US1520391A - Swimming device - Google Patents

Description

C. S. ALTOONIAN SWIMMING DEVI CE Filed July 29, 1 24 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 5192,? Dom/4A;

ATTORNEYS C. S. ALTOONIAN SWIMMING DEVICE Filed July 29. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR C .3 17b woo/war;

WITNESSES A I 5 4 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

UNITED CHARLES S. ALTOONIAN, 01? PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

SWIMMING DEVICE.

Application filed July 29, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. AL'rooN- IAN, a citizen of the United States, and resi dent of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swimming Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in swimming devices, and it consists in the combination, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, reliable and effective device for supporting the body of a user on the surface of the water either for the purpose of recreation or in life saving operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which affords facilities for propelling the body of a user on the surface of the water in a desired direction.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompany ing drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a swimming device embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure exhibited in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a plan view of a modified form of swimming device embodying the same invention,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the modification.

A swimming device embodying the invention as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a float 1 which may be an elongated hollow pneumatic body having a substantially fiat upper face as indicated at 2. The under surface of the body 1 preferably is convexly curved transversely thereof and the body 1 also may be convexly curved at the normally rear end thereof as indicated at 3, the body preferably tapering both in width from its middle toward its ends and in and vertical dimensions or thickness from said one end to'its other end to terminate at its other or normally forward end in a relatively sharp point, as indicated at 4. The body 1 may be collapsible and normally is inflated by means of air which has been forced thereinto through a valve stem 5 which is upstanding from the upper side of the body, the valve stem being provided with an inwardly opening check valve,

Serial No. 728,949.

not shown, which may be of any suitable known type of construction.

A series of spaced apart brackets 6, 7 and 8 respectively upstand from the body 1 along the longitudinal median line there of, the foremost bracket 8 being positioned adjacent to the forward end of the body and the rear bracket 6 being located at a considerable distance from the rearward end of the body. The brackets 6, 7 and 8 have the upper end portions thereof fashioned to provide horizontally aligned bearings as indicated at 6, and 8 respectively for a shaft 9. The shaft 9 extends at its forward end through the bearings 8 slightly beyond the forward end of the float and at its rearward end a slight distance rearwardly of the bearing 6 but considerably short of the rear end of the body 1. A screw propeller 10 is secured on the forward end of the shaft 7 and a beveled gear 11 is secured on the rearward end of the shaft 9. The bearings 6 7 and 8 may have apertures in the upper portions thereof as indicated at 12 through which oil may be fed to the relatively moving surfaces of the bearings and the shaft 9.

A bracket 13 which is secured upon the upper side of the body 1 rearwardly of the beveled gear 11 has an arm which is located in the vertical plane of the longitudinal median line of the body 1 and which curves upwardly and forwardly from the portion of the bracket 13 which is attached to the body 1 toward the beveled gear 11 as indicated at 14. A stub shaft 15 extends laterally of one side of the arm 14C and carries a beveled gear 16 which is in mesh with the beveled gear 11.

A pair of spaced apart stub shafts 17 and 18 respectively extend laterally of the opposite sides of the arm 14. The stub shaft 18 carries a rotable beveled gear 19 which is in mesh with the beveled gear 11 and the stub shaft 17 carries a beveled gear 20 which is in mesh with the beveled gear 19. The beveled gear 16 is considerably larger in diameter than either of the beveled gears 20 or 19f A handle 21 is secured to the beveled gear 16 in eccentric relation thereto and extends laterally of the outer face of the beveled gear. An eccentric handle 22 extends laterally of the outer face of the beveled gear 20. Each of the handles 21 and 22 is adapted to be grasped and manipulated to effect rotation of the beveled gear to which it is attached and it is manibut being considerably larger and especially fest that rotation of either the beveled gear 16 or the beveled gear 20 will cause rotation of the beveled gear 11 and consequently of the screw propeller 10.

The body 1 is providedadjacent to its forward end with a pair of laterally extending fixed foot pieces or rests The body 1 is provided adjacent to its rearward end with attaching elements which may be clips secured to the body there preferably being attaching elements in corresponding positions at opposite sides of the longitudinal median line of the body.

The brackets 13 and 6 may carry shields for the bevel gears as indicated at 25. 26 and. 27 respectively.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The user ofthe device may place a strap (not shown)- about theupper portion of his body and then attach the ends of said strap to corresponding fastening elements 24 at opposite sides of the longitudinal median line of the body so that the body 1 will be disposed in front of the body of the user. The body of the user then will be supported on the surface of the water when the feet of the user are placed against the foot rest 23. the float 1 being disposed between the legs of the user and the user occupying a reclining position in the water. The handles 21 and 22 are. within convenient reach of the user audit will be understood that the body of the user will be propelled through the water when either one'of the handles 21. and 22 has been turned to impart motion. to the shaft 9 and'the screw propeller 10. The speed of rotation of the shaft 9 will vary according to whether or not the handle 22 or. the handle 21 has been manipulated to impart motion to the shaft. The speed of propulsion of the device thus can be varied within a considerable range.

