The early days of gas masks (1832-1915)

Unlike any other invention, the gas mask does not have a particular name to give direct credit. In this article, we will look at the early developments of gas masks that shaped the modern respirator that has brought us several benefits.

Almost a century ago, in 1915, when the modern chemical weapon was invented, gas masks were used. This allows the person to breathe freely even if there are poisonous gases, heavy smoke, or vapors in the air. In the heyday of chemical warfare, gas masks kept soldiers alive as they went about their normal warfare duties. But this was not the first trace of the use of gas masks. Even before World War I, gas masks were worn by firefighters, divers, and firefighters for a particular task.

Going almost another century back in 1832, a device capable of protecting people from smoke was patented. Brothers John and Charles Deane were the responsible names. Years later, the original patent for use by underwater divers was developed. Meanwhile, in 1819, Augustus Siebe used the concept in another approach. He used it including a helmet and a tube through which the air was pumped. This had become the basis for future defense breathers.

In 1849, an inventor named Lewis Haslett created and patented the “lung saver or inhaler.” This was the first air-purifying respirator capable of filtering dust particles from the air before they enter the nose. And if you think this is the best gas mask ever, consider the gas mask that was developed 5 years later. A Scottish chemist named John Stenhouse was able to create gas masks that filter toxic gases using only charcoal.

Moving forward in 1860, Auguste Denayrouse and Benoit Rouquayrol, both French inventors, created the Résevoir-Régulateur. This design was able to help rescuers save trapped miners. It was made up of a mouthpiece, a nose clip and an air tank that is carried on the back.

The gas mask was improved again 11 years later in another part of the world. This time, a British physicist named John Tyndall created the respirator that allowed firefighters to breathe properly against smoke and gas. In 1874, Samuel Barton, another British inventor, patented a device. The particular respirator has been permitted and accepted as safe when used in conditions where gases, vapors, smoke and other harmful substances may be present in the air.

In America, gas masks also continued to develop into the early 20th century, particularly in 1914. Garrett Morgan was the man responsible for Morgan’s patented safety hood and smoke shield. He was probably the most popular inventor of gas masks during that time, as his gas masks were able to save 32 lives that were trapped after an explosion occurred in an underground tunnel 250 feet below the surface of Lake Erie. This event caused Garrett Morgan’s work to be sold throughout the country.

Some claimed that Morgan’s safety hood and smoke shield became the basis for future gas masks used in the military during World War I, although some disagreed.

Cluny McPherson was another gas mask inventor who made it big with this device. His invention was used at the same time it was developed by the Allied Forces during World War I as a shield for chemical weapons.

Over the years, gas masks continued to develop. And thanks to these people, today’s gas masks have become more efficient and much safer.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *