IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO INCREASE THE HOLD UPON THE WATER IN SWIMMING ROWING AND THE LIKE AND UPON THE AIR IN AERIAL MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: www
Water in Swimming, Rowing, and the like, and upon the
Air in Aerial Machines.
I GEORGE EDWARD SMART of Belvedere House, Tunbridge Wells in the County
of Kent, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for.
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO INCREASE THE HOLD UPON THE WATER IN
SWIMMING ROWING AND THE LIKE AND UPON THE AIR IN AERIAL MACHINES
be as follows:-
to
This invention is designed to increase the hold upon the water of persons
swimming but without impeding the return stroke and the same applies in other
applications of the invention.
The apparatus consists of an attachment for the hands or feet of the swimmer;
it may be secured by straps or in any other convenient manner.
A flat central blade or equivalent has two or more other blades (one or more on
each side) flexibly connected in any convenient manner to it or to each other cross
bands or other device being provided to prevent the blades opening too far. This
apparatus is secured to the palm of the hand in such manner that as a powerful
stroke is made the side blades open and increase the hold upon the water and on
the return stroke they close up so as not to offer resistance.
These attachments may be fitted to both hands and feet and their construction.
may be varied to suit circumstances. A common form is made of three thin pieces
of wood which may be folded together or the two outside pieces turned up so as not
to impede walking when the swimmer is out of the water &°.
In applying this invention to oars it may either be attached to existing oars
of ordinary construction an extra blade being attached to each side of the blade,
or better the central face may be practically dispensed with, the side blades being
jointed together or direct to the end of the car which would be so shaped as to
offer as little resistance as possible to the water.
By this means "feathering" would be dispensed with.
In applying this invention to aerial machines the essential features are similar,
needful modifications being made.
In place of the wood blades above described a light framework covered with thin
skin oil silk or the like may be employed.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus to Increase the Hold upon the
Water in Swimming, Rowing, and the like, and upon the
Air in Aerial Machines.
I GEORGE EDWARD SMART of Belvedere House, Tunbridge Wells, in the county
of Kent, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS TO INCREASE THE HOLD UPON THE WATER IN SWIMMING,
ROWING, AND THE LIKE, AND UPON THE AIR IN AERIAL MACHINES" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This Invention is designed to increase the hold upon the water of persons
swimming but without impeding the return stroke and the same applies in other
applications of the invention.
The apparatus consists of an attachment for the hands or feet of the swimmer it
may be secured by straps or in any other convenient manner.
A flat central blade or equivalent has two or more other blades (one or more on
each side) flexibly connected in any convenient manner to it, or to each other, cross
bands or other device being provided to prevent the blades opening too far. This
apparatus is secured to the palm of the hand in such manner that as a power stroke
is made the side blades open and increase the hold upon the water, and on the
return stroke they close up so as not to offer resistance.
These attachments may be fitted to both hands and feet and their construction
may be varied to suit circumstances. A common form is made of three thin pieces
of wood which may be folded together so as not to impede walking when the
swimmer is out of the water &º.
In applying this invention to oars it may either be attached to existing oars of
ordinary construction an extra blade being attached to each side of the blade, or
better the central face may be practically dispensed with, the side blades being
jointed together or direct to the end of the oar which would be so shaped as to
offer as little resistance as possible to the water. By this means "feathering ".
would be dispensed with.
In applying this invention to aërial machines the essential features are similar,
needful modifications being made.
In place of the wood blades above described a light framework covered with thin
skin oiled silk or the like may be.employed.
In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 to 3 represent the attachments for
swimming Figure 1 being suitable for the hands, Figure 3 for the feet and Figura 3
being an end view of either of them Figures 4 to 6 are end views and cross sections
of the oars and Figure 7 is a face view of the blade of the oar.
The apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 3 consists when opened out as represented
of a central plate A having two wings or sides B. C hinged or jointed in any
convenient manner to it. Any suitable form of fastening is provided to secure
the attachment to the hand or foot such for instance as that represented in the
drawings.

page_text: In the end view Figure 3 where these fastenings are not shown, it will be seen
by the dotted lines that the wings B. C. can fold down to about an angle of 90°
with the face of A any suitable form of stops such as D or a piece of non stretching
flexible material upon the back being provided to prevent the wings approaching
too near together or folding entirely up. In use the action is that when a power
stroke is being made the water forces the wings open so that the full area is
exposed and the greatest grip is obtained upon the water. When the stroke is
finished and the foot or hand is being withdrawn the pressure of the water on the
back of the wings B. C. closes them and assuming the position shown in dotted
lines in Figure 3 they present little or no resistance to the water which has only a.
hold upon the central plate A the greater part of which is covered by the hand or
foot of the swimmer.
