US1984468A - Gaseous electric discharge device - Google Patents

Description

1934- E. G. DORGELQ 1,934,468

GASEOUS ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed April 18, 1934 INVENTOR AT ORNEY Patented nee. 1e, rose.

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restate essnons accurate are tion oi New York Application April 318, 1934, Se No. 321,122 in the Netherlands April 24, R933 (ill.

I The present invention relates to gaseous electric discharge devices generally and more particularly the invention relates to such devices useful as light sources.

A gaseous electric discharge device having two thermionic electrodes of the indirectly heated type the heating elements of which are connected in series to each other and in parallel to the gaseous electric discharge between said electrodes ofiers many advantages among which is that it is necessary to seal only two current leads through the wall of the container of the device. This type of device, in common with other types of discharge devices. requires a series connected impedance for the successful operation thereof. A certain quantity of energy is consumed in the series impedance which lowers the luminous efllciency of the device. This is true also for a device having out one indirectly heated thermionic electrode the heating element of which is connected in parallel to the discharge path to said electrode.

The object of the present invention is to improvethe luminous efiiciency oi gaseous electric discharge lamps of the above type. Another ohject of the invention is to provide an efficient gaseous electric discharge lamp device. 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.

The objects of the invention are attained by connecting a part of the heater element of an indirectly heated thermionic electrode in parallel with the discharge path and connecting another part of said heater element in series with the dis charge path to serve as a series resistance. A separate series resistance is thm eliminated and the energy formerly wasted in the series resistance is now utilized in heating the electrode to its electron emitting temperature during the operation of the device. The device is an emcient iamp unit of simple structure.

in the drawing accompanying and forming part or this specification two embodiments oi the invention are shown, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevational, schematic view of one embodiment of the invention showing the electrodes of the device partly in section, and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of another embodiment of the fnvention.

Like numbers denote parts in both. the

-flgures.

The embodiment of the new and novel gaseous electric discharge lamp device illustrates:v in Fig. 1 of the drawing comprises a. container 1 having a stem 2 and two indirectly heated electrodes mounted on current leads sealed into the press of said stem 2. Each 0! the electrodes consist of a metal cylinder 3, or nickel, for example, the

(till. lift-d2?) external surface oi which is coated with a material having high electron emitting characteristics, such as barium oxide. A heater element i, such as a tungsten flint, is mounted inside said cylinder 3 and is electrically insulated therefrom by a body oi insulating material, such as alnum oxide, not shown for purposes of simplicity. The heating elements 4 are connected in series by lead 5 and to the current leads 8 and 7. Said cylinder 3 is connected to the mid-point 8 of the heating element i. The part of each of the heating elements 4 between the point 8 and the current leads 6 and i is connected in series with the discharge between the cylinders 3 of said electrodes and serves as the series resistance for said discharge. The other part of said heating elements is connected in parallel withthe said discharge.

Said container 1 has a gaseous atmosphere therein comprising a rare gas, such as noon, at a pressure oi a few millimeters and a metal vapor, such as mercury vapor.

The embodiment of theinvention illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing is the same as that illustrated in Fig. 1 except that in this embodiment but one indirectly heated, thermionic electrode which acts as the cathode is sealed in said container 1 and an anode 9 is mounted in said container 1. The heating element 4 01' the cathode is connected in series with the anode 9. The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. i of the drawing is particularly suitable for operation on alternating current and the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2 of the draw ing is particulariy suitable for operation on direct current.

While I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claim certain novel features oft-the invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changer: in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its use and operation may be made by those sealed therein, one of said electrodes comprising a heater element and being electron emitting when heated, part of said heating element being connectedin parallel with the discharge to said electrode, anotherpart of said heating element being connected in series with said discharge to act as a series resistance for said discharge.

EDUARD G. DORGELO.

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