When was scuba developed? Many will claim that it was in the 1860s. But when was scuba actually invented? Let's start with the earliest scuba equipment. Emile Gagnan and Jacques Cousteau were all key players in the development of scuba diving. They helped pave the way for freedom of navigation, but who is responsible for its development? Who was responsible for the development of the first regulator for scuba diving?
Jacques Cousteau
In the 1960s, Jacques Cousteau participated in a program called Conshelf Saturation Dive. This program was designed to prove that it was possible to live underwater for long periods of time. The experiments, which involved five divers, were 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, robotic undersea robots perform this work, and Cousteau's documentary won the third Academy Award for Best Documentary.
Emile Gagnan
Scuba was discovered by Emile Gagnan, an engineer from France who was developing valve designs for a Paris-based company that produced compressed gas. 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 and Cousteau collaborated to design a machine that would enable people to survive underwater. They knew that oxygen-pressure regulation would be the key to survival.
1860s
Scuba was invented in the 1860s by Henry A. Fleuss, a diving engineer working for a company in London. Fleuss' design consisted of a diving mask with a spout that could be filled with compressed air. It also included a bag that could be filled with a caustic potash solution. Divers could breathe in air for as long as three hours thanks to the sealed circuit.
1860s scuba regulator
In 1860s, scuba regulators were quite different to the modern technology. They were designed by Auguste Denayrouze (Benoit Rouquayrol). Benoit Rouquayrol's demand valve was first used in smoky rooms and poisonous mines, but was later adapted for use in diving. In 1865, the Rouquayrol-Denayrouze apparatus became a mass-produced product and was adopted as a French Navy standard. However, the French diving community did not accept this regulator's invention.
Davis Submerged Escape Mechatronus
R. H. Davis was the inventor of Davis Submerged rescue apparatus, or Davis scuba. 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 in industrial diving.
Scuba goggles from the 1860s
Dive gear in the 1860s wasn't as advanced as it is today. Before the advent of scuba gear, divers used wooden or glass diving helmets that were not effective against the water's pressure. Otis Barton from a wealthy family was one of the two who tried underwater exploration. Barton used a makeshift helmet as a diving helmet to swim around Massachusetts' waters and was weighed down by rocks.
Deane brothers Scuba System
In 1829, the Deane brothers began to test their underwater apparatus. The scuba system consisted primarily of a helmet and breathing apparatus. The Deane brothers invented the scuba system and quickly became a huge success. 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
Benoit Rouquayrol was the first to use compressed air for a scuba tank in the 1960s. 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 is still the same. A similar system is used by modern scuba regulators.