Siebe Gorman Proto
Encyclopedia
The Proto is a type of rebreather
that was made by Siebe Gorman
. It was an industrial breathing set
and not suitable for diving. It was made from 1914 or earlier to the 1960s or later. (Distinguish from "Proton", which is another sort of Siebe Gorman rebreather).
Its breathing bag was worn on the chest. It had one or two oxygen
cylinders, across the lumbar
part of the back: often one, but this image shows two. Its duration in use was one or two hours, dependent on the size of oxygen cylinder fitted. Its absorbent (tradename Protosorb) was loose in the bottom of the breathing bag, restrained by a perforated cloth partition, and not in a canister. It had two wide breathing tubes running from the breathing bag to either a strapped-in mouthpiece
(used with goggles) or an industrial-type fullface mask known as a Vistarama face mask, with a curved window and an inner orinasal mask
. The canister seen on the front of the bag was to cool the gas in circuit, as the absorbent gets warm as it absorbs carbon dioxide
, and that warming of the gas in circuit is welcome when scuba diving
in cold water, but is not welcome in hot industrial situations including in deep mines.
Some had a whistle that automatically sounded when its oxygen cylinder pressure became low in use.
It was used by firefighter
s and by rescuers in coalmines, long before open-circuit industrial breathing sets based on the aqualung
became common. It appeared in news images of coalmine rescue
squads. In 1908 the apparatus was chosen for use by rescuers from the newly formed Howe Bridge Mines Rescue Station
.
The first version was designed by Fleuss and Davis in about 1906-1910. It had equal balance back and front of the wearer, and avoided projections on the back that could catch when crawling through holes. The more vulnerable parts were in front in sight of the wearer. The reducing valve was of the constant feed type.
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...
that was made by Siebe Gorman
Siebe Gorman
Siebe Gorman & Company Ltd was a British company which developed diving equipment and breathing equipment and worked on commercial diving and marine salvage projects...
. It was an industrial breathing set
Breathing set
*Scuba set, used underwater*Rebreather, reprocesses exhaled air*Surface supplied diving, fed from the surface*Self-contained breathing apparatus, used out of water, worn by rescue workers, firefighters, and others*Spacesuit, used in space...
and not suitable for diving. It was made from 1914 or earlier to the 1960s or later. (Distinguish from "Proton", which is another sort of Siebe Gorman rebreather).
Its breathing bag was worn on the chest. It had one or two oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen 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...
cylinders, across the lumbar
Lumbar
In tetrapod anatomy, lumbar is an adjective that means of or pertaining to the abdominal segment of the torso, between the diaphragm and the sacrum ...
part of the back: often one, but this image shows two. Its duration in use was one or two hours, dependent on the size of oxygen cylinder fitted. Its absorbent (tradename Protosorb) was loose in the bottom of the breathing bag, restrained by a perforated cloth partition, and not in a canister. It had two wide breathing tubes running from the breathing bag to either a strapped-in mouthpiece
Mouthpiece (scuba)
In breathing sets, a mouthpiece is a part that the user grips in his mouth, to make a watertight seal between the breathing set and his mouth. It is composed of a short flattened-oval tube that goes in between the lips, with on its free end a flange that fits between the lips and the tooth and gums...
(used with goggles) or an industrial-type fullface mask known as a Vistarama face mask, with a curved window and an inner orinasal mask
Orinasal mask
An orinasal mask is a breathing mask that covers the mouth and the nose only. It may occur independently, as an oxygen mask, or on some anaesthetic apparatuses, or it may occur inside a fullface mask on a scuba set or an industrial breathing set to reduce the amount of dead space...
. The canister seen on the front of the bag was to cool the gas in circuit, as the absorbent gets warm as it absorbs carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
, and that warming of the gas in circuit is welcome when scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
in cold water, but is not welcome in hot industrial situations including in deep mines.
Some had a whistle that automatically sounded when its oxygen cylinder pressure became low in use.
It was used by firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s and by rescuers in coalmines, long before open-circuit industrial breathing sets based on the aqualung
Aqua-lung
Aqua-Lung was the original name of the first open-circuit free-swimming underwater breathing set in reaching worldwide popularity and commercial success...
became common. It appeared in news images of coalmine rescue
Rescue
Rescue refers to responsive operations that usually involve the saving of life, or prevention of injury during an incident or dangerous situation....
squads. In 1908 the apparatus was chosen for use by rescuers from the newly formed Howe Bridge Mines Rescue Station
Howe Bridge Mines Rescue Station
Howe Bridge Mines Rescue Station was the first Mines rescue station on the Lancashire Coalfield openedin 1908 in Howe Bridge, Atherton, then in the historic county of Lancashire, England....
.
The first version was designed by Fleuss and Davis in about 1906-1910. It had equal balance back and front of the wearer, and avoided projections on the back that could catch when crawling through holes. The more vulnerable parts were in front in sight of the wearer. The reducing valve was of the constant feed type.
External links
- http://www.therebreathersite.nl/Zuurstofrebreathers/English/proto.htm description
- http://www.therebreathersite.nl/Zuurstofrebreathers/English/photos_proto.htm images
- http://www.therebreathersite.nl/05_Reviews/SiebeGormanProto.htm Description of Proto, with many big images, and its user handbook