GB2140275A

GB2140275A - Swimming aids

Info

Publication number: GB2140275A
Application number: GB08314847A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Elizabeth Anne Hawley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-05-27
Filing date: 1983-05-27
Publication date: 1984-11-28
Also published as: GB8314847D0

Abstract

A device for enabling a swimmer to support another person, such as a young child. The device comprises a harness formed of straps arranged to be worn by the swimmer and to be detachably secured to clips or the like secured to a swimsuit worn by the other person.

Description

SPECIFICATION Swimming aids This invention relates to a device for enabling a person to support another person, who may be a young child, in water, for example, while swimming.

Very young children generally have little fear of immersion in water and will often swim quite naturally when taken into a swim ming pool. However they need to be supported in the water for safety reasons. The present invention is intended to provide a device whereby a person may be attached to a swimmer's body so that the swimmer can support that person in the water while both the swimmer and the person supported may move their arms and legs freely.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for enabling a swimmer to support another person, such as a young child, in water which device comprises a garment to be worn by the swimmer and a garment to be worn by said other person, and means for connecting the garments together such that the swimmer may support the other person at the surface of the water while swimming.

The garment worn by the person to be carried may be an ordinary swimsuit and the garment worn by the swimmer may comprise a harness formed of straps arranged to pass around the swimmer's body, preferably around the waist and over the shoulders. The two garments may be attached to each other releasably by clips or snap-links. In one arrangement the clips or snap-links are permanently fixed to the swimsuit and the harness is attached to rings which the clips or snap-links may engage.

The garments are preferably attached together in such a manner that the person to be carried is held in a substantially fixed position relative to the swimmer so that the person carried remains under the control of the swimmer. The person carried will generally be supported on the back or breast of the swimmer and the garments may be attached to each other at four points, two of these points being positioned substantially adjacent the shoulders of the person supported and the other two being positioned substantially at the waist. The arms and legs of both persons may then move freely but the trunk of the person supported is attached to the trunk of the swimmer in a more or less fixed position.

A device according to one embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a harness worn by a swimmer, Figure 2 is a rear view of the harness of Fig. 1, Figure 3 shows a child's swimsuit for use with the harness of Figs. 1 and 2 worn by the child, Figure 4 shows the manner in which the swimsuit of Fig. 3 is attached to the harness of Figs. 1 and 2, Figures 5 and 6 show different ways in which a child may be carried in water using the harness and swimsuit of Figs. 1 to 4.

The harness of Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a pair of waist straps 1 which each extend part way around the waist and are connected by a buckle 2. A pair of shoulder straps 3 extend over the shoulders and are also connected to buckle 2. The lengths of straps 3 may be varied to fit the swimmer by means of adjustment buckles 4.

The free end of each strap is attached to a ring 5 of non-corrosive material such as plastics. As shown in Fig. 3 a swimsuit for a child of the conventional one-piece type is provided with four snap-links or carabiners 6 which are sewn to reinforcing patches 7 on the front part of the swimsuit. Two of the snap-links are positioned adjacent the shoulders and two near the waist.

When the device is in use the harness is worn by an adult swimmer as shown in Fig. 2 and the swimsuit, worn by a child as shown in Fig. 3, is attached to the harness by connecting the snap-links 6 to the rings 5 as shown in Fig. 4. The child is thus secured on the back of the swimmer and may be carried in the water as shown in Fig. 5.

The snap-links 6 are preferably such that they can be rapidly connected and disconnected to rings 5 using one hand. The buckle 2 is preferably of the type allowing rapid release of the straps 1 and 3 attached to it; a lever-operated strap buckle of the type used by light-aircraft pilots is suitable. The harness can then be taken on and off quickly and easily and in the water the child is easily released from the adult swimmer if desired.

The straps are preferably made of webbing, such as nylon or like material, which is water resistant and has only a limited capacity for elastic stretch. In the embodiment shown the strap ends connected to rings 5 are free but if desired the strap ends may be connected to each other so that the harness remains in place when it is put on and before the child is attached.

Fig. 6 shows an alternative method of using the harness arrangement. In this instance the harness is worn with buckle 2 at the back of the swimmer and rings 5 at the front so that the child is supported in the water on the swimmer's breast.

The device described above is especially suitable for supporting very young children, aged from about 3 months to 2 years, who are being taught to swim. They are supported in safety by the swimmer and their arms and legs are free to move so that they may gain confidence in the water and be taught swimming strokes without risk of their heads being submersed below the water surface. The quick-release buckle allows the straps to be removed from the swimmer quickly and easily, in emergencies or after leaving the swimming pool.

Claims

1. A device for enabling a swimmer to support another person, such as a young child, in water which device comprises a garment to be worn by the swimmer and a garment to be worn by said other person, and means for connecting the garments together such that the swimmer may support the other person at the surface of the water while swimming.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the garment to be worn by the swimmer comprises a harness formed of straps arranged to pass around the swimmer's body, preferably around the waist and over the shoulders.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the garment to be worn by the person to be supported is a swimsuit and means is provided for detachably securing the two garments together.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the means for securing the two garments together includes quick release means.

5. A device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein each means for detachably securing the two garments together comprises a ring attached to one garment and a clip or snaplink attached to the other garment.

6. A device for enabling a swimmer to support another person, substantially as here it before described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.