Lambertsen Amphibious Respiratory Unit
Encyclopedia
The Lambertsen Amphibious Respiratory Unit (Laru, for short) is an early model of frogman
's rebreather
. Christian J. Lambertsen
designed a series of them in the USA in 1940 (filing date: 16 Dec 1940) and in 1944 (issue date: 2 May 1944). A Laru is the same device as a SCUBA set since Lambertsen changed his invention's name to SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) in 1952. In spite of that diving regulator
technology was invented by Émile Gagnan
and Jacques-Yves Cousteau
in 1943 and wasn't originally related to rebreathers, nowadays' use of the word SCUBA is largely attributed to Gagnan's and Cousteau's invention.
The version in the images linked to below, show:
Many diving rebreathers are descended from it. However, there were earlier underwater uses of rebreathers:
Frogman
A frogman is someone who is trained to scuba diving or swim underwater in a military capacity which can include combat. Such personnel are also known by the more formal names of combat diver or combatant diver or combat swimmer....
's rebreather
Rebreather
A rebreather is a type of breathing set that provides a breathing gas containing oxygen and recycled exhaled gas. This recycling reduces the volume of breathing gas used, making a rebreather lighter and more compact than an open-circuit breathing set for the same duration in environments where...
. Christian J. Lambertsen
Christian J. Lambertsen
Christian James Lambertsen was an American environmental medicine and diving medicine specialist who was principally responsible for developing the United States Navy frogmen's rebreathers in the early 1940s for underwater warfare...
designed a series of them in the USA in 1940 (filing date: 16 Dec 1940) and in 1944 (issue date: 2 May 1944). A Laru is the same device as a SCUBA set since Lambertsen changed his invention's name to SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) in 1952. In spite of that diving regulator
Diving regulator
A diving regulator is a pressure regulator used in scuba or surface supplied diving equipment that reduces pressurized breathing gas to ambient pressure and delivers it to the diver. The gas may be air or one of a variety of specially blended breathing gases...
technology was invented by Émile Gagnan
Emile Gagnan
Émile Gagnan was a French engineer and co-inventor of the diving regulator used for the first Scuba equipment in 1943...
and Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Jacques-Yves Cousteau was a French naval officer, explorer, ecologist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water...
in 1943 and wasn't originally related to rebreathers, nowadays' use of the word SCUBA is largely attributed to Gagnan's and Cousteau's invention.
The version in the images linked to below, show:
- Two apparent large lengthways backpack cylinders under a hard metal cover: the right cylinder is oxygenOxygenOxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
and the left apparent cylinder is the absorbent canister. - Fullface mask with small eye holes like an old-type gasmask
- Two breathing bags, one on each shoulder.
- 4 lengths of wide corrugated breathing tubes in a loop: from the mask to one of the breathing bags to the canister to the other breathing bag to the mask.
- Its harness is a strong cloth jacket that enclosed the diver's chest.
- Mid front, a long zipped pocket: the diagrams do not show whether it was for kit or for diving weights.
Many diving rebreathers are descended from it. However, there were earlier underwater uses of rebreathers:
- Davis Escape Set
- Siebe Gorman SalvusSiebe Gorman SalvusThe Siebe Gorman Salvus is a light oxygen rebreather for industrial use or in shallow diving. Its duration on a filling is 30 to 40 minutes. It was very common in Britain during World War II and for a long time afterwards...
- The rebreathers used by the Italian Decima Flottiglia MASDecima Flottiglia MASThe Decima Flottiglia MAS was an Italian commando frogman unit of the Regia Marina created during the Fascist regime.The acronym MAS also refers to various light torpedo boats used by the Regia Marina during World...
frogmen in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...