferably made from aluminium alloy or a material with analogous properties. A horseshoe of this kind can be filed easily.
In one embodiment the posterior end portions of the branches of the rib are thicker than the remainder of the rib.
According to one characteristic of the invention, the rib has recesses in its lower surface the bottoms of which are substantially flush with the lower surface of the reduced thickness portion. In particular, it may be formed, over part of its length in the front-to-back direction, by separate transverse fins extending downward from the reduced thickness portion, preferably substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the horseshoe.
The rib may have, forward of the fins, a solid portion the thickness of which is equal to the height of the fins and, to the rear of the fins, solid portions the thickness of which is greater than the height of the fins.
Alternatively, at least one recess in the rib may be delimited by a circular arc-shape surface crossing the central vertical plane of the horseshoe. In particular, the rib may have an arc-shaped forward portion adjacent the anterior edge of the horseshoe and separated from the remainder of the rib by an arc-shape recess.
The invention also provides for the rib to include at least one arc-shaped rear portion delimited towards the front by a recess, this rear portion possibly being of annular shape and surrounding another recess in the rib.
In a horseshoe with a rib in which there are recesses, the recesses may be at least partially filled with a material having anti-skid and/or shock-absorbing properties.
Also, the thickness of the rib may increase progressively from the front towards the back. In particular, the front end of the rib may form a rounded off section adjacent the forward edge of the upper surface of the horseshoe. A configuration of this kind anticipates the shape resulting from wear of the horseshoe in use and prevents the horse from stumbling when it puts its foot on the ground.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other characteristics and advantages
REFERENCES:
patent: Re16104 (1925-06-01), Heymoss, Jr.
patent: 777022 (1904-12-01), Howell
patent: 912813 (1909-02-01), Cleary
patent: 1441602 (1923-01-01), Robertson
patent: 3957120 (1976-05-01), Alletrux
patent: 4253526 (1981-03-01), Alletrux
Nemisis
Swiatek Robert P.
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