Jacques Cousteau
Jacques Cousteau devoted all his energy to ocean exploration, even after World War II. He bought the Calypso, a minesweeper, and sailed it around all of the globe, even the Antarctic Circle. He did experiments and collected data. These were used to design the Calypso-Phot underwater camera and SP-350 deep-sea two-man submarine.
Cousteau began his research with the creation of an apparatus for breathing called the aqualung. Although this apparatus was able to allow Cousteau to breathe in controlled air, it was only suited for shallow diving. Cousteau was determined to find out the depths beneath the oceans. He needed a better method to regulate airflow. After much experimentation, Cousteau developed the demand regulator. This allowed air to only move on demand. This invention would help divers extend their air supply and avoid decompression sickness.
Yves le Prieur
Yves le Prieur's contributions to scubadiving date back to early 1900s. In 1946, he designed a fullface helmet with a removable front plate. This mask was a type of diaphragm that could be used to regulate the demand. His next invention, the diving regulator.
1933 was the date that the first Scuba Diving Equipment was Patented. The Fernez-Le-Prieur air supply system was combined with the Denayrouze-Rouquayrol demand regulator. It changed the world of scuba diving by making underwater breathing apparatuses affordable and easily accessible. This was what led to recreational scuba.
Guy Gilpatric
Guy Gilpatric contributed a lot to the history and evolution of scuba diving throughout his life. His articles for The Saturday Evening Post, which covered scuba diving, were the first to include a sport diving manual. His passion for the sea and its natural beauty led him explore the Mediterranean and to write about it. It is said that the book inspired Jacques Cousteau who would later go on and create modern scuba dive.
The modern scuba dive apparatus was invented in the 20th century. Guy Gilpatric, an American marine biologist, invented a system that allowed divers air to be breathed in without the need for surface air. Later, Yves Le Prier designed an underwater breathing system. Owen Churchill purchased the system and the scuba gear quickly became popular. Guy Gilpatric then developed rubber goggles with glass lenses, face masks, snorkels, swim fins, and a high-pressure air tank.
Yves Gagnan
At the start of the century, divers relied on diving bells and helmets to get their air from the surface. Yves Gagnan a Parisian engineer helped them develop a demand system. This device supplied compressed air on request and was capable to adjust to the pressure within the water. This discovery made it possible for people of all levels to explore the oceans.
Gagnan was born in Burgundy, France, in 1900. After graduating from college he worked for Air Liquide, where he studied high pressure pneumatics design. This work eventually led to the development of scuba equipment that we use today.