When was scuba invented? Many people will argue that it was the 1960s. But when was actually scuba first invented? Let's start by looking at the first 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? Who is responsible for the first scuba regulator?
Jacques Cousteau
Jacques Cousteau, who was part of a program called Conshelf Saturation Dive in the 1960s that sought to determine if living underwater for extended periods of time was possible, participated in this program. Five divers took part in the experiments. They were documented in a film called World Without Sun. The ocean exploration goal has greatly improved since the invention of scuba equipment. 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 discovered that scuba divers were at risk of developing nitrogen narcosis. This condition causes extreme pain and makes people crazy. Gagnan, Cousteau and their team designed a machine to allow people to live underwater. They realized that oxygen-pressure regulation would be key to survival.
1860s
Henry A. Fleuss - a London-based diver engineer - invented Scuba in 1861. Fleuss designed a diving mask that could be filled using compressed air. It also contained a bag that could hold a caustic potassium solution. This sealed circuit allowed divers to inhale air for up three hours.
1860s scuba regulator
1860s scuba regulators were a far cry from the current 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. The French diving community didn't accept the invention of this regulator.
Davis Submerged Escape Mechatronus
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 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 industrially.
Scuba goggles from the 1860s
In the 1860s diving gear wasn't as sophisticated as it is today. Divers would have to use glass or wooden diving helmets before scuba goggles were invented. They are ineffective against the pressure of the water. Otis Barton from a wealthy family was one of the two who tried underwater exploration. Barton had floated around Massachusetts in a makeshift diving mask and weighed himself with rocks.
Deane brothers' scuba diving system
In 1829, the Deane brothers started testing their underwater apparatus. The scuba equipment consisted of a helmet with a breathing device. The Deane brothers' system was a successful invention and soon the two brothers had a booming business. Their invention led them to create the first diving manual The Method of Using Deane Brothers Patent Diving Apparatus. The manual detailed the functions of each apparatus as well as safety precautions.
1860s scuba reservoir
Benoit Rouquayrol was the first to use compressed air for a scuba tank in the 1960s. He had already created the 'demand regulater' to be used in underground mines, smoke-filled rooms, and other places. In 1864, Auguste Denayrouze adapted Rouquayrol's design to underwater diving. The principle behind this device is still the same. The modern regulator for scuba diving uses a similar system.