Aqua-Lung is the first open-circuit, self-contained underwater breathing device. It has enjoyed worldwide success and fame. This class of equipment is now commonly referred to as the demand valve or twin-hose diving regulator. Aqua-Lung breathing apparatus has a basic structure similar to traditional scuba tanks. The regulator is connected with a demand valve that regulates the flow and pressure of the air into the lungs.
Jacques Cousteau
Jacques Cousteau's aqua lung - A fascinating tale in Scuba Technology! The original Aqua lung was developed during World War II. Cousteau (a French national) developed the underwater breath apparatus in 1943. His inspiration came from a device perfected by Captain Yves Le Prieur in 1925. While the Aqua-Lung was initially a limited-functioning device, the Germans requisitioned automobile gas to use on the battlefield. Cousteau modified an existing regulator to develop the Aqualung and later invented the autonomous diving system.
Cousteau became an expert in scuba diving technology and went on to discover underwater archeology. In 1946, he led the first expedition using self-contained diving apparatus and recovered the Roman shipwreck Mahdia. He converted an old British minesweeper into a research vessel for oceanographic studies the next year. Unfortunately, he was unable raise the funds to fund the expeditions. He eventually converted his passion for diving into The Silent World which became a popular film.
Aqua-Lung was the first innovation in scubadiving. Developed by Jacques Cousteau in 1959, it has allowed divers to swim freely and comfortably under water. The Aqua-Lung has become a staple for many people, and Cousteau helped develop many other tools for oceanographic exploration. In fact, the first underwater camera was also invented by Cousteau in 1959. There's no question that Cousteau's innovations revolutionized the sport of scuba diving.
Emile Gagnan
1945: Emile Gagnan (Jacques Yves Cousteau) and Emile Gaugnan (Emile Gagnan) patent the Aqua-Lung diving regulation. Aire Liquide in France purchased the rights and manufactured the regulator. Later, the U.S. sold it. Divers Corporation. It was the latest version of the French CG45 regulatory and was built in Canada. This regulator was extremely successful.
Initially, the Aqualung was known as the Aqualung. It was sold first in France in 1946. It was then brought to the United States in 1952. In 1958, Air Liquide purchased U.S. Aqua Lung America was created by divers and purchased by Air Liquide in 1958. The company eventually became a division of Air Liquide and is the largest diving company in the world. Today, the Aqua-lung is a major component of nearly every set of Scuba gear worldwide.
Emile Gaugnan and Jacques Cousteau were the two Frenchmen who invented Aqua-Lung. Both men were spies in the French Resistance during World War II. Robert Ballard pursued his passion for the sea after the war. Emile Gagnan was a Frenchman who worked for L'Air Liquide. He eventually met Emile. As engineers, they learned to use high-pressure pneumatic design. Gagnan's concept evolved into an automated compressed-air scuba diving system called the Aqua-Lung.