US1285947A

US1285947A - Vapor electric apparatus.

Info

Publication number: US1285947A
Application number: US64993611A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank Conrad
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1911-09-18
Filing date: 1911-09-18
Publication date: 1918-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1935-11-26

Description

F. CONRAD.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. l8. I91 I- Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- F. CONRAD.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I8. 191 l.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918;

INVENTOR 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WITNESSES:

(Mvr/liww,

ATTORNEY F. CONRAD.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I8. I91 1.

1,285,947. Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 6110mm M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK CONRAD, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELEC- TRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

Application filed September 18, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK CONRAD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Swissvale, in the count of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, ave invented a new and useful Improvement in Vapor Electric Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to vapor electric apparatus, and particularly to mercury vapor rectifying devices having metallic or other conducting casings.

The object of my invention is to provide a rectifying device of the character described in which means are provided for preventing short circuits b tween the positive electrodes and also for preventing the occurrence of arcs between the positive electrodes and the casing.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side and vertical sectional view through a vapor rectifier constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a partial transverse sectional view, through the device of Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are views of parts of the shield that is interposed between the positive electrodes and the casing. Fig. 7 is a face view of one of the devices that assists in supporting the shield, and Fig. 8 is a front elevation, partly in section of the shielding members.

The device comprises a sheet iron or other suitable metallic or conducting casing or shell 1 that is preferably composed of a plurality of rolled or pressed parts joined at their meeting edges by welding, or otherwise. The casing is provided, in its bottom, with a pocket 2 that contains mercury 3 or some other suitable vaporizable material constituting the negative electrode of the rectifier. An insulating cylinder 4, of some such material, for example, as porcelain or quartz, projects into the mercury to such an extent that its lower end will always be submerged, the said cylinder being resiliently supported by means of a ring 5 of sheet metal having radial slits extending outwardly from its inner edge to provide tongues which engage the sides of the cylinder.

Suspended from the top of the casing 1, and insulated therefrom by means of bushings 13, are suitable positive electrodes 6 that are surrounded by sheet metal shields 7, the upper ends of which overlap and are centered by the insulating bushings 13, and the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

Serial No. 649,936.

lower ends of which open outwardly and away from each other, the said shields serving to prevent the formation of arcs between the positive electrodes, and also to keep the said electrodes hot, so that mercury vapor will not condense or deposit upon them. The positive electrodes and their shields are surrounded by another sheet metal shield 8 that is suitably spaced from the main or outer shell 1, is open at its top, and is so shaped at its bottom as to meet the upper end of the cylinder 1. The shield 8 com prises a plurality of sections that are each secured at their tops to a ring 9 by means of screws 10 and alternate sections of which are provided with tongues 11 which overlap and engage the edges of the adjoining sections. The sections are also held together at their bottoms by means of a rin" 1:2 (Fig. 6) that rests upon the top of the insulating cylinder 4. The shell 8 is supported at its top by means of insulators 14 that are provided with recesses for the reception of the ring 9 and are supported by brackets 15 that are secured to the sides of the casing 1.

Extending across the upper end of the shield 8 is a bar 16 that carries a cross arm 17, the said parts carrying insulators 18 that engage the sides of the positive electrode shields 7 and assist in supporting the same. Brackets 19 that are secured to the sides of the outer shield 8 also carry insulators 18 that further assist in supporting the electrode shields 7, it being understood that another of the brackets 19 is employed in the device directly opposite that shown in Fig. 2. The cross bar 16 also carries supports 16 for the starting electrode 20.

It will be seen from the drawings and from the foregoing description that the positive electrodes are not only surrounded by shields which prevent the occurrence of arcs directly between the said electrodes. but that the outer shield 8 is also interposed between the said electrodes and the casing, the lower ends of the electrode shields 7 opening within the outer shield 8. It should also be noted that both the electrode shield and the outer shield are insulated from the casing. As the outer shield 8 is extended downwardly into the mercury constituting the negative electrode, spattering of mercury cannot cause arcs to occur between the positive electrodes and the casing. With the positive electrodes thus so effectively shielded, the mercury constituting the negative electrode may be contained directly by the casing 1, thus avoiding the necessity of employing an insulating container therefor and also rendering it possible to connect one terminal of the external circuit directly to the casing itself.

