US1579885A - Swimming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 6, 1926.

H. OISHI SWIMMING APPARATUS Filed August 11, 1925 47 44- j'wruavm I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A /weak O/Ml.

April 6 H. OISHI SWIMMING APPARATUS Filed August 11". 1925 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LWM wk, 4, flame/(u OIJH/ EVA Try:

Patented Apr. 6, 1926.

HANBOKU OISE-II, .OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SWIMMING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 11, 1925.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HANROKU 01am, :1 subject of the Emperor of Japan, residing in the city and county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Swimming Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved device adapted to sustain individuals in the water for an emergency or for pleasure, and provided with a' manually operated propeller.

The'object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will act as a float to help buoy up the body of the user without any tendency to turn the body over, to provide steering means adapted to be operated by the user, and to provide propelling means therefor, the steering means being actuated by a lever engagingthe head and neck of the user, and the propelling means being actuated by the handsof the user.

A further object is to provide deflecting rudders, on opposite sides of the body, whereby the rear of the device may be sus tained in relation to the surface of the water to support a light or a heavyperson, and to attain a greater ease in propelling the device through the water. 4

Another object of the invention is to construct the device of such form and material that it is always ready for use, and is ellicient as a means for maintaining buoyancy in and propulsion through the water, and

capable of gliding through the ater with a minimum of friction.

l/Vhile I have provided simple and efficient means for accomplishing the objects herein specified, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise con struction shown in the drawings, but that minor changes, alterations and modifications, falling within the scope of the appended claims, may be made.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved swimming device.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view of the frame for the working parts, and showinga portion of the propelling mechanism. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the operative mechanism. Fig; 6 is a erspeetive detail view of the steering rud- Serial No. 49,576.

' of the device is formed similar to a b0at,and

has a rudder 14, for steering purposes,'a propeller 15, for propulsion, and tiltable rudders 16, for deflecting the device relative to the surface of the water. r

The body of the float 11, is formed of twohalves 17 and 18, enclosing the working mechanism, and secured together by a bolt, 19, extending transversely through the parts 17 and 18. A gasket 20 is interposed be tween the members 17 and 18. i

The working parts are mounted on a frame 21, and consist of the driving shaft 22, mounted in the auxiliary frame portion 23, and having mounted thereon, the cranks 24, disposed on opposite sides of the body. A bevel gear wheel 25, fixed to shaft 22, drives the pinion 26 which is fixed to countershaft 27. A gear wheel 28, on shaft 27 drives the combined pinion and gear wheel member 29, on a fixed shaft 30. The member 29, drives a similar member 31 independently operably on shaft 27, and member 31, drives the pinion 32, on the propeller shaft 33. The propeller shaft 33, is journalled in the vertical brace 34, of frame 21, and carries the propeller 15. The train ofgears set forth permits the operator, by actuating the cranksv 24, to drive the propeller.

- The steering lever 35, projects upwardly from the body of'the device, and has a forked end 36, adapted to engage with the neck of the operator. Within thev body, a transverse b'race member 3'7, has mounted thereon, the pulleys 38, and a bracket member39, has mounted thereon, the pulleys 40. The rudder 14, is provided at the top with a cross lever 41. Cables 42 and 43, connected at one end to arm 44, of lever 35, and at the opposite end to cross lever 41, pass over pulleys 38 and 40. i

The deflecting rudders 1 6 are fixed to a transverse shaft 45, journalled in the frame portion 46. A lever arm 47 is fixed to shaft 45. An actuating lever 48, pi'votally connected at the point 49, has an arm 50 projecting from the body, and adapted to enga e 'w'ithrack teeth 51, along the edge of 510% 52, whereby the arm 50 is nelzilv in position of adjustment; The opposite arm 53,

of lever 48, is connected by a link 54-, with lever arm 4'2". The tiltingof rudders I6 is attained by adjustment of lever 48. Steering lever extends in a transverse slot 55, in the body. A flexible and elastic'cover '56, fiXed to levers 48 and 35, and at its outer edges to the body, serves to prevent water-entering slots 52 and 55.

