US1140107A - Swimming device. - Google Patents

Description

A. H. BROWN. SWIMMING DEVICE. APPLICATION-FILED NOV. 28, 1914.

1,140,107. I Patelifed May 18,1915.

anwwto'z THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. FHOTQ-L'THO" WASHINGTON. D. C.

To all whom it may concern STATES PATENT OF C ALFRED H. BROWN, OF J ERSEY CITY, JERSEY.

SWIMMING DEVICE. i

Be it known that I, ALFRED H. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and water by presenting a greater resisting surface to the water on the propulsion stroke of the swimmer than is afforded by the limbs and extremities of the human body.

As is well known in swimming and especially in the overhand strokes such as the trudgeon and the crawl, the arm is brought entirely out of the water at the completion of the stroke and again plunged into the.

water at a point in advance of the head, the arm being crooked at the elbow. and the forearm and wrist being held substantially in alinement with the fingers slightly bent, and it is the object of my invention to provide a swimming device which, in its use, will permit the arms of the swimmer to assume this natural position, and in which the excess of power necessary to force the greater resisting surface through the water is distributed over the maximum length of the arm and so is not liable to cause a muscular strain on any parts thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swimming device which will leave the fingers free, to grip the edge of the board to hold the muscles of the forearm taut, or to grasp a float, ladder, or other object.

Other objects of this invention are simplicity and cheapness of construction, together with convenience of manipulation, whereby the device may be readily and rapidly secured to and removed from the arm.

Still further objects of the invention will be pointed out in the detailed description hereinafter to follow.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a substantially rectangular board or paddle which extends from a point on the forearm just below the elbow down over the front of the forearm and covers the palm of the hand but leaves the fingers free, which board or paddle is securely fastened to the arm by straps, which are so arranged that Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1915.

Application filed November 28, 1914. Serial 0. 874,363.

any relative movement between the paddle and arm is prevented, but still permitting;

the device to be used with little, if any discomfort to the wearer.

" I shall now describe the embodiment of my invention illustrated inthe accompanylng drawings and shall thereafter point out my invention in the claim.

Figure 1 is a plan of my device showing the'manner in which it is securedto the fore- I arm of a person; and Fig. 2 is an end view of the device; Y

The device illustrated comprises a board or paddle 1, which is of general rectangular shape, having its corners preferably rounded to prevent'the arm of the swimmer from bemg scratched or otherwise injured. As 3 stated, the length of this board is such that it extends from a point suflicientlybelow the elbow so as not to interfere with the bending of the forearm, and extends down over the front of the forearm and palm of the hand to a point adjacent the knuckle joints of the fingers. The board 1 is of a width slightly exceeding the-width of the hand and to extend slightly beyond the forearm of the person wearing it, on each side thereof. The

width of the board may however be varied to suit the wearer, or in other words, a person possessing great muscular energy would use a board of greater width than a slender person for the larger the surface area which is used, the greater, the increase in the power developed, and hence in the speed of pro- I pulsion of the body through the water. It has been found that by utilizing this maximum length of board, without interfering with the stroke of the swimmer, the muscular energy demanded in forcing such a paddle or board through the water against the resistance of the water, is therefore more uniformly distributed and for this reason.

the swimmer will not so easily tire. It will also be seen that by having the board extend down over the palm of the hand the wrist is protected from the strains which would result if a device were used which covered the hand alone and did not extend up over the forearm of the wearer.

The board is of slight transverse curvature similar to the spoon oar which gives a better grip upon the water on the propelling stroke as well as permitting the arm to be more readily drawn from the water at the termination of the stroke than if a flat board were used. Any material, such as cork, wood, and if desired, even a light metal such as aluminum, may be used, but care must be exercised to leave no sharp edges which may strike against and cut or otherwise injure the user.

The board is secured to the arm and hand by means of three straps designated 2, 3 and l, the hand strap 2 being secured to the convex side of the board at a point adjacent one end of it so that when the device is in position on the arm, it will engage over the back of .the hand at a point adjacent the knuckle joints. The wrist strap 3 is so arranged at an intermed ate position on the board as to engage over the wrist of the wearer. Each of these straps is preferably made in a single piece, and if desired, may be of elastic material to securely and tightly hold the hand and wrist against the board.

The arm strap 5 is arranged adjacent the other end of the boards and is preferably made in two sections, one ofwh-ich is provided with a buckle 6 so that the size of the loop may be adjusted to the size of the forearm of the wearer. By using three straps in this manner it is evident that the board is securely held to the user and there is no danger of it loosening while in the water.

Since with the use of this device the fingers of the hands are free, the wearer may secure the devices upon both arms without any aid and when in the water he may grasp Copies .of this patent may be obtained 01 a float or ladder to draw himself from the Water, or may grip the edge of the paddle and thus tighten the muscles of the forearm to avoid straining them. The thumb of the hand can also grip the side edge of the board adjacent the lower as will be clear from the drawings. These features are of considerable advantage with devices of this character.

I claim:

A swimming device adapted to be secured to the front of the forearm and hand of the user, comprising a board of a length suflicient to extend from the elbow down over the palm of the hand, and having on its rear face a hand strap arranged adjacent one end of the board, an arm strap arranged adjacent the other end of the board, and a wrist strap intermediate the two, said hand strap engaging over the back of the hand of the user just above the knuckle joints when said wrist and arm straps engage, respectively, the wrist and the arm of the user adjacent the elbow, whereby the device is securely held to the user with the fingers free to engage over the lower edge of the board.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED H. BROWN.

Witnesses VIo'roR D. BoRs'r, WALDO M, OHAPIN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

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