1912 Leone Durand and Melchiorre Bembina

The dress proposed in 1912 by Leone Durand and Melchiorre Bembina is of a curious type, designed to be towed along the bottom, and to this end is fitted with four spherical oaken wheels. It can either be towed on two wheels, with the diver almost upright, or on all four, in which case he lies prone, or nearly so. The details are complicated and not very practical. The diver is encased in a rigid steel shell, some­what like Restucci’s second design. There are no articulations, but he passes his hands through a pair of rubber cuffs mounted in ball-and-socket joints, and thus capable of a limited amount of movement. Elaborate arrangements are provided for balancing the water pressure on both sides of the rubber forming the cuffs, but it is to be feared that none of these would resist severe pressure.

It is almost unnecessary to add that the inventors provide their chassis with head­lamps and steering gear; there is, however, no hooter!

The Durand and Bembina suit is more a observation chamber with movable arms. The arms are of the ball-and-socket joint type.

De hierna volgende animatie is gemaakt door Charles Daigneault. Charles heeft eerdere animaties gemaakt voor mijn website en telkens ben ik diep onder de indruk van de fantastische weergave in detail en ontwerp. Ik wil Charles opnieuw bedanken voor zijn bijdrage aan deze website!