When was scuba developed? Many people will tell you that it was in 1860s. But when did scuba become a reality? Let's look at the earliest 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 also created the first 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 film World Without Sun documented the five divers' experiments. Since the emergence of scuba equipment, the goal of ocean exploration has been greatly enhanced. Nowadays, robotic undersea bots perform this task, and Cousteau’s documentary won Academy Award #3 for Best Documentary.
Emile Gagnan
Scuba was developed by Emile Gagnan in France, who was working on valve designs for Paris's compressed 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 and Cousteau collaborated to design a machine that would enable people to survive underwater. They realized that oxygen-pressure regulation would be key to survival.
1860s
Henry A. Fleuss was a London-based diving engineer who invented scuba in the 1860s. 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 sealed circuit system enabled divers to breath air for up to 3 hours.
1860s regulator for scuba diving
1860s scuba regulators were a far cry from the current technology. They were developed by Auguste Denayrouze & Benoit Rouquayrol. 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 Device
R. H. Davis was the inventor of Davis Submerged rescue apparatus, or Davis scuba. 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 to do industrial diving.
1860s scuba glasses
In the 1860s diving gear wasn't as sophisticated 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, a wealthy man, was one of two families that had tried underwater exploration as a hobby. Barton had worn a makeshift dive helmet and weighed his body with rocks as he swam around Massachusetts waters.
Deane brothers Scuba System
In 1829, the Deane brothers began to test their underwater apparatus. The scuba equipment consisted of a helmet with a breathing device. The Deane brothers' system was a great invention. Soon, the brothers were able to start a thriving business. 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
Using compressed air as a scuba reservoir was first invented in the 1860s by Benoit Rouquayrol. Rouquayrol already had the 'demand regulator', which he used in underground mines or smoke-filled rooms. Auguste Denayrouze modified Rouquayrol's design for underwater diving in 1864. This device's principle is still the same. Modern scuba regulators use a similar system.