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

[Popgun Pete]

Interesting to see the Beltran spring guns, 101, 102 and 103, plus some of others look like Nemrod guns with that big finger grip which allows two fingers on the trigger. These were in turn copies of the United Service Agency guns made by Kramarenko and Wilen, Wilen actually took out the US patent for these guns. The 150 pneumatic also looks like one of the Salles gun as Nemrod's pneumatic initially used their spring gun handle.

 

[David Wilson]

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

Today we start on the Baltrán masks proper, having reviewed the goggles last time. The main issue in doing so is the paucity of information available about these models.

Let us begin with the model numbered 1705:

Spanish: "Gafas natación cristal circular, tamaño normal, un modelo muy práctico n.° 1.705".
Rough translation: "Circular lens swimming mask, normal size, a very practical model no. 1,705".

So a adult diving mask with a round window. The adjective "practical" may describe the article's versatility when undertaking a variety of underwater activities. No metal rim securing the lens, but the mask's skirt had a wide flange to ensure a leaktight seal on the face and reinforcing ribs to counter pressure at depth.

I found the following image of a Beltrán mask online a while ago without any additional information about it. It may or may not be a 1705 model:

There is no number code to confirm whether this is a 1705 or not, but the product has received a name, "Nova", Spanish for "New".

 

[David Wilson]

For my second Beltrán mask posting today, two models intended for young people.

1726

Spanish: "Gafas natación Beltrán, Cadete, cristal alargado n.° 1.726".
Rough translation: "Beltrán youngster's swimming mask, widened lens no. 1.726".

This model seemed to resemble the "Visor Goggle" below distributed by the British underwater swimming equipment manufacturer E. T. Skinner (Typhoon) during the early 1950s.

So this young person's single-lens wide-vision "visor goggle" enclosing the eyes and excluding the nose was designed for surface swimming.

1770

Spanish: "Gafas natación Beltrán, modelo infantil n.° 1.726 con cristal circular".
Rough translation: "Beltrán swimming mask, children's model no. 1.726 with circular lens".

No image available for this item, which may have resembled the 1705 round-lens model reviewed today but was designed for children.

More Beltrán masks at the weekend.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Luis.

Let us move on to the Beltrán 1760 diving mask:

Spanish: "Gafas natación circular con aro metálico de protección, número 1.760".
Rough translation: "Circular swimming mask with metal protection rim, number 1.760".

So a diving mask with a round lens retained by a metal band. The skirt lacks the reinforcing ribs of the 1705 mask, so the model may have been designed for shallow-water use.

1770

Spanish: "Gafas natación Beltrán, modelo infantil n.° 1770 con cristal circular".
Rough translation: "Beltrán swimming mask, children's model no. 1770 with circular lens".

No illustration this time. Another child's diving mask with a round lens. No mention of a metal lens retaining rim.

 

[David Wilson]

1701

Another rounded lens mask with reinforcing ribs for deeper dives. The skirt also provided a larger surface for facial contact, ensuring a leaktight seal.

1730

A model with a narrower facial edge at the rear and a lengthened oval shaped lens at the front for greater breadth of vision.

1745

Constructed for deeper diving, the mask came with a narrower facial edge, reinforcing ribs, a round lens and a metal rim.

Midweek, some Beltrán snorkel-masks.

 

[David Wilson]

Spanish diving equipment manufacturer Beltrán appears to have designed and marketed four different snorkel-mask models.

The following was available around 1952:

At the front, a circular lens surrounded by a metal retaining band. At the rear, a head strap with twin buckles for adjustment. The skirt has ribs for reinforcement. At the bottom, a drain valve has been installed to remove residual water. Topped with a ball valve, a single breathing tube emerges from a rubber socket on the wearer's left.

A second model was marketed around 1959:

Spanish: "Lentes con respirador «Beltrán», desde 238'-".
Rough translation: "'Beltrán' snorkel mask, priced from 238 pesetas".

Here the lens is oval in shape and the shorter skirt is unribbed. The head strap again comes with twin buckles. No drain valve at the base, while the single snorkel is topped with a shut-off float valve.

 

[David Wilson]

The early 1960s brought along two new Beltrán snorkel-masks.

1709

At the front, a rounded rectangular lens for wider vision, surrounded by a thick retaining band. Twin-buckle headstrap at the rear with wide facial seal. Ball valve tops single breathing tube leading to a socket located centre.

1740

Circular lens at front, ribbed skirt for reinforcement and twin-buckle headstrap at rear. Topped with a ball valve, a single snorkel emerges from a socket on wearer's left.

Beltrán snorkels to be reviewed at the weekend.

 

[David Wilson]

On to Beltrán breathing tubes. The company was awarded the following 1958 Spanish patent for one of its snorkel designs. I have taken the liberty of rendering the original Spanish into English and presenting the result in a parallel translation:

 

[David Wilson]

The patented Beltrán was destined to leave the drawing board and to enter production as model 1503:

Spanish: "Respirador Beltrán con bola n.° 1.503".
Rough translation: "Beltrán snorkel with ball (valve), no. 1,503".

So an "S" shaped model, topped with an inverted U-bend fitted to a ball type shut-off valve, whose workings are explained in the patent. Halfway down the barrel is a snorkel keeper for attachment to the user's mask strap. At the base a U-shaped rubber elbow terminating in a double-flange mouthpiece.

 

[David Wilson]

The advantages of a double-flange mouthpiece are mentioned in the following product description of an Italian breathing tube:

Double-flange mouthpieces may have started as a safety feature for scuba sets and then repurposed for snorkels. Here is another example made by the Abbey-Corinthian company in the UK:

The following image of a snorkel with a double-flange mouthpiece is from a Soviet diving manual. I have added a translation of the Russian legend:

More Beltrán snorkels some time mid week.