# Samuel Ruben > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Samuel_Ruben > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Samuel_Ruben.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Ruben > Source revision: 1357164181 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{About||the [Carbon-14](/source/Carbon-14) discoverer|Sam Ruben|the KTLA entertainment reporter|Sam Rubin}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Samuel Ruben | image = | caption = Samuel Newhouse | birth_date = {{birth date|1900|7|14}} | birth_place = [Harrison, New Jersey](/source/Harrison%2C_New_Jersey), U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1988|7|16|1900|7|14}} | death_place = [Milwaukie, Oregon](/source/Milwaukie%2C_Oregon), U.S. | occupation = Inventor | known_for = Contributions to [electrochemistry](/source/electrochemistry) and solid-state technology, founding of [Duracell](/source/Duracell) | spouse = | children = }} '''Samuel Ruben''' (14 July 1900 – 16 July 1988) was an American inventor who made lasting contributions to [electrochemistry](/source/electrochemistry) and solid-state technology, including the founding of [Duracell](/source/Duracell). He is listed as an inventor in over [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=samuel+ruben&FIELD1=INNM&co1=OR&TERM2=&FIELD2=&d=PALL 200 patents.] ==Early life== Born in [Harrison, New Jersey](/source/Harrison%2C_New_Jersey) to a [Jewish](/source/Jewish) family,[https://www.jta.org/1966/05/12/archive/jew-designated-as-inventor-of-the-year-by-washington-institute Jew Designated As ‘inventor of the Year’ by Washington Institute] May 12, 1966, Jewish Telegraphic Agency Samuel Ruben got his start in electronics when he became a licensed ham radio operator and built radios with spare parts. He had no college degree, withdrawing from the [Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn](/source/Polytechnic_Institute_of_Brooklyn) after a few years due to stress.{{cite book | title=The Samuel Ruben papers 1932-1984 | url =http://othmerlib.sciencehistory.org/record=b1025886~S6 | website = [Science History Institute](/source/Science_History_Institute) | access-date = 2018-03-26 }} Samuel Ruben met professor [Bergen Davis](/source/Bergen_Davis) of [Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University) who tutored him and allowed him to sit in on some Columbia classes. He later returned as a research student at the [Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn](/source/Polytechnic_Institute_of_Brooklyn).{{Cite web|url=http://engineering.nyu.edu/news/2016/04/19/patently-proud|title=Patently Proud | NYU Tandon School of Engineering|date=19 April 2016 }} Ruben received several honorary degrees. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree from his alma mater [Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn](/source/Polytechnic_Institute_of_Brooklyn), as well as from [Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University) in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Science where he served as a Senior Staff Associate, and [Butler University](/source/Butler_University). He also taught at Harvard as a lecturer in chemistry. He endowed a scholarship for Chemical Engineering at Polytechnic (1968–1972). ==Company history== Samuel Ruben established Ruben Laboratories in the early 1920s, when Bergen Davis persuaded Electrochemical's main investor Malcolm Clephane to finance a private laboratory for Ruben in lower Manhattan. Ruben moved himself and the lab to [New Rochelle, New York](/source/New_Rochelle%2C_New_York), where he would stay for the next 60 years.“The Wizard of New Rochelle,” ''Business Week'' (4 Nov. 1967), 69. Clephane would finance the project for 50% of any future royalties. Throughout his lifetime his work accumulated over 300 patents.{{cite news | first=Glenn | last=Fowler | title=Samuel Ruben, 88, an Inventor Noted for Electrochemical Work | url =https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB071FF6385D0C738EDDAE0894D0484D81 | work =The New York Times | access-date = 2007-08-20 | date=20 July 1988}} Ruben teamed with [Philip Mallory](/source/Philip_Mallory) to create what would become [Duracell](/source/Duracell) International. Ruben developed the [mercury button cell](/source/Mercury_battery) in 1942 to replace the [zinc-carbon batteries](/source/Zinc-carbon_battery) at a request from the Army Signal Corps. With over 100 inventions credited to him personally, one of the most important was the dry [electrolytic aluminium capacitor](/source/electrolytic_capacitor),US Patent Nr. 1774455, ''Electric condenser'', eingereicht 19. Oktober 1925, erteilt am 26. August 1930 the solid-state magnesium/cupric sulfide rectifier (a device that converted regular household electric current for use in radios), the vacuum tube relay, the quick heater [vacuum tube](/source/vacuum_tube), and the concept of a balanced-cell mercury battery. Ruben worked as a researcher from 1918–1921 for the Electrochemical Products Company. He was awarded the [Acheson Award](/source/Edward_Goodrich_Acheson_Award) by the [Electrochemical Society](/source/Electrochemical_Society) in 1970.