Aqua-Lung was the world's first self contained, open circuit underwater breathing apparatus. It gained global fame and commercial success. This class of equipment is now commonly referred to as the demand valve or twin-hose diving regulator. Aqua-Lung's breathing apparatus works in a similar way to a traditional scuba tank. The regulator connects to a demand-valve, which regulates air flow in and out of your lungs.
Jacques Cousteau
Jacques Cousteau's aqua lung - A fascinating tale in Scuba Technology! The original Aqua lung was developed during World War II. Cousteau, a French national, developed the underwater breathing apparatus in 1943. He was inspired by a 1925 invention by Captain Yves Le Prieur. Although the Aqua-Lung was initially limited in functionality, the Germans eventually requisitioned gasoline to be used on the battlefield. Cousteau, using an existing regulator, developed the Aqua lung and invented the autonomous diving device.
Cousteau became an expert in scuba diving technology and went on to discover underwater archeology. 1946 was the year Cousteau led the first self-contained diving operation and recovered the Roman shipwreck Mahdia. The following year, he transformed a British minesweeper to an oceanographic research vessel. He struggled to raise the money for the expeditions. His passion for diving eventually led him to create The Silent World, a book that became a success.
Aqua-Lung was the first innovation in scubadiving. It was developed by Jacques Cousteau, in 1959. Since then it has allowed divers to freely swim under water. The Aqua lung has been a popular tool, and Cousteau is responsible for the creation of many other tools that allow for oceanographic exploration. In fact, the first underwater camera was also invented by Cousteau in 1959. There's no question that Cousteau's innovations revolutionized the sport of scuba diving.
Emile Gagnan
In 1945, Emile Gagagnan and Jacques Yves Cousteau patented the Aqua-Lung diving regulator. Aire Liquide, an American company, purchased the rights to make the regulator. It was later sold by the U.S. Divers Corporation. It was the most recent development of the French CG45 regulation and was manufactured in Canada. This regulator was extremely successful.
The Aqua-lung was initially called the Aqua-lung and was first sold in France in 1946. In 1952, it was imported to the U.S. In 1958, Air Liquide purchased U.S. Aqua Lung America was created by divers and purchased by Air Liquide in 1958. The company eventually became a division of Air Liquide and is the largest diving company in the world. Aqua-lung has become a major component of almost every set Scuba gear.
Emile Gaugnan and Jacques Cousteau were the two Frenchmen who invented Aqua-Lung. Both men served as spies during World War II for the French Resistance. After the war, Robert Ballard continued to pursue his interest in the sea. He eventually met Emile Gagnan, a fellow Frenchman who was working for L'Air Liquide. As engineers, they learned to use high-pressure pneumatic design. Gagnan's idea grew into a fully-automated compressed-air scuba system, the Aqua-Lung.