Got to dive a Gorski Helmet yesterday

[Akimbo]

Nose bar. The little knob that pokes out the center front, has a t bar that covers your nostrils. Its movable

Here are some images that might explain it a bit more. Kirby Morgan calls it a Nose Block -- basically a piece of brass flat stock brazed to the rod that is wrapped with glued-on rubber.

See: Face Port, Port Retainer and Nose Block

 

[txgoose]

This has turned into a very cool thread. I appreciate you commercial folks being so open to contributing. Thank you!

I dove with a harness almost exactly like the one Akimbo posted. Big rivets and all. It had an AL40, mounted upside down. Being upside down, it was incredibly easy to reach the valve in case a person needed to turn it on. This particular helmet had a simple manifold on the back, that had couplings for hoses from both the surface and from the bailout bottle.

We didn't use a line to the harness but we were just in a pool. They talked about the supply hoses being their favorite way to "find" a compromised diver. Bright colors, semi rigid hose to follow. But the harness line was their favorite method of extracting someone, for obvious neck strain issues. But they noted that the supply line was rated strong enough to be a backup tether. They had also not needed to use either method outside of their training regime. Knock on wood.

The nose block felt odd and seemed like an incomplete seal, but in use it worked well.

 

[Kayakingphotos]

Commercial diving equipment is fun to dive. I've done a number of dives using different commercial helmets and masks. My first dive in a Kirby Morgan Superlite 37 Stainless Steel helmet was exactly 9 days after I got my open water scuba certification. It was quite the experience going from not diving at all to going to a drysuit, helmet, and surface supply.

Here is the video of my first "commercial" dive.

I dive with a group that gets commercial and historic dive gear out a couple of times a year at Dutch Springs in PA. The group website is NEDEG - North East Diving Equipment Group Homepage if you would like more info.

Patrick

 

[rabe]

I have always been curious about commercial diving (and sometimes I think/dream about a career switch).
I have to ask (sorry if they sound silly questions)...
1) One hose (that's how you call it?) is for the air, what about the second one?
2) Is the tank on your back a backup tank?

 

[Kayakingphotos]

1) One hose (that's how you call it?) is for the air, what about the second one?

Generally the term umbilical is used for the connection to the surface. It is generally comprised of at least three parts at a minimum.
1 - Breathing air hose, provides air (or mixed gases) to breathe
2 - Communications cable, lets you talk to the surface and other divers
3 - Strength member, makes sure it all stays together when you pull on the umbilical
The communications and strength member can be combined into a "com rope". Looks like a normal rope, but has wires inside of it.
4 - Pneumofathometer hose, an air hose connected to a calibrated gauge so the surface can actually measure your depth
5 - Power, for lights
6 - Hot water hose, used to keep you warm using hot water
7 - Video cable, so the surface can watch what you are doing.
8 - I'm sure I forgot something that is possible....

The first three are pretty much mandatory. The rest can be optional depending on what exactly you are doing.

The tank on your back is for emergency in case you somehow severed your main breathing air hose. Not a good day if you have to use it.....

I'm not a professional commercial diver, but I've done a number of surface supplied dives. Its a different experience from scuba diving. I recommend that if you ever get a chance to try, do it.

Patrick

 

[Akimbo]

8 - I'm sure I forgot something that is possible....

Nice summary. Saturation diver's umbilicals include a gas return hose to recycle HeO2 -- basically a surface-based rebreather. Pneumofathometers probably deserve an entire thread. Bell and habitat mounted closed circuit systems were experimented with in the late 1960s and early 1970s but they are all surface-based now.

 

[211ratsbud]

Our umbilicals, are braided and void of any fiber rope. Instead the strength rating of the entire bundle is in excess of the requirements.


We have

Hot water
Air line
Pneumo
Comms
Video/light this is the most complex portion of the umbilical. Has a mini co ax cable and 5-6 other wires in it.

Here's our hw machine and one of the rigs on the boat. Water temp was 36 and the diver was plenty warm.

.

 

[rabe]

Very interesting!
Thank y'all for the answers!

 

[shoredivr]

@Akimbo

What do you do about urinating with the Viking suit? Is there a p-valve?

 

[211ratsbud]

For viking suits when we dive potable water .. no p valve