Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2193278
GRIPPING DEVICE FOR A HORSESHOE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a gripping device for a horseshoe. In particular,
the
invention relates to a gripping device for a horseshoe to provide improved
grip to the
surface on which the horse's hoof contacts. More specifically, the novel
gripping
device is, in general, designed to prevent the horse's hoof from winging in or
paddling
out in order that the hoof travels in a straight line, and to spread shock
evenly taking
the pressure off the wall of the hoof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Horseshoes come in a variety of size and shapes depending on the type of
horse and the activity for which the horse is to be engaged. Generally,
horseshoes
are U-shaped and conform to the circumference of the hoof with two branches
emanating from the toe area and projecting beyond the heel. Some of the early
horseshoes were made out of iron and were forged to fit the varying sizes and
shapes
of the horses' hooves. A shoe is then nailed onto each hoof. Every three to
five
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weeks due to the growth of the horse hoof, the shoe is removed and the foot
trimmed. The shoe can be reused or reset each time until it is worn out at
which
time it is replaced with a new shoe. Although, iron or metal horseshoes offer
protection to the horse's foot, they offer little or no absorption of shock
and
concussion when the horse moves, especially when carrying a rider.
Furthermore,
metal horseshoes wear smooth and provide little traction on many surfaces.
In recent years, horseshoes of various plastics and elastomers have been
tried.
Although, they increase the absorption of shock and concussion, they failed to
offer
proper protection to the horse's hoof because of their lack of stiffness,
shapeabilir_y,
and durability. Typically, the better the particular material performed as a
shock
absorber, the worse its wear characteristics. Further, these shoes have
typically worn
smooth and as a result traction or grip is lost.
There have been attempts to incorporate horseshoe pads as an integral part of
the metal horseshoe. Generally, these are plastic or leather pads, which are
attached
to the top part of the horseshoe. While, having the pad between the horse's
hoof and
the metal horseshoe provided some absorption of the shock and concussion
forces, in
general, such a pad would weaken the overall stability of the shoe.
It is, therefore, desirable to have a horseshoe with a gripping device which
improves the grip between a horse's hoof and the contacting surface while at
the
same time functioning to prevent the horse's hoof from sliding on the
contacting
surface, to prevent the horse's hoof from winging in or paddling out in order
that the
hoof travels in a straight line, and spreading shock evenly taking the
pressure off the
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wall of the hoof.
SUMMARY OF THE INDENTION
in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a gripping device
S for horses which improves the grip between a horse's hoof and the contacting
surface.
Further in accordance with present invention, an improved gripping device for
horses' hooves is provided which, in general, prevents the horse's hoof from
winging
in or paddling out in order that the hoof travels in a straight line, and
spreads shock
evenly upon striking the contacting surface and taking pressure off the wall
of the
hoof.
Still further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a
gripping device for a horseshoe which keeps the shoe from spreading and keeps
the
horse's heels from contracting.
Still further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a
gripping device for use in conjunction with or as an integral part of a
horseshoe for
improving the grip between a horse's hoof and the contacting surface, the
device
having a flat top surface which faces towards a horse's hoof and a bottom
surface
opposite the top surface, the bottom surface having a raised portion for
improved
gripping, the device being positioned centrally with respect to the horse's
hoof.
Still further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a
gripping device for use in conjunction with or an integral part of a horseshoe
for
improving the grip between a horse's hoof and the contacting surface, the
device
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4
having various specially designed shapes.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become clear to those
skilled in the art from the reading and understanding of the specification.
BRIEF DESCRIP'ITON OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be further described in connection with the attached
drawing figures showing preferred embodiments of the invention including
specific
parts and arrangements of parts. It is intended that the drawings included as
a part
of this specification be illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the
invention and
should in no way be considered as a (imitation on the scope of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the gripping device in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the gripping device according to the present
invention.
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a horseshoe showing one embodiment of a gripping
device according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a horseshoe showing a second embodiment of a
gripping device according to the present invention.
FIG. S is a bottom view of a horseshoe showing a third embodiment of a
gripping device according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a horseshoe showing a fourth embodiment of a
gripping device according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a horseshoe showing a fifth embodiment of a
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S
gripping device according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a horseshoe showing a sixth embodiment of a
gripping device according to the present invention.
S DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to a gripping device for a horseshoe for improving
the grip between a horse's hoof and the conducting surface, resulting in
better
traction for the horse. The gripping device of the present invention further
prevents
the hoof from winging in or paddling out in order that the hoof travels in a
straight
line, and, in addition, spreads shock evenly taking the pressure off the wall
of the
hoof. The gripping device also keeps the horseshoe from spreading and keeps
the
horse's heels from contracting. The gripping device will be described by
referring to
the drawings.
