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 and Jacques Cousteau were all key players in the development of scuba diving. Although they helped to open up navigation freedom, who is responsible for its evolution? 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 five divers involved in the experiment were documented in a film called World Without Sun. Since the introduction of scuba equipment, ocean exploration has seen a significant increase in its potential. 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 saw that divers could be at risk of suffering from nitrogen narcosis. This is a condition in which people can become insane and experience extreme pain. Gagnan, Cousteau and their team designed a machine to allow people to live underwater. They knew that air-pressure regulation of oxygen would be the keys to survival.
1860s
Henry A. Fleuss (a London-based dive engineer) invented Scuba in the 1960s. Fleuss designed a diving mask that could be filled using compressed air. It also had a bag that could contain a caustic-potash solution. This sealed circuit system allowed divers air to be able to breathe for up to three 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 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. However, this regulator was not accepted by all French divers.
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 with the breathing bag. It was charged by the water pressure around 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 in industrial diving.
1860s scuba glasses
In the 1860s, diving gear was less sophisticated than 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 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 started testing their underwater apparatus. The scuba system was composed of a helmet, a breathing apparatus, and a mask. The Deane brothers' invention was a success and the brothers soon had a flourishing business. Their invention was the catalyst for the creation of The Method of Using Deane Brothers Patent Diving Apparatus, the first diving manual. It detailed the functions of the device and provided safety guidelines.
1860s scuba reservoir
Benoit Rouquayrol invente the first scuba reservoir using compressed air in the 1860s. Rouquayrol had already invented the "demand regulator" for underground mines and smoke-filled rooms. Auguste Denayrouze adapt Rouquayrol’s designs to underwater diving in 1864. This device's principle is still the same. A similar system is used by modern scuba regulators.