USRE13779E - von lieben - Google Patents

Description

R. VON LIEBBN &E. REISZ." E. VON LIEBEH, ADMINISTRATOR OF R. VON LIEBEN, DECI).

RELAY FOB UNDULATORY OURBENTS.

APPLICATION TILED JUNBQ, 1914.

Reissued July 21, 1914.

vv fyT' 3 INVENTOR5:

R08 ER T van L/EBfN Ernsf Van LIE BEN Adm/niafmfar Ems/v fif/sz A TTORNE Y8 Original No. 1,038,910, dated September UNITED STATES PATENT caries.

ROBERT voN LIEEEN, DECEASED, BY ERNST voN LIEEEN, ADMINISTRAToR, or VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, AND EUGEN REISZ, or BERLIN, GERMANY, AsSIGNoRs, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, o THE FIRM OF RELAIS-GEsELLscHAET M. B. H., OF VIENNA; AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

RELAY FOR UND nAToRY cURRENTs.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ROBER voN LIEBEN, deceased, and EUGEN REIsz, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Relays for Undulatory Currents, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in undulatory current relays, and the primary object of the same is to reinforce current waves of the most varied frequency and form.

The invention as hereinafter disclosed and illustrated in the drawings constitutes an improvement on that disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,059,763, wherein by means of varying the ionization of the space between the electrodes, as for instance by means of cathode rays, the resistance of the circuit connected to the elctrodes is altered so that the current waves introduced will produce proportionate variations.

The subject of the present invention is a further development of the above mentioned invention, wherein instead of being altered indirectly, the resistance in the main circuit is altered directly by means of an auxiliary electrode on which the currents to be reinforced act. For this purpose the auxiliary electrode', which is likewise made of grid or not form, is arranged in such a manner that it completely intersects or divides the space between the cathode and anode in the disdirectcurrent, where charge tube. Moreover, it is connected with a source of direct current in such a manner that it has an exactly defined potential corresponding to the degree of reinforcement re uired for the time being. In order to enable this potential to be adjusted as required, an adjustable resistance is preferably intro duced between the electrodes and the source of electriccurrent. By this means the valvelike action of the incandescent electrode is dispensed with, since the alternating current to be reinforced is superposed on a constant y an undulatory can rent is formed from the alternating current. 'Also the presence of the constant potential of the electrode, the magnitude \of which is suitably "chosen between that of the cathode and that of the anode, causes the formation Specification of Reissued Letters Patent. Rei ed J l 21 1914 17, 1912, Serial No. 605,548. Application for reissue filed June 9, 1914. Serial No. 844,039.

of an artificial dark space near the auxiliary electrode. and thus of a space where the number of ions is small, around the apertures of the auxiliary electrode toward the anode, whereby again the resistance of the mam circuit, which is just what it is desired to be altered, is considerably increased. This displacement of the maximum drop of potential into proximity to and into the openings of the auxiliary electrode and also the circumstance that this grid-electrode entirely fillsup the cross-section of the discharge tube, permit the employment of currents which are practically of any desired strength, since here the formation of an are. outside the grid is rendered impossible and the formation of an arc in the apertures of the grid is rendered very diflicult by the production of the artificial dark space near sa1d apertures.

The openings or contractions, as is konwn, form a virtual resistance for the gas discharge, which resistance, however, as we have discovered, can be very considerably altered if, between the cathode and the partition-wall, a constant but regulable voltage be applied; and it appears that even with a very slight increase or reduction of the potential-ditference, the resistance or back electromotive force in the discharge tube will be smaller or greater. The currents to be reinforced now alter the resistance of the auxil iary electrode, whereby the currents passing between the cathode and anode are altered in proportion to this resistance.

The drawings show by way of example some constructional forms-of the subject'of the application.

In these drawings: Figure 1 is a section of the discharge tube. Fig. 2 is a diagram of the connections of the relay. Fig. 2 shows a further constructional form of the relay with an auxiliary cathode. Fig. 3 shows a further constructional form of the sub'iect of the application, wherein another method of altering the resistance of the auxiliary electrode is employed. Fig. 3' is a development of the cathode belonging thereto.

In Fig.1'the cathode K is arranged in the discharge tube B.- This cathode 1S preferablyan incandescent metallic oxid cathode (a \Vehnelt cathode) and hastlie-form of 1 regulates the temperature of the incandes tube, the temperature of the electrode,etc.

