US2277538A

US2277538A - Swimming device

Info

Publication number: US2277538A
Application number: US390197A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hurchel N Breeze
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-04-24
Filing date: 1941-04-24
Publication date: 1942-03-24
Anticipated expiration: 1959-03-24

Description

March 24, 1942, H. N. BREEZE 2,277,538

- SWIMMING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ew'cheL JWBreez INVENTOR March 24, 1942. H. N. BREEZE SWIMMING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Humhel NEBr-eeze I L 7 7/ /////v7/ u74 a 7/// w////// v I H V. mum! ATTOR N EYS Patented Mar. 24, 1942 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWIMMING DEVICE Hurchel N. Breeze, Electra, Tex.

Application April 24, 1941, Serial No. 390,197

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in swimming devices.

An object of the invention is to provide a swimming device of generally improved design.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a swimming device which will be of great assistance to a person for swimming.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a swimming device having means for automatically locking and releasing the movable members thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a swimming device of the aforesaid character which is constructed so as to retain the movable elements in closed inoperative positions during diving and walking or running.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description progresses.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing one side of the device applied to a shoe,

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the device with the wings in closed positions,

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the opposite side of the device,

Figure 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing the device applied to the foot of a person in swimming position, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 55 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred example of the invention, H] designates a socket-shaped support member advantageouslyformed of light, still material adapted to be at tached to a swimming shoe, as for instance'the shoe S, in any suitable manner as by riveting.

The socket I is disposed to cover the heel portion of the shoe and embodies a rear part covering the back of the heel and a lower portion extending under the heel of the shoe. At the upper part the socket H1 is provided, at each side, with a pair of upstanding lugs [I having guide openings in their outer portions.

To one side of the socket I0 is connected, by a hinge connection vl2, a wing section l3 in the form of flat rigid plate having attached to its outer straight edge, by a pair of complementary hinge connections I4, an extension section or flap I also of rigid construction. On the outer marginal portion of the plate section I3 is formed an obliquely extending lip l 6 forming a stop piece to limit the outward pivotal movement of the flap section l5. On the inner side of the section 13 is provided a straight lug I! designed to limit the inward movement of the flap and to support the same in coplanar relation with the section l3. On the outer face of the flap l5, at its inner marginal portion, is provided a pivot lug l8, for a purpose which will be described hereinafter.

Positioned against the outer face of the wing section I3 and held thereagainst by a pivot member I9, is an approximately ellipsoidal latch member 20 having a web portion 2| and an arcuate portion 22, the latter having its end part laterally offset from the face of the wing section to form a locking tongue 23 movable through the upper slotted flange of a channel bracket 24 secured to the section. To a pin 25, on the web 2|, is connected the outer slotted end of a rod 26, the inner end of which is connected with the end portion of a cylindrical weight 21 slidably mounted in a cylinder 28 pivotally attached to the face of the wing.

A link 29 having one end pivotally connected to the lug I8, is disposed so that its opposite slotted end 30 engages a headed pin on the latch Web 2| to limit movement of the flap I5 relative to the wing plate l3.

On the opposite side of the supporting socket I0 is mounted a rigid wing forming plate 3| pivotally connected with the socket by a hinge connection 32 and of approximately semi-elliptic shape, corresponding to the shape of the section l3 and the flap l5 when these are in coplanar arrangement.

Slidably mounted in the apertured guide openings of the lugs I I is a U-shaped yoke member 33 movable longitudinally of the support socket and shoe and formed with a cross piece 34 at the rear thereof. To each side leg of the yoke 33 is connected a rigid arm 35 having its inner end connected with an angle fitting 36 by an adjustable joint 31' and the inner end of the joint connected to the yoke by a ball and socket joint 38, The outer end of one of the arms 35 connects with the intermediate portion of the wing 3| by a ball and socket joint 39 while the outer end of the complementary arm 35 connects with an angularly directed flange 40, on the outer side of the hinge section l3, through the medium of a ball and socket joint H.

