US2678979A - Glow switch and method of manufacture thereof - Google Patents

Glow switch and method of manufacture thereof Download PDF

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Publication number
US2678979A
US2678979A US281513A US28151352A US2678979A US 2678979 A US2678979 A US 2678979A US 281513 A US281513 A US 281513A US 28151352 A US28151352 A US 28151352A US 2678979 A US2678979 A US 2678979A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
switch
glow
envelope
manufacture
hydrogen
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US281513A
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English (en)
Inventor
Norman C Beese
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
CBS Corp
Original Assignee
Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Westinghouse Electric Corp filed Critical Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority to US281513A priority Critical patent/US2678979A/en
Priority to ES0208469A priority patent/ES208469A1/es
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2678979A publication Critical patent/US2678979A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B41/00—Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps
    • H05B41/02—Details
    • H05B41/04—Starting switches
    • H05B41/06—Starting switches thermal only
    • H05B41/08—Starting switches thermal only heated by glow discharge
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00—Metal working
    • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
    • Y10T29/49002—Electrical device making
    • Y10T29/49105—Switch making

Definitions

  • My invention relates to glow switches 'for use with fluorescent lamps and, more particularly,
  • a further'object of my invention is to provide an economical method of manufacturing uniform glow switches.
  • an economical uniform glow switch may be produced if the switch contains a gas comprised of argon with approximately 0.4% to 5% hydrogen.
  • the preferred portion of hydrogen 1.5% by volume.
  • the argon which is used may be tank argon having approximately 0.15% of nitrogen therein.
  • the above percentages refer to the gas within the glow switch after the manufacturing steps are completed and after the switch has been seasoned. Seasoning may be accomplished by operating the switch for a short period of time.
  • the glow switch is comprised of an envelope I 2 having sealed into one end thereof a mount I4.
  • the mount It is closed by a press I6 at the interior end thereof.
  • Supported by the press l6 and passing therethrough is a lead-in conductor and contact electrode l8 and a lead-in conductor and support 9 for a bimetallic electrode 26.
  • the bimetallic electrode 25 is mounted on the leadin conductor 19 close to the contact electrode 18.
  • the lead-in conductor and contact electrode 18 and the lead-in conductor l9 extend exteriorly of the lamp to provide leectric terminals 22 to make electrical connection to the glow switch.
  • the envelope is filled at a pressure between approximately 25 and 35 mm. of mercury with an inductive ballast.
  • glow switches are used to start fluorescent lamps.
  • the glow switch is connected in series with the filamentary electrodes of a fluorescent lamp and When voltage is applied to the circuit, a glow discharge is established between the contact electrode !8 and the bimetallic electrode 20.
  • the bimetallic electrode 20 is heated sufficiently by the glow discharge to engage the contact electrode 18 the glow dis charge is short-circuited and a larger current flows through the series circuit heating thefilamentary electrodes connected in series with the glow switch.
  • the bimetallic electrode 29 begins to cool once the glow discharge is short-circuited. When the bimetallic electrode it cools and pulls away from the contact electrode [8, the circuit is broken and a high voltage surge occurs across the lamp electrodes due to the large inductance of the ballast.
  • the glow switch contains a gas which consists of argon with approximately 0.4% to 5% of hydrogen by volume of the total mixture, the arc, which occurs on the disengagement of the contact electrode and the bimetallic electrode 20, will be quenched very rapidly and a high voltage surge will result. Rapid quenching reduces the power loss in the switch itself and permits a greater portion of the energy stored in the inductive ballast to be applied to the starting of the lamp. This produces higher eiiective starting voltage extending over longer time intervals. If more than 5% hydrogen is present the switch will not function properly in starting the lamp.
  • the mount including the stem and the two electrodes is first sealed into the envelope I2.
  • the switch may be exhausted while hot immediately fter sealing the mount therein and then filled with the gas of my invention.
  • the exhausting and filling connection is then tipped oii as is well known in the art.
  • Switches made according to my invention will give a life of approximately 60 hours on a continual switching test.
  • the switches of the prior art have been considered good switches if they last 2o hours on the continual switching test which comprises applying line voltage to the switches connected in series with a fluorescent lamp inductive ballast and allowing them to go through their heating and cooling cycle continuously for a period of hours.
  • the switches with the argon-hydrogen mixture have a life up to three times that of the switches of the prior art. Also the shrinkage during manufacture is considerably reduced by the method of manufacture as outlined above.
  • switches made with the fill gas of my invention are uni form, have a long life, and are economical to manufacture.
  • a glow switch for the star ing of fluorescent lamps comprising an enclosing envelope having an ionizable medium therein. at a pressure between about mm. and mm., and a pair of electrodes disposed in said envelope beglow discharge, said medium being comprised of about 0.4 to 5 per cent hydrogen by volume and the balance substantially of argon.
  • a glow switch for the starting of fluorescent lamps comprising an enclosing envelope having an ionizable medium therein at a pressure between about 25 mm. and 35 mm., and a pair of electrodes disposed in said envelope between which a glow discharge occurs during operation of said glow switch, one of said electrodes being a bimetallic element heated by the glow discharge and deflectable into engagement with the other of said electrodes to extinguish the glow discharge, said medium being comprised of about 1.5 per cent hydrogen by volume and the balance substantially of argon.
  • the method of manufacturing a glow switch for use with a fluorescent lamp comprising, seal.- ing the mount of said switch into one end of the switch envelope, exhausting the envelope of the switch while it is still warm from sealing, and filling said envelope with a fill gas having about 1.5 to 6 per cent hydrogen by volume and the balance consisting substantially of argon to a pressure between. about 25 mm. and 35 mm.

