US1660803A - Wireless receiving apparatus - Google Patents

Description

' Feb. 28, 1928.

A. MAVROGENIS WIRELESS RECEIVING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 1926 2 ShQtS-Shfl 1 0 04/. I J/a/m 617/3" Feb. 2s, 1.928.

1,660,803 A. MAVROGENIS WIRELESS RECEIVING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2. 19.26 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lmmmd Mwg I ceiving apparatus.

Patented F b. 2c, 1923.

UNITED STATES msrora mvnoemsorirrnwaum, wrsconsm.

WIRELESS nncnr'vrne APPABAWS.

Application ma January 2, 192a. Serial at; 78.877.

This invention relates to a wireless 1'e'- In wireless receiving systems two main schemes have been used .for operating the vacuum'tubes. Either a set of atteries for the filament and for the plate have been used or else B-battery eliminators have been substituted for the plate battery. In the first case there is a decided variation in the action of the battery from day to day, and consequently adjustments have been made to eliminate these variations. The batteries have to be recharged or removed at frequent intervals. In the second place, the eliminators are expensive apparatus and require bulky choke coils and condensers and, even under the best conditions, do not entirely eliminate the-hum of the alternating current. This invention is designed to overcome the defects noted above, and objects of such invention are to provide a wireless receivin apparatus all parts of which are energlz from commercial alternating current mains,

- and in which no objectionable hum occurs.

In general this invention is an improvement over that described in my Patent Number 1,570,444, of January 19, 1926,. for wireless apparatus and also it is to'be noted that the tubes employed in the system disclosed in this application are the subject matter of my Patent Number 1,638,499, of August 9, 1927, for electron discharge devices.

Further objects are to provide a stem in which a unitary electron dischar e evice is used in the circuits in which the ter con denser, leak resistance, otentiometers, choke coils and similar devices are dispensed with,. for the unitary device itself replaces all ofthe'se parts.

Further objects are to provide an apparatus for wireless reception in which, although the parts are energized from commercial alternating current mains, fluctuations of voltage or current are wholly avoided,- and .a smooth and dependable operation is assured.

Further objects are to provide a novel form of wireless'receiving apparatus which may be employed in a small space in which the parts used are ,of light weight, and which may be'relatively cheaply produced in comparison. to the expensive systems heretofore known.

Further objects areto provide a wireless receiving apparatus in which thevacuum Reissue tubes or unitary electron dischargedevices tector or as an amplifier r radio ener whether of audioor radio frequency, and iiii provide a system in which the plate voltage may be regulated.

Further objects are to provide a wireless receiving apparatus in which the device may be kept 1n a regulated condition for an indefinite period, and may be relied upon to operate identically under the same condit1ons from day to day, and in which there is no falhng ofi of voltage due to continued or prolonged use.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which':-

' Flgure 1 shows one form of the invention employing a 4-prong vacuum tube.

' Figure 2 1s a corresponding view showing a modlfied form of apparatus, using a stepup transtormer and a 5-prong vacuum tube. Figure 3 1s a view of a further form of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that each of the unitary electron discharge devices lndlcated by the reference characters A, B and C, are of the same construction and consequently a description of one will suffice.

Consider for instance one of the devices. It Wlll be seen that such device includes a lnghly evacuated vessel within which an audion apparatus, indicated generally by the" reference character 2, a rectifier apparatus indicatedat 3, and a current limiting apparatus, mdlcated generally at 4, are employed.

The audion apparatus comprises a plate or anode 5,-a grid 6 and an equipotential cathode 7 This cathode is heated by means ofa filament 8. a i A The rectifier comprises an anode 9and a cathode 10, such cathode being heated by a filament 1 Y are interchangeable and mag be used as a de- The current limiting device comprises'an I cathode being indicated by the conductors 15 and 16.

It is to be noted that a resistance 17 is connected between the cathode 13 of the current limiting device and the outgoing lead 15. Also a condenser 18 is connected be- Y the conductor 23 which in turn is connected identical in constructiombut their leads are indicated,respectively,at 16,19;20 and 21-22," as they are connected to d fferent portions of the system as will hereinafter appear.

