IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUSES FOR SUPPORTING PERSONS IN AND FOR ENABLING THEM TO PROGRESS. THROUGH THE WATER
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Stewart, of Peckham, in the County of
Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUSES FOR
SUPPORTING PERSONS IN AND FOR ENABLING THEM TO PROGRESS. THROUGH THE
WATER."
Sealed the 11th March 1862, and dated the 16th September 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Stewart at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
September 1861.
I, WILLIAM STEWART, of Peckham, in the County of Surrey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUSES
FOR SUPPORTING PERSONS IN AND FOR ENABLING THEM TO PROGRESS THROUGH
THE WATER," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in constructing and fitting to the body, both in front
and at back, an inflated waterproof bag or other buoyant support connected
between the legs and over the shoulders; that part of the bag extending down
the back possesses greater buoyancy than that extending down the fore part of
the body.
The buoyant apparatus may consist either of air and waterproof vessels, or
it may be composed of cork.
In addition to the buoyant support, my Invention consists in attaching to

page_text: each heel a paddle, free to move within certain limits upon a hinge, and in
some cases I attach similar paddles to the hands or wrists.
When all my improved apparatus are on a person, he will be supported at
a slight angle in the water, and by performing with the feet the motion as if
ascending a ladder, aided by a paddling motion with the hands, he will be able 5
to progress through the water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Stewart in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th March 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
STEWART, of Peckham, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Stewart, Her special licence that I, the said William Stewart,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Stewart, my executors; administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUSES FOR
SUPPORTING PERSONS IN AND FOR ENABLING THEM TO PROGRESS THROUGH THE WATER,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Stewart, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under. my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and, ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office.
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the, said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Stewart, do hereby declare,the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same. is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists in constructing and fitting to the body, both in front

page_text: and at back, an inflated waterproof bag or other buoyant support connected
between the legs and over the shoulders; that part of the bag extending down
the back possesses greater, buoyancy, than that extending down the fore part
of the body..
The buoyant support may consist either of air and waterproof. vessels, or it
may be composed of cork...
In addition to the buoyant support, my Invention consists in attaching to
each heel a paddle, free, to: move within, certain limits upon a hinge, and in.
some cases I attach similar paddles to the hands or wrists.
When all my improved, apparatuses are on a person; he will be supported at
aslight angle in the water, and by performing. with the feet the motion as if
ascending a ladder, aided by a paddling motion with the hands, he will be able
to progress through the water.
Figure of the accompanying Drawings is a plan of a waterproof bag con-
structed according to my. Invention. a, a, are two compartments united by a
tube b, a section of which is given at Figure. 2. The compartment a.is some-
what larger than the compartment a', and when fitted, is intended to be on the
back of the wearer, while the compartment a¹ is intended to rest on the fore
part of the body and chest; c, c, are straps on the compartment a, which are
passed over the shoulders and buckled or otherwise. secured. to the straps d,. d,
on the compartment a; e is a nozzle by which the. bag is inflated. I prefer
to place it on the compartment a¹ in the position shown, so that when the bag.
is fitted to the wearer it may be within access of his mouth, to renew the air
in case of need; f,f, is a connecting band enclosing the air tube b. Eyelet
holes are made in the edges of the band to receive laces, whereby the strength
of the bag may be increased.
.
Figure 3 is a view, in plan, of another of my buoyant apparatuses. a, a, are
floating supports, united-by preference in pairs, as shewn in the detached view
on an enlarged scale at Figure 4. I prefer to make these supports of tin cases
or vessels' with discs of wood, cork, or other buoyant, material at their ends;
the surface of the cases is covered with network, which serves as a means of
connecting the straps or bands for securing the apparatuses to the body. There
are more supports used at the back than at the front of the body, and they
are united by a strap or band b, passing between the legs c, c;. and d, d, are
shoulder straps, and 9, 9, are straps for passing round the body.
Figure 5 is a plan of the under side of one of my paddles; and Figure 6 is
a side elevation of the same, shewing it connected to the foot. a is the blade
of the paddle binged to the shoe b, which carries a socket c at back for the
reception of the heel, and being made to correspond with the shape of the foot,

page_text: is attached thereto by straps d, e; f is a heel strap; 9 is a spring embracing
the rear end of the shoe, and pressing against. the under side of the paddle a,
which it keeps against the socket ć until the upward motion of the foot causes
it to yield, and presses the paddle against the tail h of the shoe b, while the
backward motion of the foot causes the paddle to press against the socket c,
and thus the progress of the body through the water.is materially assisted.
And having now described the nature: of my said Invention, and in what
manner, the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not limit myself to
the precise shape, arrangement, and means afforded for attaching the buoyant
vessels to the body herein-before described, as they may be varied without
department from the Invention; but I claim as my "Improvements' in Appa-
ratuses for Supporting Persons in and for enabling them to Progress through
the Water,"-
First, the construction of an inflated waterproof bag, capable of being fitted
to the front and back of the body, .substantially in manner herein-before
described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the construction of a buoyant support, substantially in manner
herein-before described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying
Drawings.
And, third, the construction of paddles for the feet and wrists, substantially.
in manner.herein-before:described. with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Stewart, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of March, One thousand eight
-hundred and sixty-two.
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