When was scuba first invented? Many people will say the 1860s, but when was scuba really invented? Let's begin with the oldest scuba equipment. Emile Gagnan (Jacques Cousteau), and many other pioneers have played important roles in the evolution scuba diving. They were instrumental in paving the way to freedom of navigation. But, who is responsible and why? And who is responsible for the earliest scuba regulator?
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. 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 underwater robots perform this work. Cousteau won the third Academy Award in 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 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 knew that oxygen-pressure regulation would be the key to survival.
1860s
Henry A. Fleuss, an engineer and diver from London, invented the sport of scuba in 1860s. Fleuss created a diving helmet with a spout which could be filled with compressed oxygen. It also contained a bag that could hold a caustic potassium solution. This sealed circuit system allowed divers air to be able to breathe for up to three hours.
Scuba regulator from the 1860s
The 1860s scuba regulators weren't much different from current technology. They were designed by Benoit Rouquayrol and Auguste Denayrouze. Benoit Rouquayrol first used the demand valve in smoky rooms, poisonous mines. Later, it was adapted to 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 Apparatus
R. H. Davis developed the Davis Submerged Rescue Equipment, or Davis Scuba, in 1914. It included a rubber breathing, buoyancy, and pressure cylinder, which contained 56 litres (at 120 bar) of oxygen. 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 industrially.
1860s Scuba Goggles
The 1860s was a time when diving gear was not as sophisticated as today's. Divers used to use wooden or glass helmets for protection against water pressure before the invention of scuba goggles. Otis Barton and his family were wealthy enough to have tried out underwater exploration. 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 began to test their underwater apparatus. The scuba system consisted of a helmet and a breathing apparatus. The Deane brothers invented the scuba system and quickly became a huge success. Their invention resulted in the first diving manual, The Method of Using Deane Brothers Patent Diving Apparatus. This detailed the functions of their apparatus and also provided safety instructions.
1860s scuba reservoir
Benoit Rouquayrol invented compressed air to create a reservoir for scuba diving in the 1860s. Rouquayrol already had the 'demand regulator', which he used in underground mines or smoke-filled rooms. Auguste Denayrouze adapt Rouquayrol’s designs to underwater diving in 1864. Today, the principle behind this device is the same. A similar system is used in modern scuba regulators.