AN IMPROVED SWIMMING APPARATUS, WHICH MAY ALSO SERVE AS A SAPETY BELT
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John
Gedge and Son, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED SWIMMING APPARATUS, WHICH MAY ALSO SERVE AS A SAPETY BELT."
-A communication from abroad by Dumont-Husson, of 39,
Faubourg St. Martin, Paris, France.
Sealed the 25th March 1869, and dated the 29th September 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th September 1868.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of
No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED SWIMMING APPARATUS, WHICH MAY ALSO SERVE AS A SAFETY BELT," a
communication to me from abroad by Dumont Husson, of 39, Faubourg
St. Martin, Paris, France, to be as follows:-
This apparatus is a belt which is placed under the arms and buckles
over the stomach and belly. It is composed of two tin boxes her-
metically closed; these two boxes are tied together by means of a

page_text: tinned iron plate placed at the back of the apparatus and secured by
three rings. A small rod or iron wire pin is inserted in these three
rings to unite the two boxes indissolubly together. A double belt such
as those used for gymnastic exercises forms the front of the apparatus,
and permits its being fitted as close as may be desired to the body
of the person using it. This belt by reason of the shape of the apparatus
does not pass all around the interior, but is fixed on each of the two
boxes to a vertical strip of tinned iron.
As shown on the accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming part of this
Provisional Specification the apparatus presents an inner breadth of a
fraction less than twelve inches (30 centimetres) and an outside breadth
of nearly 16 by 17 inches (40 by 42 centimetres) by 11 inches (28
cent) in height; the boxes are 23 inches (0.06) through in the
middle and at the sides, and from 2 to 3 inches and a fraction (0.07c
to 0.08) front and back. All the angles are. rounded so. as to present
no surface. which might wound the body or arms of the person using
it; inside at the back is an iron plate fixed to one of the boxes without
being secured by rings to the other. The preceding dimensions, need
not be strictly adhered to; the height of 11 inches may be reduced to
10 inches, and the resistance of the volumes of air contained in the
boxes will be sufficient to support a person weighing over 17 stone, who
will be enabled to lie upon the water or remain upright with as much
facility as if upon land. For children all the dimensions of the appa-
ratus will be reduced according to age.
"
The advantages of this new "scaphandre or swimming jacket is
that it can resist every shock to which it can be exposed without any
danger of injury.
It is proposed to extend this improved apparatus to other appli-
cations than that of a swimming or safety belt for men, women, and
children, namely, to everything carried or serving for carriage on
sea, rivers, and other waters. Nothing is easier than to adapt this
safety apparatus to a ship, it is only necessary to pass by any means
under the water line of the ship a belt formed of metal boxes
independent of each other, and the size of which will be pro-
portioned to the weight of the ship, so that in case the vessel should
from any cause be in danger of sinking this belt of boxes may keep
it on the surface of the water, and thus prevent the loss of the ship.

page_text: It would occupy too much space to enumerate here all the advantages
which navigators may derive from this Invention to travel with perfect
safety and secure their person and their vessel from every danger.
This apparatus is an important aid in the formation of rafts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of No. 11,
Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Gedge,
Her special licence that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Edward Gedge, 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 SWIMMING APPARATUS, WHICH MAY ALSO SERVE
AS A SAFETY BELT," a communication to me from abroad by Dumont-
Husson, of 39, Faubourg Saint Martin, Paris, France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Gedge, 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 Edward Gedge, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This apparatus is a belt which is placed under the arms and buckles
over the stomach and belly. It is composed of two tin boxes hermetically
closed; these two boxes are tied together by means of a tinned iron
plate placed at the back of the apparatus and secured by three rings.
A small rod or iron wire pin is inserted in these three rings to unite
the two boxes indissolubly together. A double belt such as those used
for gymnastic exercises forms the front of the apparatus and permits
its being fitted as close as may be desired to the body of the person
using it. This belt by reason of the shape of the apparatus does not pass
all around the interior, but is fixed on each of the two boxes to a
vertical strip of tinned iron.
As shewn on the accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming part of
this Specification the apparatus presents an inner breadth of a fraction
less than 12 inches (30 centimetres) and an outside breadth of nearly
16 by 17 inches (40 by 42 cent.) by 11 inches (28 cent".) in
height; the boxes are 24 inches (0·08 cent.) through in the middle
and at the sides and from 2 to 3 and a fraction (0.07 to 0º-08°)
front and back. All the angles are rounded so as to present no surface
which might wound the body or arms of the person using it. Inside
at the back is an iron plate fixed to one of the boxes without being
secured by rings to the other. The preceding dimensions need not be
strictly adhered to; the height of 11 inches may be reduced to 10 inches
and the resistance of the volumes of air contained in the boxes will
be sufficient to support a person weighing over 17 stone, who will be
enabled to lie upon the water or remain upright with as much facility
as if upon land. For children all the dimensions of the apparatus will
be reduced according to age and size.
The advantage of this new " scaphandre" or swimming jacket is
that it can resist every shock to which it may be subjected without any
danger of injury.
It is proposed to extend this improved apparatus to other appli-
cations than that of a swimming or safety belt for men, women,
and children, namely, to everything carried or serving for carriage
on sea, rivers, and other waters. Nothing is easier than to adapt
this safety apparatus to a ship, it is only necessary to pass by any
means under the water line of the ship a belt formed of metal

page_text: boxes independent of each other, and the size of which will be pro-
portioned to the weight of the ship, so that in case the vessel should
from any cause be in danger of sinking this belt of boxes may keep
it on the surface of the water, and thus prevent the loss of the ship.
It would occupy too much space to enumerate all the advantages which
navigators may derive from this Invention to travel with perfect safety
and secure their person and their vessel from every danger.
apparatus is an important aid in the formation of rafts.
This
The applications of this process all based upon the same principle
are infinite, and therefore claim is made to the exclusive application of
these boxes to navigation generally, and more particularly to saving
persons from drowning and keeping property afloat whatever may be
the shape, size, and nature of these boxes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.