The movie Jaws premiered forty-nine years ago today. U.S. Patent No. 4602384, which issued July 29, 1986, on an Aquatic Attack Protection Suit and Material Therefor may have been inspired by the 1975 movie:

A few years earlier in 1982 Jeremiah Sullivan received U.S. Patent No. 4356569 on an Armored Skin Diving Suit:

Is it really skin diving if you are wearing armor? Inventors Nelson and Rosetta Fox took the concept further in their 1989 U.S. Patent No. 4833729 on a Shark Protector Suit:

However, shark protection technology predates Jaws. In 1966 Donal Prasser received U.S. Patent No. 3284806 on a Protective Garment that essentially employed chainmail to ward off sharks and other predators:

The publicity for Jaws warned “You’ll Never Go In The Water Again.” But once again, inventors have our backs. They have protected us from sharks (but what’s going to protect us from shark suits?