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The Beginning
Alexander the Great was supposedly lowered into the ocean in a glass diving bell. This was the first recorded use of this sort of device in the history of SCUBA. -
Apr 1, 1500
Designs
Leonardo da Vinci designs some equipment for exploring the ocean, such as snorkels, air tanks, and underwater suits. -
Apr 1, 1578
Moving Towards Discovery
German writer Tasinier, who worked for the Emperor Charles V, witnesses two Greek divers in a demonstration of a diving bell; this is the first concerted move towards deep sea diving in the history of scuba -
A Dangerous Step
The German inventor Kessler introduced his diving bell with glass ports and a ballast weight for stability, but could have proven hazardous. -
More Diving Bells
A more successful diving bell was invented by Edward Bendall. Many saw this as a significant moment in SCUBA history. -
Air Pumps Invented
Von Guericke develops the first effective air pump. -
1690
Edmund Halley designed and built a wooden bell with an open bottom, and a closed glass top. -
Diving Engine
Englishman John Lethbridge builds a "diving engine." It was a underwater cylinder that got compressed air through a pipe at the surface of the water. -
A Tragic Step
Frenchmen, Sieur Freminet invented a "rebreathing" device that recycled the exhaled air from inside of the barrel; the inventor however died after 20 minutes in his device. -
An Amazing Diving Helmet
Charles Anthony Deane and John Deane created a "smoke helmet" for firefighters - however it was also used for diving. It was the first air-pumped (from the surface) diving helmet for use with a diving suit. -
A Successful SCUBA Suit
The first workable, full-time SCUBA is invented by an English-man William James. It was a self-contained diving suit with compressed air in an iron container worn around the waist. -
1837
German-born inventor Augustus Siebe creates a closed diving suit by sealing the Deane brothers' diving helmet to a watertight, air suit. -
A Breathing Apparatus
A breathing apparatus was developed by Benoit Rouquayrol and Auguste Denayrouse. It consisted of a steel tank and a hose with a mouth-piece at the end - It was known as the "Aerophore." -
Breathing Underwater
A fully independent underwater breathing unit is invented by Henry Fleuss with the use of compressed oxygen. -
Mark V Diving Helmet
The U.S. Bureau of Construction & Repair first introduces the Mark V Diving Helmet. It was mainly used for salvage work during World War II. -
Creating Modern Equipment
Rubber goggles were created by Guy Gilpatric, and soon afterwards, face masks and snorkels became common. -
Flippers Are Invented
Louis Ce Corlieu patents the first swim fins in France and then the U.S. -
A Remarkable Breakthrough
Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Emile Gagnan redesign a car regulator to automatically provide compressed air to a diver on his slightest intake of breath. -
Aqua-Lungs Are Invented
Cousteau and his co-inventors test and tweak the 'Aqua Lungs' -
A Bestseller For Sure
Rene's Sporting Goods in California begins to sale the Aqua Lungs. The diving community quickly adopted the new and extremely helpful device. -
Buoyancy
The first buoyancy compensator was invented by Maurice Fenzy. -
1970
Important safety measures became widely implemented such as certification cards, better valves, BC's, and single hose regulators. -
Modern SCUBA
More useful inventions are finding their way into the SCUBA world. Underwater communication, computer and propulsion systems became more common.
