BOWDOIN 1915 (US)

Harry Bowdoin of New Jersey, filed a patent in 1915 for a new type of oil-filled rotary joint and a design for an atmospheric diving suit. The design was unique in that it used ambient pressure to balance the joint, however there is no evidence that the suit was ever built. Bowdin’s joint shows a clear grasp of principles both the seals would not function past a couple of revolutions, since there was no provision for lubrication. This problem would have become immediately apparent with the construction of a prototype suit.