Farriery – Shoes
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-07-24
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Farriery
Shoes
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263973
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES
There are no applications related to this application filed in this or any foreign country.
BACKGROUND
The use of horseshoes is closely related to the health of a horse's hoof. It is known that the flexibility of a horseshoe has a significant effect on the hoof of the horse. In general, a stiffer horseshoe may be advantageous for work or racing, but a softer, more flexible shoe is typically healthier for the hoof when engaged in less strenuous activities or during the healing process.
The horse with damaged or unhealthy hoofs needs special attention. The thickness of the hoof wall is a key indicator of the hoofs health. Due to the thin hoof wall which characterizes some damaged and unhealthy hoofs, nailing known horseshoes is difficult, dangerous or ill-advised. Special shoes may be needed, although such shoes are generally unavailable.
For the foregoing reasons, what is needed is a horseshoe that attaches to a healthy hoof in a standard manner, but which is adaptable to a damaged, unhealthy or devastated hoof in a different manner, particularly taking into account the thinner structure of such hoofs. The horseshoe should be more flexible when attached to the damaged hoof, thereby promoting healing and comfort through a more natural pressure relief and maximized blood circulation.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies the above needs. A novel horseshoe with a plurality of nail hole patterns is disclosed that provides some or all of the following structures.
(A) The horseshoe provides opposed mirror-image left and right branches
20
,
30
connected by a bridge
40
.
(B) The bridge is flexible enough that the left and right branches are able to move with respect to each other in response to the “splaying” or radial expansion of the horse's hoof when weight is applied.
(C) Scribe marks
50
defined on the inner portions of the lower surface of the bridge act as a quick reference guide to indicate varying degrees to which the bridge may be ground away, thereby resulting in a horseshoe of varying degrees of flexibility.
(D) At least two nail hole patterns, an inner nail pattern
60
and an outer nail pattern
70
, are defined between the upper and lower surfaces of the left and right branches. The inner nail hole pattern is used where the horse's hoof wall is approximately {fraction (3/8+L )}″ thick and generally healthy. The outer nail hole pattern is used where the hoof wall thickness is much less, often approximately {fraction (1/8+L )}″, and the hoof health is devastated.
(E) A groove
80
, defined in the lower surface of each of the branches, links the nail holes of the inner and/or outer nail hole patterns and tends to promote traction.
(F) A tapered region defined on the lower surface of each branch interacts with the flexible bridge by tending to move the branches of the shoe away from each other when the horse applies weight.
It is therefore a primary advantage of the present invention to provide a novel horseshoe with at least two nail patterns, typically including inner and outer nail patterns, that allows use of the shoe with an outer nail pattern for horses having an unhealthy hoof during the healing process, and that allows use of the shoe with an inner nail pattern for horses having a healthy or recovered hoof.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel horseshoe with a flexible bridge portion, defined between the left and right branches, that flexes with the application of weight by the horse, thereby reducing the strain on the hoof. The flexible bridge interacts with a tapered region defined on a lower surface of each of the branches which tends to cause a radially outward force when weight is applied. Also, the flexible bridge interacts with the at least two nail patterns, since the magnitude of the radially outward force applied by the horse's hoof can be varied according to the thickness of the bridge and also according to which nail pattern is used.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel horseshoe with at least two nail patterns, typically including inner and outer nail patterns, wherein the nail holes comprising the outer nail hole pattern may be smaller and adapted for use with smaller nails appropriate to a thinner, damaged hoof, and wherein the nail holes comprising the inner pattern may be larger and adapted for use with larger nails appropriate to thicker, healthy hoofs.
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patent: 105414 (1899-10-01), None
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patent: 8501443A (1986-12-01), None
Jordan Charles T.
Shaw Elizabeth
Thompson David S.
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