Chester E. McDuffee’s patented diving suit, 1911

Kane Khanh | History
May 23, 2024

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1910 – Submarine Armor by Chester E. Macduffee.

In Popular Mechanics Magazine, November 1914 it was reported that the new armored diving suit went down to a depth of 212 ft. in Long Island Sound, establishing a new American record for deep-sea diving.

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Above images: Scientific American, 22 August, 1914.

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The left hand is an electric lamp, in this photo.

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Source: Popular Mechanics, December 1914.

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Most early armour’s joints tightened up or seized the deeper the suit went. At these depths, suits were relegated as observation posts mainly, as they had telephone connection to the surface.

Here we see the suit relegated to this role, as well as a work lamp as a hand attachment.  Conventional suits in use being more flexible at shallower depths as well.