When was the invention of scuba? Many will claim that it was in the 1860s. But when was scuba actually invented? Let's take a look at the early scuba equipment. Emile Gagnan Jacques Cousteau, and others have played important parts in the development of scuba divers. They are responsible for the development of freedom of navigation. And who was the first to regulate scuba diving in the world?
Jacques Cousteau
In the 1960s Jacques Cousteau was part a program called Conshelf Saturation Dive. The goal of the Conshelf Saturation Dive was to establish if it was possible to live underwater long enough. Five divers participated in the experiment, which was documented in a film called World Without Sun. The goal of ocean exploration has become much more achievable since the advent of scuba gear. Today, robot undersea robotics do this work. Cousteau's documentary won a third Academy Award for Best Documentary.
Emile Gagnan
Scuba was first invented by Emile Gagnan, a French engineer who was designing valves for a Paris-based compressed gas company. He realized that divers in the water were at risk for developing nitrogen narcosis. This can lead to extreme pain and a bizarre behavior. Gagnan collaborated with Cousteau to develop a machine that could be used to enable people to swim underwater. They realized that oxygen-pressure regulation would be key to survival.
1860s
Henry A. Fleuss (a London-based dive engineer) invented Scuba in the 1960s. Fleuss' design included a diving snorkel with a spout to hold compressed air. It also included a bag that could be filled with a caustic potash solution. The sealed circuit system enabled divers to breath air for up to 3 hours.
1860s scuba regulator
Scuba regulators from the 1860s were far removed from modern technology. They were designed by Benoit Rouquayrol and Auguste Denayrouze. The demand valve designed by Benoit Rouquayrol was initially used in smoky areas and poisonous mines. However, it was later modified for diving. In 1865, the Rouquayrol-Denayrouze apparatus became a mass-produced product and was adopted as a French Navy standard. However, this regulator was not accepted by all French divers.
Davis Submerged Escape Device
R. H. Davis created the Davis Submerged Rescue Device, also known as Davis scuba in 1914. It included a rubber breathing, buoyancy, and pressure cylinder, which contained 56 litres (at 120 bar) of oxygen. This was connected to a breathing bag and charged by the pressure in water surrounding it. The Davis scuba rig was the first commercially-available rebreather, and it was used for submarine escapes in the First World War. It was also used to do industrial diving.
Scuba goggles from the 1860s
In the 1860s diving gear wasn't as sophisticated as it is today. Divers used to use wooden or glass helmets for protection against water pressure before the invention of scuba goggles. Otis Barton from a wealthy family was one of the two who tried underwater exploration. Barton had swum around the waters of Massachusetts with a makeshift diving helmet and weighed himself down with rocks.
Deane brothers' scuba diving system
In 1829, the Deane brothers started testing their underwater apparatus. The scuba system consisted primarily of a helmet and breathing apparatus. The Deane brothers made a very successful invention, and their business exploded. Their invention led to the first diving manual, The Method of Using Deane Brothers' Patent Diving Apparatus, which detailed the functions of the apparatus, as well as provided instructions for safety.
1860s scuba reservoir
Using compressed air as a scuba reservoir was first invented in the 1860s by Benoit Rouquayrol. Rouquayrol had already invented the "demand regulator" for underground mines and smoke-filled rooms. Auguste Denayrouze applied Rouquayrol’s design to underwater diving in 1864. The principle behind this device still holds true today. The modern scuba regulator uses a similar system.