The wing forming blades l3 and 3| are mounted in complementary relation at opposed sides of the shoe and are movable to swing about pivot axes disposed at acute angular positions relative to a line perpendicular to the shoe sole. The connection of both of these wings to the longitudinally slidable yoke 33, through the medium of the arms 35, causes coordinate movement and arrangement thereof. The weight 21, in a position nearly perpendicular to the sole, functions to swing the latch member 20 to locking position, that is, to move the latch tongue 23 into the jaw formed by the channel bracket 24, when the sole of the shoe assumes a downward position within predetermined angular limits. Thus, when a swimmer wearing the wing-equipped supports moves his legs through the up and down flutter kickmovements, as executed in the crawl stroke as shown at Figure 4, or effects backward and forward movement of the legs, in swimming position, the wings alternately open and close. For instance, as the foot executes an initial power kick during swimming the force of the water against the extension flap l5 causes the link 29, acting against the pin 30 to swing the latch 20 in a counter-clockwise direction so as to remove the tongue 23 from the slotted bracket 24 and release the rod 35 extending through the bracket so that the main sections of the wings are swung to laterally directed open positions, enabling the swimmer to obtain substantially increased purchase against the water. The slotted extension of link 29 enables inward or closure movement of the flap I5 with relation to the blade section 30 during reverse movement of the foot, without closing the tongue. When, however, the foot attains a predetermined lowered position with the sole directed downwardly at or near the horizontal, as in standing or walking, the weight 21 will slide downward by gravity to move the latch 20 in a clockwise direction and slide the tongue 23 into the jaw 24 for locking the rod 35, the slotted extension of the rod 26 enabling elevation of the weight without opening movement of the latch tongue, the latch 20 being quite accurately balanced on its pivot pin l9. Thus, such opening and closing of the wings substantially increases the impelling force of the kick to greatly increase the effectiveness of the swimming effort.

While the particular form of the invention shown and described discloses a socket member I0 attached to a shoe it will be readily apparent that such separate structure may be eliminated by providing the guides and hinge connections directly on the shoe. Furthermore, the automatic wing locking mechanism may be operated by varied disposition of the actuating Weight or by spring means.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a swimming device of the character described, a support member, a pair of wings pivotally connected to opposed sides of the support, and means connecting the said wings to effect coordinate movement thereof.

2. In a swimming device of the character described, a support adapted to be fitted on the foot, a pair of complementary wings pivotally connected to the said support, and means for automatically locking the wings in closed inoperative arrangement when the support is in predetermined positions.

3. In a device of the character described, a support adapted to be fitted on the foot, a pair of complementary wings pivotally connected to opposed sides of the support, means connecting the said wings for coordinate movement thereof, and a hinged flap attached to the outer portion of one of the said wings.

4. In a device of the character described, a support adapted to be fitted on the foot, a pair of complementary wings pivotally connected to opposed sides of the support, means connecting the said wings for coordinate movement thereof, a hinged flap attached to the outer portion of one of the said wings, and means for locking the said wings in closed positions.

5. In a swimming device, a support adapted to be fitted on the foot, a pair of complementary wings pivotally connected to opposed sides of the support on an axis oblique to the sole of the foot, a slide member mounted on the support, an arm connecting each wing with the said slide member, a jaw mounted on one of the wings and disposed so that the connecting arm of the said Wing will extend therethrough when the wing is in closed position, and latch means mounted in'coacting relation with the jaw for releasably locking the arm therein.

6. In a swimming device, a support adapted to be fitted on the foot, a'pair of complementary wings pivotally connected to opposed sides of the support on an axis oblique to the sole of the foot, a slide member mounted on the support, an arm connecting each wing with the said slide member, a jaw mounted on one of the wings and disposed so that the connecting arm of the said wing will extend therethrough when the wing is in closed position, a pivoted latch mounted on the wing adjacent the jaw having a tongue portion coacting with the jaw to lock the arm therein, and means for automatically actuating the latch to lock the wings in closed arrangement when the support is in predetermined positions.

7. In a device of the character described, a hollow support member adapted to be connected to the heel portion of a shoe, a pair of plate elements pivotally connected to the said support, means for connecting the said plate elements for coordinate movement, and means for automatically locking the said plate elements against pivoted movement when the support is in a predetermined position.

HURCHEL N. BREEZE.