Submarine Products Ltd (1959−1990) was a diving gear manufacturer, with a factory in

Hexham Hexham ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, on the south bank of the River Tyne, formed by the confluence of the North Tyne and the South Tyne at Warden nearby, and close to Hadrian's Wall. Hexham was the administra ...

Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. It was founded in 1959 by Lieutenant-Commander Hugh Oswell. Until the late 1950s, the British

Siebe Gorman Siebe Gorman & Company Ltd was a British company that developed diving equipment and breathing equipment and worked on commercial diving and marine salvage projects. The company advertised itself as 'Submarine Engineers'. It was founded by Augu ...

company patents kept aqualungs expensive in Britain, and many British sport divers had to use home-made breathing sets and ex-armed forces or ex-industry rebreathers. Some became expert at home-making scuba diving demand regulators from industrial parts such as

Calor Gas Calor is a brand of bottled butane and propane which is available in Britain and Ireland. It comes in cylinders, which have a special gas regulator. The company was formed in 1935, and is one of the UK's largest suppliers of liquefied petrole ...

regulators. In 1959 Hugh Oswell designed around the Cousteau-Gagnan patent and made sport diving breathing sets accessibly inexpensive. Submarine Products Ltd were the first company to make scuba sets readily available to the public in the United Kingdom. They developed a unique diver delivery vehicle (the Subskimmer), and were important for introducing high quality plastics (e.g. ABS) into the manufacture of underwater breathing apparatus. For many years they supplied their Black Prince regulators and other open circuit equipment to the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

. When the British Navy decided to purchase foreign competitors' closed circuit equipment, imports became increasingly difficult. After financial difficulties, Submarine Products Ltd ceased in 1990.

History

1950s

According to the Classic Dive Books website, "In the mid-1950s Lt Cdr Hugh Oswell was a serving officer in the

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

and in his spare time, he was working on improvements and modifications to existing underwater breathing equipment – even developing his own designs. He was assisted in producing his prototypes by Harry Biscoe who was also based at Portsmouth but had access to engineering facilities. Some time later, Oswell was posted to

Tyneside Tyneside is a List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, built-up area across the banks of the River Tyne, England, River Tyne in Northern England. The population of Tyneside as published in the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census was 774,891 ...

as liaison officer at Swan Hunter shipyards. In 1957, the Royal Navy introduced staff reductions and Oswell took a redundancy package and that finances his new business venture Submarine Products based at Acomb near Hexham in Northumberland in the UK. Harry Biscoe was offered a job which he kept for the life of the company". 1955. July: According to the

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

Commerce and Industry Department Trade Bulletin, "A brand new Hong Kong product is (...) underwater swimming equipment (...). Marketed under the registered name of 'Sealion', this equipment, designed by a British engineer, functions on the well-proven compressed air system and incorporates several original features (patents applied for) which are said to make breathing easier and mean fewer moving parts. The manufacturers claim that in price, the 'Sealion' compares favourably with similar equipment produced elsewhere. This, combined with its improved design, should make it popular with overseas buyers. A model shown at the recent Canadian International Trade Fair attracted considerable attention. There are several variations of the 'Sealion' and full details can be obtained from the manufacturers, Submarine Products Limited, 32 Printing House, Duddell Street, Hong Kong." This is the first known reference to either the "Sealion" regulator or the "Submarine Products" company. The "British engineer" in the article was presumably Hugh Oswell. 1957. May: An advertisement appears in the

British Sub-Aqua Club The British Sub-Aqua Club or BSAC has been recognised since 1954 by UK Sport as the national governing body of recreational diving in the United Kingdom. The club was founded in 1953 and at its peak in the mid-1990s had over 50,000 members ...

journal ''Triton'', describing Hugh Oswell’s "Sealion" regulator as "widely popular in Australia because of these outstanding features: Simplicity - only 4 moving parts; Safety - 2-way mouthpiece valves fitted in Super-flex spiral breathing tubes; Efficiency - Built-in reserve". According to the 1957 underwater catalogue of the London sporting goods store

Lillywhites Lillywhites is a sports retailer based at Piccadilly Circus, London, United Kingdom. It is a division of Frasers Group. History In the 19th century, several members of the Lillywhite family were leading cricketers; another, Fred Lillywhite, o ...

and the CG-45.com double-hose regulator collection website, at least 500 Sealion Mark I regulators were imported to Australia by Bob Wallace-Mitchell of

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, a keen Victorian spearfisherman and distributor of Porpoise diving equipment for Ted Eldred, who designed the world's first single-hose regulator. In this May 1957 ''Triton'' advertisement, Andrews & Dalton of 126 Hanworth Road in