The gripping device is generally shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The gripping device
shown in FIG. 1 and generally designated as 25 comprises a flat top surface 23
that
faces towards the horse's hoof and a bottom surface 28 opposite the top
surface, the
bottom surface has a raised portion 27 which provides the gripping surface
when
contacting the ground or surface on which the horse is being ridden. The
gripping
device 25 further comprises a central arcuate portion 26 extending to a
generally
rectangular shape portion 29, the generally rectangular portion being attached
near
the center of the arcuate portion and positioned perpendicular to the arcuate
portion.
The gripping device 25 further has an opening 24 having a curved portion and a
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rectangular portion, the curved portion being located in the arcuate portion
26 of the
device and a rectangular portion extending into the rectangular portion 29 of
the
device 25, v~rherein the opening 24 generally has a T shape. The raised
portion 27
surrounds and forms the border of the T shaped opening. The gripping device 25
is
S designed such that it is positioned centrally with respect to the horse's
hoof and may
be attached to the horse's hoof by any suitable means. FIG. 2 showing a side
view of
gripping device 25, shows the raised section 27 extending from the bottom
surface 28.
pTGS. 3-8 show the gripping device according to the present invention in
combination with a horseshoe. The horseshoe 10 is a generally U-shaped article
having a central arcuate toe portion 12, an arcuate right leg portion 14, and
an
arcuate left leg portion i6. The shoe 10 has a ground facing, substantially
planar side
I8 and a top hoof wall or sole facing side 20 with a plurality of nail
apertures 22 for
attaching the shoe 10 to the wall of the hoof. The horseshoe may be made of
any
material suitable for horseshoes, such as steel, aluminum, plastic, or
composite
1S materials thereof. The plastic may be any number of durable engineering
plastics
having good wear and strength properties, e.g., polyesters, polyimides,
polycarbonates,
polyaramides, nylons, various polymer alloys of these materials and the like.
The
composite material may be polymer/metal alloys and/or composites and the like.
As shown in FIGS. 3-8, the gripping device of the present invention has a flat
top surface which faces towards the horse's hoof and a bottom surface opposite
the
top surface. The bottom surface has a raised portion for improved gripping.
The
gripping device is positioned between the horse's hoof and the horseshoe. The
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gripping device is attached by any suitable means to the horse's hoof. Such
suitable
means for attaching the gripping device include nailing the gripping device to
the
hoof or horseshoe, using tabs to attach the gripping device to the horseshoe,
using
other forms of fasteners, and the like.
In one embodiment of the present imrention, the horseshoe may further
include a wedge shaped pad having a wedge shaped frog insert which is
integrally-
formed with or securely attached to the pad not shown in the figures. The frog
insert
may function to support the coffin bone of the horse's hoof when the hoof is
under
load. Besides, supporting the coffin bone, the insert also provides support
for the rest
of the subsolar surface. It also provides stimulation of the vascular system
and hence
is an aid to blood circulation. When the horseshoe includes a frog insert, the
gripping
device lays atop the frog insert pressing on the frog with every step helping
to
stimulate blood circulation.
The gripping device of the present invention may be made from any suitable
material such as steel, aluminum, other metals, plastic, or composite
materials. Such
as those previously discussed. The gripping device may be used in a various
types of
horseshoes. For example, the gripping device may be used with keg or cowboy
shoes,
such as plain horseshoes, heeled horseshoes with heel talks, or heeled and
toed
horseshoes with heel and toe talks. The gripping device may further be used
with
pony and mule shoes such as plain mule shoes, heeled mule shoes, plain pony
shoes,
plain shoes, or block heels toed shoes. The gripping device may also be used
with
aluminum racing plates for hind feet. Examples of these types of horseshoes
include
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right sticker or mud talk shoes, left sticker or mud talk shoes, block heel
shoes, plain
heel shoes, left block and sticker shoes, right block and sticker shoes, level
grip or
outside rim shoes, and queens plate shoes. Moreover, the gripping device may
be a
separate unit or the device may be made an integral part of shoe, e.g., by
molding or
casting the shoe and the gripping device in the same mold. Alternatively, the
gripping
device may be made separately and be formed from a different material than the
material of the shoe.
One embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. The gripping
device 30 comprises a central arcuate portion 31 and a rectangular shaped
portion 32,
the rectangular portion being attached near the center of the arcuate portion
and
positioned perpendicular to the arcuate portion. The gripping device has an
opening
33 having a curved portion and a rectangular portion; the curved portion being
located in the arcuate portion 31 of the device and the rectangular portion
extending
into the rectangular portion 32 of the device, and the opening having a
general T-
shape. The gripping device further has a flat top surface 34 which faces
towards a
horse's hoof and a bottom surface 35 opposite the top surface, the bottom
surface
having a raised portion 36 which surrounds the T-shaped opening. The gripping
device is positioned centrally with respect to the horse's hoof and attached
to the
horse's hoof by any suitable means.
