Basic gear from mid-twentieth-century Spain: Other manufacturers

[David Wilson]

1606

Spanish: "Aletas Beltrán mpdelo infantil, n.° 1.606".
Rough translation: "Beltrán fins, children's model, no. 1,606".

So a child's fin with a sandal design at the rear, non-adjustable heelstrap, extended sole protecting the underside of the heel. Corrugated blade with symmetrical tip.

1607

This fin offers extra heel protection at the rear as well the base. It came with an adjustable heelstrap with twin buckles and a wider foot pocket for security and comfort. The blade features corrugations for lightweight reinforcement while the tip is symmetrical.

 

[David Wilson]

Two Beltrán models without illustrations.

1614

Spanish: "Aletas Beltrán modelo cadete, n.° 1.614".
Rough translation: "Beltrán fins, young person's model, n.° 1.614".

1616

Spanish: "Aletas Beltrán modelo hombre, n.° 1.616".
Rough translation: "Beltrán fins, men's model, n.° 1.616".

And there we have it for Beltrán masks, snorkel-masks, snorkels and fins. Another Spanish diving equipment manufacturer at the weekend, probably J. Carbonell Gimeno of Barcelona.

 

[David Wilson]

Today we move on to a new mid-twentieth-century Spanish diving equipment manufacturer: J. Carbonell Gimeno of Barcelona. The initial "J" stands for Joaquín, Spanish for "Joachim".

Spanish: "MANUFACTURA GENERAL DE GOMA, AMIANTO Y EBONITA.—J, CARBONELL GIMENO. Industria militarizada al servicio de la Armada. —Fábrica: Dos de Mayo, 236. Teléfono 54507. Dirección telegráfica: 'Cauchobuz'. BARCELONA".
Rough translation: "GENERAL RUBBER, ASBESTOS AND EBONITE MANUFACTURE.—J. CARBONELL GIMENO. Militarised industry at the service of the Navy. —Factory: Dos de Mayo, 236. Telephone 54507. Telegraphic address: 'Cauchobuz'. BARCELONA".

Information about this manufacturer is sparse online, but we have the following from the CG-45 website at JCarbonell Gimeno: "J. CARBONELL GIMENO from Barcelona, contemporary of Nemrod, which apart from classic diving helmets also developed diving regulators such as the Siroco double hose regulator, Mistral double hose regulator, diving fins, spearguns, gauges, scooters, valves, etc. The supplier of standard diving equipment to the Spanish Navy, was Joaquin Carbonell Gimeno, S.A. from Barcelona. It is believed that he manufactured diving helmets for the navy since the early nineteen forties. Somewhere in the nineteen fifties he became importer and dealer for La Spirotechnique. They patented various equipment for use in diving".

A couple of examples of J. Carbonell Gimeno publicity from the same site:

​

 

[David Wilson]

Due to the paucity of available data, we have very few specimens of actual J. Carbonell Gimeno basic diving equipment to display. What we do have is the company's many Spanish underwater product patents. Here is one for a diving mask; I have provided a very rough translation in parallel to the original Spanish text:

​

 

[David Wilson]

And here is the final page of the patent, with an illustration of the patented diving mask design:

The essence of the invention is (a) the metal rim with the top screw securing the lens and (b) the placement of the mask strap anchoring position on the metal rim rather than on the rubber skirt. Sadly, no evidence found of the design entering production at J. Carbonell Gimeno.

Another J. Carbonell Gimeno diving mask patent midweek.

 

[Popgun Pete]

Patents were often lodged only in their own country. Those who aspired to sell overseas and with the biggest market in the USA they also took out patents there, Nemrod being a prime example. Today we see worldwide patents as it is a global market where goods can be sourced from anywhere. In the early days the same idea could be patented in a number of countries by different inventors, but any protection was limited to their home market.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Luis, abd for the post, Pete.

A second Spanish patent relating to a diving mask design by J. Carbonell Gimeno.

So the new design features are essentially the rim and the method of attaching the head strap to the sides of this rim.

​

 

[David Wilson]

I was unable to find any online examples of J. Carbonell Gimeno diving masks incorporating the characteristics listed in the Spanish patent. However, I was able to find Ukrainian and Russian masks with either of the patented features.

Split rim

Akvanavt (Ukraine)

Laguna (Russia)

Headstrap arrangement (but anchor point on skirt, not on rim)

Respirator Version 1 (Soviet Russia)

​

J. Carbonell Gimeno patented snorkel design up for review at the weekend.

 

[David Wilson]

We now move on to a Spanish patent for a J. Carbonell Gimeno snorkel design, or more precisely on for a breathing tube shut-off float valve. Once again I have provided a very rough translation.

So a float valve design for the supply end of a snorkel or snorkel-mask with a pivoting mechanism intended to shut off the flow of air when the tip of the breathing tube submerges.

 

[David Wilson]

This patent bears a close resemblance to one taken out by Luigi Ferrraro:

No examples of commercial products arising from the J. Carbonell Gimeno Spanish patent, while Ferraro's US patent was dubbed the "Gamma" valve by Cressi in acknowledgement of his wartime service as an Italian combat swimmer and entered production at the Genoa company:

J. Carbonell Gimeno's contributions to fin design midweek.