Dräger high altitude atmer or
Flugzeug Tauch Retter
In 1913 there are two different types of breathing apparatus developed bij Dräger—one for high Altitudes in balloons and the other for mounteneering. The Draeger, for blended high altitude flying, has an oxygen store of 2,000 litres in large twin steel cylinders. In this apparatus is embodied all the experience gained by long years of successful practice in the construction of oxygen inhalation apparatus. Special care was also here taken in adapting the mask for mouth and nose breathing. The inhalation is started by ripening the valve on the oxygen cylinder. A ‘finimeter” allows of the control of the pressure contained in the steel cylinders, and the oxygen consumed per minute can be ascertained from a small manometer. A regulating screw on the reducing valve permits of an adjustment of the oxygen supply, from 1 to 10 litres per minute. The oxygen passes in the first place into an economizer bag, and is from thence inhaled through a flexible aluminum pipe, which does not hinder the free movement ,of the user. The additional requirements of outside atmosphere is obtained through a small hple in the mask, so that the breathing air is as a rule saturated with 40 per cent, of oxygen, quite sufficient for alveolaric tension. The exhaled air and oxygen surplus escape to the outside. The working capacity of the apparatus is dependent on the oxygen consumption. If the emergency type provided with 180 litres of oxygen consumes on an average 5 litres per minute, the oxygen store will be sufficient for 36 minutes’ breathing. Based on the same average consumption of oxygen, the type to be used for intended high altitude flying supplies one man with air for three to four hours—if twin cylinders are taken up; the same time for two fliers. Special care should be taken that breathing appliances used for aeronautics should be fitted with a reducing valve protected against burning out. as otherwise explosions attended by serious consequences may occur. This apparatus may be obtained from Draeger Oxygen Appliance Co., Pittsburg.
Dräger also developed a Flugzeug tauchretter, a closed circuit oxygen rebreather to be used for salvaging or repairs on waterplanes.
Therebreathersite was founded by Jan Willem Bech in 1999. After a diving career of many years, he decided to start technical diving in 1999. He immediately noticed that at that time there was almost no website that contained the history of closed breathing systems. The start for the website led to a huge collection that offered about 1,300 pages of information until 2019. In 2019, a fresh start was made with the website now freely available online for everyone. Therebreathersite is a source of information for divers, researchers, technicians and students. I hope you enjoy browsing the content!