AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF MECHANICAL AIDS WORKED BY HAND OR MOTIVE POWER FOR' ENABLING THE ARTS OF SWIMMING FLOATING AND DIVING PADI Adoren
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Reilly, of the New Globe Mahogany Chair
and Cabinet Works, Barrack Street, Hulme, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF MECHANICAL
AIDS WORKED BY HAND OR MOTIVE POWER FOR' ENABLING THE ARTS OF
SWIMMING FLOATING AND DIVING PADI Adoren"
Sealed the 8th November 1867, and dated the 11th May 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Reilly at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th May
1867.
I, JAMES REILLY, of the New Globe Mahogany Chair and Cabinet Works,
Barrack Street, Hulme, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for. "AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF
MECHANICAL AIDS WORKED BY HAND OR MOTIVE POWER FOR ENABLING THE ARTS
OF SWIMMING, FLOATING, AND DIVING TO BE RAPIDLY ACQUIRED," to
be as
follows:-
:
The reservoir or bath is of any suitable dimensions, but I prefer it to be on
a large scale and surrounded with every appliance for convenience and
comfort.
The first mechanical aid consists of a machine arranged to support the body
of the learner and give to the legs and arms the motions required to be
performed when swimming for enabling the learner to be familiar with the
said motions before he enters the water. The learner is supported on a frame

page_text: or table, and his hands and feet encased in gloves and shoes or attached to
straps, the said gloves, shoes, or straps being connected to four handles or
ins, which receive motion from two or more horizontal wheels, discs, or
pulleys in connection with two or more levers coupled together.
Secondly, I employ a horizontal wheel having a large number of projecting
arms, each supporting a belt or jacket, which is secured to the body of the
learner for the purpose of assisting him to take his lesson in the water. The
wheel is caused to revolve by hand or power at a slow speed, supporting the
learner and giving him confidence for enabling him to work his arms and legs
in a.similar-manner-as-exercised in the first machine.
Thirdly, on pillars or pivots at the edge of the bath I place radial arms,
each supporting one or more belts or jackets secured to the bodies of the
learners, so that they can be supported in the water and learn to move their
arms and legs in order to swim or float, the circuit allowed by the radial arm.
Fourthly, on pulleys, one at each end of the bath, I place an endless chain,
and turn one of the pulleys by-hand or by a strap or by gearing from the
steam engine, or other motive power, and to the chain is suspended a belt or
jacket, which is secured to the body of the learner, and as the chain travels
onwards the learner is supported and drawn in the water, and thus is enabled
to become expert in the various movements required for swimming and
floating.
Fifthly, on cross bars or frames above the water I joint swing frames, each
having a belt or jacket for, the learner, to wear. The swing is, of such length
that the belt or jacket will be out of the water at the sides, of, the, bath, but
deeply immersed at the centre, and this arrangement enables the learner to
acquire, with great facility the art of diving in consequence of the confidence
aud skill resulting from the frequent passages through the water from one side
of the bath to the other.
Another arrangement for the same purpose consists of a pair of large discs
fixed on a horizontal shaft, there being between the discs a number of bars to
sustain or support the learners, and as the 'discs and bars revolve the learners
are immersed into and taken out of the water, and become familiar with the
art of diving.
For working any of the foregoing machines singly I employ,-when-desired,
a pulley and weight or a train of wheelwork and weight of such power as, the
.1..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Reilly in the Great Seal Patent Office on tlie 11th
November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL, COME, I, JAMES
REILLY, of the New Globe Mahogany Chair and Cabinet Works, Barrack
Street,. Hulme, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of. Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Reilly, Her special license that I, the said James Reilly, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Reilly, 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 "AN IMPROVED SYSTEM. OF MECHANICAL AIDS
WORKED BY HAND OR MOTIVE POWER FOR ENABLING THE ARTS OF SWIMMING,
FLOATING, AND DIVING TO BE RAPIDLY. ACQUIRED," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Reilly, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE; that I, the said James Reilly, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying eight Sheets of
Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon (that is to say):-
"
This Invention consists of several arrangements of mechanism by which the
persons wishing to learn to swim are first practised in the motions required for
the arms and legs, and afterwards supported on or near the surface of the
water in order to acquire confidence, skill, and dexterity in the various opera-
tions of swimming on the chest, back, or sides, and also Boating. The reservoir
or bath is of any suitable dimensions, but I prefer it to be on a large scale and
surrounded with every appliance for convenience and comfort.

