vˈɛɹiəs ˌætməsfˈɛɹɪk sˈuːts hɐdbɪn dɪvˈɛləpt dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə vɪktˈoːɹiən ˈiəɹə, bˌʌt nˈoʊbɑːdi hæd jˈɛt mˈænɪdʒd tʊ ˌoʊvɚkˈʌm ðə bˈeɪsɪk dɪzˈaɪn pɹˈɑːbləm ʌv kənstɹˈʌktɪŋ ɐ dʒˈɔɪnt wˌɪtʃ wʊd ɹᵻmˈeɪn bˈoʊθ flˈɛksɪbəl ænd wˈɔːɾɚtˌaɪt æt dˈɛpθ wɪðˌaʊt sˈiːzɪŋ ˌʌp ˌʌndɚ pɹˈɛʃɚ.
Various atmospheric suits had been developed during the Victorian era, but nobody had yet managed to overcome the basic design problem of constructing a joint which would remain both flexible and watertight at depth without seizing up under pressure.