NEW OR IMPROVED PROPELLERS FOR BATHERS
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Peachey Holliss at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd June 1874.
I, CHARLES PEACHEY HOLLISS, of the City of Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Clothier, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED PROPELLERS FOR BATHERS," to be as
follows:-
This said Invention consists generally in the construction of artificial
webs, fins, collapsible pockets, or their equivalent, and the modes and
means of applying the same to the limbs of bathers and swimmers to.
give a propelling effect similar to the web feet of water fowl, and the fins
of fish, and to give greater buoyancy and speed in swimming than has
heretofore been obtained.
The first part of the Invention has reference to the application of
these improved propellers to the legs of the bather, and making leggings
similar in form to gaiters, which are fastened on the legs, preferably on
the inside between the ankle and knee by straps and buckles, or their
equivalent, to allow of their being adjusted to fit the legs, and having a

page_text: strap to pass under the instep or sole of the foot to retain them in position.
These leggings are preferably made of linen or cotton fabric, such as
duck, drill, or other similar material, lined with flannel, baize, or other
woollen material for the sake of comfort next the skin. To the outside
of each of these leggings one, two, or more fins are attached, and when
two are applied one is placed down near the ankle, and the other up near
the calf, and made circular on the outside of the legs.
"
The fins might be carried round the whole circumference of the log,
but it is preferred to carry them only about three-fourths of the distance
round the outer side of the legs, thus leaving the inside of the legs where
they are placed without a fin, that the fins may not come in contact
with each other or with the legs of the bather in the act of swimming.
These fins are made preferably of silk, linen, or cotton fabric, and
saturated or coated with some oily solution or a thin dressing of india-
rubber solution to render them waterproof, and to facilitate their passing
through the water more readily in the collapsed state, and having welts
or runners sewn in them at intervals to receive longitudinal or radial
stiffeners or strainers" of whalebone, cane, or other similar material.
These strainers are near together at top of the fin.and radiate further
apart at the bottom, resembling an inverted fan or open mouthed pocket,
which would collapse and lie close to the leg by the action of drawing
the leg in or up, and open or expand radially against the water during
the thrusting or pushing out of the leg, and thus give great surface
resistance and consequently propelling power and buoyancy to the
bather.
::
Coverings or sleeves (similar to these leggings) may be strapped,
laced, or otherwise fixed on the arms with one or more of the said
collapsing fins or pockets attached to them, preferably between the
elbow and the wrist, and opening outwards and towards the elbow, so as
to open
and catch the water in the back stroke of the arm and collapse
in the forward stroke, all substantially as described in reference to their
application to the legs of the bather.
A small block or close bag of cork or other equivalent is placed on the
legging (or sleeve) immediately under the strainers, that they may not
fall too close and to facilitate their reopening.
The web foot principle is applied to the hands of the bather by
making a web piece extending to the extreme limits of the fingers, and

page_text: shaped to the contour of the hand when fully extended, the outer edge
being attached to the points of the fingers and thumb of each hand by
india-rubber or other rings or thimble pieces, and the other parts by
straps or elastic bands, or both combined, across the hand and round the
wrist. By this method the bather can close, open, or withdraw his
hands in the water with nearly as little resistance as though he had
nothing on them, yet when striking out by extending the hands to their
full extent he will have a surface resistance fully double that of the bare
hands, at the same time the hands will not be fettered in any way.
Similar or equivalent web propellers may if desired be applied to the
feet of the bather also, and opening and closing automatically by the
pushing out and drawing in of the legs and feet.
In some cases, to prevent the fins or pockets from opening too far,
stays or tie cords or straps may be attached to their outer extremities
and to the legging or sleeve.