IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING DROWNING, AND SUPPORTING PERSONS SWIMMING OR LEARNING TO SWIM
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th August 1874.-A communication from abroad by Francis
Tryon, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America,
Gentleman.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltino, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING
DROWNING, AND SUPPORTING PERSONS SWIMMING OR LEARNING TO SWIM,” a com-
munication, to be as follows :-
-
The said Invention relates to a novel application of the buoyant
principle of bodies inflated with air for affording support in water; the
said Invention is chiefly designed for preserving life in shipwrecks and
in other emergencies where the preservation from drowning depends
entirely upon the possibility of floating for a longer or shorter period
of time. Many applications of this principle have been tried and used
from time to time, but none of them have afforded very satisfactory
results. Inflated belts to surround the waist are inconvenient and not

page_text: readily applied in case of sudden necessity. Collars to be applied to
the neck are found to produce great discomfort to the wearer. Cushions,
mattresses, and the like are objectionable for many reasons, and inflated
life-buoys can only be used with advantage by persons of great strength
and endurance, and who can retain their presence of mind during long
immersion in water.
My Invention is free from all of these objections as will be obvious
from the following description:-The said Invention consists in the
adaptation of inflated waterproof material to be worn as sleeves on tho
arms in such a manner as to preserve the buoyancy of the wearer and
to permit the free and effective use of the arms for swimming. Tho
said sleeves are formed of canvas or other fabric rendered waterproof
by a solution of india-rubber, or by other suitable means. The said
sleeves must be formed of a double thickness of this material, that is
to say, each sleeve must be a tubular bag, waterproof and air-tight. It
is made small at the wrist to fit tightly round the same. Its upper end
is made large enough to permit it to be drawn freely up the arm, and
has an elastic band drawn through loops and provided with a frictional
clasp or other device, which permits the said band to be drawn tight
and secures it when tightened upon the arm. This end of tho bag or
sleeve is also provided with a valve protected by a screw cover, through
which the sleeve is inflated by blowing through tho said valve. When
the sleeves are thus worn and inflated thoy will support the wearer
safely and comfortably in water, and allow the free use of the arms for
swimming. The said sleeves also protect the wearer and prevent cramp
in the arms, while in case of cramp in the legs the said sleeves afford support
till relief is obtained. They can be worn without inconvenience or dis-
comfort by passengers in ships in their berths, so that in any immergency
no preparation will be needed. They may also be worn by the captain
or any of the officers or crew of a ship while on duty, and by fishermen,
sportsmen, and others, and they will form comfortable pillows or cushions
for use in railway carriages.