Suiter Swantz IP takes a look back at past inventions and inventors with our Patent Of The Day.

On this day in 1908, William H. Young and Oscar B. Lyon were granted U.S. Patent No. 885,212 for a LIFE PRESERVER AND SWIMMING MACHINE.

This invention relates to improvements in life preservers and the like, the object being to produce such a life preserver as may also be used for a swimming machine, either for recreation or in a case of necessity, whereby in cases of accident or ship wreck the survivors may get safely away from the vessel and propel themselves to a place of safety. This object was accomplished by means of an air tight compartment adapted to be strapped to the trunk of a person, said compartment having a keel similar to that of a boat, connected with which is a driving screw propelling mechanism adapted to be operated by the manual force of the wearer.

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