Carl GassnerBorn 17 Nov 1855; died 31 Jan 1942 at age 86.German physician and inventor who was an eyes and ears specialist, but is best known for inventing the first dry cell battery (1886). It used the same principle as the Leclanché cell. A carbon manganese rod was the anode. Instead of a liquid electrolyte, he devised a porous paste form with sal ammoniac, plaster, zinc chloride and water. All were sealed in a a zinc can that also was the cathode. Lechanché cells had been used for electric door bells, but those were vulnerable to breakage and spillage, as well as needing fresh water added periodically. To help a store-keeper, Gessner devised his dry cell as an better alternative.He obtained a German patent (8 Apr 1886), a British provisional patent (No. 18,754 on 22 Dec 1888), and a U.S. patent (No. 373,064 on 15 Nov 1887) as well as patents in Austria-Hungary, Belgium and France.« |
