33 



the retura of tlie paratrite, after it has beeu driven on, is seeu at Fig. 10, 

 where the points, g, g, forced against the hoof by the screw mit, /, will 

 oppose the descent of it ; not having had time to try it, however, I do not 

 vouch for its effect. 



Having described the plan, and suggested farther improvements of it, 

 lleave the perfecting it, if found worthy of it, to more ingenious artificers. 

 I may heie just State for their help, that in order to make the dies for 

 impressing the steel accurately to fit |;he hoof, an Impression is first taken 

 in sheet lead, and the steel made red hot is reduced to the figure between 

 the dies in a strong vice. As no patent has been taken out by me for 

 this invention, it is open to the attempts of the ingenious. 



In thus arming the foot a forniidable obstacle presented itself in the 

 obdurate natura of the steel. I recordherethe machine which after many 

 trials, I found to änswer best for this purpose, and which would cut out 

 of a steel plate an entire paratrite with its teeth at one blow ; a thing 

 deemed utterly impracticable by an eminent artist in this metal. The 

 machine I used was made of a thick Square piece of wrought iron cut 

 entirely through, in notches, in which were lodged chisels of tempered 

 steel; placed upon an anvil, the backs of the chisels rested upon the hard 

 face of the anvil, and the steel plate made red hot and placed upou them, 

 was cut through, by the blow of a heavy hamnier, or which was better, 

 a ram-head, descending fifteen or twenty feet, in a groove. 



On removeahle Shoes. 



In making shoes to take on and off, or removeable shoes, as I call 

 them, which would be the perfection of shoeing, there is great difficulty in 

 fastening such securelj', on account of the hoof being a cylinder, not a 

 cone, as is generally, indeed universally, apprehended ;* for had it been a 

 cone, the difficulty would have been much less. I shall briefly describe 

 four of these shoes, represented in plate 3, which are put on without uails, 

 and removeable at pleasure. I used many of them on the road with con- 

 siderable satisfaction; but thought them on the whole too coniplex to 

 recommend for general use. 



• See Prof. Colemau's Works, p. 42, as indicating tho general vicws of tliis subjcct. 