Hounslow Hounslow ( ) is a large suburban district of West London, England, west-southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hounslow, and is identified in the London Plan as one of the 14 metropolitan cen ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

offers the Sealion regulator complete with cylinder and harness at £22 10s 0d. July: J. G. Fenn Ltd. of Stoke on Trent charges the same amount for this kit while pricin
Typhoon

and Heinke scuba sets at £26 12s 6d, £40 and £42 respectively. 1958. September: Operating from Andrews & Dalton’s Hounslow address, Underwater Sports Ltd launches Mark II "Sealion Aqualung" incorporating "a yoke fitting for standard cylinders, pressure gauge take-off and peripheral holes for easier exhalation". 1959. July: Submarine Products Ltd., "makers of 'Sealion' diving equipment", which now trades from Andrews & Dalton’s Hounslow address, introduces the "Aquamobile" underwater scooter "powered by an ordinary 12-volt car battery". September: Submarine Products Ltd. represents French diving equipment manufacturer Beuchat of

Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...

as "sole agent" within Britain for Tarzan double-skinned

isoprene Isoprene, or 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene, is a common volatile organic compound with the formula CH2=C(CH3)−CH=CH2. In its pure form it is a colorless volatile liquid. It is produced by many plants and animals (including humans) and its polymers ar ...

wetsuits, which "are standard equipment with the

French Navy The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...

". November: Submarine Products Ltd. moves to Acomb House in Hexham, Northumberland.

1960s

1960. March: Submarine Products offers "a complete range of equipment for the discerning diver", namely Sealion breathing apparatus with the Mark III regulator, Tarzan suits,

fins A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foil (fluid mechanics), foils that produce lift (force), lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while travelin ...

, knives,

masks A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment, and often employed for rituals and rites. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes, ...

, spearguns and the Aquamobile, "the world’s finest water scooter". May: The company launches the Sealion Atlantic scuba set "incorporating the revolutionary Venturi action in the mouthpiece and completely eliminating the flooded hose hazard" while recommending the purchase of Tarzan Espadon (Beuchat) diving accessories “for quality and value”. November: The firm’s product range includes Espadon "Aquacetera", namely a compensator mask, a stainless-steel knife, safety-yellow full-foot fins and a flexible rubber snorkel; American Skooba-"totes" dry suits made by So-Lo Marx of Loveland, Ohio, to complement French Tarzan wetsuits made by Beuchat of Marseille; the firm’s own Atlantic regulator and Aquamobile underwater scooter "to add the thrill of speed". 1961. March: Submarine Products announces "an amazing development in weight belts", namely a diver’s weight-belt with screw-in weights and quick-release mechanism. The design is awarded French paten
FR1314235
towards the end of the following year. 1962. January: Submarine Products introduces a plunger

pressure gauge Pressure measurement is the measurement of an applied force by a fluid (liquid or gas) on a surface. Pressure is typically measured in units of force per unit of surface area. Many techniques have been developed for the measurement of press ...

. March: The firm’s first but undated 16-page catalogue highlights Atlantic and Super Sealion breathing sets and accessories; Tarzan masks, fins, snorkels, spearguns, knives and

neoprene Neoprene (also polychloroprene) is a family of synthetic rubbers that are produced by polymerization of chloroprene.Werner Obrecht, Jean-Pierre Lambert, Michael Happ, Christiane Oppenheimer-Stix, John Dunn and Ralf Krüger "Rubber, 4. Emulsion Rub ...

wetsuits; Skooba-"totes" brown and yellow gum-rubber dry suits; Cristal torches and flood lamps; Triton diving instruments; and Bauer portable compressors. May: “Green label” Atlantic twin set. July: Underwater lamp with 100-watt tungsten-iodine bulb. 1964. Submarine Products releases a second 16-page catalogue with the year of issue on the front cover. New products include: a triple cylinder set; a dial pressure gauge and a depth gauge; Jetfins and Super Tarzan lined wetsuits from France, dark-green Skooba-“totes” dry suits, the "world’s finest", from the USA; the Aquamobile submarine built for two or three divers wearing breathing apparatus and the 300-watt underwater lantern. The catalogue also announces the publication of a "complete and comprehensive guide to all aspects of skin diving". 1966. The company brings out a new undated 12-page catalogue resembling the 1964 version but dispensing with the “professional range” comprising the Aquamobile submarine, Bauer compressor and underwater lantern. 1967. Submarine Products moves into new purpose-built premises complete with test tanks and a pressure chamber at Bridge End in Hexham. Business diversifies into manufacturing moulded plastic products ranging from boat hulls to breathing equipment for divers and firefighters. The firm exports widely, supplying underwater gear to the Australian, Indian, Korean and Jordanian navies. 1969. April: Submarine Products introduces its last double-hose regulator, the "Black Prince", to create a floating scuba set with a “scientifically shaped” back harness and an aluminium compressed air cylinder. The company releases another undated 12-page catalogue with a safety buoy and a budget wetsuit as new Tarzan lines, but without the Skooba-"totes" dry suit, which is no longer made in the USA.

