Grooming Implement for Horses

Ser. No. 553,670, filed Feb. 27, 1975

U.S. Pat. No. 348,067

U.S. Pat. No. 2,800,879

The proper care of a horse requires year round grooming with the principal problems being loose hair, matted hair, dirt, and dandruff but there are times when grooming requires that sweat or water be scraped from its hide.

The general objective of the present invention is to provide a grooming implement that is adaptable for use in various grooming functions, an objective attained with an implement having flexible blade means of substantial length with hand grips at the ends thereof. The blade means consist of a pair of blades with corresponding edges provided with a series of teeth. The grooming portion of one blade is offset relative to the grooming portion of the other and the grooming portions are normally straight and parallel. One end of one blade is slidable relative to the other blade so that when the two handles are drawn towards each other to curve the blades for grooming uses, the two grooming portions will remain spaced apart and substantially parallel.

Another objective of the invention is to provide such a grooming device in which each hand grip receives a pair of blade ends, one end of one blade being without teeth so that it may slide relative to the hand grip into which it extends, when the hand grips are drawn towards each other with said one blade proximate to the user.

Another objective of the invention is to provide maximum grooming effectiveness, an objective attained with a blade construction such that with blade stock having inclined teeth, the blades may be arranged with the teeth of one inclined in a direction opposite to the teeth of the other, both hand grips having slots dimensioned to receive the blade ends and of a material into which the blade teeth bite, the teeth anchor the blade ends and, in practice, the blade ends, except for the sliding end, are positively secured by grommets.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a grooming implement;

FIG. 2 is a like view of the implement on a somewhat increased scale, as seen from its other side;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the implement disposed for use;

FIG. 4 is a section on a substantial increase in scale taken along the indicated line 4--4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a like section taken approximately along the indicated line 5--5 of FIG. 3.

The grooming implement illustrated by the drawings includes first and second flexible blades indicated generally at 10 and 11, respectively. Each blade has a series of teeth 12 extending along one edge and may be and in practice is a length of band saw stock. While the number of teeth per inch, their pitch and type may vary, it is preferred that both blades be lengths of the same band stock but disposed so that the pitch of the teeth of one blade is opposite the pitch of the teeth of the other to ensure maximum grooming effectiveness.

The blade 10 includes a central grooming protion 10A and ends 10B and 10C while the blade 11 includes a central grooming portion 11A, ends 11B and 11C and bends 11D offsetting the grooming portion 11A relative to the grooming portion 10A of the blade 10.

Each of a pair of hand grips 13 is in the form of a sheath having a socket 14 in the form of a slot opening through one end and of a length and width such that corresponding ends of both blades may be entered therein. The hand grips are molded from a plastic, vinyl in the case of the disclosed embodiment. the blade 11 is shown as so disposed that the teeth 12 of the blade end 11C bite into the hand grip material so as to prevent movement of that end of the blade 11 relative to the handgrip 13 into which it and the blade end 10C have been forced when the implement is used. As the teeth in the blade end 11B are disposed in the wrong direction to enable them to become anchored in the same manner in the other hand grip 13, the use of the grommet 15 is necessary since the corresponding end of the blade 10 is without teeth. The grommet 15 is of course a desirable means of locking the blade end 11B to its hand grip since it enables the implement to be hung thereby when it is not in use. It should be noted that the blade ends 10C and 11C while a snug fit in the hand grips 13, are more or less locked together by the teeth 12 which desirably have enough of a set to ensure that result while the blade end 10B slides in the hand grip 13 relative to the blade end 11B. in practice, the blade ends 10C and 11C are also secured to their hand grip 13 by a grommet 15.

As will be apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2, when the implement is not in use, the grooming portions 10A and 11A are straight and parallel. In use, the implement is held by its hand grips 13 which are pulled towards each other until the grooming portions are curved to the desired extent. As the use of two blades is of advantage to the extent they are spaced apart during grooming, means are provided to permit such spacing as the implement is readied for use.

It will be seen that the end 10B is shorter than the end 10C and does not include teeth throughout its length. As a consequence, the end 10B is free to slide relative to the hand grip 13 within which it is confined and as the hand grips are drawn towards each other to curve the blades, the end 10B advances into its hand grip 13 thus permitting the grooming portion 10A to remain substantially parallel to the grooming portion 11A. It will also be noted that the bends 11D are without teeth thus to ensure that no cutting action results as the animal's hide is groomed.