US2094647A

US2094647A - Gaseous electric discharge device

Info

Publication number: US2094647A
Application number: US82608A
Authority: US
Inventors: Freitag Willy; Reger Martin
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1935-06-06
Filing date: 1936-05-29
Publication date: 1937-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1954-10-05
Also published as: DE636027C

Description

Get. 5, 1937. f w. FREITAG ET AL 2,094,647

GASEOUS ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed uay'zs, 195e INVENTORS Wing Freog YMorcn Reer A ORNEY Patented Oct. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GASEOUS ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE New York Application May 29,

1936, Serial No. 82,608

In Germany June 5, 1935 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to gaseous electric discharge devices generally and more particularly the invention relates to such devices having an elongated tubular container with electrodes mounted in the ends thereof and a body of electrically conducting material extending along the discharge path between said electrodes to facilitate starting of the discharge between said electrodes similar to those disclosed in U. S. Patent 1,935,702, being the invention of Hans Ewest, Kurt Wiegand and Martin Reger.

In the patent referred to above the electrically conducting body, such as a wire, helically coiled, when desired, is provided with an insulating covering, such as a glass tube, or a plurality of closely interlocking short insulating tubes or rings surrounding the wire. The ends of the wire are not covered and are mounted adjacent the electrodes at opposite ends of the container. The object of the present invention is to simplify and reduce the cost of the manufacture of gaseous electric discharge devices of the above type. Another object of the invention is to simplify the mounting of the starting element in the container of the device. 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.

In accordance with these objects the starting wire is provided with an enamel coating which is so thin that the flexibility of the coated wire is substantially the same as that of an uncoated wire. The coated wire thus easily adapts itself to the shape of a container in which it is mounted. The enamel has a, softening temperature lower than that of the glass of the container and the coated wire is mounted in said container by heating said container to the softening temperature of the enamel to frit the softened enamel onto the container wall. The enamel coating is applied to the wire in the form of a paste which is then heated or baked.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification an embodiment of the invention is shown, in which ig. l is a side elevational view of a gaseous electric discharge lamp embodying the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevational, partly sectional view of one end of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing the gaseous electric discharge lamp consists of an elongated tubular container I having an electrode 4, 5 sealed into each end thereof. Said container I has a gaseous atmosphere therein consisting of a rare gas, a common gas, a metal vapor, a mixture of gases, or a mixture of gases and vapors, such as neon, or a mixture of argon and mercury vapor. The starting and operating mixtures of gases well known in the art are used, when desired. Each of said electrodes 4, 5 comprises a filament 4, such as a tungsten filament, wrapped around a curved rod 5 of material having high electron emissivity, when heated. When desired, said rod 5 consists of a compacted, sintered mixture of high melting point metal, such as tungsten, and electron emitting material, such as barium oxide and strontium oxide. Said filament 4 is attached to the

current leads

2 and 3 sealed into said container I.

A helically coiled wire 6 extends along the discharge path between said electrodes 4, 5. Said wire 6 has a thin coating l of enamel thereon which has a lower softening temperature than that of the glass of said container I. A softening temperature of about 300 C. is desirable for the enamel coating l. The enamel coating l is fritted to the inside surface of the container I by heating said container or spots thereon to the softening temperature oi the enamel coating l. The wire 6 is thus supported in said container I. The coating l is less than a millimeter thick and is preferably about 0.1 mm. in thickness so that it is flexible and easily accommodates itself to the shape of curved containers as well as the straight container illustrated in Fig. 1.

The ,ends 8 of the helically coiled wire E project beyond the coating l. When the starting potential is applied across the terminals of the lamp a glow discharge takes place between each end 8 and the electrode` 4, 5 adjacent thereto which facilitates the starting of the main discharge between said electrodes 4, 5. A condenser discharge also takes place between the helically coiled wire 6 and the electrodes 4, 5 which likewise facilitates the starting of the main discharge between said electrodes 4, 5. In certain instances the condenser discharge alone is sufficient to facilitate the starting of the main discharge and in such cases the ends 8 of the wire 6 are covered with the insulating enamel coating l, when desired.

While we have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features ofthe 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 broad spirit and scope of the invention, for

example, the wire 6 is connected to the current lead of one or both of said electrodes 4, 5 when desired, the wire 6 is mounted in other than a straight line in said container l, when desired, and other types of electrodes, such as the Hull electrode, are used, when desired.

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

1. A gaseous electric discharge device comprising a container, electrodes sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, a body of electrically conducting material extending along the discharge path between said'electrodes and a coating of enamel on said body.

2. A gaseous electric discharge device ycomprising a glass container, electrodes sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, a. body of electrically conducting material extending along the discharge path between said electrodes and a coating of enamel on said body, said enamel coating having a lower softening temperature than said glass container and being fritted thereto.

3. A gaseous electric discharge device comprising a container, electrodes sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, a body of electrically conducting material extending along the discharge path between said electrodes and a thin, flexible coating of enamel on said body.

4. A gaseous electric discharge device comprising a container, electrodes sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, a flexible body of electrically conducting material extending along the discharge path between said electrodes and a thin, flexible coating of .enamel on said body.

WILLY FREITAG. MARTIN REGER.