Ted Eldred
Encyclopedia
Edward Francis Eldred (16 December 1920 to August 2005) was a pioneer of scuba diving
in Australia
. He invented the Porpoise (make of scuba gear)
.
in 1920. As a young man he lived by the sea near Sorrento
on the Mornington Peninsula
south of Melbourne
. He started snorkelling as soon as mask, fins and snorkel were available, and wished that he could make or obtain some sort of free-swimming breathing set, until World War II
intervened. After World War II in the late 1940s he designed a sport diving oxygen rebreather. Ted said he had never dived with the Cousteau-Gagnan model of the Aqua Lung, but knew of its existence and its principle. The Aqua Lung was protected by patent and difficult to obtain in Australia. Siebe Gorman had the license to manufacture for Commonwealth countries and could not meet demands. When Ted decided that rebreathers were not suitable for general sport use, he shifted his focus to developing the world's first single-hose open-circuit scuba set, both with tradename "Porpoise"
sdhr.eg2.fr.
Eldred's initial efforts were to make an oxygen rebreather safe to use for sporting use. Pure oxygen used in early rebreathers causes CNS poisoning below 33 fsw. Eldred reasoned that the rebreather should be designed to stop flowing oxygen when the diver descended below that depth. At a demonstration by the Flinders pier, south of Melbourne, a diver passed out because he failed to purge the system of air. This failure to purge, had resulted in a nitrogen build up. Ted realized at this point that he needed to turn his efforts toward open circuit compressed air breathing apparatus. He was accompanied on this demonstration by Bob Wallace-Mitchell.
The French-designed open circuit SCUBA, called the Aqua Lung
, was protected by US patent and international patents, so Ted set about designing the Porpoise CA (a prototype), the world's first single hose regulator. Ted referred to the French model as the Gagnan Aqua Lung, as designer Emile Gagnan was the Frenchman who actually designed the device for Jacques Yves Cousteau. This new design was superior to the Aqua Lung, and did not violate any of the existing patents. Ted's regulator was never patented as his business was too small for the expense. The first production model was designated the CA-1. (C A for compressed Air, 1 for single cylinder) It was sold as a complete single cylinder, single hose SCUBA early in 1952. The cylinder was inverted so the diver could reach the innovative regulator mounted reserve. Only about a dozen of these exist and are now in the hands of SCUBA collectors. Ted also made the CA-2, which was a double cylinder model. Only two CA-2 Porpoises are still known to exist. About three quarters of the Porpoises made were surface supplied 'hookah'. The 'hookah' was the device which started the demise of the standard dress helmet diving equipment. The Porpoise single hose SCUBA found its initial international praise in Arthur C. Clarke's 1955 book Coast of Coral. Clark brought two French Mistrals to Australia, but set them aside when he was loaned two Porpoises for his Australian adventure by Ted. They are illustrated in Clarke's book.
Ted's company was called Breathing Appliances Pty Ltd and located at 70 Abbotsford St., North Melbourne. His marketing was done by his friend Bob Wallace-Mitchell. It was difficult for Wallace-Mitchell to market in those early days, as compressed air was not readily available. His first task was to locate a compressor with a sales point in each of the Australian capital cities. Once this was done, dealers could stock his SCUBA and refill the cylinders. In 1958 Ted also created the Porpoise Universal, which had a high supply rate of over 300 liters per minute. It became his flagship model. Ted also made a cheaper model, called the Sportsman. The Sportsman was a very compact regulator with innovative features now found on regulators of today. It was made of plastic and had an unbalanced first stage. Market needs made this model necessary, but Ted did not like it.
The Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) supported Ted's efforts and adopted the Porpoise Universal for military use. The RAN became the first navy to be equipped with single hose scuba. Ted's diving school was established by RAN Commander Maurice "Batts" Batterham, GM. It was the first SCUBA diving school in Australia and the first in the world to teach with the single hose regulator — it was located at the Melbourne City Baths. It was a course designed to promote the new Porpoise, but later other brands of scuba were also used. The school continued for about ten years, later sending its students to the newer Associated Divers Academy which taught at the YMCA.
