When was the invention of scuba? Many people will say the 1860s, but when was scuba really invented? Let's start by looking at the first scuba equipment. Emile Gagnan and Jacques Cousteau were all key players in the development of scuba diving. They were instrumental in paving the way to freedom of navigation. But, who is responsible and why? Who was responsible for the development of the first regulator for scuba diving?
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 participated in the experiment, which was documented in a film called World Without Sun. The ultimate goal of ocean exploration is now possible thanks to the development 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 at high risk of developing nitrogen addiction, which can cause extreme pain and make people insane. Gagnan, Cousteau and their team designed a machine to allow people to live underwater. They realized that oxygen regulation by air pressure would be crucial to survival.
1860s
Henry A. Fleuss (a London-based dive engineer) invented Scuba in the 1960s. 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. The resulting sealed circuit system allowed divers to breathe air for up to three hours.
Scuba regulator from the 1860s
The 1960s scuba regulators are a far cry away from today's technology. They were designed by Benoit Rouquayrol and Auguste Denayrouze. Benoit Rouquayrol invented the demand valve. It was originally used in poisonous mines and smoky rooms. But it was later made 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 contained a rubber breathing and buoyancy pack, a canister with barium hydroxide, and an iron pressure cylinder that contained 56 litres at 120 bar. This cylinder was connected to the breathing bag, and was charged by the pressure in the water surrounding the user. 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 to do industrial diving.
1860s scuba glasses
The 1860s was a time when diving gear was not as sophisticated as today's. 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 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 system
The Deane brothers first began testing their underwater apparatus in 1829. The scuba system was composed of a helmet, a breathing apparatus, and a mask. The Deane brothers made a very successful invention, and their business exploded. Their invention lead to The Method of Using Deane Brothers Patent Diving Apparatus. It was the first diving manual.
1860s scuba reservoir
Benoit Rouquayrol was the first to use compressed air for a scuba tank in the 1960s. Rouquayrol already had the 'demand regulator', which he used in underground mines or smoke-filled rooms. In 1864, Auguste Denayrouze adapted Rouquayrol's design to underwater diving. This device's principle is still the same. Modern scuba regulators use a similar system.