The Invention: A “Supplemental” Horseshoe
The patent, US394388A, granted to Moses Payne of Belleville, Kentucky on December 11, 1888, is for a supplemental or “spring-shoe” that can be applied to a horse’s foot without removing the existing, nailed-on horseshoe.
The core of the invention is a temporary, easily attachable horseshoe designed for use in specific weather conditions.
Key Features of the Invention:
- Supplemental Design: It is not a standalone horseshoe. It is designed to be “sprung within the one already upon the animal’s foot.”
- Easy Application and Removal: The patent highlights that this spring-shoe can be “put on or taken off at will,” making it a quick and convenient solution.
- Clamping Mechanism: The shoe uses a series of “projections” or “clamps” (B, B, D, D, and E) that are forged into its shape. These projections fit around and “clamp” onto the existing toe and heel calks of the ordinary horseshoe.
- “Spring” Metal: The shoe itself is made of “spring metal” (iron, steel, or another suitable metal), which allows it to be flexed and secured firmly onto the primary shoe.
- Added Traction: The supplemental shoe is equipped with its own “sharp calks” (C C C) at the heel and toe. These calks are the primary reason for the shoe’s existence—to provide extra grip and prevent the horse from “slipping upon the ground when said shoe is applied.”
- Optional Riveting: The patent mentions that for “additional security against accidental displacement,” the supplemental shoe can be riveted to the ordinary shoe through pre-drilled pin-holes (G G).
Purpose:
Payne explicitly states the object of his invention is for “severe or slippery weather.” He specifically highlights its value in cities where “concreted and asphalted pavements render it difficult for horses to travel in slippery weather.”
Significance of the Invention and Inventor
While Moses Payne is not a widely known inventor, his patent is a perfect example of a significant trend in the late 19th-century.
Significance on Society:
- Addressing a Common Problem: In the late 1800s, horses were the primary source of power for transportation and commerce in cities. As cities developed with new paving materials like asphalt and concrete, slippery conditions became a major hazard for horses and a logistical nightmare for businesses. Payne’s invention directly addresses this problem.
- Practical Innovation: The invention is a testament to the kind of small, practical innovations that improved daily life in a horse-powered society. Rather than requiring a full re-shoeing for every slippery day, this temporary solution was a time-saver and a safety measure. It provided an “on-demand” solution for traction.
- The Age of the Inventor: This patent belongs to a period of American history where individuals, often with little formal education, were constantly tinkering and patenting solutions to everyday problems. The U.S. Patent Office was a central institution in this culture of innovation, and a patent like this shows how a single, seemingly minor invention could have a real-world impact on a city’s ability to function in bad weather.
Significance of the Inventor:
- A “Common” Inventor: Moses Payne was likely a farrier, blacksmith, or simply an individual who saw a need and created a solution. The details of his life are not well-documented, which is common for many of the thousands of inventors from this era. His patent is a record of his ingenuity and his contribution, however small, to the technology of his time.
- Evidence of a Changing World: Payne’s patent illustrates the transition from rural to urban life. While horseshoes had been around for centuries, new urban environments presented new challenges that required new solutions. His invention is a technological artifact of this shift, demonstrating how a traditional tool was adapted for the modern, industrialized city.