page_text: The first incchanical aid consists of a machine arranged to support the body
of the learner out of or in the water, and enable him to become familiar with
the motions of the hands and legs required to be performed when swimming.
A plan of this machine is shewn in Fig. 1, and an elevation in Fig. 2. The
body of the learner is supported on a screw jack, the top part of which,
market a, is fixed to the screw & fitting a nut in the standard c, the screw and
top being raised up and down, as required, by means of the hand wheel d.
The top a is slightly inclined to give the body the proper inclination, and to
the top are fixed brackets e, to which are bolted templates or straps f, g.
When the-learner-is supported-on-the-top, either in or out of the water, he
causes his hands to follow the edges of the templates f, and his feet the edges
of the templates g, and thus become expert in performing the motions required.
The templates f; 9, are made of different sizes to suit the different sizes of
the learners, and are capable of being adjusted, as desired, by means of the
slots h in the brackets e.
Secondly, I employ a machine having a horizontal wheel with projecting
arms, each supporting a belt or jacket, which is secured to the body of the
learner for the purpose of supporting him on or near the surface of the water
and assisting him to take his lesson in the water. An elevation of this machine
is shewn in Fig. 3; and a plan in Fig. 4, in which i represents the wheel,
the projecting arms, and k the belts or jackets. The wheel i is carried by
the bracket fixed on a beam m across the bath or to the wall, and to the
boss of the wheel is fixed a worm wheel n gearing into a worm o on the
shaft p, which shaft can be turned either by the hand wheel 9 or by a pulley r
driven by motive power. The learners are supported in the water by the belts
or jackets for enabling them to acquire confidence and practise the working
of the arms and legs in a proper manner, and the belts or jackets are raised
up and down, as required, by means of the screws and wheels s. When it is
not convenient to employ the bracket 7 I support the wheel i on a pillar t fixed
to the foundation of the bath, and when the machine is of large dimensions,
if circumstances allow it, I employ both the bracket and pillar for supporting
the wheel, as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4.
7.
Thirdly, on pillars or pivots at the edge of the bath I place radial arms,
each supporting a belt or jacket which sustains_the_body_of_the_learner,-so-
that he can be supported on or near the surface of the water, and learn to
move his arms and legs in order to swim or float the circuit allowed by the
An elevation and plan of one of the radial arms and its connec-
tions are sewn in Figs. 5 and 6, in which u represents the radial arm, v the
belt or jacket, w the shaft to which the arni is fixed, a the bearings of the
radial arm.

