US3204699A - Propeller - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 7, 1965 c. A. GQNGWER PROPELLER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed Feb. l0

INVENTOR. CALVIN A. GONGWER A TTOHNEYS Sept' 7, 1965 c. A. GoNGWl-:R 3,204,699

PROPELLER Original Filed Feb. l0, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IO 3o 28 3o F157 j Fig -5 CA LVI hIIN/.ElglWER BY S @MJL A TTORNEYS United States Patent O l3,204,699 PROPELLER Calvin A. Gongwer, Glendora, Calif., assignor to Aerojet-'General Corporation, Azusa, Calif., a corporation of Ohio Original application Feb. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 88,554, now Patent No. 3,122,759, dated Mar. 3, 1964. Divided and this application Feb. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 348,249

3 Claims. '(Cl. 170-135) This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 88,554, led February 10, 1961, now U.S. Patent 3,122,759 issued March 3, 1964, and entitled Swimmers Propulsion Device.

This invention relates to swimmer propulsion devices and has for its object to provide a swimming device operating on a ishtail-like propulsion principle.

Heretofore, swimmers aids have primarily been based upon the principle of enlarging the eiIective area of the hands and feet. It has been noted that the Australian crawl flutter kick is used by most swimmers, and it tends to be quite smiliar to the action of a iishtail. However, the swimmer is limited upon the endurance of the individual muscles used in this swimming stroke. Fin systems previously known in the art were adapted to be located and were operable at or near the feet of the swimmer. A principal objection of former devices was the unsatisfactory oscillation of the body, that is, the body wagged, rather than the iins.

The present invention however eliminates this objectionable oscillation of the body by virtue of its novel con` struction. In its broadest aspect, the present invention comprises a plate adapted to be engaged to legs of a swimmer below the knee. A pair of fins are pivotally attached to an extension of the plate.

A principal feature of the present invention is the transverse reactions, of the fins which are perpendicular to the propulsiva reactions, are directed through the approximate center of gravity of the body since the tins are positioned immediately adjacent to the torso. Therefore, the body maintains its attitude despite these transverse forces.

Another feature resides in the stabilizing wing that can be adjusted by the swimmer during use to aid in diving or surfacing.

Another feature resides in the provision of a swimming device operable by the lower body, leaving the arms free to perform work while underwater.

Other features and advantages not specifically enumerated above will be apparent after consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims. The preferred form which the invention may assume is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a side elevation of the present invention in use by a swimmer in a relaxed position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the present invention similar to FIGURE 1 with the swimmer in a kick position;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a plan View of the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a partial side elevation of the present invention shown with a swimmers foot holding the rear stabilizing wing in a diving attitude; and

FIGURE 6 is a partial side elevation of the present invention, similar to FIGURE 5, shown with the swimmers foot holding the rear stabilizing wing in a surfacing attitude.

A swimming device 10 incorporating the present invention is shown in FIGURES 1-4. Three principal elements form the swimming device 10 and constitute:

ice

the leg plate 12 straddled by the swimmer, the forward oscillating tins or vanes 14, 16 and a rear stabilizing wing 20.

The plate 12 which may be broadly characterized as an energy engine is generally ilat and oblong in conguration and constructed from an upper portion 22 and a lower portion 24. A plurality of bolts 26 are xedly attached to the lower portion 24 of plate 12 and pass through a plurality of passageways (not shown) in the upper portion 22. Wing nuts 28 are threadedly received by the bolts 26 and are positioned on opposite sides of the upper portion 22. Adjustment of the wing nuts 28 allows the upper portion 22 to be adjusted in relation to the lower portion 24.

The plate 12 has a plurality of projections 30, 32, 34, 36 extending laterally therefrom, the projections 30, 32, lying in one row and projections 34, 36 lying in a second row, thus providing a pair of rows of such projections. The position of the projections 30-36, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, illustrates the support around the leg and calf of a swimmer. Padding may be provided around the projections 30'36 to avoid possible discomfort to the legs of the swimmer while in use. The projections 3036 are adjustable by the wing nuts 28 to allow swimmers of different leg sizes to use the same swimming device.

A frame member comprising a curved rod or bar 40 having a bifurcated end portion 42 is xedly attached to the plate 12 by a plurality of rivets 44, or the like, and extends forwardly of the plate and lies in the plane of the plate 12. A pair of vanes 14, 16 are pivotally mounted on the forward portion of the curved rod 40 on the stub shaft 46 which extends in generally opposite directions from the rod as seen in FIGURE 4. Stub shaft 46 is xedly attached to the rod 4t) and rotatively received by the vanes 14, 16. The plate 12 straddled by the swimmer, the projections 30, 36 on the plate and rod 40 constitute a frame means for transmitting motion from the swimmer to the oscillating ns 14, 16.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, a harness and coil spring arrangement is used to center the ns 14, 16. The ns are near the center of gravity of the swimmers body in FIGURE 1 to reduce to a minimum the waggle or other movement of the swimmers body in response to a component of force incident to oscillatory motion of the ns. The direction of this component is transverse or lateral to the direction of motion of the swimmer through the water. Although a spring is shown as a centering device in this embodiment, other components may be used, such as torsional springs acting on the iins 14, 16 and positioned between the fins 14, 16 and the rod 40. A U-shaped harness 52 is pivotally attached to the ns 14, 16 at pivot points S3, 54, respectively. A coil spring 56 engages the U-shaped harness 52 at point 57 (FIGURE 4) and the eye bolt 58 that is tixedly attached to the rod 40. Adjustment in tension of this spring to suit the strength and speed of a swimmer by varying the amount of feathering action may be provided by a turnbuckle or the like (not shown).

