In 1901 Bernhard Draeger and Ludwig Michaelis patented the first Draeger Rauchgas Schutz Gerät (Smoke protection Apparatus) and patented it in both Germany and England.
Ludwig Michaelis was the director of the Sauerstoff-Fabrik Berlin.
The unit was a modified Giersbergrettungsapparat originally designed by Erich Giersberg (1854-1905).
The apparatus would soon be followed by the more famous Dräger 1904-1909 Apparatus with the destinctive helmet
The Drager Giersberg was a system based upon the Giersberg 1899 apparatus. It was modified for the use with air (from cylinder or hose) and Oxygen.
The mask or helmet was kept in proper position on the head of the fireman or miner by means of a strap and is composed of an oval ring.
To tighten the ring round man’s head and face we make use of a rubber hose such as employed in bicylcle tires….
(see for more detailled description the attached patent file.
The mask made by Draeger-Giersberg was also use in the König helmet by firemen.
(Courtesy http://www.feuerwehr-potsdam.de/technik/atemschutz/atemschutzentwicklung_2.htm)
On top of the helmet there was a system to spray water in the surrounding area to protect the fireman for flames and heat
Archive Gihl courtesy: https://www.feuerwehrmagazin.de
The Draeger-Giersberg 1901 unit would soon be followed bij the Draeger 1903-1904 apparatus.
The Draeger-Giersberg 1901 can be recognised by two horizontal bottles and also a horizontal scrubber.
Also a aircooler(chemical) can be seen on the left picture.
Glückauf published a nice diagram of the functional principle of this unit
Bernhard Draeger and Ludwig Michaelis patented the first Draeger-Giersberg injector Gerät with Patent D.R.P. 13201 and in the UK 20.558
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