Henry Fleuss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Albert Fleuss
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| Born | June 13, 1851 |
| Died | January 6, 1933 (aged 81) |
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Henry Albert Fleuss (born June 13, 1851 – died January 6, 1933) was a very important engineer and diver. He worked for a famous company called Siebe, Gorman & Co. in London. Fleuss was born in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. He created new inventions that helped people explore underwater and work in dangerous places.
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Fleuss's Amazing Inventions
Henry Fleuss was a true inventor. He made several important devices that changed how people worked and explored.
The First Modern Rebreather
In 1878, Fleuss received a special patent for his improved diving machine. This machine was called a rebreather. It allowed divers to breathe underwater without needing a constant air hose from the surface.
His rebreather had a rubber mask connected to a breathing bag. Oxygen (O2) came from a copper tank. To keep the air clean, a special rope soaked in a chemical solution cleaned out the carbon dioxide (CO2) that the diver breathed out. This clever system allowed a diver to stay underwater for about three hours!
Fleuss tested his invention himself in 1879. First, he spent an hour in a water tank. A week later, he dove into open water, going about 5.5 meters (18 feet) deep.
Saving the Severn Tunnel
Fleuss's rebreather was first used in a real emergency in November 1880. This happened during the building of the Severn Tunnel. The tunnel was flooded, and a special door needed to be closed underwater.
Regular divers, who used heavy helmets and air hoses, could not do the job. Their hoses kept getting tangled in the underwater mess. Also, the strong water currents made it too dangerous.
Alexander Lambert, a lead diver, was trained by Fleuss to use the new rebreather. Because he didn't have an air hose, Lambert could swim freely. He successfully closed the underwater door, saving the tunnel project!
Helping Mine Workers
Fleuss's rebreather was also used to rescue miners. When mines flooded, workers could get trapped. The rebreather allowed rescuers to go into the flooded areas without needing long air hoses, helping to save lives.
The Fleuss-Davis Diving Set
Before the First World War, Fleuss also helped create another diving device. It was called the Fleuss-Davis independent breathing set. This set was for divers who wore traditional hard hats. It had two tanks, one for compressed air and one for oxygen. These gases mixed together for the diver to breathe. This invention helped divers work deeper, up to 20 meters (66 feet).
The Fleuss Vacuum Pump
Henry Fleuss also invented something completely different: a special vacuum pump. This pump was very good at sucking air out of a space. It worked by having two halves that filled and emptied air in a special way. This created a steady, strong suction.
Later Life
Henry Fleuss passed away on January 6, 1933, in Thorndon Cross, Okehampton. He was 81 years old. His inventions greatly helped diving and rescue efforts, making him a true pioneer.
