Standard diving dress
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[[Image:Divers - Illustrated London News Feb 6 1873-2.PNG|thumb|320px|The [[standard diving dress]] was used from its invention in 1837 until replaced by the rise of [[SCUBA]] and other modern diving outfits in the 1960s. In this 1873 illustration from the [[Illustrated London News]], we see the basic features of it: A helmet, supplied with air from the surface, and a waterproof canvas suit. The helmet is screwed on to the suit with wingnuts, which can be seen being tightened by one of the support crew on the left of the picture.]]
A '''standard diving dress''' consists of a metallic ([[copper]], [[brass]] or [[bronze]]) [[diving helmet]], an airline or [[air hose|hose]] from a [[surface supplied diving]] [[air]] [[diving pump|pump]], a canvas [[diving suit]], diving [[knife]] and boots. An important part of the equipment is the addition of [[lead]] weights, generally on the chest, back and boots, to counteract the [[buoyancy]] of the helmet and diving suit.
This type of diving equipment is also known as ''hard-hat'' equipment or a ''"[[John Brown & Company|John Brown]]"'' rig, so-called after the [[United Kingdom|British]] company that built many of the helmets. In the United States, it is sometimes known as a "Diver Dan" outfit, from the [[Diver Dan|television show of the same name]]. It was commonly used for underwater [[civil engineering]], [[commercial diving]] and [[naval diving]].
== Types ==
== History ==
The watershed development in hardhat diving was the "closed" dress, in 1837 by [[Augustus Siebe]], where the helmet was sealed to the suit making the suit watertight. The helmet could not flood no matter how the diver moved, resulting in safer and more efficient [[underwater]] work. The overall design changed little over the years until superseded in the 1960s when [[Scuba set|SCUBA]], modern fiberglass helmet designs, and [[saturation diving]] became slightly more common.
In the diving helmet, a principle similar to that of the wet [[diving bell]] is used, where compressed air is provided to the helmet. The air allows the diver to breathe normally and equalizes his internal pressure with the water pressure outside. The weight of the helmet (even filled with air) would raise the diver's [[center of gravity]] (CG) above his [[center of buoyancy]] (CB), thus tending to stand him on his head. This undesired consequence is prevented by additional weights carried on the waist and feet to lower his CG and prevent inversion. SCUBA divers also use [[diving weighting system]]s, typically [[weight belt]]s or pockets in [[buoyancy compensator]]s.
==Popular culture==
*While searching for Red Rackham's treasure, Tintin, Captain Haddock, and the Thompson Twins used diving suits, with varying levels of success.
*"Big Daddies" from [[Bioshock]] wear Standard Diving Dress, the variation of helmet representing "Bouncer" (Close-combat with a mining drill) who wear Carmagnolle helmets, or "Rosie" (long range with a rivet gun).
*The 2000 film [[Men of Honor]], which was set in the 1950s, prominently featured divers in Standard Diving Dress.
== See also ==
*[[Three bolt equipment]]
==Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Standard_diving_dress_1.jpg|Hardhat diver entering water at Stoney Cove, England
Image:Standard_diving_dress_2.jpg|[[Historical Diving Society]] diving at Stoney Cove, England
Image:Rupert king diving suit 03.JPG|U.S. Navy diving dress being lowered into the water
Image:Three-bolts_equipment.jpg|Soviet standard diving dress with two cylinder lever pump, from Naval Museum of Tallinn
Image:Two cylindered lever pump Drager.JPG|Two cylinder [[diver's pump]] made by "[[Dräger|Drägerwerk AG]]" ([[Germany]])
Image:Three cilynder pump 01.jpg|Three cylinder [[diver's pump]] "П3". ([[USSR]])
Image:Lead 16 kg weight.JPG|16 [[kg]] lead weight, used with Soviet [[three bolt equipment]]
Image:Diving knife.JPG|A diver's [[knife]] from [[three bolt equipment]]
</gallery>
== External links ==
* [http://www.thehds.com/ The Historical Diving Society]
* [http://naval.undersea.museum US Naval Undersea Museum]
* [http://www.divingheritage.com/goingdeep.htm Mixed Gas Diving Helmets]
* [http://www.divingheritage.com/rotarypumps.htm Pumps]
[[Category:Underwater work]]
[[Category:Diving equipment]]
[[Category:Environmental suits]]
[[de:Helmtauchgerät]]
[[el:Σκάφανδρο]]
[[fr:Scaphandre à casque]]
[[it:Palombaro (subacquea)#Elmo]]
[[ja:ヘルメット潜水]]
[[fi:Kypäräsukellus]]