In the form of the invention shown In Figure 1, the conductor 15 is connected to through an adjustable resistance 24' to one of the power mains, as indicated at 25. The lead 16 is connected to the conductor 26 and from thence to the other power main 27-. Thus, by adjusting the value of the resistance 24, the heating of the filaments 8, 14

and-11 may be simultaneously controlled.

It is to be noted also that the anode 9 of therectifier is connected to the-lead 16 and that the cathode 10 of such rectifier is connected to the anode 12 of the current limiting device and also to one side of the condenser 18. 4

The cathode 13 .of the current limiting device is connected to the plate or anode 5 of the audion and also to one side of theresistance 17.

The operation of the rectifier andburrent limiting device is detailed in my Patent Number 1,570,444,noted above. However, it may be stated that the cathode 10 is heated by the filament 11 and consequently unidirectional current flows between the anode 9 and the cathode of the rectifier 3. This unidirectional current is pulsating but the pulsations are, somewhat smoothed out by the condenser 18.. This current passes to'the current limiting device 4. In this device,

:current limiting device is of constant value and passes through the'resistance 17 back to the lead 15 and from thence back to the condenser 18. In addition to this, the current also passesto the plate 5 of the audion 2.. Obviously, since the resistance 17 is of 'fixed' value and the current limiting device worked above saturation point, the audion is supplied with a potential of consistent value.

Upon reference to Figure 1, it will be seen that th'e'first unitary device Ahas its grid connected by, means of the conductor 28 with one end of the secondary 29 of the in ductively' coupled coils at the left hand side of Figure 1. The lower end of the coil 29 is connected through a ground condenser and resistance to the bus bar'or sub-main 23.

The antenna 30 "is connected through the primary 33 being connected to the'conduc-,

tor 23.

The secondary 34 of the radio frequency transformer has one 'endconnected to the bus bar or conductor 35 and its other end connected through a grid condenser and leak resistance to a grid 6 of the'second unitary device, or second vacuum tube indicatedby the reference character B.

It is to be noted that a variable. condenser 36 is connected across the terminals of the secondary 34 and similarly a variable condenser 37 is connected between the terminals ofthe secondary 29. This system, therefore,

shows a tuned radio frequency system in which one stage of tuned radio frequency am lification is employed, although, obvious y, any number of stages may be similarly employed. e

The vacuum tube B is similar in all respects to the vacuum tube A and, therefore, a detaile'ddescription is not necessary. The cathode 7 of such vacuum tube B is connected through the primary 38 of an audio frequency transformer to the bus bar 35. If desired, a resistance 39 may be employed. The resistance 39 is ut in the detector circuit to reduce the v0 tage impressed on this circuit. his use of the resistance permits the using of'identical tubes throughout the entire apparatus, and does not require, therefore, a specially formed detector. Further, the usual by-pass condenser 40 is bridged across the terminals of this primary.

The secondary 41 of the audio frequency transformer has one end connected to the bus bar 35 and its other end connected to the grid 6 of the vacuum tube C. The cathode 7 of such vacuum tube is connected by means of the conductor 42 with any translating device 43 such as the telephone receiver being bridged by means of the by-pass condenser 44 in the usual manner.

It is to be notedthat the leads 20 and 22 from the filaments of the vacuum tubes B and C are connected to thebus bar 26 While the leads 19 and 21 of such'filaments are connected to the bus bar 35. This bus bar 35 is joined to the main 25 by means of a variable resistance 45.

In operating the device, it is clear that the exact adjustmentdesired for the filaments may be attained by adjusting the variable resistance 24 and 45. The adjustment of the '45. controls the plate volgge ofv the tubes B and C and also the current flowing through their filaments.

It will be seen from referenceto Figure 1 that the conductors leading out of the vacuum tubes may be formed as prongs and consequently only four prongs are necessary for this type of apparatus.

The exact details of the vacuum tubes are illustrated and claimed in my Patent Number 1,638,499, noted above.

