It was 1963 when U.S. Divers presented the auditory reserve, a Aqua-Lung novelty that promised to increase divers’ comfort and, above all, safety. It was a device applied to the lower part of standard valves so, inside the tank. It started automatically once the air pressure decreased below the foreseen limit, by emitting a unique sound audible not only by the diver’s buddy but also by all divers in the area, giving the ascent command to the entire group.
|
|
When gearing up, it was necessary to remember to lower the reserve lever, putting it in open position, otherwise the alarm would have turned on largely in advance, leaving the air inside the mechanism unused.
However, the fact that this device was audible within an area of several meters, determined its abandon for the confusion that this sound created in the most frequented spots with other groups of divers.
____________