The First Rebreathers

In 1876, an English inventor named Henry Fleuss would create the world’s first functional rebreather. Studying chemistry and physics in his spare time, Fleuss surmised that a diver could free himself from surface dependence by carrying oxygen with him and using alkali salts to absorb carbon dioxide. He designed two systems. One for diving utilized a complicated double-walled helmet and jacket along with a leather mask, and the other, for fire and mine rescue operations, consisted of a simpler system with a backpack and attached breathing mask. Fleuss would later simplify the diving apparatus by adapting the backpack version for use with a standard diving dress.

Each rebreather consisted of a mask, a breathing bag, a copper cylinder that would hold pure oxygen, and a scrubber, which was perhaps the most vital component. The scrubber was made of rope yarn soaked in potassium hydroxide, which would absorb CO2 exhaled by the user. The device was limited in depth due to its reliance on pure oxygen.

Fleuss was granted a patent in 1878, and demonstrated the effectiveness of his invention himself, despite having no previous diving experience, by submerging himself in water to an audience at the London Polytechnic. He would again demonstrate his invention by submerging himself in a chamber of poisonous gas at the Royal Society.

Fleuss’ rebreather had its greatest utility in emergency situations, when standard equipment was not practical. In November 1880, it was successfully used by Siebe Gorman diver Alexander Lambert to close a floodgate during the construction of an underwater tunnel beneath the Severn River in England. He spent 90 minutes at a depth of 40 feet, walking 1020 feet into a flooded tunnel, far too distant for a surface-supplied diver to travel. The diver being independent, or having a self-contained system, was the only way for a successful operation.

Fleuss’ revolutionary creation was only the beginning for rebreathers. His system would continue to be refined, modified, and built upon into the 20th century, yet the core concept of utilizing alkali salts to absorb carbon dioxide is still used in rebreathers today.