Improved Swimming or Floating Appliance.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Swimming or Floating Appliance.
I, JAMES HAMILTON, of Strathaven, Lanarkshire, Designer, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved portable
swimming appliance, which will be specially useful in keeping afloat persons who
are learning to swim, and also be a buoyant assistant to experienced swimmers, and
cut through the water with little friction, whilst it can also serve in emergency as
a life preserver on board ship or otherwise, and be more compact, portable and
useful than such appliances as heretofore in use.
The improved appliance is made air-tight and of a hollow bag or bottle shape,
with its outer edges straight and parallel along the two sides and be round at the
back end, and of a triangular or V-shape at the front, so as to be somewhat of the
configuration of a ship, having the one side or surface which would be next
the wearer flat or smooth, and having the opposite side or surface which would face
the water formed into a ribbed or bow shape down the centre, so as to cut the
water like the bow of a vessel. This improved appliance would be made of water-
proof or india-rubber cloth, or other waterproof and buoyant material; and when
to be used would be inflated with air through a mouth tube at one of its sides, or it
might be filled with other gas through a stopper tube. In using this portable
appliance its flat surface would be placed on the breast of the swimmer, and it would
be attached or held there by bands or straps from the front part passing round his
neck, and bands or straps from the back part passing round his chest or back.
The centre ribbed or bow part of the appliance would thus face the water and cut
through it like a knife edge and displace the water while the person was using his
arms and legs to swim or propel himself forward, and the buoyancy of the appliance
would keep him nearer the surface of the water than has been possible heretofore.
Datalia 21 a 1901
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Swimming or Floating Appliance.
I, JAMES HAMILTON, of Strathaven, Lanarkshire, Designer, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement in
writing, reference being had to the accompanying drawings:
:-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved portable
swimming appliance, which will be specially useful in keeping afloat persons who
are learning to swim, and also be a buoyant assistant to experienced swimmers, and
cut through the water with little friction, whilst it can also serve in emergency as a
life preserver on board ship or otherwise, and be more compact, portable and useful
than such appliances as heretofore in use.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure is a front view of one arrangement of my improved swimming or
floating appliance in its inflated state; and Figure 2 a corresponding edge section

page_text: of same looking at right angles to Figure 1. Figures 3 and 4 are à front and side
or edge view corresponding to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 of a slightly modified
construction of my improved appliance. While Figures 5 and 6 are end views
looking at the front of Figures 1 and 3 respectively. Figure 7 is a front view of
the improved appliance as formed with holes along its outer edge for being fastened
or laced on to buttons on a jersey or dress round the chest of the swimmer or user,
instead of using straps as shown in the other figures. Figure 8 is a perspective
view showing the arrangement of appliance represented in Figures 3, 4 and 6,
fastened in position round the chest of the swimmer ready for usc.
b
Referring to these drawings:-The improved appliance is made air-tight and of
a hollow bag, or equivalent shape, with its outer edges a straight and parallel along
the two sides and be round or curved at the back or lower end a" and of a
triangular or V shape at the front a², so as to be somewhat of the configuration of
a ship, having the one side or back surface a³, which would be next the wearer, flat
or smooth, and having the opposite side or front surface a, which would face the
water, swelled out into a bow shape in both directions and having a projecting rib
or web b, down the centre, so as to cut the water like the bow or keel of a vessel.
This rib or web part may either project rigidly from the inflated front surface a
as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 5 or it may have bagged sides and be cemented or
otherwise attached to the part a along the centre edge as shown in Figures 3.
and 4 to form a separate chamber or compartment, with an open passage or
passages through a at the ends to the body of the bag, so as to be also inflated
with the air pressure in the bag a, a³, as indicated in Figure 4. This improved
appliance would be made of waterproof or india-rubber cloth, or other waterproof
and buoyant material; and when to be used would be inflated with air through a
mouth tube e at one of its sides or ends secured at its inner end by rubber
washers at c¹ to both inside and outside the part a and after being inflated by air.
pressure from the mouth, the tube c would be knotted at 2 to keep it air-tight or
be fitted with a valve or stopper. Instead of air the appliance may be filled with
other gas through a stopper tube. In using this portable appliance its flattest
surface a would be placed on the breast of the swimmer as shown in Figure 8, and
it would be attached or held there by bands or straps d from the edges or front
part passing under his arins and bands or straps d' from the back part passing round
his chest or waist as shown in Figure 8, and it may have straps round the shoulders
and over the neck as dotted in at ; and these bands d, d', may have buckles on
their ends as shown in Figure 1, or be plain and tied with loops or knots without
buckles as in Figures 3, 4 and 6. Or instead of having bands d d', the cemented
strong edges a¹ a¹ a² may be formed with holes d², as shown in Figure 7 and be
fastened or laced on to buttons or studs secured on the jersey or swimming dress
round the breast of the user. The centre ribbed or bow part of the appliance
would thus face the water and cut through it like a knife edge or the bow and keel
of a vessel, and displace the water while the person was using his arms and legs to
swim or propel himself forward, and the buoyancy of the apparatus would keep him
steadier and nearer the surface of the water than has been possible heretofore.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.―
The construction and use of a swimming or floating appliance formed with a
central or longitudinal rib or bow along its water cutting or displacing surface,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and by way of
application shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 23rd October 1891
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.