The casin 1 is provided on its top with a small pro ection 22 having two tapered vertical passages 23 and 24, the former extending entirely through the projection, and the latter from its top to near its bottom. The passages 23 and 24 are connected near their lower ends by a transverse passage 25. The passage 23 contains a tapered plug 26 having a drilled passage 27 extending vertically from its bottom part way through it, and a transverse passage 28 extending inwardly from one side until it meets and communicates with the passage 27. A ground joint is provided between the plug 26 and the walls of the passage 23, and the plug is provided with a square head to which a wrench may be applied for the purpose of turning it, to cause the transverse passage 28 in it to either register with the transverse passage 26 or to be cut off from communication therewith. A removable screw plug 29 is also provided in the upper end of the passage 23 to provide an additional seal above the plug 26. Secured in the upper end of the passage 24 is a stop cock 30 like that set forth in Patent No. 1,001,455, which provides exceptionally efiective means for readily connecting the rectifier to a vacuum pump (not shown) and disconnecting it therefrom at will.

The parts above described thus constitutea double valve or' stop cock between the rectifier and pump, thereby affording greater security agalnst leakage from the rectifier. The valve, of which the plug 26 constitutes a part, may be used alone for sealing the rectifier. when the rectifier is to be mechanically disconnected from the pump, and the stop cock 30 may be removed, or both valves may be used, in which case the stop %ock 30 will be left connected to the recti- During treating and testing it is necessary that the rectifier be cut oif from the pump for days at a time and yet the vacuum should be held high. For this'purpose the Sakai valve shown at 30 with its mercury seals is well adapted. When, however, the rectifier is ready for shipment, this large, expensive and easily broken device is removed after closing valve 26. As soon thereafter as possible this latter valve is sealed by filling spaces 23. 24 and 25 with mercury or other suitable liquid retained in position by cap 29 and a cap in the top of opening 24.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vapor electric device. the combination with an evacuated container composed of conducting material, of a plurality of essee-r anodes and a vaporizable reconstructing cathode therein and a shield of conducting material insulated from said electrodes and from said container and arranged to prevent short circuits between said anodes via. the container wall.

2. A vapor electric device comprising a conductmg casing, a vaporizable negative electrode within the casing, positive elecn trodes also within the casing, an insulating shell extending into the vaporizable electrode, and a conducting shield interposed between the positive electrodes and the casing and meeting the said insulating shell.

3. A vapor electric device comprising a conducting casing, a vaporizable negative electrode within the same, positive electrodes also within the casing, and a conducting shield surrounding the positive electrodes and extending into the vaporizable electrode.

4. A vapor electric device comprising a conducting casing, a vaporizable negative electrode within the same, positive electrodes also within the casing, and a conducting shield surrounding the positive electrodes and extending into the vaporizable electrode, but insulated therefrom.

5. A vapor electric device comprising a conducting casing, electrodes within the casing. shields therefor opening outwardly away from each other and toward the casing, and another shield interposed between the open ends of the aforesaid shields and the casing.

6. A vapor electric device comprising a conducting casing, electrodes within the casing. shields therefor opening outwardly away from each other and toward the casing, and another shield interposed between the open ends of the aforesaid shields and the casing. the said shields being insulated from the casing.

, 7. A vapor electric device comprising a conducting casing, a vaporizable negative electrode therein, positive electrodes also within the casing, shields surrounding the positive electrodes and opening outwardly away from each other toward the casing,and

another shield interposed between the open ends of the aforesaid shields and the casing, and extending into the vaporizable electrode.

8. A vapor electric device comprising a conducting casing having a pocket. a vaporizable electrode contained within the pocket, positive electrodes within the casing. an insulating shell projecting into the pocket and vaporizable electrode, and a shield interposed between the positive electrodes and the casing and meeting the said insulating shell.

9. A vapor electric device comprising a casing. a vaporizable electrode therein. an-

other electrode in the casing, a shield surrounding the same and opening toward the casing, and another shield interposed between the casing and the open end of the aforesaid shield.

10. -A vapor electric device comprising a conducting casing, a vaporizable electrode therein, another electrode in the casing, a shield surrounding the same and opening toward the casing, and another shield interposed between the casing and the open end of the aforesaid shield.

11. A vapor electric device comprising a conducting casing, a vaporizable negative electrode therein, positive electrodes also within the casing, shields surrounding the positive electrodes and opening outwardly away from each other toward the casing,

and another shield interposed between the open ends of the aforesaid shields and the casing, and extending into the vaporizable electrode.

12. In vapor electric apparatus, the combination with an evacuated container formed of conducting material, of a cathode and a plurality of anodes therein, and a c'ond ing shield insulated from all of said electrodes and from said container and surrounding the arc spaces between each of said anodes and said cathode.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of September, 1911.

FRANK CONRAD. Witnesses:

WILLIAM BRADSHAW, B. B. HINES.

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