Abstract: A device for generating oxygen by the thermal decomposition of a chemical contained in a cartridge housing, whose reaction takes place, beginning from an activation point, along a reaction front propagating in the interior of the cartridge housing in the direction of an unspent chemical, with a feed line with a restrictor, which feed line originates from the cartridge housing from the area of the unspent chemical in front of the reaction front, for drawing off the oxygen generated, shall be improved in terms of a more uniform release of the oxygen generated. To accomplish this task, a compensating line, which opens into the interior of the cartridge housing in the area of the spent chemical behind the reaction front, is connected to the cartridge housing.

Abstract: The prior-art CO.sub.2 adsorbent masses used in oxygen-supplying respirators have the disadvantage that they can be granulated only very poorly. The granules have low strength and a tendency to dusting. The goal of the present invention is to produce harder granules which do not give rise to dusting any longer. This is achieved according to the present invention by adding an alkali salt of an oxo acid, preferably sodium hexametaphosphate, to the calcium hydroxide paste prior to the granulation. The present invention is not limited to this salt, but it is also possible to use alkali salts or other oxo acids, such as orthophosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, hypermanganic acid, chromic acid, and vanadic acid. This leads to a substantial increase in the strength to the calcium hydroxide granules without any reduction of their CO.sub.2 binding capacity.