US957513A - Life-preserver and swimming-machine. - Google Patents

Description

. LYON & W. H. YOUNG.

LIFE PRESERVER AND SWIMMING MAGHINB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20.1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

w mu OSCAR B. LYON, OF MTARICOPA, AND WILLIAM H. YOUNG, OF IVIODESTO, CALIFORNIA.

LIFE-PRESERVER AND SWIMMING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, OSCAR B. LYON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maricopa, in the county of Kern, State of California, and l/VILLIAM H. YoUNe, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mo desto, in the county of Stanislaus, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Preservers and SwimmingMachines; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in means for navigating the waters and particularly to a means for permitting persons who are unable to swim'to readily propel themselves through the water, either for pleasure or for necessity, as for instance, when shipwrecked or the like. The main features of the invention whereby this object is accomplished is set forth in Letters Patent No. 885212 and this present invention merely relates to improvements over the structure shown in the above patent, the object of such improvement being to provide a life preserver and swimming machine similar to the above one referred to, but the same being adjustable to all sizes and weights of persons. Also to produce a simple and effective mechanism for the purpose. These objects we accomplish by means of an airtight compartment having a forwardly projecting keel formed of two members, one movable within the other, a driving means in the end of said keel, a propeller shaft formed in two pieces, one movable within the other, said shaft being adjustable vertically also, a propeller on said shaft, a pump for pumping water into said compartment, an outlet air valve from said compartment and an outlet water valve from said compartment. We also employ such other and further structure and relative arrangement of parts as will more fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of ref-' erence indicate corresponding parts in the several vlews.

Figure 1 shows a swimmer using our 1m- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1909.

Patented May 10, 1810. Serial No. 508,650.

proved device. Fig. 2 is a horizontal vertical section of the improved machine.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference 011 the drawings 1 designates an air tight compartment adapted to be strapped to the trunk of the body by means of straps 2, such compartment 1 having a rearwardly projecting guard memher 3 to protect the body from injury from the propeller or other things. Also there is a front guard member 4 for the same pur- 'pose.

Projecting forwardly and downwardly from the compartment 1 is a keel formed of two members 5 and 6, the member 6 having a tongue 7 slidable within the member 5 for the purpose of adjust-ing the length of said keel, any fixed position desired being maintained by means of a set screw 7 projecting through the member 5 and adapted to impinge upon the member 7. This adjustment permits the handles 8 of a driving mechanism 9 to be maintained in convenient reach of the operators hands. whether he be long or short armed. The driving means 9 drives a propeller shaft formed of two memhers 10 and 11 slidable one within the other to conform to the movement of the member 6, any fixed position being maintained by means of a set screw 12, said shaft also be ing capable of vertical adjustment by reason of an arm 13 slidable within the member 14 and having a set screw 15 to maintain the fixed position, this adjustment being necessary to conform to the adjustment of the keel so that all parts may maintain the same relative position.

16 is the propeller carried by the shaft 10-11.

Normally the compartment 1 is full of compressed air which, of course, under certain circumstances might be too heav as for instance, in the case of a person of heavy weight. To overcome this a portion of the air from said compartment 1 may be let out to the atmosphere through a relief air valve 18 and if it was then too buoyant water as ballast could be pumped into the compartment through a water pump 17 and should too much ballast be thus acquired a portion of the water could be released through an outlet water pump 19. Should the swimmer be submerged under water and need air, he could readily inhale a portion from the/compartment 1 through a mouth valve 20.

The above described device can be built single or in tandem fashion, as described.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that We have produced such improvements over the above mentioned patent as substantially fulfils the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and useful and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 2- 1. A swimming machine comprising an air tight compartment, a keel thereon, a driving means on said keel, a shaft driven by said driving means, said shaft being adjustable horizontally and a propeller on said 1 shaft, such propeller being adjustable vertically, as set forth.

2. A swimming machine comprising an air tight compartment, means for propelling said compartment through Water, a water intake pump on said compartment, a water outlet pump on said compartment and an air outlet valve on said compartment.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR B. LYON. WVILLIAM H. YOUNG.

lVitnesses as to the signature of Oscar B. Lyon:

WM. B. GRIFFIN, PERCY S. WEBSTER. lVitnesses as to the signature of lVilliam H. Young:

C. S. ABBOTT, A. GRIFFIN.

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