US2850714A

US2850714A - High voltage tube socket

Info

Publication number: US2850714A
Application number: US469156A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles J Pace
Original assignee: Sylvania Electric Products Inc
Current assignee: GTE Sylvania Inc
Priority date: 1954-11-16
Filing date: 1954-11-16
Publication date: 1958-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 1975-09-02

Description

`S pt. 2A, 1958 4. c. `.1. PACE 2,850,714

- l HIGH VOLTAGE TUBE SOCKET Filed Nov. 16, 1954 United States Patent O HIGH VOLTAGE TUBE SOCKET Charles J. Pace, Butfalo, N. Y., assignor to Sylvania Electric Products, Inc., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 16, 1954, Serial No. 469,156

6 Claims. (Cl. 339-193) The present invention generally relates to tube sockets and, more particularly, to tube sockets for use in conjunction with high voltages. While the invention is of general utility, it is particularly adapted for and will be described in conjunction with the high voltage generator of a television receiver wherein a high voltage rectifier tube is required to provide the necessary operating potential for the picture tube.

In the present day television receivers, as well as in many other applications, electron discharge devices are operated at voltages of the order of ten to twenty kilovolts. To prevent arcing between such devices and nearby portions of the associated circuit, certain prior art arrangements have provided an insulating shield surrounding both the base of the tube and the tube socket. These arrangements have also included a conductor, called a corona ring, which is mounted in close proximity to the solder lugs of the tube socket to prevent arcing. However, these prior art arrangements have, in general, been quite expensive, and have involved considerablelabor, time in assembling the shield to the tube sockets, assembling the corona ring to the tube socket, and assembling the shield on the chassis of the receiver. v

It is, therefore, desirable to minimize the number of assembly operations involved in high voltage tube sockets and shield arrangements which are to be competitively marketed. Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a new and improved tube socket arrangement for operation at high voltages. l

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved means for mounting a corona ring in close proximity to the solder lugs of a tube socket.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a unitary high voltage shield and tube socket housing is provided which, in addition to reducing the cost of the socket by eliminating certain elements of the prior art and by reducing the number of assembly operations needed to fabricate the socket, elects a more sturdy and consequently safer socket than has been heretofore known. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a corona ring mounting arrangement is provided whereby the corona ring may be readily assembled on the tube socket with a minimum number of assembly line operations.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following speciication taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a tube socket embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the tube socket shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3 3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is an electrical circuit diagram of a high voltage rectifier circuit wherein the tube socket and corona ring arrangement of the present invention may be employed.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1 through 3 thereof, the high voltage tube socket of the present invention is therein illustrated as comprising a hollow cylindrical insulating shield 1 having, intermediate the ends thereof and integral therewith, a partition 2 which extends completely across the cavity in the cylinder 1, the partition 2 `being provided with slots 2a and 2b which form a passageway for conductors connected between the top and bottom of the partition. When this socket is employed in a television receiver utilizing a filament transformer, the lament leads may conveniently extend from the top to the bottom of the chassis through the slots 2a and 2b. A pair of

ears

3 and 4 are formed integrally with the shield 1 and extend outwardly from the wall of the cylinder 1 at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis thereof and are provided respectively with circular apertures 5 and 6. These ears and associated apertures provide a convenient means for mounting the socket to a chassis with whi-ch it is to be employed. At the center of the partition 2, which is located at the longitudinal axis of cylinder 1, there is provided an aperture 7 having a keyway 8 located adjacent thereto. A plurality of recesses 9, which extend through partition 2, are symmetrically arranged about the aperture 7 and accommodate a plurality of tube pin receptacles 10 which are disposed within the recesses 9. The central portion of the partition 2 has a minimum thickness which is determined by the construction of the tube pin receptacles used and which is, therefore, considerably greater than that required to physically support a tube within the insulating cylindrical shield 1. Therefore, in the interest of reducing the weight of the socket as well as the amount of material used, the annular outer portion of the partition 2 is made thinner than the central receptacle supporting portion thereof.

The contact pin receptacles 10 are conveniently constructed from a substantially T-shaped piece of sheet metal with the cross arm 10a thereof folded over so as generally to define a cylinder adapted to receive one of the tube pins. The cylindrical portion of the receptacles 10a which make contact with the tube pins are disposed in the upper portions of the recesses 9 and rest on shoulders 11 which are provided within and near the bottom of the recesses 9. The leg portions 10b of the receptacles 10 extend past the shoulders 11 and protrude from the bottom of the partition 2. Small bulges 12 on the leg portions 10b abut against that portion of the lower surface of partition 2 which is adjacent to their housing. The portions 10b of the tube pin receptacles 10 constitute solder lugs which enable electrical connections to be made to the pins of a tube inserted within the socket.-

In order to provide an arrangement wherein a corona ring may be quickly and easily assembled to the tube sockets with a minimum number of assembly line operations, there is provided in the central portion of the partition 2, and adjacent one of the solder lugs 10b, a bottom opening recess or well 13 which is adapted to receive the supporting leg 16 of a corona ring 17, the leg 16 extending transversely of the ring portion 18 of the corona ring 17 so that the ring portion 18 is positioned parallel to the partition 2 andis spaced from the tips of the solder lugs 10b when the leg 16 is inserted into the recess 13. Each of the solder lugs 10b has provided therein a pair of circular apertures 14 and 15 to facilitate the connection thereto of electrical leads. Preferably, that one of the solder lugs 10b, which is adjacent the recess 13, is bent outwardly in a radial direction, so that the outer aperture in the lug is aligned with the recess 13. With this arrangement, the corona ring 17 may be readily assembled 3 to the tube socket by merely inserting the leg portion 16 thereof through the outer aperture of the corresponding solder lug b and then bending this lug so that the leg portion 16 can be inserted into the recess 13. The leg portion 16 is then soldered to the solder lug through which it extends so that an electrical connection is established for the corona Vring 17 while at the same time providing a good mechanical support for the leg portion 16 so that the ring portion 18 is rigidly secured and not susceptible to vibration.

