GB315794A - Improvements relating to gas-filled electric discharge illuminating tubes - Google Patents

Abstract

315,794. Rother, F. July 18, 1928, [Convention date]. Vacuum tubes; low-pressure metallic - vapour apparatus. - In glow-discharge lamps having electrodes symmetrically arranged, the cathode is bombarded with alpha particles from the radioactive anode. Increased gas ionization and reduced resistance in the tube is thus produced and tubes for medical radiation, advertising &c. may be operated at 220 volts. If one electrode only is of radioactive material such as thorium or uranium or their alloys, the tube rectifies. To conduct alternating current, the tube has both electrodes of such material or supplied capacitatively by external electrodes 5, Fig. 2, the internal coatings 2 being radioactive. Specification 261,003 is referred to. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 (3) (a), comprises also mercury-vapour lamps with the cathodes similarly bombarded and lamps with an auxiliary radioactive source 4, Fig. 2 (Cancelled), not connected to the circuit and bombarding the cathode 2, the anode 1 being too far from the cathode 2 for effective bombardment. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.