In use, the device will h e-beneath and slightly forward relative to the swimmers body, and has'suflicient buoyancy whereby the "forward end 'of the device projects above the 'surfaceof the water. The degree of buoyancy is such that the device is not liable to turn over in use. As may ,be se'en,.the propeller is actuated-upon turning of thecranks by the operator. The operator may, without releasing his hands, steer the device, by turning his head in thedire'ction in which he wishes to turn. This serves to actuate the-steering lever, and, through the cable connectionswith the rudder, tot'urn the rudder correspondingly. The effectiveness of the device, relative to buoyancy, is safeguarded by constructing the sameof wood and coi'lg'and avoiding any hollow compartments, and the like.

What is claimed is:

"1. In a swimming apparatus, the coinbinationwith a buoyant'body, ofpropelle'r mechanism carried th'ereby, means for manually actuating the propeller mechanism, 'a's'haft extending transversely through the body, deflector rudders mounted on the shaft and disposed on opposite sides of the body, a lever arm integral with the transverseshaft, an actuatin'glever mounted in the forward portion of the body and'projecting upwardly therefrom,- and angularly "adjustable for tilting the deflector rudders, and a notched sector form'aintaining the actuating lever in its adjusted positions, and a linkicon'necting the adjusting lever and said "lever arm.

2. In swimming apparatus, the conibination with a bouyant body, of propeller mechanism carried thereby, means for manually actuating the (propeller -mechanism, a ru dder mounted at the stern of the body, a tiller lever mounted at the forward end of'the body and projecting upwardly therefrom, a bifurcated end on the tiller lever, tiller cables connecting'the tiller lever and the rudder, and cablepulleys for said cables 'a'ranged whereby the'movement of thetillen'leverto the right or :to the left will actuate the rudder correspondingly.

1n swimming apparatus, a buoyant bod'yhaving-the greaterportion of its buoyant'mass at the forward and central portions of the body, a shaft extending transversely tl'irough the rear portion of the body, deflector rudders mounted on the shaft and'disposed on opposite sides of the body, propeller mechanism carried by the body,

151821118 for adjustin'gthe deflector rudders to maintain the body in a floating position iii-accordance with the speed attained by, the propeller mechanism, and means for maintaii'iingth'e deflector rudder adjusting means in adjusted position.

4. In swimming apparatus, a buoyant body composed'of two longitudinal sections,

means for securing the halves together, a

frame mounted in the body, a propeller mechanism mounted onthe frame and within the body, a propeller shaft projecting at the stern of the body, a propeller carried by the propeller'shaft, an operating shaft extending transversely through the body and in connection with thepropeller mechanism b'ody, a cross lever car'ried'by the rudder and disposed within thebody, tiller cables connecting the tiller lever and the cross lever, and cable pulleys for :the tiller cables arranged whereby 'the movement of .the tiller lever to the right or to the left will actuate the rudder.

15. 111 swimming apparatus, a buoyant body having two longitudinal halves, means for securing the'halves together, inner recessed portions in .the respective halves, a propeller mechanism ,mounted in the body and disposed in the recessed portions, a propeller shaft extending from 'the stern portion of the body and in connection with the propeller mechanism, a propeller mounted on the propeller;shaftand at the stern portion of the body, said body being composed of solid material, a rudder for the body, a tiller lever projecting from the body, tiller cables within the body and connecting the tiller lever and the rudder, said body having a transversely arranged slot for the tiller lever, deflect-or rudders disposed at the sides of the body, an actuating lever for the deflector rudders projecting upwardly from the body and througha longitudinal slot in the bo'dy, a link 'D'lBHllJi connecting the deflector rudders and actuating lever, and an elastic and flexible cover for said slots. 1 a

111' testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

HANROKU OISHI.

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