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

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the post, John. So there is indeed a link between the diving equipment industry and the firefighting equipment industry.

On to Duarry's snorkel-mask design that may have fallen short of actual production. Here is the patent:

UTILITY MODEL

88222

DESCRIPTIVE REPORT for “IMPROVED UNDERWATER SWIMMING MASK”.

Applicant: Mr. JUAN DUARRY SERRA, Spanish national resident at 1 Calle Rosellón, BARCELONA.

The present application references an improved underwater swimming mask.

Conventional aquatic masks are only there to enable the swimmer to see more easily. When he wants to lengthen his stay underwater, he will need to have an emergent breathing tube at his disposal as well to apply to his mouth.

The resulting underwater swimming equipment has the disadvantage of not enabling sportsmen to use their nasal cavities to breathe. When the normal rhythm of the latter is broken, therefore, discomfort will occur and there will be a considerable increase in fatigue.

This invention enables entirely normal underwater breathing to be achieved, i.e. presenting the same characteristics as would be carried out in the open air. It does so by enabling the nose to be used for both intake and expulsion of air, thus completely circumventing the aforementioned disadvantages.

In essence, this device is characterised by the rubber part supplied with transparent media to fit the face and, constituting the mask itself, to cover the swimmer’s eyes and nose. It is topped with an orifice to access air, crossed by a tube of rigid material, one end fixed inside the mask, the opposite end attached to the usual air intake duct. The aforementioned tube of rigid material is supplied with two cross-shaped bifurcations attached to two tubes surrounding the mask. The latter connect, forming a circuit, to the bifurcations of a tube of rigid material similar to the previous one. One free end is connected to the usual duct for expelled air, the other free end to the rubber part usually available for insertion into the swimmer’s mouth.

For a better understanding of the device, a sheet of drawings is attached, illustrating, by way of non-limiting example, one embodiment, and in which:

Figure 1 represents an improved underwater swimming mask seen from the part supplied with the transparent medium, while Figure 2 is a section according to II-II of Figure 1.

In these drawings, 1 is the rubber part forming the mask itself and supplied with a sheet of transparent material 2. 3 represents the orifice of this part 1 crossed by the tube of rigid material 4, one end fixed inside the mask by means of sleeve 5, the other end 6 attached to the usual air inlet tube 7, partially depicted. The aforementioned rigid tube 4 is supplied with two cross-shaped bifurcations 8 and 9 attached to two hoses 10 and 11 surrounding mask 1 and attached to bifurcations 12 and 13 of one rigid tube 14, similar to the one designated as 4. This rigid tube 14 has its free ends 15 and 16 connected respectively to the usual air expulsion valve 17 and to rubber part 18 available for insertion into mouth of swimmer.

As will easily be deduced from the foregoing and from the accompanying drawings, the operation of the device is as follows:
The device fitted to swimmer’s face and air duct 7 connected to end 6 of rigid tube 4, valve 17 to end 15 of rigid tube 14, as well as rubber piece 18 to end 16 of same rigid tube 14. Inhalation carried out through mouth and nose, separately or simultaneously, will determine a low pressure inside mask 1 and hoses 10 and 11 connected to it, as well as inside part 18. This low pressure will trigger valve 17 and air from outside, penetrating through duct 7, will pass through rigid tube 4 opening at end 5 inside mask 1 where nose is accommodated. Some, or all, of this inhaled air, if nasal cavities remain inactive, will pass through tubes 10 and 11, reaching mouth through rubber part 18. By pulmonary effort of expulsion, air inside mask 1 coming from the nose will go through sleeve 5, hoses 10 and 11 and will join the one coming from mouth through rubber part 18, being expelled to outside jointly by valve 17.

It is noted that everything that does not alter, change or modify essence of invention may be subject to variations in detail.

NOTE
The Utility Model requested concerns the following claims:

1. - Improved underwater swimming mask, characterised in rubber part (1) being supplied with transparent media (2) to fit face and, constituting mask itself, to cover swimmer’s eyes and nose. It is topped with an air inlet orifice (3), crossed by tube (4) of rigid material, one of whose ends (5) is fixed inside mask, while other end (6) is connected to usual air inlet tube (7).