A stabilizing n or wing 20 is provided in the rearrnost portion of the plate 12. A link 60 is pivotally mounted on the plate 12 by a rivet, and is lxedly mounted to the wing. The link 64 is iixedly attached to the wing 20 and terminates in a pedal-like projection 66 which can be used by the swimmer to adjust the position of the wing 20. FIGURES 5 and 6 show the movement of the wing 20 from the diving to the surfacing position when manipulated by the swimmers toes or foot. A spring 68 engages the eye bolt 69 which is attached to the plate 12 and the eye bolt 70 which is attached to the wing 20. It is within the scope of the present invention to use either a stabilizing wing 20 which is stationary or to use a wing which may be adjusted prior to putting the device in water. The purpose of the stabilizing wing is to hold the swimmers body in a level attitude. It is also conceivable that the wing may be completely removed and that the swimmer use his arms to stabilize the attitude of the body while swimming. Stabilization may also be achieved by conventional swim ns attached to the feet which may be tilted in much the same manner.

In operation, the swimmer straddles the device 10 by placing a leg on each side of the plate 12 and inserting the lower leg and calf between the plurality of projections 30-36. The device is usually mounted while the swimmer is within the water of such a depth so that the device may be immediately used. The swimmer assumes the prone position as illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 and begins the swimming stroke which is as follows: the knees are dropped in relation to the torso forcing the fins 14, 16 downwardly in the water to the position seen in FIGURE 2. The forward edges of the pivoted fins 14, 16 lead the rear edges during downward movement thereof since the downward force exerted by the swimmer is transferred directly to the forward edges of the fins and the water resistance underneath the tins retards downward movement of the rear edges. This movement of the ns 14, 16 starts their feathering or oscillating stroke. When the swimmers legs are thereafter straightened causing the fins 14, 16 to move upwardly to the position in FIGURE 1, the ns will be pivoted about the stub shaft 46 to a position as shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 2, the water above the fins resisting upward movement of the rear edges of the fins. The spring S6 constantly urges the ns 14, 16 to the center position and aids in causing the shtail or oscillating motion to reoccur and propel the body through the water. The arms of the swimmer may be held directly in front of the head with the hands extended to aid in directing the swimmer. The hands may be manipulated to act as vanes to cause yaw or roll. The feet may also manipulate the stabilizing wing 20, FIGURES- 5 and 6, to cause the swimmer to dive or surface upon the will of the swimmer. The swimmer thereafter repeats the knee action stroke to cause the iishtail motion thereby propelling the body through the water.

It will be recognized that modifications may be made within the scope of this invention. For example, the device may be operated by using the hands rather than the legs to cause the oscillating shtail motion of the fins. It is also possible to adjust the tension of the springs on the propulsive tins to gain maximum efficiency.

It is also possible to remove the stabilizing lin or wing entirely and allow the manipulation of the swimmers arms to hold the body in a level attitude. My invention is not to be limited to the single embodiment illustrated, which is given for illustration rather than limitation, and is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fluid propeller comprising a frame member adapted to parta-ke of to and fro motion, a pair of vanes respectively disposed on opposite sides of said frame member in symmetrical relationship with respect to each other and with respect to said frame member, a shaft ixedly attached to said frame member and extending outwardly from the opposite sides thereof, each of said vanes being respectively mounted on said shaft for pivotal movement about an axis disposed forwardly of the longitudinal axis -of said vane and parallel thereto, and an elastic member connecting a corresponding point of each of said vanes rearwardly of the longitudinal axis thereof to said frame member for resiliently urging said vanes to respective normal center positions, said vanes pivotally oscillating about said s'haft in response to a to and fro motion being imparted to said frame member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the resulting relative uid flow developed by the pivotal oscillation of said vanes.

2. A fluid propeller as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame member comprises a rigid bar constrained at the end thereof remote from said shaft for oscillatory to and fro motion in a plane substantially perpendicular to the resulting relative uid ow developed by the pivotal oscillation of said vanes.

3. A uid propeller as set forth in claim 1, further including an energy engine adapted to be actuated by a propellable body to assume an oscillatory to and fro motion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the resulting relative fluid flow developed by the pivotal oscillation of said vanes, and said frame member comprising a rigid bar flxedly attached at the end thereof remote from said shaft to said energy engine for oscillatory to and fro motion with said energy engine.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,706,974 3/29 Beckert 9-305 X 3,678,482 2/63 Crowder ll5v-28 X FOREIGN PATENTS 72,055 7/ 16 Austria.

`IULIUS E. WEST, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A FLUID PROPELLER COMPRISING A FRAME MEMBER ADAPTED TO PARTAKE OF TO AND FRO MOTION, A PAIR OF VANES RESPECTIVELY DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FRAME MEMBER IN SYMMETRICAL RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AND WITH RESPECT TO SAID FRAME MEMBER, A SHAFT FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO SAID FRAME MEMBER AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, EACH OF SAID VANES BEING RESPECTIVELY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS DISPOSED FORWARDLY OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID VANE AND PARALLEL THERETO, AND AN ELASTIC MEMBER CONNECTING A CORRESPONDING POINT OF EACH OF SAID VANES REARWARDLY OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF TO SAID FRAME MEMBER FOR RESILIENTLY URGING SAID VANES TO RESPECTIVE NORMAL CENTER POSITIONS, SAID VANES PIVOTALLY OSCILLATING ABOUT SAID SHAFT IN RESPONSE TO A TO AND FRO MOTION BEING IMPARTED TO SAID FRAME MEMBER IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE RESULTING RELATIVE FLUID FLOW DEVELOPED BY THE PIVOTAL OSCILLATION OF SAID VANES.

Images