lt will be noted that the length of the leg portion 16 is determinative of the spacing between the solder lugs 1Gb and the ring portion 18 of the corona ring 17. In producing these sockets for different commercial applications, only one type of tube socket need be provided and corona rings having a leg portion at least as long as that required for any desired voltage application may be stocked, the leg portions of the corona rings being trimmed to the desired length before assembly in the sockets. Of course, where a large number of similar devices operating under the same voltage conditions are being assembled, it is expedient to initially provide a corona ring having a leg portion of the desired length.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, there is illustrated a typical high voltage rectier circuit wherein the tube shield and corona ring arrangement of the present invention may be employed. Referring to this gure, high voltage pulses are developed across the winding of the high voltage transformer 26 and the upper end of the winding 25 is connected to the anode cap 27 of a high voltage rectifier tube 28. A iilament winding 29 of the transformer 26 is connected through the resistor 30 to the

solder lugs

31 and 32 of the tube socket 1. The solder lug 32 which is connected to the corona ring 17 is connected to the secondary winding 29. A filter condenser 3S is provided which is connected to one end of the winding 29 and to one side of the filament of the tube 28 so as to smooth out the pulse wave rectified by the tube 25 and provide a suitable energizing potential for the cathode ray tube of the receiver. Since the corona ring 17 is positioned closely adjacent the tips of the solder lugs 10b, the potential of all the solder lugs and consequently all the tube pins is maintained at the high voltage produced across the condenser 35 so that arcing to points of lower potential is prevented.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shown, it will be understood that this invention should not be limited thereto since, of course, many modications may be made. Therefore, by the appended claims it is intended to cover all such changes and modiications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A tube socket for use in high voltage applications, comprising a hollow, cylindrically shaped insulating member having a transversely extending insulating partition integral with said member and positioned intermediate the ends of said member, a plurality of tube pin receptacles arranged within said partition for the reception of tube contact pins from one side of said partition, tube indexing means for preventing improper insertion of a tube into said receptacles, a plurality of contact members disposed within said receptacles, and protruding from the other side of said partition, one of said contact members having an aperture in the protruding portion thereof, said partition having a recess therein adjacent said one contact member, said last named contact member inclined toward said recess, and a corona ring having a substantially annular portion and an outstanding portion, said A corona ring being disposed with the annular portion dening a plane parallel to the plane of said partition and with the outstanding portion extending through said aperture in said contact member and terminating within said recess.

2. A combined tube socket and corona ring assembly, comprising an insulating body member having a plurality of contact pin receiving recesses arranged therein, solder lugs disposed within said recesses and extending from one side of said body, said body having a recess disposed adjacent one of said lugs, said one of said lugs having an aperture in the protruding portion thereof and being inclined toward said recess, and a corona ring having la transverse leg portion extending through said aperture and into said recess, whereby said corona ring is ixedly mounted on said body.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said leg portion of said corona ring is electrically and mechanically connected to said one lug.

4. A socket for `use, with a signal repeating device comprising an insulating housing, a plurality of receptacles arranged within said housing, a plurality of contacts disposed within said receptacles and extending without said housing, said housing including a recess adjacent said one of said contacts opening on only one surface of said housing, a device having a leg extending therefrom, said leg being disposed Within said recess, said one of said contacts inclined toward said recess and means bonding said leg to said inclined Contact whereby said device is secured to said housing.

5. A high voltage tube socket comprising a hollow cylindrical insulating shield; a partition integral therewith and extending across and intermediate the ends of said cylindrical, shield, said partion having a central opening and a keyway, said partition also having a plurality of perforations symmetrically arranged around the central opening, said perforations and central opening adapted to receive the pins and central guiding member of vacuum tube, said partition being thicker at its central portion and having a thinner annular supporting section around said thicker central portion; a plurality of metal connectors, within said perforation, having lugs xed thereto, said lugs extending through the bottom side of said partition; a circular, metal corona ring; a supporting leg mechanically and electrically xed to the lcorona ring, said leg extending through one of said lugs and into an opening in the bottom side, and 'thicker portion of said partition, said leg being soldered to said lug'where it passes through the same, said corona ring lying in a plane parallel to said partition and being within and spaced from the lower inner wall of said cylindrical insulating shield.

6. Apparatus as claimed in the preceding claim characterized by the fact that said partition is slotted so as to enable the passage of electrical conductors therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,132,203 Clark Oct; 4, 1938 2,300,891 Hanks Nov. 3, 1942 2,531,085 Stacey Nov. 21, 1950 2,543,577 Hugenholtz Feb. 27, 1951 2,556,956 Benton June 12, 1951 2,717,366 Summerer Sept. 6,1955

FOREIGN PATENTS 352,786 Germany May 5, 1922 558,114 Great Britain Dec. 22, 1942