Body in Water and Apparatus Applicable therefor.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1886.
Complete Left, 29th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 24th June, 1887.
Body in Water and Apparatus Applicable therefor.
I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191 Fleet Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of this invention is to enable the muscular energy of the human body
to be applied for the purpose of self-propulsion in water in a more efficient manner
than prevails in the practise of natation according to the natural method.
For this purpose, 1 employ apparatus provided with sufficient bouyancy to
support the user in the water and furnished with a pair of treadles actuated by
the feet; the motion of the treadles being communicated by means of suitable
gearing to a screw-propellor mounted in the after part of the apparatus beyond the
user's feet. The arms of the operator are extended in front, his hands grasping a
cross-bar whereby he steadies himself upon the apparatus. The stem of the cross-bar
may be pivotted and connected with a rudder.
In the after part of the apparatus is a hollow vessel connected by means of a
pipe to a nozzle accessible to the mouth of the user. By forcing air into this vessel
and expelling water therefrom, the bouyancy of the after part of the apparatus is
increased and a more nearly horizontal position assumed.
The front portion of the apparatus is, by preference, hinged to the body-part, so
as to remain on the surface of the water, although the user and the apparatus generally
may have assumed an inclined or vertical position.
For the purpose of adapting the apparatus for the use of persons of different
height, it may be so constructed as to be capable of longitudinal extension or
contraction.
1
T
1000

page_text: Body in Water and Apparatus Applicable therefor.
I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191 Fleet Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to enable the muscular energy of the human body to
be applied for the purpose of self-propulsion in water in a more efficient manner than
prevails in the practice of natation according to the natural method.
And in order that the said invention and the mode of carrying it into effect may be
fully understood, I will proceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying
drawings; whereof Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, Figure 2 a plan and
part horizontal section and Figure 3 a transverse section on the line x-x (Figure 2).
Figure 4 illustrates the appearance of the apparatus when in use. u is a slab whereon
the body of the user rests, and is furnished with side flaps 66 which enclose the body
laterally. The flaps 66 carry masses of cork cc, or are otherwise provided with
means for affording buoyancy to this portion of the apparatus and to the body of the
user. Attached to the slab a is a stem d, which, for the purpose of enabling the
length of the complete apparatus to be varied, is by preference arranged to slide in a
tubular socket e formed in the after portion of the apparatus. ff are air-tanks for
affording buoyancy to this portion; the upper of these being air-tight and per-
manently charged with air, whilst the lower tank is capable of being partially or
wholly inflated with a view to varying the buoyancy of the after portion of the
apparatus. 9 is a transverse shaft furnished with treadles h h and carrying a bevel
wheel i which gears with a bevel pinion j mounted upon a longitudinal shaft k, the
latter carrying a screw-propeller 7. The stem d is secured in its required position in
the socket e by means of pins or screws m m which pass through the casing or
frame n and enter transverse holes o formed in the stem d. For varying the
buoyancy of the after portion of the apparatus, the tank f¹ is provided with a tube p
which works telescopically in a tube p' attached to the stem d or slab a; this
arrangement providing for the length of the complete apparatus being varied as before
described. The tube p¹ communicates with a flexible tube p² and screw-nozzle or
mouthpiece p³. The tank is perforated at q. If the nozzle p³ be opened, air is
permitted to escape from the tank f¹ and is replaced by water entering at
buoyancy of the after portion of the apparatus being diminished accordingly. To
increase the buoyancy of this portion and thus to diminish the inclination which the
apparatus naturally assumes in the water, the user applies the nozzle p³ to his lips
and by means of his lungs forces air into the tank, a corresponding quantity of
water being displaced and escaping from the tank at q. To the front edge of the
slab a is hinged a piece a', which, when the apparatus is in use, remains level with
the

page_text: he surface of the water irrespectively of the degree of inclination the after portion
f the apparatus may assume. When the apparatus is not in use, the piece a¹ may,
or compactness of stowage and protection from injury, be folded back upon the
lab a; the flaps bb being subsequently closed together. In the leading end of
the piece a' is pivotted a rudder r operated by means of handles ss; the latter
the
affording at the same time assistance to the user in steadying himself upon
apparatus.
The manner in which the apparatus is intended to be used will be readily under-
stood from the foregoing description and upon reference to Figure 4. The operator,
having arranged himself in the position indicated in that illustration and having by
means of the balance chamber adjusted the after portion of the apparatus to the
desired angle relatively to the surface of the water, applies his feet to the treadles h h.
Upon working these in the manner in which the treadles of an ordinary bicycle are
worked, a rotative motion is imparted to the screw-propellor ; the speed of the latter
in relation to that of the treadle-shaft g depending on the proportions prevailing
between the wheel i and pinion j. The muscular effort thus applied results in propelling
the whole apparatus together with the operator in a longitudinal direction, either
forwards or backwards, according to the direction in which the treadle-shaft is rotated
and the inclination of the propeller-blades; that is to say, whether right-handed or
left-handed.
By releasing the whole of the air from the balance chamber f¹, the after portion of
the apparatus may be caused to sink to such an extent that the operator is enabled to
assume an approximately erect attitude in the water without removing his feet from
the treadles h. The apparatus may, if preferred, be attached to the body of the user.
For this, purpose, two bands secured to the after edge of the slab a may be passed
across the back of the user and over opposite shoulders, the said bands being then
engaged with studs or hooks arranged near the front edge of the slab a where they
are readily accessible to the hands of the operator.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
First. The improved method of and apparatus for effecting the propulsion of the
human body in water, substantially as herein described.
Secondly. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to, the use of means for
imparting permanent buoyancy to the forward portion and variable buoyancy to the
after portion, substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
Thirdly. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to, the use of a balance chamber,
such as, to which water may be admitted or displaced at the option of the user,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
and
Fourthly. Constructing apparatus of the kind herein referred to substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereby the length of the
complete apparatus is rendered adjustable in relation to the height of the user,
whereby the apparatus is capable of being separated into two main portions, parts
thereof folded together and the whole stored in a comparatively small space.
CALL 1007