1970s

1972. February: Submarine Products deploys the slogan "Even the Navy put their foot in it" to boost sales of its imported Beuchat Jetfins "used extensively by the American and French navies as well as the Royal Navy". August: Submarine Products introduces its first single-hose regulator with "the new name in diving, Aquarius", which also becomes a registered trademark of the company. The Aquarius product range initially comprises the single-hose regulator and a diver’s torch. 1973. July: Submarine Products launches the Aquarius Mark II single-hose regulator with adjustable neckband, exhaust deflector and the option of lightweight steel or aluminium cylinders and a convertible backpack harness to complete the scuba set. The Aquarius range now includes a wetsuit and a petrol-driven aqua scooter for surface use. November: An underwater cine camera case joins the range. 1974. September: Aquarius 2000 demand valve "designed with safety in mind but still with superb styling. Fully downstreamed with piston first stage. This regulator also has a screw-off front for easy access and a brand new flow control knob for adjusting breathing resistance to the diver’s own requirements." 1976. November: Submarine Products introduces its "second-generation" Aquarius A.B.L.J. with a "really effective dump valve, high up to give virtually instant braking in rapid ascent."

1980s

1980. The company publishes a brochure with the mission statement “Our aim is to produce gear of a professional standard which nevertheless is neither too costly nor too complex for the sports diver to use”, adding, “We have recently re-equipped the Royal Navy and the Royal Engineers with diving apparatus. Similar diving sets can be bought in shops as far apart as the Solomon Islands and Singapore, Osaka and Geneva. Submarine Products now manufactures a wider range of underwater equipment than any other British manufacturer.” The accompanying price list comes with the then new Aquarius 3000 single-hose regulator and with the Black Prince double-hose regulator launched in 1969. The Aquarius range now includes a full-face mask, while Beuchat sub continues to supply other masks, snorkels, Jetfins and knives to complete the collection. 1982. March: New Scientist publishes an illustrated article entitled "Powerboat that gets a sinking feeling." The piece begins: "The crew of this boat seems to be taking emergency action after a nasty puncture. In fact, this fast inflatable is in the process of being converted into a submarine. Hugh Oswell of Submarine Products at Hexham, Northumbria (sic) designed the Subskimmer for commandos attacking ships or harbours from the sea". According to th
CG-45.com website
"the cost of developing this project was phenomenal, and the company grew financially. Commander Oswell was confident that these costs would be covered by a contract with the Royal Navy, but that did not happen"

provides further information about the Submarine Products military range of underwater craft and

rebreathers A rebreather is a breathing apparatus that absorbs the carbon dioxide of a user's breathing, exhaled breath to permit the rebreathing (recycling) of the substantial unused oxygen content, and unused inert content when present, of each breath. Ox ...

. Mid-1980s. Submarine Products bids to continue supplying the Royal Navy but loses the contract to rival company Sabre Air Products. 1988. In the New Year Honours List, Managing Director of Submarine Products Ltd. Hugh Henry Bayley Oswell is appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). 1989. June: Submarine Products goes into

receivership In law, receivership is a situation in which an institution or enterprise is held by a receiver – a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights" – especia ...

, ceasing to trade altogether in 1990.Submarine Double-Hose Regulators
Retrieved on 12 May 2019.

Patents

During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, several American, British, French, German and Italian patent applications were filed on behalf of Submarine Products Ltd.:
FR1314235
(published 26 November 1962): ''Ceinture de lestage pour plongeur''. The drawings accompanying this French patent show the prototype of the Submarine Products SEALION weight belt, which enables divers to adjust their buoyancy by screwing weights on or off, without removing the belt.
GB1315047
(published 26 April 1973): ''Transportation means''. This British patent protects the invention of a toy truck designed to transport a child in a sitting position along a track with a rack formation. No evidence of concept entering production stage.
GB1506865
(published 12 April 1978): ''Improvements in or relating to valve assemblies''. This British patent relates to valve assemblies particularly, but not exclusively, for use with high-pressure cylinders used in diving apparatus.
GB2015348
(filed 23 February 1979): ''Underwater breathing apparatus''. This British patent application relates to closed-circuit underwater breathing apparatus.
DE2907416
(filed 26 February 1979): ''Unterwasser-Atmungsgerät''. This German patent application relates to underwater breathing apparatus described in British patent application GB2015348.
FR2418148
(filed 27 February 1979): ''Appareil respiratoire sous-marin''. This French patent application relates to underwater breathing apparatus described in British patent application GB2015348.
IT1114975B
(filed 27 February 1979): ''Perfezionamento negli apparecchi di respirazione subacquea''. This Italian patent application relates to underwater breathing apparatus described in British patent application GB2015348.
US4273120
(filed 27 February 1979): ''Underwater breathing apparatus''. This American patent application relates to underwater breathing apparatus described in British patent application GB2015348.
GB2075848
(filed 19 May 1981): ''Demand valve''. This British patent application relates to a demand valve, or regulator, used in underwater breathing apparatus.
US4411285
(published 25 October 1983): ''Demand valve''. This American patent relates to a demand valve, or regulator, used in underwater breathing apparatus described in British patent application GB2075848.

References

External links

Double-hose regulators - Submarine

SEA LION by Submarine Products Ltd.

Hexham remembered - Submarine Products

{{Underwater diving Underwater diving equipment manufacturers Defunct manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom Companies based in Northumberland Manufacturing companies established in 1959 Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1990 1959 establishments in England 1990 disestablishments in England Defunct companies of England British companies established in 1959 Hexham British companies disestablished in 1990 Underwater diving in the United Kingdom