A METHOD OF MAKING AN AIR JACKET AND PROPER SHOES FOR SWIMMING, TO PREVENT THE FATAL CONSEQUENCES ATTENDING SAILORS AND OTHERS IN SHIPWRECK, NEVER HERETOFORE PRACTISED
Year: 1764

page_text: COBB, late of the Parish of Saint Martin in the Fields, but now of Swithins
Lane, Cannon Street, London, Cordwainer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by my humble petition, setting forth that I had, by much
study, labour, application, and at a considerable expence, found out and invented
and brought to perfection "A METHOD OF MAKING AN AIR JACKET AND PROPER
SHOES FOR SWIMMING, TO PREVENT THE FATAL CONSEQUENCES ATTENDING SAILORS AND
OTHERS IN SHIPWRECK, NEVER HERETOFORE PRACTISED;" that the said Invention
would be of great utility in preserving the lives of His Majesty's subjects and
others using the seas, therefore praying Ilis said Majesty would grant to me.
my executors, adñiors, and assigns, His Royal Letters Patent for the sole
making and vending my said Invention within the Kingdom of England,
Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed for the term of four-
teen years: And whereas His said Majesty did, by His Royal Letters Patent
under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the Thirty-first day of
March, in the fourth year of His reign, grant unto me, the said William
Cobb, my executors, adiiors, and assigns, His special lycence, full power, sole
priviledge and authority, that I, the said William Cobb, my executors, adfiiors,
and assigns, and every of them, by myself and themselves, or by my and their
deputy or deputys, servants or agents, or such others as 1, the said William
Cobb, my executors, adiiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
other, from time to time and at all times hereafter during the term of years

page_text: therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend
my said Invention within that part of His Kingdom of Great Britain called
England, Ilis Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such
manner as to me, the said William Cobb, my executors, adiñors, and assigns,
or any of them, shall in their discretions seem meet, and that I, the said
William Cobb, my executors, admors, and assigns, should and lawfully might
have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage from time
to time coming, accruing, and arising by reason of the said Invention; to
have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the said lycence, powers, priviledges, and
advantages herein-before granted or mentioned to be granted unto me, the
said William Cobb, my executors, adñiors, and assigns, for and during and
unto the full end and term of fourteen years from the date of these Presents,
next and immediately ensuing, and fully to be compleat and ended; in which
said Letters Patent is contained proviso, obliging me, the said William
Cobb, by a writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within four
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the same Letters
Patent, otherwise the same should cease, determine, and become void, as in
and by the said recited Letters Patent, relation being thereunto had (amongst
other things) therein contained), more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said provisoe, I, the said
William Cobb, do hereby declare that my said Invention does consist and is
to be performed in manner hereafter expressed (that is to say):-The jackets
made of calves, neat, or sheeps' leather, or anything pliable that will hold air,
cut in the form of a short jacket without sleeves, with pieces sewed on the
outsides and back bigger than the insides or back, to hang loose and hollow, to
contain a sufficient quantity of air blowed through a bag or receptacle, with
a pipe fixed to it to convey the air into the receptacle, which receptacle is
fastened on to one of the loose sides, to convey the air into the loose sides and
back, by means of a communication from one part of the jacket to the other;
the jacket to be buttoned before; button holes round the skirts, to be buttoned
or fastned to the waistband of the breeches; the upper strap of the receptacle
to be buttoned to the upper button of the jacket, and the lowest strap to the
nearest lower button it comes to; then hold the pipe with your teeth and
blow into the receptacle till the jacket is filled with air, stop the pipe with the
cork, then use it in swimming. The shoes are made with pieces of wood
cut in the form of the sole of a shoc, and hinges screwed on to the wood,

page_text: vith joints covered with leather fastned on to common shoes, to open and
hut in swimming, like a swan's foot.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Cobb, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fifth day of July, in the fourth year of the reign of
our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace of God, of Great
Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and so
forth, and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and
sixty-four.
AND BE IT REMEMBRED, that on the same Fifth day of July, in the
year above mentioned, the aforesaid William Cobb came before our said Lord
the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification, and all and
every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also
the Specification aforesaid was stampt according to the tenor of the Statute
made in the sixth year of the reign of the late King and Queen William and
Mary of England, and so forth.
Inrolled the Sixth day of July, in the year abovesaid.