page_text: shaft, and y the pillar to which the bearings are fixed, there being a screw z for
raising or lowering the belt or jacket v to the proper position in the water.
Fourthly, on chain wheels above the water in the bath I place an endless
chain of any desired construction, and turn one of the wheels by hand or by a
strap or gearing from the steam engine or other motive power, and to the
chain are suspended belts or jackets for sustaining the bodies of the learners;
as the chain travels onwards the learners are supported and drawn on or near
the surface of the water, and are thereby enabled to practise and become
expert in the various movements required for swimming and floating.
:
Fig. 7 is an elevation, and Fig. 8 a plan, shewing part of an endless
chain, two chain wheels, and one mode of driving the working parts of the
machine. To a wall or other support I bolt at each end of the bath brackets a,
also seen in Figs. 10 and 11, one bracket having bearings for carrying the
vertical shaft b, Figs. 7 and 8, and horizontal shafts c, d, and to the vertical:
shaft bis fixed the chain wheel e. Between the brackets a there are inter-
mediate brackets f supporting intermediate carrier wheels g for carrying the
endless chain n,' there being guide rollers h for keeping the chain upon the
teeth of the wheels, and the number of brackets and wheels depend upon the'
size of the bath and the circuit required to be given to the endless chain. On
the vertical shaft 6 is fixed the bevil wheel i gearing into the bevil pinion -
fixed to the shaft c, at the other end of which is fixed the bevil wheel k gearing-
into the bevil pinion I fixed to the driving shaft d provided with fast-and-loose
pulleys m, and when revolving motion is given to the driving pulley and bevil
gearing the chain wheels revolve, thereby giving a horizontal traversing
motion to the chain and drawing the learners through the water on or near its
surface by means of the belts or jackets attached to the chain. I modify this
arrangement by dispensing with the carrier wheels and allowing the chain to
traverse in a longitudinal trough, as shewn in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, in which n
represents the chain, o the trough, and p the belts or jackets for supporting
the learners. The chain wheels are driven as before described, the chain
gliding on the bottom of the trough, in which there is a slot from one end to'
the other for the links which connect the belts or jackets to the chain to pass'
through. When desired I employ an endless rope or band with suitable
pulleys instead of the endless chain and chain wheels, and arrange the strength
and dimensions according to the requirements and size of the bath.
One arrangement of belt is shewn in Fig. 7. To some of the bolts forming
the joints of the chain I screw short links s carrying long links t having nuts
in which there are screws u provided with hand wheels v; the screws are
connected to a plate w to which is fastened the belt x, and when the screws

page_text: are turned by the hand wheels the belt is raised or lowered to suit the require-
ments. On the trough o, Figs. 10 and 12, I place pillars y supporting the
band, rail z, Fig 12, the bracket al, and the trough 6, in which trough-there
is a small carriage c carrying the screw d¹, to which is screwed the link e
having at the bottom a padded ring f' on which the chin or other part of the
head or body of the learner rests for the purpose of keeping his head out of
the water whilst swimming and propelling the carriage in the trough by his
own exertion.
Another arrangement of belt or support is shewn in Fig. 13. To the
endless-chain, part of which is shewn at q', I attach two short chains h¹, each
having its bottom link fastened to one end-of-a-strap provided at the other
end with a hook, which books are passed through the links of the short
chains according to the depth-the-straps are required to be placed in order to
support the learner on or near the surface of the water.
--
Fifthly, on cross bars, or frames above the water I joint swing frames, each
having a belt or jacket for, the learner to wear; the swing is of such length
that the belt or jacket will be out of the water at the sides of the bath, but
deeply immersed at the centre, and this arrangement enables the learner to
acquire with great. facility the art of diving in consequence of the confidence
and skill resulting from. the frequent passages through the water from one
side of the bath to the other.
Another arrangement for the same purpose consists of a pair of large dises
fixed on a horizontal shaft, there being between the discs a number of bars to
sustain or support the. learners, and as the discs revolve the learners are
immersed in and taken out of the water and become familiar with the art of
diving.
:
For working any of the foregoing machines singly I employ when desired.
a pulley and weight, or a train of wheel work and weights of such power as
the machine requires..
It will be seen that the peculiar feature of this Invention consists in the
employment of various machines and apparatus for supporting the learners on
or near the surface of the water, some of the machines allowing them to pass
through the water by, their own exertions, and others drawing them through.
the water whilst they are giving the necessary motions to their arms or legs
for swimming or floating, and it is evident that the various machines and
apparatus, can be modified in various ways and yet agree-with-the nature of
the Invention.
Having now. described the nature and particulars of my said Invention
I desire it to be understood that. I claim the construction, combination, and

page_text: employment of the several machines and apparatus herein described and illus-
trated in the accompanying eight Sheets of Drawings for enabling the arts of
swimming, floating, and diving to be rapidly acquired.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Reilly, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
by the within-named James
Reilly, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JAMES REILLY. (L.S.)