IMPROVEMENTS IN AN APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING LIFE IN WATER AND PROPELLING, FLOATING, OR MANEUVERING IN WATER ANY BODY, VESSEL, OR MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCE, AND FOR FLOATING OR MANEUVERING IN THE AIR ANY, MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCE
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Goucher, of Church Walk Ironworks,
Worksop, in the County of Nottingham, Engineer, Ironfounder, and
Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AN APPARATUS FOR
PRESERVING LIFE IN WATER AND PROPELLING, FLOATING, OR MANEUVERING IN
WATER ANY BODY, VESSEL, OR MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCE, AND FOR FLOATING
OR MANEUVERING IN THE AIR ANY, MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCE."
Sealed the 18th February 1868, and dated the 21st August 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Goucher at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the
. 21st August 1867.
I, JOHN GOUCHER, of Church Walk Ironworks, Worksop, in the County
of Nottingham, Engineer, Ironfounder, and Machinist, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AN APPARATUS FOR
PRESERVING LIPE IN WATER AND PROPELLING, FLOATING, OR MANEUVERING IN
WATER ANY BODY, VESSEL, OR MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCE, AND FOR FLOATING OR
MANEUVERING IN THE AIR ANY MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCE," to be as follows:-
These improvements in apparatus for the purposes above mentioned refer to
certain arrangements of parts which will be more readily understood upon

page_text: inspection of the accompanying Drawing illustrating the nature of my said
Invention, the said Drawing having reference to one particular form &
manner in which I can carry my said Invention into practical effect. In the
said Drawing, Fig. 1 is a view of the inner side of the apparatus; Fig. 2,
view of the outer side; Fig. 3 horizontal section.
It will be
A, A, represent flaps or wings attached to the central rib or back (B, B,)
by ordinary binges H, H, as shewn (but I can use in the construction of
the apparatus any pliable or elastic material), in order that when making a
propelling or floating stroke the wings or flaps expand and open, by which
means resistance or power is obtained. In making the back or receding
stroke the flaps or wings collapse and close (see A*, A*, Fig. 3 of the
Drawing), and thus encounter little resistance from the water.
seen that the rib B, B, is formed with a sharp pointed back or outer side, but
it might be arched or ribbed. This apparatus as shewn in the Drawing (see
Fig. 1) is adapted for and applied to the human hand, F being a metal
strap attached to the inside of the rib B, and securing in position a kind of
glove (C) with a thumb hole for the hand to be thus secured to the apparatus.
P,, a button strap for 'fastening this glove. The apparatus may however be
adapted for being applied to the leg or foot, or any part of a person or animal
that may be found convenient for obtaining the action for enabling the person
or animal to float or swim at will. Also it may be applied to propelling or
maneuvering a vessel or mechanical contrivance in water, in which case I
could employ cranks or other mechanical contrivances for ensuring the due
action of the flaps or wings, and propel vessels. with a reciprocating motion.
The same applied to a balloon or aerial machine or contrivance, and acted on
by cranks or otherwise, will serve for guiding, floating, or propelling the same
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Goucher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GOUCHER, of Church Walk Ironworks, Worksop, in the County of Nötting-
ham, Engineer, Ironfounder, and Machinist, send greeting.
3
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord 3
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Goucher, Her special licence that I, the said John Goucher, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Goucher, 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 AN APPARATUS,
FOR PRESERVING LIFE IN WATER, AND PROPELLING, FLOATING, OR MANEUVERING
IN WATER ANY BODY, VESSEL, OR MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCE, AND FOR FLOATING OR
MANEUVERING IN THE AIR ANY MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Goucher, my executors or administra-
tors, 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 John Goucher, 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.
statement:-
My improvements in apparatus for the purposes above mentioned refer to
certain arrangements of parts which will be more readily understood upon.
inspection of the accompanying Drawing illustrating the nature of the said.
Invention and exemplifying in what manner the same is to be performed or
carried into practical effect, the said Drawings being referred to by the
words, figures, and letters hereafter following which will be found marked on
the said Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In the Drawings aforesaid (Sheet 1) Fig. 1 is a view of the inner side of
the apparatus; Fig. 2 view of the outer side; Fig. 3 horizontal section.
A, A, represents flaps or wings attached to the central rib or back B, B,
(by ordinary hinges H, H, as shewn,) and I can use in the construction of
the said apparatus in lieu of ordinary hinges any other suitable joints; or I can
make the apparatus of any pliable or elastic material in order that when
making a propelling or floating stroke the wings or flaps may expand and open,
by which means resistance or power is obtained. In making the back or
receding stroke the flaps or wings collapse and close (see dotted lines A, A,

page_text: Fig. 2 of the Drawing), and thus encounter little resistance from the water:
It will be seen that the rib B, B, is formed with a sharp pointed back or outer
side, but it might be arched or ribbed. This apparatus is shewn in the
Drawing (see Fig. 1) as adapted for and applied to the human hand, F being
a metal or other strap attached to the inside of the: rib B, and securing in
position a kind of glove G with a thumb hole for the hand to be thus secured
to the apparatus. P, a buckle strap for fastening this glove, but any other
suitable mode of fastening may be adopted. The apparatus may however
be adapted for being applied to the leg or foot, or any part of a person or
animal that may be found convenient for obtaining the action for enabling
the person or animal to float or swim at will. Also it may be applied to.
propelling or maneuvering a vessel or mechanical contrivance in water, in
which case I could employ cranks or other mechanical contrivances for ensuring
the due action of the flaps or wings, and propel vessels with a reciprocating
motion, and for this purpose I prefer to employ the arrangements. shewn in
the Drawings, Sheets Nos. 2 and 3, Fig. 1 being a plan view, and Fig...2
an elevation.
or of
a, a, double crank connected to a similar crank a, a, by.connecting rods b, b;
to these rods are attached one or more rods c, c, c, c, carrying at their lower
ends flaps or wings d, d, d, d, made of several layer's of steel or springy metal
any suitable elastic material, or hinged as described for the swimming
apparatus. When it is desired to propel or maneuver a vessel by this
apparatus in the direction indicated by the arrow, the cranks are caused
to rotate in the direction of the small arrow, and are so arranged as to
dip one set of blades into the water as the other set is leaving it.
e, e; e, e, levers for adjusting the positions of the flaps. When it is required
to reverse the motion the flaps are reversed, as shewn by. dotted lines,
and the crank moved in the opposite direction to that shewn by the small
arrow. Either one or more pairs of cranks and connecting bars may be used in
conjunction, and one or a greater number of flaps or wings may be attached
to the said bar or bars. The same apparatus may be applied to a balloon or
aerial machine or contrivance, and be acted on by cranks or otherwise, and
will serve for guiding, floating, or propelling the same in the air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or put in practical
operation, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of improvements in
apparatus for preserving life in water, and propelling, floating, or maneuvering
in water any body, vessel, or mechanical contrivance, and for floating or
mancevering in the air any mechanical contrivance as herein-before set forth

page_text: and described, it being understood that I do not claim the constituent parts of
the said apparatus per se and apart from the purposes of my said Invention, as
herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof I, the said John Goucher, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
ALEX. P. WRIGHT,
21, Cockspur St.,
Charing Cross, W.
JOHN GOUCHER. (L.S.)