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 other early pioneers have all played important roles in the evolution of scuba diving. They helped pave the way for freedom of navigation, but who is responsible for its development? And who is responsible for the earliest scuba regulator?
Jacques Cousteau
In the 1960s, Jacques Cousteau took part in a program called Conshelf Saturation Dive. It was intended to test the feasibility of living underwater for prolonged periods. The experiments, which involved five divers, were documented in a film called World Without Sun. The ocean exploration goal has greatly improved since the invention of scuba equipment. Today, robotic undersea robots perform this work, and Cousteau's documentary won the third Academy Award for Best Documentary.
Emile Gagnan
Scuba was created by Emile Gagnan (a French engineer) in the 1940s. He was working on valve designs at a Paris-based compressor gas company. He realized that scuba divers were in danger of developing nitrogen narcosis, a condition that makes people behave crazy and suffer from intense pain. Gagnan and Cousteau collaborated to design a machine that would enable people to survive underwater. They realized that oxygen regulation by air pressure would be crucial to survival.
1860s
Henry A. Fleuss, an engineer and diver from London, invented the sport of scuba in 1860s. Fleuss' design included a diving snorkel with a spout to hold compressed air. The bag could also be filled with caustic potash. The sealed circuit system enabled divers to breath air for up to 3 hours.
Scuba regulator from the 1860s
1860s scuba regulators were a far cry from the current technology. They were designed by Benoit Rouquayrol and Auguste Denayrouze. Benoit Rouquayrol designed the demand valve. At first, it was used in smoky places and poisonous mining areas. It was later modified to be suitable for diving. In 1865, the Rouquayrol-Denayrouze apparatus became a mass-produced product and was adopted as a French Navy standard. The invention of this regulator was not universally accepted by the French diving community, however.
Davis Submerged Escape Apparatus
R. H. Davis invented the Davis Submerged Rescue Apparatus (or Davis scuba) in 1914. It consisted of a rubber breathing and buoyancy bag, a canister of barium hydroxide, and a steel pressure cylinder containing 56 litres of oxygen at 120 bar. This cylinder was connected directly to the breathing bags and was powered by the pressure in the surrounding water. 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.
1860s scuba glasses
Dive gear in the 1860s wasn't as advanced as it is today. Before the invention of scuba glasses, divers relied on wooden or plastic diving helmets. These were unsuitable for the water's pressure. However, two wealthy families had experimented with underwater exploration in their youth, and Otis Barton was one of them. Barton had used a makeshift diving helmet to explore the Massachusetts waters, and was supported by rocks.
Deane brothers' scuba diving system
In 1829, the Deane brothers started testing their underwater apparatus. The scuba system was composed of a helmet, a breathing apparatus, and a mask. The Deane brothers' system was a successful invention and soon the two brothers had a booming business. Their invention lead to The Method of Using Deane Brothers Patent Diving Apparatus. It was the first diving manual.
1860s scuba reservoir
Benoit Rouquayrol invente the first scuba reservoir using compressed air in the 1860s. He had already designed the demand regulator' that could be used underground in mines and rooms with smoke. Auguste Denayrouze applied Rouquayrol’s design to underwater diving in 1864. The principle behind this device is still the same. Modern scuba regulators use a similar system.