Further, from reference to Figure 1, it is apparent that an extremely simple wiring scheme may be followed with this system as the devices A, B and C are self-contained and unitary and do away with batteries or battery elimirgtors and also with choke coils, potentiome ers and other apparatus of this type. Consequently, the minimumof wlring is required in a set or system of this yp Further, it is apparent that the apparatus will give identically the same result under the same conditions of adjustment and that no falling 0a in voltage and no hum from the alternating current supply mains will be produced.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, a somewhat similar scheme has been shown with the exception that 5- pronged vacuum tubes are employed. Three of these tubes are illustrated, as indicated at 46, 47 and 48. These tubes are identical with those previously described except for the fact that the anode 49 of the rectifier is provided with a separate prong or conductor 50 which extends through the walls of the vessel. These conductors 5O 'join the bus bar 51 which in turn is, connected to one end of the secondary 52 of the step-up transformer. The other end of this secondary is connected to one end of the primary 53 of the transformer and through a conductor 54 is .connected to one of the mains 55. The other end of the primary 53 of the step-up transformer is connected to the other main- 56. However, it will be noted that the variable resistance 45 is still interposed in the circuit supplying the anodes 49 of the rectifiers as well as the filaments for 'the tubes 47 and 48 and the voltage impressed upon the anode 49 of these equipotential cathode 60 of the device, instead'of the connection illustrated in Figure 1..

It is to be understood that the invention may be applied to other systems than the one shown and also may be modified as to the number of the unitary electron discharge 'tions occurring in such mains from effecting any portion of the apparatus.

It is to be noted also that the tubes are interchangeable in the system] and consequently a single type of tube is needed for such system.

Attention is directed to either of Figures 1 or 2. Consider, for example, Figure 1. Current flows from the cathode of any one of the devices through the output or intervalve coupling device to the busbar 35. There is a drop in voltage'through this output instrumentality. Further, the grid is connected through its input coil to the busbar 35. Consequently, the grid is maintained at a negative potential with reference to the cathode of the audion.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting as theinvention may bevm'iously embodied and as the scope of such invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a radio receiving apparatus, the combination ofa source of radio signal energy,

a plurality of unitary discharge devices each including an audion having an equipotential cathode, an anode, a grid, arectifier including a cathode and an anode, a thermionic current limiting device connected between said rectifier and audion and having a cathode and an anode, a filament for heating each of said cathodes; a reproducing device; input and output circuits connecting said devices with said source of signal energy and wlth said reproducing device; a source of low frequency alternating current, circuits connecting said filaments, the anodes of said rectifiers, and the cathodes of said audions with said alternating current source, and.

means for simultaneously increasing ordecreasing both the temperature of said filaments and the total voltage supplied the output'circuits of said audions.

2. In a radio'receiving apparatus, the combination of a source of radio signal energy, a plurality of unitary electron discharge devices each including an .audion having an equipotential cathode, an anode, a grid, a.

rectifier including a cathode and an anode, a thermionic current limiting device connected between said rectifier and audion and having a cathode and an anode, a filament for heating each of said cathodes; a reproducing device; input and output circuits connecting said'devices with said source of slgnal energy and with said reproducing device, said circuits including a connection directly from the equipotential cathode of the audion of one device through the output circuit of such device to the input circuit of a succeeding device; a source of low'frequency alternating current, circuits connecting said filaments, the anodes of said rectifiers, and the cathodes of said audions with said alternating current source; and means for simultaneor decreasing both the temously increasin filaments and the total voltperature of said age supplied the output circuits of said andlons.

3. Ina wireless receiving a paratus, the

combination. of a source of ra io signal energy, a reproducing device, a plura1ity of unitary electron discharge devices; each of said unitary 'devices including a rectifier having an anode, a cathode, an audion having an anode, an equipotential cathode, an interposed grid and a heater for the oathode, andmeans for smoothing out the current supplied by said rectifiers, a source of low frequency alternating current for energizing said unitary devices, input and out-v put circuits ,jor supplying signal energy from one device to a succeeding device, means for simultaneously lncreasing or decreasing both the temperature of the heaters and the total voltage supplied the output cir cuits of a grou o saidaudions, said means including an adjustable resistance.

