Ambulation-protection means for equine hoofs
OwnerPeter Stuebbeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ambulation-protection structure for equine hoof including a layer of plastic affixed the outside surface of the hoof's horn wall. The plastic layer is made of a material of several mixed components and hardens in a rigid, dimensionally stable manner on the surface to which it is firmly affixed, this layer, which is 2 to 20 mm thick, running at least over the front half of the periphery of the outside surface of the hoof.
Claims10
An ambulation protection structure for an equine hoof comprising the combination of
- a segmented layer of plastic material formed on and adherable to an outer sidewall surface of the hoof, said layer being cured to a horn-like, dimensionally rigid form, said layer comprising peripherally spaced segments,
- said layer having a thickness of 2 to 20 mm and extendable peripherally over at least a front half of said outer surface;
- a sole comprising a bottom surface and a plurality of upwardly extending elevation members extending between said segments;
- and
- means for holding said elevation members between said segments, thereby forming a detachable geometric locking relationship inhibiting relative rotation between said sole and said segments.
A method of forming an ambulation-protection means on an equine hoof having a bottom, ground-contacting surface and a peripheral exterior side wall, the method comprising the steps of
- providing a hardenable, plastic material,
- applying the hardenable material to the exterior side wall of the equine hoof to form a layer of material to a thickness of between 4 and 10 mm covering a majority of the surface area of said side wall without making openings into or through the hoof, and
- allowing the layer of material to harden to a substantially inelastic, horn-like hardness, thereby forming an ambulation-protection means on said hoof.
A method of forming an ambulation-protection means on an equine hoof having a bottom, ground-contacting surface and a peripheral exterior side wall, the method comprising the steps of
- providing a hardenable, plastic material,
- applying the hardenable material to the exterior side wall of the equine hoof to form an interrupted layer of material to a thickness of between 4 and 10 mm on the side wall, the interrupted layer comprising a sequence of segments with intervening spaces, and
- allowing the layer of material to harden, thereby forming an ambulation-protection means on said hoof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.