In a second embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 4, the gripping
device 40 comprises a central arcuate portion 41 and a rectangular shaped
portion 42,
the rectangular portion being attached near the center of the arcuate portion
and
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positioned perpendicular to the arcuate portion. The gripping device has an
arcuate
shaped opening 43 located in the arcuate portion 41 of the device and a
rectangular
shaped opening 44 located in the rectangular portion 42 of the device. The
gripping
device further has a flat top surface 45 which faces towards a horse's hoof
and a
bottom surface 46 opposite the top surface, the bottom surface having a raised
portion 47 surrounding the arcuate shaped opening 43 and a raised portion 48
surrounding the rectangular shaped opening 44. The gripping device is
positioned
centrally with respect to the horse's hoof and attached to the horse's hoof by
any
suitable means.
In another embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 5, the
gripping 50 device comprises a rectangular shaped portion 51 aad two adjoining
leg
portions 52, 53 which extend in opposite directions from the rectangular
portion and
are perpendicular to the rectangular portion, the device having a general Y-
shape.
The gripping device has an opening 54 in the device, the opening having a
straight
portioa and two adjoining leg portions extending in opposite directions from
the
straight portion, the straight portion being located in the rectangular
portion 51 of the
device and the leg portions extending into the leg portions 52, 53 of the
device, and
the opening having a general Y-shape. The gripping device further has a flat
top
surface 55 which faces towards a horse's hoof and a bottom surface 56 opposite
the
top surface, the bottom surface having a raised portion 57 which surrounds the
Y-
shaped opening 54. The gripping device is positioned centrally with respect to
the
horse's hoof and attached to the horse's hoof by any suitable means.
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In another embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 6, the
. gripping device 60 has a central triangular portion 61 and three rectangular
portions
62, 63, 64 extending from the three ends of the triangular portion. The
gripping
device further has a triangular shaped opening 65 located in the triangular
portion 61.
The gripping device further has a flat top surface 66 which faces towards a
horse's
hoof and a bottom surface 67 opposite the top surface, the bottom surface
having a
raised portion 68 around the perimeter of the device and a raised portion 69
which
surrounds the triangular shaped opening 65. The gripping device is attached to
the
horseshoe on the side facing the horse's hoof by any suitable means.
In another embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 7, the
gripping device 70 has a central arcuate portion 71, an arcuate right leg
portion 72, an
arcuate left leg portion 73, and three rectanguiar portions 74, 75, 76, one
rectangular
portion 74 located at the center of the central arcuate portion 71 extending
in a
direction opposite the leg portions, and the other rectangular portions 75, 76
located
at the ends of the leg portions perpendicular to the leg portions and
extending in a
direction opposite the opposite leg portion. The gripping device has a flat
top surface
77 which faces towards a horse's hoof and a bottom surface 78 opposite the top
surface, the bottom surface having a raised portion 79. The raised portion has
a
central arcuate portion, an arcuate right leg portion, and an arcuate left leg
portion.
The gripping device is positioned centrally with respect to the horse's hoof
and
attached to the horse's hoof by any suitable means.
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In another embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 8, the
gripping device 84 comprises a rectangular shaped portion 81 having two long
sides
and two shorter sides, and two adjoining leg portions 82, 83 which extend in
opposite
directions from the rectangular portion 81 and are perpendicular to the
rectangular
portion, the device having a general Y-shape. The gripping device has a
rectangular
shaped opening 84 located in the rectangular portioa 81 of the device and a
triangular shaped opening 85 located in the leg portions 82, 83 of the device.
The
gripping device further has a flat top surface 86 which faces towards a
horse's hoof
and a bottom surface 87 opposite the top surface, the bottom surface having a
raised
portion 88 surrounding the rectangular shaped opening 84, a raised portion 89
surrounding the triangular shaped opening 85, and raised portions 90, 91 along
the
long sides of the rectangular portion and extending onto the adjoining leg
portions.
The gripping device is positioned centrally with respect to the horse's hoof
and
attached to the horse's hoof by any suitable means.
The gripping device of the present invention improves the traction between the
horse's hoof and the ground. The gripping device also prevents the horse's
hoof from
sliding on the contacting surface. The gripping device further prevents the
horse's
hoof from winging in or paddling out causing the horse to travel in a straight
line.
The design of the gripping device spreads the shock evenly and takes pressure
off the
wall of the horse's hoof. In addition, the gripping device prevents the
horseshoe from
spreading and keeps the horse's heel from contracting. Further, the gripping
device is
safe to use because no portion of the device extends to the bottom of the
horseshoe.
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Although various exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed
for illustrative purposes, it is understood that variations and modifications
can be
made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of
the
invention.
