Posted on 01/21/2013 6:12:10 PM PST by DogByte6RER
1911: Chester E. McDuffee’s patented diving suit
The suit of Chester E. Macduffee is a fantastic suit to see. Although Macduffee patented 4 inventions and pictures of the actual diving suit are still available it is very strange nothing could be found about the inventor.
In the book from Hermann Stelzner there are some references to Macduffee.
The name of the inventor is often written in different ways. Stelzner calls him Macduff. He is also called McDuffie – MacDuffie – MacDuffy – Macduffie but the true name of the man was Macduffee.
Stelzner wrote:
Macduffs ADS was tested in 1915 in Long Island Sound. It was made like the “Hanseatische”from aluminum alloy and weighted about 250 kilo. The cylindrical joints mounted on ball bearings allowed movement in one direction only. They do not appear to be watertight due to the fact Macduffee implemented a waterpump in the suit. This pump was able to pump water from the leg section into the sea. The pump operated on compressed air supplied from the surface. The used air from the pump then expanded into the suit and was used by the diver for breathing. ( Robert H. Davis Stated the pump was driven by electricity) The suit was equipped with a 12 section-gripper mounted on one arm and a electric light on the other arm. Also a hook is seen on a picture. Macduffee’s suit reached 65 meters of waterdepth in 1915!
Gary L. Harris wrote in his book Iron Suit:
Credit for constructing the first suit to utilize ball bearings as the medium to provide movement to a joint and also to act as the load-bearing surface must go to a Mr. Mac Duffie, who tested his formidable-looking A.D.S. to a depth of 214 feet in Long Island Sound, New York. MacDuffie’s suit resembles a science fiction robot more than an A.D.S.
The suit looks like it belongs in Captain Nemo's wardrobe
More photos and background info at:
http://www.retronaut.com/2013/01/chester-e-mcduffees-patented-diving-suit/
...which has descended to 1,000+ feet.
Mysterious man. Was his nickname “Scotty”? Did he suggest making the suit out of transparent aluminum?
That’d take some guts to go down in that.
It really does look like something out of this world.
Was it Zombie-proof?
MacDuffee (what a name) looks like a real man.
MacDuffee’s joints weren’t watertight, so pressure in the suit had to equal the surrounding water, right?
Dog,
That would look Great in
you’re local duck pond !
Reminds me of a Big Daddy.
If it is not watertight, what is the purpose of the suit?
Why the nipples?
Yes, if the pressure in the suit equals the water pressure it would keep the water out. Sounds like the suit is partially water tight so it would keep most of the water out. So the pump just needs to keep up with the water. At 214 feet its about 7.47 atmospheres.
Diving bells work using a similar process.
Carmagnolle Diving Suit, 1882
My latent claustrophobia just reared its ugly head.
GET ME OUTA THIS THING!!!!
It's obviously a lady's diving suit. But only a badass lady, like this one carrying a M-16 on a Tel Aviv beach, could wear it.
That one weight twice as much and leaked like a sieve.
There were devices as early as 1715 apparently.
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