Gassner’s claim to have patented the first dry cell battery deserves its place in history. However his was not the only inquisitive mind, and others were exploring the same concept elsewhere. In fact, we can’t say for sure who first imagined the first dry cell battery. But is does seem likely Frederik Louis Wilhelm Hellesen was a front runner.
Did Hellesen Invent the First Dry Cell Battery?
Frederik Hellesen’s life story begins in 1836 in Kalundborg Denmark, 68 miles west of Copenhagen. Guideservice Danmark recalls how he was a sickly child with pulmonary tuberculosis, who spent his youth in European health spas. So we can assume he had loving parents with disposable income to fund this.
This isolation deprived him of a formal education of course, although he clearly had a brilliant mind. And so his father secured him a role as butter merchant where he gained knowledge of that particular technology. However, Hellesen’s imagination was broader than that.
We can’t say for sure when Helleson first began exploring the fascinating world of batteries. Although he was probably unaware of Gassner’s work in Germany. Whatever the case, he spent all his spare time exploring energy storage. There came a time when he realized Leclanche’s wet cell was impractical, because it leaked, was heavy and contaminated easily.
Frederik Hellesen’s Flash of Genius
Hellesen decided the solution lay in mixing the electrolyte liquid inside the battery, with a very light material that easily allowed ‘signals’ to pass. Although we don’t know how many trials he attempted, he was successful with wheat flour. And this discovery made the battery easier to transport, opening up the possibility of commercial use.
Soon Hellesen had a factory up and running. His invention was a commercial success, with exports to over 50 countries from additional factories in London, Berlin and Vienna. The company continued to grow under his wife’s guidance after he died in 1892. The first car batteries were Hellesons. Although the brand faded from the world stage, after Duracell purchased the company in 1986.
More Information
Gassner’s Battery Fit for a Door Bell
Leclanche Cell Points To Battery Future
Preview Image: Frederik Hellesen and His Wife
