History of Rebreathers

1774
the discovery of pure oxygen and the idea to use oxygen for diving

1878
the first diving apparatus was built

1879
Fleuss constructed a life saving closed breathing apparatus for Siebe and Gorman. It was used for the rescue of mineworkers who were trapped by water

1889
The Patent for a pressure reducer valve, made out in the name of Dräger and Gerling was the start in the year of 1889. This was a major development for Dräger and all other companies, who were involved in breathing, especially in diving - technology.

First of all there was the idea to build a pressure reducer to get fresh beer out of the barrel. Because nothing tasted so awful as flat beer. Therefore sometimes divers are argue that it is Dräger's fault, that divers drink so much beer - but of course this is not true

1904
Siebe and Gorman patented Oxyligthe a new soda lime

With yesterday's experience and today's technology DrägerDive is developing diving equipment for the future. Follow me back to the time when Dräger started.

1907
The Rescue from sunk sub-marines using Dräger rescue diving equipment was the first step in the development of a full range of diving apparatus.

The knowledge from breathing apparatus for coalmine workers was used to build the first Dräger diving apparatus.

1911
In the year 1911 Dr. Ing. h.c. Bernhard Dräger attempts the first diving tests. The target was: to develop hoseless diving apparatus without a supply from the surface. One year later - in 1912 the Dräger range included three types of hose- free helmet diving systems to be carried by the diver.

1913
The Drägerwerk diver test station for testing of diving apparatus.

On July 17, 1914 for the first time people could live under a pressure of 9 bar (approx. 80 m depth) for 40 minutes. The first version of the Dräger diving table was developed. This was the first time that we got the experience of how the underwater pressure influences the diver's body and organs.

1926
A further development in 1926 was the Oxygen closed-circuit diving apparatus for rescue diving, called "Badetauchretter". This was before swim diving. The diver walked under water.

It was already a rebreather system with the main components breathing bag, sodalime canister and oxygen cylinder. Nearly the same basic technology we are using today.

1952
In the year of 1952 a small diving apparatus, called "Kleintauchgerät 138" - a pioneer of the closed-circuit diving apparatus was in the Dräger program. This rebreather was influenced by the work with Hans Hass and was a very important milestone for all later Rebreathers.

1953
A further development was the well-known closed-circuit diving apparatus "Leutnant Lund II" in the year of 1953. This unit is a real rarity in the world of diving and still in operation with some happy recreational divers.

1969
In the year 1969 Dräger added the rebreather range a mixed gas closed-circuit diving apparatus, called SMS I, for exciting diving bells. It was a bailout system with a self-mixing system. The parallel development of the SM I was the first autonomous rebreather with a self-mixing system.

1969
In 1969 - The well-known rebreather FGT I with Semi-closed system started in the Dräger program. Many different navies all over the world have successfully used this pre-mixed rebreather for more than 25 years for mine clearance purposes.

1975
In 1975 - The well-known Oxygen Rebreather LAR V for special diving operations started in the Dräger program. A successor of the well-known LAR III. This closed-circuit rebreather is standard equipment for many special forces and other navy groups all over the world.

1984
The deep-diving-system CCBS - Closed Circuit Breathing System - for depths up to 600 meters was developed as a bail-out unit for saturation diving in 1984. Dräger has built about 30 to 40 deep-diving saturation systems, complete with decompression chambers and diving bell. These have been successfully used in the oil- and Offshore industry for diving depths up to 600 meters.

The market for this kind of deep diving systems is gone. Today the ROV´s - Remote Operated Vehicles - are doing such a good job, that no man dives are required any more. For example this year there is no saturation dive planned in the oil-industry of the North Sea. However I'm sure, for emergency situations saturation dives will still be required.

1994
In 1994, after several experiments with fully closed and computerized Rebreathers, Dräger put the self-mixing closed-circuit rebreather M 100 M for depths up to 100 meters into the market. This rebreather has been designed for mine clearance diving in military field and not for leisure purposes.

1995
And last but not least - in the year of 1995 the Semi-closed rebreather Dolphin, especially designed for the recreational diving market.