GB2032288A - A swimming aid - Google Patents

Abstract

The device includes a pair of paddles or oars connected to a central buoyancy element (13) such that when one blade (11) is submerged the other blade (12) is lifted clear of the water. The buoyancy element may be connected to, or form part of, an elongated submersible body which also provides some buoyancy for the swimmer. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A swimming aid This invention relates to an aid for swimming and is applicable both to aids for non-swimmers or weak swimmers and also to devices intended for use by fully-trained swimmers in order to improve or increase their swimming capabilities. The invention in some forms may be treated as an item of sports br leisure equipment, but it may also be useful as a therapeutic device, or for life saving, or for expeditionary, sporting, medical, military, or amusement purposes.

The invention is to be clearly distinguished from any device in the nature of a boat, in which the user or rider is carried mainly or entirely clear or free from the water. In the present invention the intention is that the rider or swimmer should be almost fully immersed in the water in the same way as in a normal swimming attitude.

From a first aspect the invention consists in a double-bladed paddle device having a shaft with a paddle at each end, and an additional buoyancy element such that when one blade is submerged the other blade tends to lift above the water surface.

preferably, the buoyancy is provided by a body on the shaft between the blades of larger external transverse dimensions than the shaft itself. The buoyancy element may be rigidly attached to the shaft, or in some cases it may be pivotally connected to the shaft.

In some forms of the invention the shaft or the buoyancy element is pivotally connected to an elongated submersible body or frame which itself includes or is connected to a buoyancy element.

From another aspect the invention consists in a paddle or rowing device, including a submersible body having some buoyancy, and a pair of oars or a double-bladed paddle pivotally mounted on or connected to the body. In such case the body and its buoyancy are preferably so arranged that when one blade of the paddle is submerged the other blade tends to lift clear of the water surface.

The oars or the paddle may be connected to the body by means of a pivotal connection which permits pivotal movements of the oars or paddle about a generally vertical axis but restricts or prevents pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis.

from another aspect the invention consists in a paddling or rowing device comprising a submersible body or frame, and a paddle or oar pivotally connected to the body, having a blade mounted on a parallel motion mechanism so as to remain in a substantially constant attitude as the oar or paddle moves forwards and backwards.

For example, each paddle or oar may include two parallel shafts each pivotally mounted to the frame or body at spaced pivotal points, with their outer ends also pivotally connected to a member lying parallel with the frame or body, to which the blade is rigidly attached.

The device may also include a further pedal bar pivotally connected to the frame or body to be operated by the swimmer's legs, the pedal bar being connected to the paddle or oar so that effort applied to the pedal bar assists the movement of the paddle or oar.

From another aspect the invention consists in a paddling or rowing device comprising a submersible frame or body having some buoyancy, a paddle or oar pivotally connected to the body, and a pedal bar also pivotally connected to the body and connected to the paddle or oar such that effort applied to the pedal bar by the swimmer's legs will be transmitted to the paddle or oar.

The invention may be performed in various ways and a number of embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a double-bladed paddle according to the invention, Figure 2 is a rear view of the device of Figure 1 shown in use in the water, Figure 3 is a plan view of a device similar to that of Figure 1 attached to a submersible body or spine, Figure 4 is a side view of the device of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a perspective view, partly exploded, of another embodiment with twin rear floats, and Figure 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment resembling a fish.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the device comprises a double-bladed paddle having a hollow shaft (10) which may be formed, for example, of timber or of hollow aluminium tubing, and is provided with paddle blades(1 1,12) at opposite ends.

These blades are preferably set in a common plane and the construction is preferably such that the sha'ft (10) is closed at each end in a watertight manner so that the shaft itself will have a degree of buoyancy.

Surrounding the shaft at its centre is a large spherical ball 13 which is conveniently formed of a foamed plastic material such as foamed polystyrene or polyurethane. The shaft 10 extends through the centre of this buoyancy ball and the size of the ball and its buoyancy are such that when one paddle blade 12 is depressed below the water level 14 as shown in Figure 2, the other paddle 11 will tend to rise clear of the water. As a result it is possible to raise and lower the paddles alternately on the left and right hand sides, and to move the paddles forwards and backwards in the normal paddling action, without the swimmer having to raise the weight of the paddles clear of the surface. The length of the paddle shaft and the area of the paddle blades of course provide improved propulsion compared with a swimmer's arms and hands.

Other materials may be used for the buoyancy element and it may be of other shapes than spherical, through spherical is preferred. In some cases the buoyancy element may be split into two separate bodies as illustrated at 15 and 16 in Figure 5. In general, however, these buoyancy elements should be spaced inwards from the paddle blades 11, 12 in order to provide the automatic tilting feature illustrated in Figure 2.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate another form of the invention in which a double-bladed paddle indicated generally at 20 and having the general construction illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, is pivotally connected to a submersible body or spine which consists of a hollow tubular shaft 21 having at its rear end a small keel blade 22 and a buoyancy element or flotation device 23. The pivotal connection in this illustrated example is a simple forked hinge joint providing for pivotal movement about a vertical axis 24 with no relative pivotal movement permitted about the transverse horizontal axis. This allows the paddle blade to be moved forwards and backwards but connects the paddle to the submersible body so that the lateral tilting or rocking movements of the paddle must be accompanied by similar movements of the body.The swimmer can therefore provide a degree of control by adjusting the attitude of his own body in the water. The keel 22 may include a weight 25 designed to assist in holding the unit vertical in the water.