In 1960 the French firm L'Air Liquide, which owned U.S. Divers Corp., and the patent to the Aqua-Lung
, bought Ted out, under threat of flooding his market
with their products. The Porpoise continued to be marketed under the name Australian Divers Spiro Pty. Ltd. Ted worked for them for a time, but eventually left diving behind, discouraged by this experience. Later Australian Divers Spiro ceased production of all of the Porpoise models, but had to continue to supply the RAN because of an existing contract. The last Porpoise sold was the RAN variation of the Porpoise Universal in 1976. About 12,000 Porpoise units were produced, but only a few dozen of all models are known to exist today. The more common French Aqua Lung was produced in far larger numbers, with 12,000 being made in a single month. Today the French design is considered obsolete, while the Australian design is made and used world wide.
Ted Eldred was recognized in later life, by the Historical Divers Society SEAP, as the inventor of the first successful commercially produced single hose SCUBA. Ted made his last dive with his grandson Adam, at an event in Ted's honor. The single hose SCUBA is the type in use around the world today. Ted was presented the first "Ted Eldred Award" for significant contributions to diving by the Historical Diving Society SEAP. When Ted passed away, he did not have a single complete Porpoise left. The Historical Diving Society SEAP, presented a working Porpoise to Ted's son Tony, so that the family would have an example of Ted's achievements.
Ted Eldred died of cardiac arrest at his Yark, Victoria country home, in August 2005. He was survived by a son and a daughter.
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He invented the Porpoise (make of scuba gear)
Porpoise (make of scuba gear)
Porpoise is a tradename for scuba developed by Ted Eldred in Australia and made there from the late 1940s onwards. It included:-A make of diving oxygen rebreather:...
.
Early years
Eldred was born in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1920. As a young man he lived by the sea near Sorrento
Sorrento, Victoria
Sorrento is a township in Victoria, Australia, located on the shores of Port Phillip on the Mornington Peninsula, about one and a half hours south of Melbourne...
on the Mornington Peninsula
Mornington Peninsula
The Mornington Peninsula is a peninsula located south-east of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is surrounded by Port Phillip to the west, Western Port to the east and Bass Strait to the south, and is connected to the mainland in the north. Geographically, the peninsula begins its protrusion...
south of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. He started snorkelling as soon as mask, fins and snorkel were available, and wished that he could make or obtain some sort of free-swimming breathing set, until World War II
World War II
World 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...
intervened. After World War II in the late 1940s he designed a sport diving oxygen rebreather. Ted said he had never dived with the Cousteau-Gagnan model of the Aqua Lung, but knew of its existence and its principle. The Aqua Lung was protected by patent and difficult to obtain in Australia. Siebe Gorman had the license to manufacture for Commonwealth countries and could not meet demands. When Ted decided that rebreathers were not suitable for general sport use, he shifted his focus to developing the world's first single-hose open-circuit scuba set, both with tradename "Porpoise"
Porpoise (make of scuba gear)
Porpoise is a tradename for scuba developed by Ted Eldred in Australia and made there from the late 1940s onwards. It included:-A make of diving oxygen rebreather:...
sdhr.eg2.fr.
Closed Circuit Oxygen Rebreathers
- For more information see Porpoise (make of scuba gear)#A make of diving oxygen rebreather.
Eldred's initial efforts were to make an oxygen rebreather safe to use for sporting use. Pure oxygen used in early rebreathers causes CNS poisoning below 33 fsw. Eldred reasoned that the rebreather should be designed to stop flowing oxygen when the diver descended below that depth. At a demonstration by the Flinders pier, south of Melbourne, a diver passed out because he failed to purge the system of air. This failure to purge, had resulted in a nitrogen build up. Ted realized at this point that he needed to turn his efforts toward open circuit compressed air breathing apparatus. He was accompanied on this demonstration by Bob Wallace-Mitchell.
Open-circuit Compressed Air
- For more information see Porpoise (make of scuba gear)#A make of single-hose open-circuit scuba.
The French-designed open circuit SCUBA, called the Aqua Lung
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...