4. In a wireless receiving apparatus, the combination of a source of radio signal energy, a reproducing device,- a plurality of unitary electron discharge devices; each of said unitary devices including a rectifier having an anode, and a cathode, an audion having an anode',-an equipotential cathode, an interposed grid, and a heater for said equipotential' cathode, and means for smoothing out the current supplied by said rectifiers, low frequency alternating current supply mains, and inter-valve couplings for supplying signal energy from one device to asucceeding device, the input circuit, the output circuit and one terminal of the audion heater of each of a group of unitary devices being connected directly to a common terminal and to one of said mains,'the other of said mains being connected to the other terminal of said heaters and to said rectifiers.

5. In a wireless receiving apparatus, the

combination of a source of radio signal energy, a reproducing device, a plurality ofing an anode, anda cathode, an audion having an anode, an equipotential cathode, a n interposed grid, and a heater for said equipotential cathode, and means for smoothing vice, the input circuit, the output circuit and one terminal of the audion heater of a group of unitary devices being connected directly to a common terminal, and a transformer having a primary energized from said source of alternating current and having a secondary, one end of which is connected to said common terminal and the other end of which is connected to the rectifiers of the said group of unitary devices.

6. In a radio receiving apparatus, the.

combination of a source of radio signal energy, a group of unitary electron discharge devices, each including an audion having an equipotential cathode, an anode, a grid, and a rectifier including a cathode and an anode for supplying current to said audion, smoothing means connected with said rectifiers for smoothing the current supplied to said audions, filaments for heating the oathodes of said audions, a reproducing device, input and output circuits connecting said devices with said source of signal energy and with said reproducing device, a source of low frequency alternating current, and circuits connecting said filaments, the anodes of said rectifiers and the cathodes of said audions with said alternating current source, means for simultaneously increasing or decreasing both the filament temperature and the total voltage supplied the output circuit of at least one of said audions, said means comprising an adjust-able resistance common to said last mentioned circuits. I

7. In a wireless receiving apparatus, the

combination of a source of radio signal energy, a reproducing device, a plurality of unitary electron discharge devices each including an audion having a cathode provided with a heating circuit, an anode, a grid, a rectifier having an anode and a cathode for supplying current to said audion anode, smoothing means connected with said rectifiers for smoothing the current supplied by said rectifiers, inter-valve coupling means for supplying signal energy from one device to a succeeding device, a single source of low frequency alternating current for supplying the heating circuits of a group of such au dions, and means including the inter-valve coupling means for maintaining aconstant negative potential on the grid of at least one of said unitary devices. a

8. In a Wireless receiving'apparatus, the combination of a source of radio-signal energy, a reproducing device", a group of unitary electron discharge devices each includa rectifier having ananode and a cathode ing an audion havinga cathode provided with a heating circuit, a grid and an anode,

for supplying current to said audion anode, smoothing means connected to said rectifiers for smoothing the current supplied to said audion anodes, inter-valve coupling meansfor supplying signal energy from one device to a succeeding device, a source of 9. In a wireless'receivingapparatus, thecombination of'a source of radio signal energy, a reproducing device,'agroup of unitary electron discharge devices, each including an audion havinga heated cathode provided with a heating circuit, an anode and a grid, and a current limiting device having an anode and a cathode for cotrolling the energy supplied the audion anode, a source of low frequency alternating current, rectifying means connected with said source of alternating current for supplying said audions through said current limiting devices, all of the heating circuits of said audions being directly electrically connected together and supplied from said source of alternating current, inputand output circuits connecting said devices and the reproducing device, said current limiting devices being connected in series with the output circuits of said audions, and the input circuits of said audions being connected to a common terminal.

10. In a wireless receiving apparatus, the combination of a source of radio signal .energy, a reproducing device, a group of unitary electron discharge devices each including an audion having a cathode provided with a heating circuit, a grid and an anode,

a rectifier having an anode and a cathode for supplying current to said audion anode, I

smoothing means connected to said rectifiers for smoothing the current supplied to said audion anodes, inter-valve coupling means for supplying s gnal energy from one device to a succeeding device, a source of low frequency alternating current for supplying said devices, said smoothing means and rectifiers being connected to said alternating current source, the cathode of at least one of the audions being connected through the corresponding output circuit to the smoothing means, whereby current flows from said cathode of the last mentioned audion through the output circuit to the smoothing means.

. In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee. in the county of -Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

ARISTOTE MAVROGENIS.

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