- I S alter the resistance of the gas discharge cathode K and the auxiliary electrode H, is

cross-section of the tube, since otherwise V which-almost entirely destroys the action of tharelayr V ent-onanytheory but-inheres inthe -strum-- incandescent metal bands covered with metallic oxids. which bands are wound on a carrier orsupport in a similar manner to that in which metal filament lamps are constructed. This construction of the cathode has the advantage that the irregularl distributed cathode rays emitted by the meandescent ban ds (filaments) do not strike the auxiliary electrode directly whereby the current density is uniformly distributed over the auxiliary electrode. H is the said auxiliary electrode, which divides or inter-- sects the space between the cathode K and the anode A and is preferably made in the form of wire gauze or netting or perforated sheet metal or as a combination of the two.

The cathodeK, in combination with'a regulating resistance Rw (Fig. 2) which cent metal bands, is connected to the source of direct current Q. The anode A is connected to the positive pole of the ,said source of current through the primary winding P of a transformer. To the regulating resistance Kw is further connected at c the auxiliary electrode H through the secondary winding of a second transformer.

As shown in Fig.2, the potential of the auxiliary electrode is intermediate the po tentials of the anode A and the cathode K and also is intermediate between the potentials of the'positive terminal of the cathode and the negative terminal thereof.

The currents from the microphone circuit B. M. superposed inductively on the circuit between K and H through the transformer tube, so that the main current passing vthrough the anode A acts through the second transformer I" S on the telephone T.

' The. voltage which exists between the given by the adjustment of the contact 0 of the regulating resistance R'w. This ap lication of; a regulable pressure has been ibund to be an extremely important expedient for the sensitiveness of the relay, since a proportionally strong alteration of resistance in the gas discharge tube only occurs with a (piite definite value of the voltage and this repends on the pressure of the gas in the It was further established by experiment that with greaterstrengths of the current and more especially with such strengths as first render the relay practically useful, the auxiliary electrode H, as above mentioned, mustentirely-or substantially shut ofl? the shunting of the gas current would occur,

hit-operation of the relay ris'not'fdependtural teams-amrelationsabove set forth" the auxiliarypelectrode but for a more complete disclosure of the ,nature of the invention and of the inherent theoretical, may here be made.

\Vhen the current is switched on, a cur rent flows through the \Vehnelt cathode and heats it to incandescence. The heated Wehnelt cathode ionizes its surroundings and thereby a flow of current is established through the gaseous medium betweenthe positive and the negative sides of the cathode parallel to the heating current. Simultaneously with this, there is applied to the auxiliary electrode a potential above the potential of the negative terminal of the cathode, butbelow the potential of the positive terminal of the cathode. This" causes a further flow of current through the gaseous medium from the negative side of the cathode to the auxiliary electrode, thereby producing a further ionization which-brings up the total ionization to an amount necessary to. f

obtain the best'relay action.

The currents. of the microphone or line circuit 13 M shown in Fig. 2, act, inductively through the primary winding P, on the circuit of the auxiliary electrode H. to superimpose on the low volt-age-constantlyapplied to that circuit slight-fluctuations vary-- mg with the microphone current and .proportional thereto. As the-,constantlyapplied voltage of that circuit is always low,

transformer S, P on the telephone T.

The voltage applied to the auxiliary electrode should be, preferably such as to raise the potential of the auxiliary electrode only to such a degree that the difierence of potential between the negative side of the oathodeand the auxiliary electrode will be less than the difference of auxiliary electrode an the anode, as is indicated in Fig. 2. The percenta e-rate of the fluctuations of said voltage lie to the otential between the line currents from the microphone are then.

comparatively large, whereby the total mag- DlfiCtltlOl'L of the microphone currents is very great. Y

. It will now bec learsthat line or micro-l p hone currents-actingupon the transformer-- .S are superimposed and thereby alter ppon the current of I 25 sidcrably 4, forated metal sheet or wire gauze oodrefl therefore sub ected I I mum: circuit between the virtual resistance for 'the main currents between K and A, and each variation of said resistance causes a corresponding and much larger fluctuation of the current passing from the cathode K to the anode Thcsemagniiicd fluctuations then act upon the transformer P S, and are transmitted to the telephone T or other receivin instrument connected to the secondary 0 said transformer.