2. - Improved underwater swimming mask according to previous claim. Characterised by previously mentioned tube of rigid material (4) being supplied with two bifurcations (8, 9). These attached to two hoses (10, 11) surrounding mask (1) forming a circuit. With bifurcations (12, 13) of tube of rigid material (14), similar to previous one (4). One free end (15) attached to usual air expulsion duct (17) and other free end (16) to rubber part (18) usually available for insertion into swimmer’s mouth.

3. - IMPROVED UNDERWATER SWIMMING MASK, as described and claimed herein, consisting of five sheets typed on one side of page only and sheet of drawings.

Barcelona, 26 August 1958,

JUAN DUARRY SERRA

P.P. J. GOMEZ-ACEBO Y MOVES

 

[David Wilson]

And here is Duarry's fin patent. This time we do have surviving examples of such fins after production:

580189

DESCRIPTIVE REPORT entitled: “IMPROVED FOOT FIN FOR SWIMMING”

Applicant Don JUAN DUARRY SERRA, of Spanish nationality, resident in BARCELONA, Calle Resellén, 1.

This application refers to an improved foot fin for swimming.

Various known types of foot fins for swimming generally consist of a moulded piece of rubber comprising a flat swimming blade featuring divergent longitudinal ribs towards the free edge, and a pocket for the foot combined with means of retaining it.

In known swimming fins, said longitudinal ribs are solid and the weight and stiffness of the fin assembly are always the same, which in many of these constitutes an inconvenience, particularly in underwater fishing, in which it is very advantageous to be able to vary the weight and flexibility of swimming fins according to the circumstances. On the other hand, the fastening means of the known swimming fins do not allow their comfortable adaptation to feet of different sizes, which constitutes another drawback thereof.

The improved foot flap for swimming that constitutes the object of the present invention completely solves the pointed drawbacks of known swimming fins. This fin, consisting of a moulded piece of rubber that includes a flat swimming blade featuring divergent longitudinal ribs towards the free edge, and a pocket for the combined foot with means of retaining it, is characterised essentially because said divergent ribs are internally supplied with a recess that leads to the pocket provided for the foot.

Another feature of the invention is that the means for securing the foot have two strips in the part of the heel which, constituting extension of the lateral parts of the foot housing, are provided per its external face with transverse test teeth, arranged to Zipper mode, to allow the union of strips and its adjustment to the foot by simply superimposing its extreme portions and fitting over them with a rectangular fastening ring.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, which is made in relation to the accompanying drawings in which an embodiment is illustrated by way of non-limiting example. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view from above of the swimming fin in question.

Fig. 2 represents a corresponding side view.

Fig. 3 is a view of the underside of the same fin.

Fig. 4 illustrate a cross-section according to IV-IV of Fig. 1, but it is larger scale.

The foot fin for swimming illustrated is constituted by a moulded piece of rubber that comprises a flat swimming fin 1 provided with longitudinal ribs 2 divergent towards the free edge 3, and a pocket 4. According to the present invention, said divergent ribs 2 are provided internally, each of them, with a recess 5 (Fig. 4) that leads to the pocket 4 provided for the foot. The arrangement of such a recess 5 inside the interior of the use of the longitudinal ribs 2 allows me to graduate the weight and flexibility of the swimming fin at will to adapt them to the needs of each case. In fact, if the mouth of these cavities is sealed by a plug, what I can easily do by opening all of them, as it is said, in the foot pocket, will be locked inside, with the weight of the fin in the water will be lighter than when these cavities are left open and water can penetrate inside. If instead of lightening the weight of the fin it is desired to increase it, rods of a material heavier than water, for example of lead, can be introduced into said cavities. Similarly, the stiffness of the fins can also be increased by introducing rods of any rigid material into said cavities. Therefore, this swimming fin offers the advantage that the swimmer, are only having a single pair, can easily and quickly adapt weight and flexibility to the needs of each case.

