US2613337A

US2613337A - Means for actuating gas-discharge lamps

Info

Publication number: US2613337A
Application number: US105824A
Authority: US
Inventors: Curzon Thomas
Original assignee: CAV Ltd
Current assignee: CAV Ltd
Priority date: 1948-07-22
Filing date: 1949-07-20
Publication date: 1952-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 1969-10-07

Description

OC- 7,1952 T. cURzoN MEANS FOR ACTUATING @As-DISCHARGE LAMPS Filed July 20, 1949 T (Ia/11 Z 017./

Patented Oct. 7, `19,52.

MEANS Fon ACTUATING Gas-DISCHARGE LAMPS Thomas Curzon, London, England, assgnor to C. A. V. Limited, London, England Application July 20, 1949, Serial No. 105,824 In Great Britain July 22, 1948 rIhis invention has for its object to provide a simple means for actuating a gas-discharge lamp from a low Voltage` source of direct current such as a battery.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 are diagrams illustrating two embodiments of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention represented by Figure 1, for use in actuating a gasdischarge lamp from a 2li-volt battery, I employ an energy-storing inductance a the value of which is appropriate to the amount of energy to be discharged through the lamp, and consisting in part of a winding one end of which is adapted for connection to one terminal of the battery b, the other end being adapted for connection of one terminal of the filamentary electrode c of the lamp d. The other illamentary electrode e of the lamp has one terminal connected to the other battery terminal, so that the battery b and the inductance a are in series with the lamp electrodes c, e. To the other terminals of the electrodes c, e of the lamp is connected a condenser f. Also an electromagnetic interrupter g is connected to the ilrst mentioned terminals of the two electrodes of the lamp, so that the interrupter is in parallel with the lamp electrodes and the battery, the said inductance a serving as the electromagnet for actuating the interruptor. Any conveniently arranged switch h may be provided for controlling the connection of the system to the battery.

When in action, current, in each cycle oi' operations, iirst ows through the inductance and the normally 'closed contacts of the interrupter g thus causing energy to be stored in the inductance. Then the interrupter contacts are separated by the electromagnetic action of the inductance, causing the stored electromagnetic energy oi the system to be discharged through the lamp. With the re-closing of the interrupter contacts the cycle is repeated.

Instead of arranging the inductance and interrupter in the manner above described. their relative positions may be interchanged. But in either case, no current passes to the electrodes while the interrupter is closed.

When it is required to operate simultaneously two or more lamps connected in parallel, an arrangement as shown in Figure 2 may be used. In this example, three lamps d, d1, d2 are provided. The arrangement of parts associated with the lamp d is similar to that shown in Figure 1 excepting that the part g is a two-way interruptor adapted to control both the inductance a of lamp d and the similar inductance al of lamp d1. The interruptor contacts which control the inductance a are normally closed, and are opened by excitation of the inductance a. The separating of these contacts closes those in the circuit of the inductance a1 and the latter then causes the switch g1 to close for closing the circuit containing the inductance a2 associated with lamp d2. The one battery b or other source serves to supply energy to all the inductances. The movable contact of the switch g is vibrated under the intermittent action of the inductance a, and the actuation of the switch g is accompanied by actuation of the switch g1.

By this invention the actuation of a. gas discharge lamp, or two or more associated lamps, from a battery or other low-voltage direct current source can be effected in a very simple and satisfactory manner.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Means for. utilizing a low-voltage direct current source to operate a high-voltage tubular gas discharge lamp of the type having at each end thereof a lamentary electrode provided with a pair of terminals, comprising the combination with said lamp of a condenser electrically connected immediately to one terminal of each of the lamp electrodes, a pair of vibrator-type interrupter contacts connected immediately between the respective other terminals of the lamp electrodes, and a low-voltage source of direct current and an energy-storing inductance connected in series across said interrupter contacts, said inductance being arranged to constitute with said contacts a continually operable interrupter utilizing the magnetic eld of said inductance to open said contacts periodically to discharge energy stored in said inductance through said electrodes and said condenser.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1, including at least one additional lamp of the same type, and in which said interrupter contacts include an additional contact to provide for the opening of one set of contacts alternating with the opening of another set, a condenser REFERENCES CITED The following references are of `record in the 15 ille of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Dorgelo Dec. 21, 1937 -Babb Apr. 25, 1939 Simmon July 28, 1942 Kurz June 24, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Apr. 21, 1941 Great Britain Feb. 12, 1945