US1930089A

US1930089A - Gaseous discharge device

Info

Publication number: US1930089A
Application number: US649396A
Authority: US
Inventors: Friedrichsen Heinrich
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1932-01-05
Filing date: 1932-12-29
Publication date: 1933-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1950-10-10

Description

H FRIEDRICH- SEN GASEOUS DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed Dec. 29, 1.932

Patented Oct. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GASEOlJS DISCHARGE DEVICE Heinrich Friedrichsen,

Berlin-Treptow, Germany, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York 3 Glaims.

5 type.

Such devices are now known in the art in which by virtue of the structure and arrangement of the electrodes the luminous negative glow discharge does not completely cover the cathode but only a part thereof and said glow discharge rotates about the cathode during the operation of the device. Such a device is of great value in the advertising and signalling arts generally. In prior devices the rotating movement of the negative glow discharge about the cathode has not been positive and has been eccentric in speed. The object of the present invention is to provide such a device in which the rotating movement of the negative glow discharge about the cathode is positive and of regular speed. Still further objects and advantages attaching to the device and to its use and operation will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following particular description and from the appended claims.

The invention attains its objects by using an aluminum cathode having a coating of hydroxide on the discharge supporting surfaces thereof.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification an embodiment of the invention is shown in a side elevational view partly in section.

Referring to the drawing the new and novel gaseous electric discharge device comprises a bulb shaped glass container 1 filled with a rare gas, such as neon, or a gas mixture, or a mixture of gas and a metal vapor. Said container 1 has a stem 2 and electrode leads 4 and 5 are sealed into the pinch part 3 of said stem 2. Said lead 4 isconnected to the shell 6 of the base 6, 8 and said lead 5 is connected through resistance '7 to the contact button 8 of the base 6, 8. A glass tube 9 is fused into the pinch part 3 of the container 1 and the longitudinal axis of said tube 9 is coincident with the longitudinal axis of said container l. A mica-plate 10 rests on the top of said tube 9 and a disc 11 of electrically conducting material, such as iron or aluminum, is placed on said plate 10. Said disc 11 is connected to said lead 5 and is the anode when the electric discharge device operates on direct current. A micaplate 13 of a few millimeters thickness rests on said disc 11 and a cup shaped electrode 12 rests on said mica disc 13. The open end of said electrode 12 is closed by said disc 13. Said electrode 12 is made of aluminum and the sides of said electrode 12 are straight in cross section to form a cylinder and the top thereof is a hemisphere. The center of said disc electrode 11 lies in the longitudinal axis of said cup electrode 12 and in the preferred embodiment the diameter of said electrode 11 is greater than the largest diameter of said cathode 12 and said plate 13. The electrode 12 is connected to said lead 4 and is the cathode when the device operates on direct current. A threaded part of said lead 4 extends through the top of said cup shaped electrode 12 and nut 14 is screwed onto said threaded part. The electrodes of the device are thus rigidly supported in the container 1 and the device is of very rugged structure. A glass tube 14 insulates said electrode 11 from said lead 4.

The external wall of the aluminum, cup shaped cathode 12 has a coating of hydroxide thereon of molecular thickness. The hydroxide coating 15 applied to said cathode 12 in the following manner. The lamp device is connected to an exhaust pump and heated while being exhausted to extract the water vapor from the glass walls of the container of the device. Air saturated with water is then introduced into said container where it is allowed to remain a short time to produce an hydroxide coating on said cathode 12 and said anode 11. The moist air is then pumped out of the device and the electric discharge conducting gas, such as neon, is introduced therein after which it is sealed off.

When the negative glow electric discharge device is operated on direct current the negative glow discharge covers only part of the external wall of said cathode 12 and the negative glow rotates around said cathode 12 at a regular speed.

While I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features of the invention, it will be understood, that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its use and operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An electric discharge device comprising a container, a cathode and an anode sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, said cathode being cup shaped, said anode being a disc the center thereof being in the longitudinal axis of said cup shaped cathode, a thin plate of insulation material interposed between said anode and said cathode covering the open end of said cath- 3. An electric discharge device comprising a container, a cathode and an anode sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, said cathode being cup shaped, said anode being a disc the center thereof being in the longitudinal axis of said cup shaped cathode, the diameter of said disc anode being greater than the largest diameter of said cup cathode, a thin plate of insulation material interposed between said anode and said cathode covering the open end of said cathode, the external wall of said cathode having a thin hydroxide coating thereon.

HEINRICH FRIEDRICHSEN.