GB721792A - Improvements in life saving and swimming devices - Google Patents

Abstract

721,792. Buoyant swimming sleeves. BIHAN, C., LE. Nov. 6, 1952 [Nov. 23, 1951 ; July 23, 1952], No. 27954/52. Class 77. A device which may be used both for lifesaving and as an aid to swimming comprises a floatable sleeve made of a flexible material and having a streamlined cross-section, the inner longitudinal edge of the sleeve being thick and rounded and provided with a hole for the passage of the thumb of the wearer whilst the outer longitudinal edge is thin and adapted to act as a fin, the said sleeve being adapted to enclose at least a part of the hand and the forearm of the wearer. The sleeve shown in Fig. 1 comprises a sheet of cellular rubber material 1 shaped as shown in Fig. 2 and of varying thickness as illustrated in Fig. 3 folded along the line a, b, and glued or otherwise connected along the edges 2, 3. A hole 6 is provided for the wearers' thumb whilst the flexibility of the sleeve is increased by the provision of transverse slots 14 cut into the inner surface of the sheet. The rear triangular extensions 5 may extend further to the rear as shown in chain-dot lines at 5a. Holes 10 are provided for the escape of any water which may have entered the sleeve. In a modification the sleeve, instead of being formed from a single sheet, comprises upper and lower walls which are joined together along both longitudinal edges. In a further modification the sleeve is formed by folding material of a shape similar to that shown in Fig. 2 the material comprising a double-walled structure filled with kapok, cork or with air or another fluid. Fig. 10 shows a sleeve which is open at both ends and is formed of a single sheet of material joined together after folding by pressbuttons 27. In vet another embodiment the sleeve is provided with an extension which is adapted to cover part of the arm above the wearer's elbow the sleeve and extension being joined by a bellows-like part. Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate another sleeve here the sheet 57 being cut along the lines 60, 61, such that after the edges 58 have been joined together the flap-like part 63 is turned about the hinge-like part 64 so that the holes 59 coincide. Additional pieces of material 70 are attached to the inner surface of the sleeve to help prevent the sleeve from slipping off the fore-arm. The flap 63 could be folded down upon the inner face of the sleeve instead of the outer face. Any of the sleeves described could be made from inflatable material and they could also be moulded either in their final shape or in their sheet form.