An IMPROVED JACKET OR WAISTCOAT FOR SWIMMING AND SAVING LIFE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis François Gosselin, of Boulevard de Stras-
bourg, No. 23, at Paris, Merchant, for the Invention of "An
IMPROVED JACKET OR WAISTCOAT FOR SWIMMING AND SAVING LIFE."
Sealed the 29th January 1875, and dated the 1st August 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis François Gosselin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st August 1874.
I, LOUIS FRANÇOIS GOSSELIN, of Boulevard de Strasbourg, No. 23, at
Paris, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED JACKET OR WAISTCOAT FOR SWIMNING AND SAVING LIFE," to
be as follows:-
-
The object of my Invention is an insubmergible costume which I call
the "natateur" costume. The chief feature in this costume consists in
the employment of a pneumatic tube rolled rationally around the body
and fastened between a double envelope so formed as to resemble an

page_text: ordinary bathing costume. The inflation of this tube is effected at the
will of the person who when clothed in the costume is thus preserved
from any danger arising from bathing or from falling into the water.
The costume may therefore be said to be an essential requisite for all
persons travelling on the sea, as well as with those who frequent bathing
stations. It will prove in addition tho most useful and attractive costume
for bathing during summer, and ladies will appreciate it the more since
it will cost but little and will obviate the disagreeable necessity of being
attended, and thus enable thom to swim wherever their fancy may take
them.
In one form of my "natateur" costume the pneumatic tubo is rolled
simply round the body of the swimmer, forming a sort of coil enclosed
between two thicknesses of flannel webbing or other fabric.
The tube is provided near the top with a screw closing by which to
effect the inflation and emptying of the tube. The costume thus:
arranged is buttoned at the top upon the shoulders by means of four
buttons.
Instead of a simple closing two may be arranged by rolling two tubes,
the spirals of which will pass between one another, and in this arrange-
ment if one of the tubes should happen to fail the other would be
sufficient to give the necessary buoyancy.
In another arrangement the costume is similar to the preceding, but
the pneumatic tube is arranged in another manner. It passes about
once over the body and underneath the arms; it then receives a series of
vertical branches, which are fastened between the two thicknesses of
fabric of which the costume is formed. The principal tubo is interrupted
towards the middle of the back, and each side is provided with its proper
closing, so that if the tubes in one side happen to burst, those of tho
other will maintain the swimmer on the surface.
In another arrangement the insubmergible costume is intended to be
worn above the ordinary clothing. In this case the pneumatic tube is
replaced by two bags, which are inflated by means of openings. The
bather fastens these bags round his body by means of straps. The
front bag is also provided with a pocket in which anything can be
placed.

page_text: In another arrangement the costume fastens at the front by means of
a range of buttons. The tube starts at one side of the neck, follows the
central line of the back to just below the loins, where it divides into two,
and cach portion turns round the thighs until it reaches the knee. From
the central point of the principal tube there start several tubes, which
turn round the body to the front portion where the buttons arc. The
first tube passes under the arms, rises towards the top of the breast,
turns round several times within itself, and fill all the available space
with air. The wearer of the costume blows in through the mouthpicco
all the air required for the tubes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis François Gosselin in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
FRANÇOIS GOSSELIN, of Boulevard de Strasbourg, 23, at Paris, Merchant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Louis François Gosselin, Her
special licence that I, the said Louis François Gosselin, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis François
Gosselin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "AN IMPROVED JACKET OR WAISTCOAT FOR SWIMMING AND Saving Life,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Louis François
Gosselin, my exccutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly

page_text: '
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the samo to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
;
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis François Gosselin, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had. to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
The object of my Invention is an insubmergible costume which I call
the "natateur" costume. The chief feature in this costume consists in
the employment of a pneumatic tube rolled rationally around the body
and fastened between a double envelope so formed as to resemble an
ordinary bathing costume. The inflation of this tube is effected at the
* will of the person who when clothed in the costume is thus preserved
from any danger arising from bathing or falling into the water. The
costume may therefore be considered an essential requisite for all persons
travelling on the sea, as well as with those who frequent bathing stations.
'It will prove in addition the most useful and attractive costume for
bathing during summer, and ladies will appreciate it the more since it
will cost but little and will obviate the disagreeable necessity of being
attended, and thus enable them to swim wherever their fancy may take
them.
The annexed Drawings will render the construction of my improved
costume to be readily understood.
Figure 1 is a view of the insubmergible costume, in which the
pneumatic tube a is rolled simply round the body of the swimmer,
forming a sort of coil inclosed between two thicknesses of flannel,
webbing, or other fabric, as shown in section in Figure 2.
"
The tube is provided near the top with a screw closing e by which to
effect the inflation and emptying of the tube. The costume thus
arranged is buttoned at the top upon the shoulders by means of four
buttons d, d.
Instead of a simple closing e two may be arranged by rolling two
tubes, the spirals of which will pass between one another, and in this

page_text: to the garment, whereby the amount of buoyancy can be regulated by
the wearer..
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis François Gosselin, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
CH. ARMENGAud,
Civil Engineer,
Boulevard do Strasbourg, 23,
á Paris.
-
L. F. GOSSELIN. (L.S.)