US616256A - Horseshoer s gage - Google Patents

Description

No. 6|6,256. Patented Dec. 20, I898.

J. E. PLATT.

HORSESHOERS GAGE.

(Application filed June 16, 1897;) (No Model.)

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a WITNESSES: INVENTOR goww @Qglm M zomeg NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. PLATT, OF GOSHEN, NEWV YORK.

HORSESHOERS GAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,256, dated December 20, 1898.

Application filed June 16,1897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. PLATT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Goshen, Orange county, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Horseshoers Gage, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for enabling a horseshoer to properly trim a horses hoofs with facility and accuracy preparatory to setting on the shoes. In trimming the hoofs it is of great importance that they be evenly trimmed, so that the legs with respect to each other will be of exactly the proper length and pitch; otherwise one leg may be too long or too short. If a leg is too long, it will be compelled to sustain more than its share of the horses weight, and if too short it will throw too much of the weight upon the other legs. Again, it is important that each-hoof should be evenly trimmed with respect to all parts of its under bearing-surface; otherwise the leg may be thrown forward or backward or to one side. Because of such inaccuracy in trimming the hoofs a horse of great value is liable to be permanently injured.

My invention comprises means whereby the height, the pitch, and the level of the under bearing-surface can be accurately andquickly determined and whereby exactly the necessary amount of the hoof required to be trimmed off may be determined.

In the drawings forming part of this specification and in which like letters of reference designate similar parts, Figure 1 is a plan view of the device embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, representing the same.

Referring now more particularly to the precise embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawings, A is a base formed generally of a fiat plate of metal or other suitable substance, to which is pivoted at a an arm B, arranged to move in a vertical plane. The main purpose of the base A is to form a convenient horizontal support for the arm B, whereby the arm may be quickly and accurately placed in a vertical plane before the horses hoof. The arm 13 is graduated, as

shown, and is provided generally with two adjustable spacing-pieces b and 0, each having a set-screw or equivalent device I) and 0, whereby they may be fixed when adjusted to Serial No. 640,949. (Nomodeld their proper position. The piece I) has preferably a horizontal edge and the piece 0 has preferably a vertical edge. In its best form the arm 13 carries a pointer 0, arranged to move over a plate D, fixed to the base A at a right angle thereto, and graduated in degrees of a circle, so as to measure the vertical angle of the arm B. The pointer O in its best form stands at a right angle to the arm B and carries a set-screw cl, working in a circular slot d in the plate D, by means of which the arm 13 may be fixed in any desired position. E is a spirit-level fixed to the plate A, which enables the horseshoer to quickly and accurately determine when the base A is in a horizontal plane when using the device.

The operation of this part of the invention is as follows: The gage is set down in front of the hoof to be examinedthe left front hoof, for example -with the base A in a hori zontal level and the arm B therefore in a ver tical plane. The arm B is then moved on its pivot on till the pieces I and 0 rest against the front medial line of the hoof. The pieces I) and c are then adjusted, the piece I) being fixed so that its edge rests against the top of the hoof and the piece 0 being fixed so that its edge rests against the hoof lower down. These pieces I) and 0 enable the arm B to be accurately placed in a plane parallel to the medial front line of the hoof. In the case of most horses the side walls of their hoofs are not smooth, but have protuberances and indentations, and a straight-edge laid vertically along the front surface of the hoof would not be parallel to the medial front line of the hoof. The inclination of the straight-edge to this medial front line would, moreover, differ not only between the hoofs of diiferent horses, but between the hoofs of the same horse. In my invention in order that the graduated arm B may be supported against the front of the hoof in a line parallel with the medial front line of the hoof I employ the adjustable spacing-pieces b and c, which are adapted to be placed against the hoof at points which are in the medial front line of the hoof. In this way the vertical height and especially the angle of inclination of the hoof may be accurately determined. The vertical height or length of the hoof may be now easily read on the graduated arm B, and

the angle formed by this line with the under bearing-surface of the hoof may be read on the graduations of the plate D, which measure this angle. The proper height and angle of the left front hoof having been thus determined, the right front hoof is next made to conform with the same measurements, and both hoofs are in this way made identical with respect to height and angle or pitch. In the same way the two hind hoofs are made identical.

In order to make the under bearing-surfaces of the hoofs level and accurately measure the height and pitch of the hoofs, as already explained, I generally employ a light, movable, and "d urable platform on which the two front feet at one time and the two hind feet at another time are placed during their examination by the gage. This platform consists of two separable pieces F and G. These pieces may be made of wood or other material, each com prisinga top and two cleats or strips fastened by screws or other means to the under side of the tops at the edges. The cleats f extend beyond the top, to which they are fastened about the breadth of the piece G, so as to form a base for both pieces F and G. The cleats g are fastened to the top of the piece G a short distance within the edge of the top and extend a short distancesay three or four inchesbeyond one end of the top. By means of this construction when the piece F is laid on the ground, resting on the cleats f, the piece G may be placed with its top resting on the cleatsfand the cleats g abutting against the inner sides of the cleats f and extending underneath the top of piece F, so that the two pieces form a solid level platform upon which the horses feet may be fixed.

The platform is used in the following manner: When the horse has been made to stand squarely on all four feet, one footas, say, the front left foot-is lifted and the piece F is slipped in place, so that when the foot is let down it will rest on the piece F, the cleats fof which are at this time extending one on each side of the right front foot. The right front foot is now raised and the piece G is laid upon the cleats f, as above described, and the foot let down upon the piece G. It will be seen that both front feet are now on a level platform, where the hoofs can be accurately inspected. The platform is' used in the same way in examining the hind feet. If desired, of course two platforms may be used at the same time, one for the front feet and one for the hind feet.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a low platform adapted to receive at once both fore feet or both hind feet of a horse and made freely separable along a line between the places of the two feet in position thereon, of means for holding the two parts in the same plane when pressed by the feet, and a gage adapted to rest upon said platform and to measure both the angle made with the platform and the slant height of the hoof alongside which it may itself be placed.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a low platform adapted to receive at once both fore or hind feet of a horse and made freely separable along a line between the places of the feet thereon, of a base adapted to be placed upon any side of either hoof upon the platform, a graduated arm pivotal-1y supported from said base to swing in a vertical plane into position parallel to the adjacent side of thehoof, and means forindicatingtheiuclination of the arm when in such position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES E. PLATT.

Witnesses:

CHAS. J. EORDLEY, THEODORE SMITH.

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