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  • Discharge Lamp (AREA)
US281513A 1952-04-10 1952-04-10 Glow switch and method of manufacture thereof Expired - Lifetime US2678979A (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US281513A US2678979A (en) 1952-04-10 1952-04-10 Glow switch and method of manufacture thereof
ES0208469A ES208469A1 (es) 1952-04-10 1953-03-24 Mejoras introducidas en los interruptores de efluvios para el encebado de lamparas fluorescentes

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US281513A US2678979A (en) 1952-04-10 1952-04-10 Glow switch and method of manufacture thereof

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2678979A true US2678979A (en) 1954-05-18

Family

ID=23077616

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US281513A Expired - Lifetime US2678979A (en) 1952-04-10 1952-04-10 Glow switch and method of manufacture thereof

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US2678979A (es)
ES (1) ES208469A1 (es)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2930873A (en) * 1957-03-25 1960-03-29 Gen Electric Glow switch
US2930872A (en) * 1957-03-25 1960-03-29 Gen Electric Glow switch
US4751623A (en) * 1986-10-27 1988-06-14 Novo Products, Inc. Heat deactivated illumination device

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1895855A (en) * 1929-11-27 1933-01-31 Westinghouse Lamp Co Method of lamp manufacture
US2133492A (en) * 1936-07-24 1938-10-18 Siemens Ag Method for manufacturing vacuum vessels
US2228210A (en) * 1939-03-29 1941-01-07 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Gaseous relay device
US2236671A (en) * 1940-06-25 1941-04-01 Chirelstein Charles Starter switch for gaseous discharge devices
US2336923A (en) * 1941-08-08 1943-12-14 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Glow switch

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1895855A (en) * 1929-11-27 1933-01-31 Westinghouse Lamp Co Method of lamp manufacture
US2133492A (en) * 1936-07-24 1938-10-18 Siemens Ag Method for manufacturing vacuum vessels
US2228210A (en) * 1939-03-29 1941-01-07 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Gaseous relay device
US2236671A (en) * 1940-06-25 1941-04-01 Chirelstein Charles Starter switch for gaseous discharge devices
US2336923A (en) * 1941-08-08 1943-12-14 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Glow switch

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2930873A (en) * 1957-03-25 1960-03-29 Gen Electric Glow switch
US2930872A (en) * 1957-03-25 1960-03-29 Gen Electric Glow switch
US4751623A (en) * 1986-10-27 1988-06-14 Novo Products, Inc. Heat deactivated illumination device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES208469A1 (es) 1953-06-01

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