The fastening means of this improved fin have two strips 6 in the part of the heel which, constituting extension of the lateral parts of the pocket 4 for the foot, are provided by its outer face with transverse lace teeth 7, arranged and a rack node , to allow the joining of both strips 6 and their adjustment to the foot by simply superimposing their end portions and fitting on them a rectangular ring 8 for fastening (Figs. 1 and 2). Preferably, said transverse teeth 7 have two inclined surfaces 9, 10 of different degrees of inclination, of which the gently inclined surface 9 is directed towards the free end of the strips 6 to be joined, in order to allow easy engagement of the ring of restraint to prevent its accidental departure.

It is noted that everything that does not alter, change and modify the essence of the invention can be subject to variations in detail.
NOTE

The Utility Model that is requested prays on the following claims:

1. Foot flap perfected for swimming, consisting of a moulded piece of rubber that uses flat swimming fin (1) equipped with longitudinal ribs (2) divergent towards the free edge (3), and a distance (4) for the foot combined with fastening means, characterized in that said divergent ribs (2) are each internally provided with a dryness (5) that leads to the housing (4) provided for the foot.

2. Foot flap perfected for swimming according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of securing the foot involve two strips (6) in the delivery of the heel which, constituting extension of the lateral parts of the housing (4) for the foot, are provided per its external face with transverse teeth of lace (7), arranged to a zipper node, to allow the union of both strips (6) and its adjustment to the foot by simple superposition of its end portions and fit on them of a rectangular clamping ring (8).

3. Improved foot fin for swimming according to claim 2, characterized in that said transverse teeth (7) of the fastening strips (6) have two offset surfaces (9, 10) of different degree of inclination, of the which the gently inclined surface (9) is directed towards the free end of the strips (6) to be joined, in order to allow easy fitting of said fastening ring (8) and prevent its accidental exit.

4. IMPROVED FOOT FIN FOR SWIMMING, as described and claimed herein consisting of six single-sided typed sheets and a sheet of drawings.

Barcelona, 29 December 1956.

Juan Duarry Serra

PP

 

[David Wilson]

Here are the finished fins:

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[David Wilson]

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[David Wilson]

So fins with a heel strap and a multiribbed blade. A unique design.

At the weekend we shall take a look at another early Spanish diving manufacturer, Lluch.

 

[David Wilson]

I found very little information about the Spanish diving equipment manufacturer Lluch other than the company's patents, so this portion of the thread will be focusing mainly on those. Let us start with one of Don Miguel Lluch Codolá's diving mask patents, which I have very roughly translated into English:

Descriptive Report for a twenty-year Utility model in Spain, in favour of Mr. Miguel Lluch Codolá, a Spanish national, resident in BARCELONA, Ramblas, 27, in the matter of an “UNDERWATER MASK”.

This Utility model relates to an underwater mask, which covers the upper part of the face, from the forehead to below the nose, and enables a wide field of vision, both through the ellipsoidal window that constitutes its front, and through two circular windows that can be seen arranged on both sides of the body of the mask.

The mask whose model is requested is made up of a piece of rubber or similar material. At the rear, in the form of a wing that constitutes the entire contour of the piece, the aforementioned face part is fitted. At the front, there is an ellipsoidal edge, behind which a groove is made, where a lens of the same shape is attached. This lens is secured by a metal ring with an L-shaped cross-section. The latter surrounds the contour of the mask and at its ends it is closed by nut and screw devices, placed in the lugs arranged perpendicularly for that purpose at said ends.

This rubber body of the mask is extended on both sides in cylindrical appendages, which constitute the side windows, sealed in turn by circular lenses, mounted in an analogous manner to the one covering the front.

The mask is complemented by a strip of elastic material provided with transverse ribs at its ends, which by means of the corresponding buckles, mounted on either side of the mask, behind said lateral appendages, constitute the fastening element for the said mask on the head.

Within the claims established, underwater masks of the shapes, sizes and materials judged appropriate for the specific application in question can be built, without such variations, as well as those that can be made in details of presentation or organisation, affecting to the claimed essentiality, so the underwater masks that are built, within the general idea outlined, with any of these modifications, will be nothing more than variants equally included and protected by this registration.

