Ernest Niehoff living in Roanoke Virginia patented his suit in 1914. He called it a diving apparatus that consists of a inner flexible not waterproof metal shell. The apparatus was completed with a helmet and in and outlet hose. The suit was covered with one or more layers of clothing. Unclear was if the suit was ever build.
Mr. Ernest Niehoff seems to have been associated with Henry T. d’Entremont .
Also operated by Henry T. d’Entremont within his general store was a post office which would have been established ca. 1893. (A letter dated August, 1893 from the Post Office Inspector in Halifax, N.S. to him acknowledges the necessity for a mail service in Lower East Pubnico.) The post office would have been located here at least until 1902 when records pertaining to it within this fonds cease.
In addition to establishing his own businesses, he also owned shares in several marine vessels including the “Hazel Glen”, the “Uncle Sam”, the “Souvenir”, and the “Anna McGee”. The Yarmouth Shipping Registry has Henry T. d’Entremont owning 33 of the 64 shares of the “Hazel Glen” in 1901. During the 1890’s, he also invested money toward expenses for the construction of inventor Ernest Niehoff’s “air bag” – a device used to raise sunken vessels. His business relationship with Mr. Niehoff appears to have diminished after 1895 when correspondence between them ceased.
In a letter to Henry T. d’Entremont dated the 8 February, 1894, Ernest Niehoff congratulates him on his marriage to his wife – Sophia LeBlanc of Lower East Pubnico, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia.
Ernest Niehoff invented a suit in 1914 with US patent 1,099,814 wich is shown on this page
Ernest Niehoff invented another suit in 1918 with US patent 1,307,921.
Any additional information about Ernest Niehoff is welcome!
Ernest Niehoff second suit was patented in 1918
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