IMPROVED NATATORY APPARATUS
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left, by the said Marc Antoine François
Mennons at the Office of the Commissioners, of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th December. 1861.
1
I, MARC ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent
Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED NATATORY APPARATUS,"
to be as follows:-
The Invention communicated to me consists in an improved combination of
natatory apparatus, which, attached to the human body as hereafter described,
enables the wearer to maintain an upright position with the bust above the
surface of the water, and to inove therein. with as much facility as on dry
land.
Figure 1.of the accompanying.Drawing represents in cross section the float,,
which forms the principal element of this combination; Figure 2 is a plan
5, of the same through the line P, Q; Fig. 1; Figure 3 is; a second plan of the
same through the line R, S, Fig. 1. A. casing in sheet zinc, copper, gal-;
vanised iron, or other suitable matter, enclosing the air-tight boxes or com-
partments B, and the sections: of cork C. About seven pounds weight of cork
are thus lodged in each apparatus, so that even in the event of rupture of the.
casing and enclosed boxes, it will still retain sufficient buoyancy to support,

page_text: the body; D is a leathern belt provided with straps and buckles, by which
the float is secured to the waist; Figure 4 represents the complete apparatus
adapted to the body of the swimmer, which, when necessary, may be protected
from the water by caoutchouc or other impermeable clothing, as in N, O.
E, E, are leaden soled boots, to which are attached the fins in sheet metal,
or other suitable matter F, seen apart in Figures 5, 6. The inner and front
sections G, H, of these fins remain stationary in the position shewn in the
Drawing, while the pallets I, articulated at the point J, open and close alternately
from I to K (Fig. 5), in the onward movement of the swimmer; L is a cross
tio serving to consolidate the structure and to check the closing of the free
pallet at the point M.
"The form, weight, dimensions, and minor details of the complete apparatus,
as also the number and position of the compartments, and sections of cork,
may be varied according to circumstances. When so required, a series of
waterproof receptacles may be adapted to the float, to contain victuals, liquids,
ammunition, and other objects.
For military use, the sections of cork may be so distributed as to protect the
air-tight compartments, together with the body of the wearer, from injury by
bullets.
For bathing, and other ordinary purposes, the float may be reduced to
the proportions of a simple belt, the metallic envelope being in this
case replaced by leather, tissue, or other flexible- matter of any suitable
kind.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Marc Antoine François Mennons in the Great Seal Patent 2
Office on the 29th May 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE. PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARC
ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices,, 39,.
Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the-Empire of France, send-greeting..
+
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, Her special licence that I, the
said Marc Antoine François Mennons, my executors,. administrators; and 3
assigns, or such others as I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, my

page_text: executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVED NATATORY APPARATUS," a communication
from Léon Lejuste, a person resident, at No. 63, Rue du Canteleux, Douai,.
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Marc Antoine
François Mennons, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under-my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner 'the
same was to be performed, and cause the same 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 Marc Antoine François Mennons, do
hereby declare the nature of, the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained, in
and by the following statement, reference being, had to the figures of
the accompanying. Drawing, and to the letters marked thereon, that is to
say:
The Invention communicated to me consists in an improved; combination of
natatory apparatus,, which, attached to the human body as hereafter described,
enables the wearer to maintain an upright position with the bust above the
surface of the water, and to move therein with as much facility as on dry,
land.
. xi
- Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in cross section the float
which forms the principal element of this combination; Figure 2, is a plan
of the same through the line P, Q, Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a second plan of the:
same, through the line R, S, Fig. 1. A casing in, sheet zinc, copper, gal-
vanised: iron, or other suitable matter, enclosing the air-tight boxes: or com-
partments B, and the sections of córk C., About seven pounds weight of cork
are thus lodged in each apparatus, so that even in the event of rupture of the
casing and enclosed boxes, it would still retain sufficient, buoyancy to support
the body; D is a leathernbelt provided with straps and buckles, by which
the float is secured to the waist; Figure 4 represents the complete apparatus
adapted to the body of the swimmer, which, when necessary, may be protected
from the water by caoutchouc or other impermeable clothing; E, E, are
leaden soled boots, by which are attached the fins in sheet metal, or other
suitable matter F, F, seen apart in Figures 5, 6. The inner and front
sections G, H, of each of these fins remain stationary in the position shewn in

page_text: the Drawing, while the pallet I, articulated at the point J, opens and closes
alternately, from I to K (Fig. 5), in the onward movement of the swimmer;
L is a cross tie, serving to consolidate the structure and to check the closing
of the free pallet at the point M; Figures 7, 8. represent in elevation and
horizontal section a modification of the apparatus above described. In this
combination the conical casing and receptacles are replaced by a variable
number of cylinders filled with cork, and' attaclied by straps and buckles to a
belt of leather, webbing,. or other matter; Figures 9, 10, represent another
modification, in which the cases are of a spherical form, also attached by
buckles and straps to a belt of any suitable material.
It will be seen from the preceding examples that the form, weight,
dimensions, and minor details of the complete apparatus, as also the number
and position of the compartments and sections of cork, may be varied accord-
ing to circumstances. When so required, a series of waterproof receptacles
may be adapted to the float, to contain victuals, liquids, ammunition, and other
objects.
For military use, the sections of cork may be so distributed as. to protect
the air-tight compartments, together with the body of the wearer, from injury
by bullets.
For bathing; and other ordinary purposes, the float may be reduced to the
proportions of a simple belt, the metallic casings being replaced by leather;
tissue, or other flexible matter of, any suitable kind.
4
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner
in which it may be performed I declare that what I claim is,-
1stly, the improved combination of cork, with air and water tight com-
partments, or cases, applied to the construction of natatory apparatus, sub-
stantially as above described and represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10
of the annexed Drawing.
2dly, the novel construction and arrangement of articulated fins or
propellers, as above described and represented in Figures 5, 6. of.. the
Drawing.
_
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, have
-
hereto set my hand-and-seal-this-Twenty-second day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.