In this idea, the attached figures correspond only to one embodiment, without any limitation, which is presented as an example of embodiment, to specify what is said in this descriptive report.

Figure 1 presents the front view of an underwater mask, established according to the claimed model.
Figure 2 shows a view of the top, front and side of said mask.

With regard to such figures and the numbers that designate the parts and details of the mask represented, which are of interest for the purposes of this report, the description thereof is as follows:

It is made up of a hollow cylindrical piece 1, made of rubber or similar material, which adapts through the wing to the upper part of the forehead, while the lower part fits under the nose. This piece is surrounded by the metal ring 2, which retains the lens 3, which covers the front of the mask, said ring being sealed by the device consisting of the screw piece 9 and the nut 8, mounted on the lugs 7 of said ring 2.

Piece 1 extends on both sides into the appendages 4, which, by means of other rings 5 analogous to 2 and sealed in the same way by the devices 12, retain the lenses 11, which enable lateral vision.
The mask is complemented by the strap 10, intended to retained onto the back of the head and which has at its ends the transverse ribs 13, which with the buckles 14 constitute the fastening elements of the strap 10.

NOTE

This Utility model includes the following claims:

1.- Underwater mask, characterised in that it is made up of a piece of rubber that on the back has a wing, which shapes the fit on the face, between the forehead and below the nose, and that on the front has a ellipsoidal edge, behind which a groove is made, in which the edge of a lens of the same shape is attached, secured by a metal ring with an “L”-cross-section, which surrounds the contour of the mask and terminates at its ends in perpendicular lugs, which receive a closing nut and screw device and tighten said ring.

2.- Mask as claimed in the previous point, characterised in that its body extends on both sides into cylindrical appendages, which constitute the side windows, sealed in turn by circular lenses, mounted and secured in the same way as the one that forms the front of the mask; The buckles for the ends of the strap that secures the mask are arranged behind these appendages, holding it behind the head.

Underwater mask.

As described and claimed herein and illustrated with the accompanying drawings.

This report consists of five pages, numbered and typed on one side only.

Madrid, 13 June 1957.

 

[David Wilson]

This patent actually led to a finished product, the Lluch Argonauta mask:

 

[David Wilson]

Followers of my earlier threads may recall the Hurricane brand "Argonaute" diving mask manufactured by the French diving manufacturer Hurrisport:

The French caption reads roughly as follows in English: "New for 1957. All round visibility with the new “ARGONAUTE” mask. Equipped with side windows, the “ARGONAUTE” guarantees a very wide field of vision. I love the comparison made between the mask and a car windscreen and passenger's window for those who could not see the benefit of the new design straight away. So much for the new technology. As for the mythology, "The Argonauts (who gave the name 'Argonaute' to this diving mask) were a band of heroes in Greek mythology, who in the years before the Trojan War, around 1300 BC, accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, Argo, named after its builder, Argus. "Argonauts" literally means 'Argo sailors'" (Wikipedia).

The close resemblance between the design and name of the Spanish and French diving masks with their distinctive side windows can hardly be a coincidence.

We'll take a look at another Lluch diving mask patent some time midweek.

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[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Luis.

Lluch manufactured at least one further diving mask model, the Panoramica:

Note the words "PANORAMICA" and "SUPERLLUCH" embossed on the top of the face seal and the mask body. The Lluch Panoramica closely resembled another of the French diving equipment manufacturer Hurricane's diving masks, the Panoramic, in name and appearance:

The Panoramic was billed as "Very suitable for women and people with small faces." A late addition to the range of de-luxe diving masks, combining a good watertight fit, a strongly reinforced rubber face piece with an exceptionally good field of vision with either ordinary, toughened or yellow filter glass pane. Codes: D 1051 Ordinary glass; D 1052 Toughened glass. D 1053 Filter glass (Minetto).Price: £1 18s 0d (ordinary glass, Cogswell & Harrison, Typhoon, 1956); £2 2s 6d (toughened or yellow filter glass, Cogswell & Harrison, Typhoon, 1956); £1 18s 9d (ordinary glass, Cogswell & Harrison, 1958); £2 5s 0d (safety glass, Cogswell & Harrison, 1958); £2 9s 11d (filter glass, Cogswell & Harrison, 1958).

