When was the invention of scuba? Many people will say the 1860s, but when was scuba really invented? Let's start with the earliest scuba equipment. Emile Gagnan, Jacques Cousteau and other early pioneers all played an important role in the evolution of scuba dive. They were instrumental in paving the way to freedom of navigation. But, who is responsible and why? And who was the first to regulate scuba diving in the world?
Jacques Cousteau
In the 1960s, Jacques Cousteau participated in a program called Conshelf Saturation Dive. This program was designed to prove that it was possible to live underwater for long periods of time. Five divers took part in the experiments. They 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 first invented by Emile Gagnan, a French engineer who was designing valves for a Paris-based compressed gas company. He realized that scuba divers were in danger of developing nitrogen narcosis, a condition that makes people behave crazy and suffer from intense pain. Gagnan collaborated with Cousteau to develop a machine that could be used to enable people to swim underwater. They realized that oxygen regulation by air pressure would be crucial to survival.
1860s
Henry A. Fleuss was a London-based diving engineer who invented scuba in the 1860s. Fleuss invented a diving mask with an air spout, which could be filled by compressed air. 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.
1860s scuba regulator
The 1960s scuba regulators are a far cry away from today's technology. They were designed and developed by Auguste Denayrouze, Benoit Rouquayrol, and Auguste Denayrouze. 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 Apparatus
R. H. Davis developed the Davis Submerged Rescue Equipment, or Davis Scuba, in 1914. It contained a rubber breathing & buoyancy bag, a barium hydroxide canister, and a steel pressurecylinder with 56 litres of oxygen at 120 bars. 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 glasses
The 1860s was a time when diving gear was not as sophisticated as today's. Before the invention of scuba glasses, divers relied on wooden or plastic diving helmets. These were unsuitable for the water's pressure. 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 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 first developed compressed air as a scuba reservoir in the 1860s. He had already developed the 'demand regulator' for use in underground mines and smoke filled rooms. Auguste Denayrouze applied Rouquayrol’s design to underwater diving in 1864. The principle behind the device remains the same today. Modern scuba regulators use a similar system.