It will be understood that any suitable known motive power may be employed to impart motion to the shaft 9.

The body of the modification which is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 is indicated a't'30 and constitutes a float in the same manner as the body 1, preferably of the sameshape'and construction as the body 1 being of greater length than the body 1. The body 30 carries a horizontal shaft 31 which is journaled in horizontally aligned bearings at the upper ends of the upstanding arms of brackets 32, 33 and 84 respectively, the shaft 31 being disposed directly above the longitudinal median line ofthe body. The shaft 31 extends at its forward end beyond' the forward end of the body and terminates at its rearward end at a considfer-able distance from the rearward end of body, screw propeller'35'is secured on the forward end of the shaft 31 and a bevel gear 86 is secured on the rearward end of the shaft 31. The gear 36 is in mesh with a gear 37 which is supported on a stub shaft 38. The latter extends laterally of an upstanding arm of a bracket 39 which is secured upon the upper side of the body 30.

The body 30 is provided adjacent to its forward end with a pair of oppositely ex tending. foot rests 40 and is provided adjacent to its rearward end with pairs of attaching elements 41, the attaching elements 41 being similar to the attaching elements The body 30 also may be a pneumatic collapsible structure or shell having an in let provided with a valve stem or nipple 42. the nipple 42 of course being provided with an inwardly opening check valve, not shown. of any suitable type of construction.

The body 30 also may be provided atthe rearward end of its longitudinal median line with a rudder 43 which may be of any suitable known type of construction. body 30 maybe provided with outriggers. each of which may consist of a plank or like elongated bouyant 'elementhaving at its opposite ends a pair of laterally extending arms 45 and 4.6 respectively, each of the arms 45 and 46 being engageable with lateral sockets 4'? which are carried by the body 30'. The outriggers thus may be detached from the body 30 when desired.

The s The operation of the modified form of the P suitable strap, not shown, which may be passed about his body and then secured to certain of the attachingelements 41. The feet of the user of the device rest against the foot pieces 40. A handle 48 may be secured to the ear 37 in eccentric relationthereto and is thus in positionto be graspedand manipulated by the user of the device. It is manifest that rotation of the gear 37,will.

cause rotation of the shaft 31 and of the screw propeller 35. sion of the device through the water may be effected by the user of the device convenient ly and with but slight muscular exertion.

The Outriggers prevent overturning of the body 30 in relatively heavy seas.

Obviously, my invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other'than those which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly fall within the scope of'the appended claims.

I claim i 1. A device of the character described comprising an elongated float, a'rotatableshaft supported upon the float, said shaftexte'ndllO ing at one end beyond the forward end of the float, a propeller carried by said shaft at its forward end, attaching elements on said float to which the body of a user may be attached, means operable by the user for rotating said shaft, and a pair of oppositely extending foot pieces carried by said float adjacent to its forward end.

2. A device of the character described comprising an elongated pneumatic body adapted to sustain the body of a user upon the surface of water, a rotatable shaft supported on said body above the longitudinal median line of the latter, said shaft extend ing beyond the forward end of the body and terminating at its rearward end short of the rearward end of the body, a propeller secured on the forward end of the shaft, manually operable motion transmission means associated with the rearward end of said shaft and whereby a torque may be imparted to said shaft, and a pair of oppositely extending foot pieces carried by said body adjacent to its forward end.

8. A device of the character described comprising an elongated float, attaching elements carried by said float adjacent to its rearward end, a pair of oppositely extending foot pieces carried by said body adjacent to its forward end, a propeller shaft supported upon said float and extending beyond the forward end of the float, a propeller secured on the forward end of said shaft, manually operable means for imparting a torque to said shaft, and Outriggers carried by said float.

4. A device of the character described comprising an elongated float, attaching elements carried by said float adjacent to its rearward end, a pair of oppositely extending foot pieces carried by said body adjacent to its forward end, a propeller shaft supported upon said float and extending beyond the forward end of the float, a propeller secured on the forward end of said shaft, manually operable means for imparting a torque to said shaft, and a pair of out riggers detachably secured to said float and respectively extending laterally of opposite sides of the float.

5. A device of the character described comprising an elongated float, attaching ele ments carried by said float adjacent to its rearward end, a pair of oppositely extending foot pieces carried by said body adjacent to its forward end, a propeller shaft supported upon said float and extending beyond the forward end of the float, a propeller sccured on the forward end of said shaft, manually operable means for imparting a torque to said shaft, outriggers carried by said float, a pair of Outriggers detachably secured to said float and respectively extending laterally of opposite sides of the float, and a rudder at the rearward end of said float. 4

CHARLES S. ALTOONIAN.

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