IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVING AND SWIMMING APPARATUS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Anton Graf and Julius Patschke at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th October 1879.
ANTON GRAF, of Islington, and JULIUS PATSCHKE, of City Road, both in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVING AND SWIMMING APPARATUS."
This Invention has principally for its object improvements in diving apparatus
which does not require to be fed with air from shore or from any extraneous aid
whatsoever.
By means of a speaking tube attached to the diving apparatus the diver can
converse and communicate with the shore and fellow divers and co-workers,
without telephone or extraneous aid whatsoever.
Air cushions are attached in front and back so that the diver can descent to the
ground and raise himself again and move in every direction and swim below or on
the surface of the water without extraneous aid.
By the aid of a propeller the diver can swim at an extraordinary rate, and a
safety ventilator enables him to remain on the surface of the water from one to 12
hours.
This improved independent diving and swimming apparatus differs from the
usual diving and swimming apparatus in the following particulars :-
The diver can move about in the water with the greatest ease without the least
assistance from outside, and may swim or walk on the bottom of the sea, or any
river, and closely approach ships without being observed by any body, leaving in
fact no other trace of himself than the buoy or beacon which connects the outside
with the diver.
In the middle of the buoy is the pipe or passage which receives the pipe and
storm tube, and serves at the same time as a speaking tube.
From the buoy the pipe leads to the speaking tube on the helmet, and connects
an air pump with the apparatus.
On the cross-head of the speaking tube apparatus is attached which enables the
diver to breathe freely without pumping at a depth of 25 feet or thereabout, thus
the diver may work freely or swim.
A propeller connected with the apparatus can be used by the diver at will, and
if not immediately wanted, he can hang it on the buoy so as not to be incon-
venienced by it in his work.

page_text: If the diver wants to come to the surface he has only to shut a tap and to pump
the cushions full of air, and a weight of 100 pounds or more can be raised with
him without causing him the least inconvenience.
Upon the helmet of the diver a safety valve is applied, which serves to convey
air to the diver when he has to swim a long time on the surface of the water.
The diving apparatus if used for heavy work at very great depth, the diver
unscrews the air pump and allows the air to be pumped to him, by which the
apparatus has that advantage, that the diver feels not the least inconvenience in
breathing, as the surplus or exhausted air does not expand itself into the water,
but ascends by a small service tube into the open air again. The diver is not
compelled to return by the ladder, but can move and raise himself by the cushions
at his convenience in every direction.
The apparatus may be modified, as, for instance, the filling of the air cushions
with carbonic acid gas, or the covering of the safety buoy with steel plates, or any
other material. The weight connected with the apparatus may be varied.