A suitable form of stop should also be employed to prevent the wings folding,
back upon the hand or foot; this is perhaps most conveniently accomplished by
arranging the joint or hinge like a knuckle joint so that the wings can open out so
as to be in the same plane with A, but no further Fastenings underneath might
be used for the same purpose and might be so contrived as to fix up the wings when
the swimmer walks on land.
The swivelling stop E which may be used with both hand and foot attachments
shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 (being placed upon the underside or face of the
attachment) if its length be made to correspond with the breadth of A will when
turned across A serve instead of the fixed stops D, when turned lengthwise upon A-
it allows B and C. to fold up on A so as to be out of the way as when the swimmer
wants to walk about. If the length of E be increased so as to cover a portion
of B and C when turned across A it will serve to fix B and C open and in being
able so to fix them there are two advantages. One of these is that with the wings
fixed open there is not much difficulty in walking when in or out of the water as
they do not flap about and get under the weight of the wearer which would be.
liable to break them if made as deep as the rim F it would greatly aid to support
the weight, the other is that when a swimmer desired for any reason to stop the
flapping of the wings B and C even while he is swimming he can readily do this by
turning the stops E across the plates A.
The additional wings if used would be jointed on to the wings Band C. or to sides,
or ends of A and the stops E would if desired be extended so as to act upon
these also.
The edging F shown round the plate and wings which may be added or formed
by hollowing the blade to produce a similar effect serves the double purpose of
strengthening the whole attachment and preventing the water slipping off the
place too readily which would tend to spoil the effect.
The application of this invention to oars is illustrated in Figures 4 to 7
inclusive.
G represents the stock or stem and H. I the wings; the stock is by preference
reduced and shaped as shown in the end view Figure 4 so as to offer as little
resistance as possible to the air or water during the return stroke when the
wings H I. are closed as shown in dotted lines. The wings are jointed in any
convenient manner to the stock preferably by hinges which may extend the whole
length or breadth of the wings if desired. The swivelling stop E Figure
may be
used in this application also as in the swimming attachment and it is useful where
there is little or no wind and feathering is of no importance and also in very rough
water where the wings are liable to be knocked about.
Feathering" as the term is ordinarily understood is not needed with oars of
this construction and the term is used above to signify the closing up of the wings
during the back stroke.
An edging F may also be used as in the swimming attachment, intervals may be
left in it to let the water in and quickly force the blades open or it may be
deepened at the ends to act as stops,

page_text: In Figure 5 the wing or blade H is a part of or rigidly connected with the oar
stock G the wing I being hinged or jointed to H; the action is the same as in
Figure 4 but only the wing I flaps and a certain amount of "feathering” or
turning of the blade H is desirable.
In Figure 6 the wings H and I are attached to the blade K one on each edge the
openings L being left. to allow the oar more readily to clear itself of water. In
any of these figures an end M may be used so as to prevent the water slipping off.
too readily and when desired so constructed as to control the travel of the blades.
• Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. An attachment for the bands or feet in swimming consisting of two or more
movable wings B. C. flexibly connected to a central plate A or to each other and
adapted to open out and expose a large area to the water during a power stroke
and to close up so as to present a smaller area to the water during the return stroke.
substantially as specified.
2. The combination with an attachment such as described for the hands or feet
in swimming of a swivelling stop E for the purpose specified.
13. In attachments such as described for the hands or feet in swimming the
combination therewith of the edging F or equivalent hollowing of the blades for the
purpose specified.
4. An oar consisting of two or more movable wings H. I. flexibly connected to
the central blade or stock G or to each other and adapted to open out and expose a
large area to the water during a power stroke and to close up so as to present a
smaller area during the return stroke substantially as specified and illustrated in
Figures 4 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In an oar having one blade H rigidly connected with the stock or handle G
the combination therewith of the moveable wing I, substantially as specified and
illustrated in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
6. In an oar the method of increasing the hold upon the water by forming the
face of the blade with a concavity substantially as specified.
7. In an apparatus for aërial navigation the employment of blades or wings
constructed substantially as specified and adapted to open out and expose a large
area during a power stroke and to close up so as to present a smaller area during
the return stroke.
Dated 2
100.