{{cite web| url= http://www.electrochem.org/awards/ecs/recipients/acheson_recipients.htm|title=Edward Goodrich Acheson Award Recipients|publisher= [Electrochemical Society](/source/Electrochemical_Society)|access-date= 1 November 2015}} He died two days after his 88th birthday in [Milwaukie, Oregon](/source/Milwaukie%2C_Oregon). ==Books== Samuel Ruben published multiple books, * "Handbook of the Elements" - A unique way he chose to display the elements. * "Necessity's Children: Memoirs of an Independent Inventor" - An autobiography. * "The Founders of Electrochemistry" * "The Electronics of Materials" * "The Evolution of Electric Batteries in Response to Industrial Needs" ==Awards and honors== *[Edward Longstreth Medal](/source/Edward_Longstreth_Medal) of the [Franklin Institute](/source/Franklin_Institute) (1972){{cite web|url=http://www.fi.edu/winners/show_results.faw?gs=&ln=&fn=&keyword=&subject=&award=LONG+&sy=1971&ey=1973name=Submit |title=Franklin Laureate Database - Edward Longstreth Medal 1972 Laureates |publisher=[Franklin Institute](/source/Franklin_Institute) |access-date=November 23, 2011}} *[Columbia University Honorary Doctorate](/source/Columbia_University){{citation needed|date=June 2022}} *[Butler University Honorary Doctorate](/source/Butler_University){{citation needed|date=June 2022}} *[Polytechnic Institute Honorary Doctorate](/source/New_York_University_Tandon_School_of_Engineering)(1968){{citation needed|date=June 2022}} * Golden Plate Award of the [American Academy of Achievement](/source/Academy_of_Achievement) (1966){{cite web|title= Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |website=www.achievement.org|publisher=[American Academy of Achievement](/source/American_Academy_of_Achievement)|url=https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#science-exploration}} *[Named Inventor of the Year by George Washington University](/source/George_Washington_University)(1965){{cite web|title=Reuben Selected Inventor of the Year|date=1966-04-20|work=Nashua Telegraph|pages=17|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=16srAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RP0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6763%2C5366603}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * {{cite book | title=The Samuel Ruben papers 1932-1984 | url =http://othmerlib.sciencehistory.org/record=b1025886~S6 | website = [Science History Institute](/source/Science_History_Institute) | access-date = 2018-03-26 }} * {{cite journal|last1=Bullock|first1=Kathryn R.|title=Samuel Ruben: Inventor, Scholar, and Benefactor|journal=The Electrochemical Society Interface|date= 2006|volume=15|issue=3|pages=16–17 |doi=10.1149/2.F02063IF|url=http://www.electrochem.org/dl/interface/fal/fal06/fall06_p16-17.pdf|access-date=26 March 2018}} * {{cite news|last1=FOWLER|first1=GLENN|title=Samuel Ruben, 88, an Inventor Noted for Electrochemical Work|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/20/obituaries/samuel-ruben-88-an-inventor-noted-for-electrochemical-work.html|access-date=26 March 2018|work=The New York Times|date=1988}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060907201048/http://www.duracell.com/au/main/pages/company-information-duracell-history.asp Duracell History] * [https://archive.today/20121212040502/http://electrochem.cwru.edu/ed/encycl/art-b02-batt-nonr.htm Electrochemistry Encyclopedia, entry: nonrechargeable batteries] {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruben, Samuel}} Category:20th-century American Jews Category:1900 births Category:20th-century American chemists Category:1988 deaths Category:Jewish chemists Category:Battery inventors Category:Scientists from New Rochelle, New York Category:Polytechnic Institute of New York University alumni --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Samuel Ruben](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Ruben) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Ruben?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.