As an aiternative to the pivotal joint shown in Figures 3 and 4 the paddle maybe attached to a submersible body by means of a rope bridle. This provides fuil pivotal freedom or movement about all transverse axes similar to a universal joint.

The body may also include a further buoyancy ball attached to the rear end of the shaft of the body by means of a rope strand or bridle. In yet another embodiment (not illustrated) the submersible body comprises a rigid fore-and-aft element formed for example of a piece of marine plywood, having buoyancy bags, tanks or elements secured above it at spaced forward and rearward positions, and having in addition a weighted keel, a pad on which the user or swimmer can rest, and a projecting forward part formed with an aperture in which is loosely mounted a double-bladed paddie. The buoyancy elements, are so dimensioned and designed that a swimmer resting on the body will be very lightly supported, but still substantially fully immersed and in this swimming position can then easily operate the paddle blades.

In another example (not illustrated) the device comprises a rigid submersible body formed for example of a sheet of marine plywood with a rear flotation member, a pair of forward flotation members, a weighted keel, and means for supporting a double-bladed paddle. In this case the paddle system includes a pair of rigid parallel shafts spaced apart one in front of the other and pivotally mounted on the submersible body on vertical pivot pins. The outer ends of these paddle shafts are pivotally connected to fore-and-aft aligned struts each of which is rigidly connected to a lateral projecting paddle. This provides a double parallel motion mechanism which will hold the two paddle blades at right angles to the length of the submersible body, at al angles of the paddle shafts.

In addition this device includes a rear pedal bar which is pivotally connected to the body on a vertical pivot, and has a pair of stirrups pivotally attached to its outer ends, for example by means of rope strops.

The pedal bar is also attached by means of adjustable ropes to the two sides of the double paddle shaft system. in this way the user can, by applying pressure to the pedal bar with his feet, materially increase the force exerted on the paddle blades. In some cases it may be preferred for the ropes to be cross-linked.

In the embodiment of Figure 5, the apparatus is somewhat similar to that of Figures 3 and 4, but the forward buoyancy element 61 is attached to the central frame rather than the cross-paddle, and has a chest pad. The frame comprises a bent tubular member 60 with the spherical buoyancy float 61 at its forward end, and a pair of forked limbs 62 at its rearward end, each with a further spherical float 63 secured thereto. This allows a swimmer to lie with his legs between the floats, and provides a greater lateral stability. The double bladed paddle 64 has a hinge connection 65 (shown exploded) to the forward end of the buoyancy float 61. This hinge permits swinging movements of the paddle about a vertical hinge axis and rocking movements to left and right require that the complete body structure including the various floats should be rocked in unison.

Afeature of the invention as illustrated is that in most cases it is important that the two blades of the paddle are both set in a common vertical plane as compared with the blades of a conventional canoe paddle, set at an angle. With the submerged equipment of the present invention it is found to be importantthatthe blades should be at leastapproximately in a common plane.

In the example illustrated in Figure 6, the body 70 of the device is designed to resemble a fish and has built-in buoyancy at front and rear ends, a float 71 at the head, and another float 72 at the tail 76. A double-bladed paddle 73 extends across through an opening in the body, and is pivotally mounted on a universal joint 74. Each paddle blade has an opening 75 to allow the swimmer to grip the shaft of the paddle.

Claims (13)

1. A double-bladed paddle device having a shaft with a paddle at each end, and an additional buoyancy element such that when one blade is submerged the other blade tends to lift above the water surface.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the buoyancy is provided by a body on the shaft between the blades of larger external transverse dimensions than the shaft itself.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the buoyancy element is rigidly attached to the shaft.

4. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the buoyancy element is pivotally connected to the shaft.

5. A device according to any of the preceding claims, in which the shaft or the buoyancy element is pivotally connected to an elongated submersible body or frame which itself includes or is connected to a buoyancy element.

6. A paddle or rowing device, including a submersible body having some buoyancy, and a pair of oars or a double-bladed paddle pivotally mounted on or connected to the body.

7. A device according to claim 6, in which the body and its buoyancy are so arranged that when one blade of the paddle is submerged the other blade tends to lift clear of the water surface.

8. A device according to claim 6 or claim 7 in which the oars or the paddle are connected to the body by means of a pivotal connection which permits pivotal movements of the boars or paddle about a generally vertical axis but restricts or prevents pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis.

9. A paddling or rowing device comprising a submersible body or frame, and a paddle or oar pivotally connected to the body, having a blade mounted on a parallel motion mechanism so as to remain in a substantially constant attitude as the oar or paddle moves forwards and backwards.

10. A device according to claim 9, in which each paddle or oar includes two parallel shafts each pivotally mounted to the frame or body at spaced pivotal points, with their outer ends also pivotally connected to a member lying parallel with the frame or body to which the blade is rigidly attached.

11. A device according to claim 9 or claim 10, including a further pedal bar pivotally connected to the frame or body to be operated by the swimmer's legs, the pedal bar being connected to the paddle or oar so that effort applied to the pedal bar assists the movement of the paddle or oar.

12. A paddling or rowing device comprising a submersible frame or body having some buoyancy, a paddle or oar pivotally connected to the body, and a pedal bar also pivotally connected to the body and connected to the paddle or oar such that effort applied to the pedal bar by the swimmer's legs will be transmitted to the paddle or oar.

13. A paddle or semi-submersible rowing device substantially in any of the forms described with reference to the accompanying drawings.