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Old 01-16-2019, 08:08 PM   #13
popgun pete
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Re: Full face snorkels

As a matter of interest here is the great granddaddy of snorkel equipped face masks designed by Navy man, diver, prolific inventor and one of the Diving Hall of Fame members Commander Yves Le Prieur. The snorkels positioned on either side of the full face mask are for inhalation and exhalation respectively with valves in the mask controlling their opening. A duckbill type purge valve for mask clearing depends from the forward lower section of the mask. Le Prieur designed this full face mask for “submarine hunting” with his roller hand spear and his 8 band drive speargun. All this in 1938!

The small bore snorkels increase air velocity passing through them, but add to drag on the air movement. The second diagram depicts the mask "in action".

Rather appropriate to now look at this history for which we have just passed the 80th anniversary.
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Last edited by popgun pete; 01-16-2019 at 08:22 PM.
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