APPARATUS FOR DRIVING IN WATER Russian patent published in 1998 - IPC

FIELD: sports and entertainment equipment, in particular, device for facilitating and accelerating swimmer's movement in water. SUBSTANCE: apparatus has frame 1 with device 2 for fastening frame 1 on swimmer's body and longitudinal guide 3. Hollow bar 4 is mounted for reciprocating within guide 3 by swimmer's legs. Displacement of bar 4 is facilitated by movable tie-rod 17 mounted within it. Leading end of tie-rod 17 is pivotally connected with paddle 6 which is pivotally mounted on bar 4. Tail end of tie-rod 17 is pivotally connected with shaft 10 of stirrup unit 9 arranged adjacent to foot raised region. Shaft 11 has portion positioned in the vicinity of stirrup unit finger region and pivotally coupled to bar 4 through tie-rod 19. When swimmer draws knees forward, bar 4 is moved forward, and when he extends toes forward, stirrup unit is turned. Shaft 10 and tie-rod 17 are advanced for distance restricted by slot 12 in bar 4. Tie-rod 17 acts upon paddle 6 to turn it from vertical into horizontal position. When feet are returned to the initial position, paddle 6 is turned to vertical position to accomplish rowing motion. EFFECT: increased efficiency, simplified construction and enhanced reliability in operation. 3 dwg