US690663A - Appliance for swimmers. - Google Patents

Description

No. 696,663. Patent-ed 1an. 7, |962.y .6 H. PRATT.

APPLIANCE FOR SWIMMERS.

(Application led Aug. 16, 1901.)

am Model.)

UNITED "STATES PATENT FFICE.

HARRY PRATT, oF KENILwoRTH, ILLINOIS." Y

APPLIANCE Foa sw|MMER's.

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,663, dated January 7, 1 902. Application filed August 16, 1901. SerialNo. 72,213. (No model.)

thereon, which form a part of this specifica,

tion.

This invention relates to a novel appliance y for the use of swimmers intended to enable end to the outer air.

the swimmer to breathe regularly when the mouth and nostrils are occasionally suhmerged, as when swimming in rough water, and to render it unnecessary for the swim- .mer to continuously keep his mouth andnostrils above the surface of the water.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter describedand pointed out in the aplpended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure l is a front View of the head of a person with my novel appliance in position for use thereon. Fig. 2 is a side View of tllehead and showing the manner of holding the mouthpiece in place between the teeth. Fig. 3 is a rear perspective View of the mouthpiece and the lower end of the airtube and showing also the means for closing the nostrils. Fig. 4 shows the upper end of the air-tube and the cap which fits thereover to exclude water therefrom.

As shown in said drawings, A indicates a mouthpiece adapted to be grasped or held between the teeth and provided with an air-passage ct, and B is an air-tube attached to and extending upwardly from the mouthpiece, connected at its lower end with the passage in the said mouthpiece .and open at its upper Said tube is provided with means whereby its upper part may be secured to the head of the wearer, so that it may retain its position with its open end directed upwardly. The device for this puri pose herein shown consists lof a plate C, adapted to rest against the forehead, and a band or bands C O, extending from the ends of said plate around the head of the wearer iu such manner as to hold the plate C Iirmlyin place. rlhe air-tube is shown as attached to the plate C by'means of clips c c; but it may be secured thereto in any desired manner.`

The bands C C maybe strips or tapes adapt- 5 5 ed to be tied about the head or they `may be made of elastic material.

The air-tube A may be made of metal, hard rubber, or any other suitable material. The

upper end of said tube extends to the vicinity 6o teeth and at the same time the lips of the 7o wearer may close about it to prevent the entrance of water to the mouth. Said mouthpiece is shown as provided with a flange a', extending in all directions from its outer part or end and which is adapted to come against the lips of the wearer, and thereby not only prevent the mouthpiece being placed or drawn too far into the mouth, but also by its contact with .the lips aiding in excluding water from the mouth. preferably be made of soft rubber, the same being better adapted forl being grasped between the teeth than would a hard substance.

Manifestly whenA the mouthpiece is held in the teeth and the upper part of the air-tube secured to the head vthe tube will be firmly held in place, and as said tube will afford free communication between the'mouth and the open air the wearer while swimming can 9o breathe freely when his mouth and nostrils are submerged either occasionally or continually.

As an additional feature I provide in connection with the mouthpiece and air-tube jdescribed two nose-pads D D, together with means for holding or pressing the same against the nostrils in such manner as to Aclose the same. As herein shown the pads D D are arf ranged to press upon the sides ot the nostrils rool above the nostril-openings and are held byl spring-pressure against the same. Asa convenient construction in means for giving spring-support to said pads the air-tube B is Manifestly the tube may be made of 65 The mouthpiece will 8o l thereon.

branched above the nose so as to form a central loop, the side portions b b of which eX- tend at either side of the nose and the pads D are attached to the lower ends of leafsprings D D', the upper ends of which are attached to the side portions b b of the air-tube. The lower ends of the leaf-springs D D stand inwardly away from the side portions of the tubes, so as to permit a considerable amount of lateral play or movement in the pads and so that they may adjust themselves to position on the nose of any wearer. The springs will of course be made suflcient strength or stiffness to give such degree of pressure on the nostrils asis required for closing the same. I also provide for vertical adjustment of the nose-pads D, so that the same may be brought into proper vertical position to suit the wearer. This adjustment is accomplished in the construction shown by so attaching the springs D' to the side portions b of the air-tube that the springs may be adjusted up or down on the tubes. The springs are shown as secured to rings d d, which encircle and are adapted to slide on the tubes and are provided with set-screws d' d', by which they may be firmly secured to the tubes when in proper position Said air-tube may be made of any cross-section desired; but I prefer to make the tube flatten ed or elliptical in cross-section with the longer axes disposed from front to rear. In this manner I am enabled to provide a tube of ample capacity while at the same time affording a minimum resistance to the passage thereof through the water.

As a still further improvement I provide the air-tube at its upper end with a cap or cover E, which is arranged to surround and extend downwardly over the end of the tube, while at the same time leaving the end of the tube open for the free ingress and egress of air. The cap or cover thus arranged avoids liability of splased water or spray falling into or entering the open upper end of the airtube, and thus finding its way into the wearers mouth. Said cap E is herein shown as made of the same cross-section as the tube and attached to the end of the tube by radial iins or ianges extending between the tube and cap endwise of the same.

The device described as a whole may be easily applied and adjusted, may be comfortably worn, and is calculated to perform fully the service desired-namely, to avoid liability of a swimmer taking water through his mouth or nostrils when in rough Water or high waves and to render it unnecessary for the swimmer to always keep his mouth and nostrils above the surface of the water.

I claim as my inventionl. An appliance for swimmers, comprising a mouthpiece, an air-tube, and means for securing the upper part of the air-tube to the head, said air-tube being branched at a point above the nose and the branches of said tube being connected with the mouthpiece at a point below the nose of the wearer.

2. An appliance for swimmers, comprising a mouthpiece, an air-tube and nose-pads.

3. The combination with a mouthpiece, au air-tube, a forehead-piece attached to the tube, and a head band or bands attached t0 the foreheadpiece, said air -tube being branched at a point above the nose of the wearer and said branches being connected with the mouthpiece at a point below the nose of the wearer.

4E. An appliance for the purpose stated,com prising a mouthpiece, an air-tube and nosepads and means for supporting said pads affording adjustment of the position of the same with respect to 'the mouthpiece.

5. The combination of a mouthpiece,an airtube, nose-pads, and spring-supports for said pads.

6. The combination of a mouthpiece,an airtube, nose-pads and springs attached to the air-tube and supporting said pads.

7. The combination of a mouthpiece,au airtube branched to form a loop opposite the nose, nose-pads, and springs connecting said nose-pads with the side portions of said loop.

S. The combination of a mouthpiece,an airtube, nose-pads, and leaf-springs supporting said pads from the air-tube, said springs being adjustable up and down on the air-tube.

9. The combination of a mouthpiece,an airtube branched to form a loop opposite the nose, nose-pads, and leaf-springs supporting the nose-pads, said springs being secured to the side portions of the loop by means affording adjustment of the springs endwise on the sides of the loop.

10. The combination with a mouthpiece, an air-tube, a liat forehead-piece made of sheet material attached to the tube, a band or bands attached to the forehead-piece, said tube being adapted to pass downwardly at the side of the nose of the wearer, and attached to said mouthpiece.

11. An appliance for swimmers comprising a mouthpiece, an air-tube, adjustable nosepads on said air-tube, and a cap which covers the upper end of said tube while permitting access and egress of air.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afiiX my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 10th day ofAugust,A.D. 1901.

HARRY PRATT.

Witnesses z C. CLARENCE POOLE, WILLIAM L. HALL.

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