Some pictures of actual Panoramic masks:

 

[David Wilson]

And here is another Lluch diving mask patent, unrelated to the Pamoramica model. The original Spanish text was obtained from a smudged scanned printed copy of the patent and submitted to an online optical character reader. I created a very rough English translation from the Spanish script, which can be found below.

Descriptive Report for a twenty-year Utility Model in Spain for Mr. Miguel Lluch Codolá, a Spanish national, resident in BARCELONA, Balmes 335, in the matter of an “UNDERWATER HUNTING MASK”.

The present utility model relates to an underwater hunting mask, intended for attachment onto the user’s face, covering the part that includes the eyes and the nose, i.e. it rests and seals tightly onto the forehead, upper lip and cheeks.

The main elements that constitute claims for the mask are the following:

-a piece of plastic sheet or also moulded celluloid, which enables vision, constituting the front of the mask and presents the recess for the user’s nose.

-a piece of sponge rubber, intended to rest on one side on the aforementioned face part, and which on the other side has a rim, which is provided with the groove in which the edge of said transparent plate fits.

-a metal ring, which terminates in two lugs perpendicular to its ends, which are joined together by means of a screw and nut device, tightening the fit of the first of the aforementioned pieces (the transparent plate) within the inner groove that the rubber piece presents for this purpose.

-the brace or strap retaining the mask around the user’s nape, which at its ends fits into the mounting rings on the rubber piece.

Within the claims that are established, masks of the shapes, sizes and materials that are judged appropriate in this case can be built, without such variations, as well as those that may be made in details of presentation or organisation, affecting the essentiality claimed, for which means that the masks that are built, within the general idea outlined, with any modifications, will only be variants equally understood and protected by this registration.

In this idea, the attached figures correspond only to one implementation, without any limitation, that is presented as an example of embodiment to specify what is said in this descriptive report.

Figure 1 represents a front view of the entire device claimed, with its elements in the arrangement corresponding to its use.

Figure 2, similarly, shows the mask with the ring securing its transparent piece open.

Figure 3 corresponds to the plan projection of the mask, seen from its upper part.

Figure 4 details the cross-section of said device, through the plane indicated in A-B on figure 1.

Figure 5 illustrates the application of the mask onto a user.

With reference to such figures and the numbers they bear designate the parts and details of the object represented, which are of interest for the purposes of this report, the description thereof is as follows:

The mask is made up of a rubber piece 1 of appropriate shape on its rear part for application to the face (fig. 5), and which in the anterior part has the rim 3, into which the plastic piece 5 fits, which has the protruding shape 5 towards its centre, to accommodate the nose, whose front part is enclosed by the metal ring 6, sealed by the tensioner 2.

In piece 1 (figure 4) the socket 10 is made for the aforementioned plastic piece 5, which remains attached when the ring 6 is tightened.

At the rear of piece 1, the supports 7 are arranged for the rings 8, intended for the strap or brace 9 to attach the mask onto the face.

The ring 6 terminates at both ends in the lugs 11 (fig. 2), which are joined together by screw 12 and nuts 15, such an arrangement ensuring the plastic is fixed in its socket.

NOTE

This utility model includes the following claims:

1.- Underwater hunting mask, characterised in that the transparent plate, which constitutes its front and enables vision, has a moulded recess for the user’s nose and fits along its edge into a groove, made internally in the contour of the front of the mask. the rubber piece that rests on the face, and is held by a metal ring, which surrounds this last piece and is accommodated in a recess that it has for this purpose, so that when the ring is closed, by means of a screw and nut device, it tightens and fixes onto the transparent piece.

Underwater hunting mask.

As described and claimed herein and illustrated with the accompanying drawings.

This report consists of five pages, numbered and typed on one side only.

Madrid, April 30, 1958.

The most distinctive feature of this mask design is the provision of a recess in the mask's viewing window to accommodate the user's nose.