, was protected by US patent and international patents, so Ted set about designing the Porpoise CA (a prototype), the world's first single hose regulator. Ted referred to the French model as the Gagnan Aqua Lung, as designer Emile Gagnan was the Frenchman who actually designed the device for Jacques Yves Cousteau. This new design was superior to the Aqua Lung, and did not violate any of the existing patents. Ted's regulator was never patented as his business was too small for the expense. The first production model was designated the CA-1. (C A for compressed Air, 1 for single cylinder) It was sold as a complete single cylinder, single hose SCUBA early in 1952. The cylinder was inverted so the diver could reach the innovative regulator mounted reserve. Only about a dozen of these exist and are now in the hands of SCUBA collectors. Ted also made the CA-2, which was a double cylinder model. Only two CA-2 Porpoises are still known to exist. About three quarters of the Porpoises made were surface supplied 'hookah'. The 'hookah' was the device which started the demise of the standard dress helmet diving equipment. The Porpoise single hose SCUBA found its initial international praise in Arthur C. Clarke's 1955 book Coast of Coral. Clark brought two French Mistrals to Australia, but set them aside when he was loaned two Porpoises for his Australian adventure by Ted. They are illustrated in Clarke's book.
Ted's company was called Breathing Appliances Pty Ltd and located at 70 Abbotsford St., North Melbourne. His marketing was done by his friend Bob Wallace-Mitchell. It was difficult for Wallace-Mitchell to market in those early days, as compressed air was not readily available. His first task was to locate a compressor with a sales point in each of the Australian capital cities. Once this was done, dealers could stock his SCUBA and refill the cylinders. In 1958 Ted also created the Porpoise Universal, which had a high supply rate of over 300 liters per minute. It became his flagship model. Ted also made a cheaper model, called the Sportsman. The Sportsman was a very compact regulator with innovative features now found on regulators of today. It was made of plastic and had an unbalanced first stage. Market needs made this model necessary, but Ted did not like it.
The Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN) supported Ted's efforts and adopted the Porpoise Universal for military use. The RAN became the first navy to be equipped with single hose scuba. Ted's diving school was established by RAN Commander Maurice "Batts" Batterham, GM. It was the first SCUBA diving school in Australia and the first in the world to teach with the single hose regulator — it was located at the Melbourne City Baths. It was a course designed to promote the new Porpoise, but later other brands of scuba were also used. The school continued for about ten years, later sending its students to the newer Associated Divers Academy which taught at the YMCA.
In 1960 the French firm L'Air Liquide, which owned U.S. Divers Corp., and the patent to the Aqua-Lung
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...
, bought Ted out, under threat of flooding his market
Dumping (pricing policy)
In economics, "dumping" is any kind of predatory pricing, especially in the context of international trade. It occurs when manufacturers export a product to another country at a price either below the price charged in its home market, or in quantities that cannot be explained through normal market...
with their products. The Porpoise continued to be marketed under the name Australian Divers Spiro Pty. Ltd. Ted worked for them for a time, but eventually left diving behind, discouraged by this experience. Later Australian Divers Spiro ceased production of all of the Porpoise models, but had to continue to supply the RAN because of an existing contract. The last Porpoise sold was the RAN variation of the Porpoise Universal in 1976. About 12,000 Porpoise units were produced, but only a few dozen of all models are known to exist today. The more common French Aqua Lung was produced in far larger numbers, with 12,000 being made in a single month. Today the French design is considered obsolete, while the Australian design is made and used world wide.
Ted Eldred was recognized in later life, by the Historical Divers Society SEAP, as the inventor of the first successful commercially produced single hose SCUBA. Ted made his last dive with his grandson Adam, at an event in Ted's honor. The single hose SCUBA is the type in use around the world today. Ted was presented the first "Ted Eldred Award" for significant contributions to diving by the Historical Diving Society SEAP. When Ted passed away, he did not have a single complete Porpoise left. The Historical Diving Society SEAP, presented a working Porpoise to Ted's son Tony, so that the family would have an example of Ted's achievements.
Ted Eldred died of cardiac arrest at his Yark, Victoria country home, in August 2005. He was survived by a son and a daughter.
External links
- http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/31/1062268475963.html