'In Fig. 2, a second cathode K is provided which is connected to a separate source of current B, to the positive pole of which the electrode H is connected throughthe trans- 5 former. Since in this system of connections the temperature of the cathode K can be made independent of the cathode K, the voltage of the current applied to the cathode K can be ver considerablyreduced by a corresponding y high temperature of the bands at K, and, consequently, the variations of current of the transformer P S increased, without the main current flowing to the anode in the discharge tube being conincreased. The temperature of -the main cathode and therefore the current flowing through the anode A cannot be increased indefinitely, since at a critical value of the current determined by the cross-section of the tube, the sensitiveness of the relay again decreases. Another form of construction of the relay is shown in Fig. 3. In this, the cathode K I is made in the form of a concave mirror in order to unite the rays emitted'thereby into one pencil; H is the auxiliary electrode, which is again arranged as a partition wall I, between the cathode and anode and has an opening or WlIldOW, provided with a performing The anode A is connected in a known. manner to the positive pole of Q. The pair of ele'ct-romagnets E is connected in'series with the microphone M and a battery In the opening or window of the auxiliary electrode H is mounted a piece of perforated sheet metal, a grid or combination of the two in order to increase the back GlECtI'OmOtlXQ orce or rather the main resistance to be altered-of the tube between K and A. The regulating resistance 11w with I the contacts a and C is connected as in the 'form shown in Fig. 2. The alterations of 1c1 1rrent'in the microphone circuit cause the "pencil of" rays to be deflected, whereby the apertures in the window of the auxiliary ectrodc-H, to which a constant direct cur- ,h-potential can be applied, are more or less struckby the pencil of cathode rays and to an ionization of this means the back "motive. force or the resistance in the K and A is altered acthe variations of current in the a grid.

ar ying intensity.. By

, .s rd s t primary, I

shown by prisin The "back electromotivc force or when the pencil of rays is deflected from the ,epening and decreases when the pencil of rays strikes the opening or window; The concave mirror cathode is preferably made in such a manner that in order to avoid too high currents for the heating thereof, the conductor is arranged the several strips are mechanically supported relatively to each other by fire-proof bridge-pieces e. g., of glass or porcelain, as my of example in Flg. 3, in which the transverse members of the zigzag conductor produced by slotting a sheet of platinum alternately on opposite sides are marked 1, 2, 3, and the glass bridge-pieces I, II, III.

For both arrangements experiments have shown that for the proportional reproduction of alternating currents, the openings in the partition-wall must be made of difl'ere'nt sizes.

The above described relay for undulating currents can be employed for strengthening sound, as a rela in overhead wire and cable telephony, in 's wit and long distance communication, also in wireless telegraphy and telephony, as an auxiliary apparatus r'or the for the electric transmission of pictures, etc.

WVe claim:

1. A relay for undulatory currents comprising a discharge tube, an incandescent metallic oxid cathode and an anode therein, an auxiliary electrode formed with aperture between said cathode and anode, means for supplying said electrodes with current, the potential of the auxiliary electrode be ing established intermediate between the potentials of the cathode and of the anode.

2. A relay for prising a discharge tube, anode there-in, an auxiliary electrode formed with apertures between said cathode and anode, means for supplying said electrodes a cathode and an with current, the difference of potential between the cathode and the auxiliary electrode being less than the difference of potential between the auxiliary electrode and the anode.

3. A relay for undulatory current com-- a discharge tube, a metallic oxid cathoce therein heated to incandcscence, a circuit comprising a source of direct current forheating said cathode, an anode, an auxiliary electrode between said cathode supplying said potential of the auxiliary electrode being established intermediate between the potentials of the cathode and of the anode.

4. A relay for undulatory currents comprising a discharge tube, a metallic oxid cathode therein heated to inrandcsccnco, a

and anode, means for circuit comprising a-sourcc of direct current in zigzag form and formed with apertureselectrodes with current, the

I undulatory currents com-' of direct current and the electrode, and v means for varying the resistance of said electrode in accordance with the currents to be reinforced.

10. In a rela for undulatory currents, an 70 exhausted disc large tube, a cathode and an anode therein embodied in an electric circuit, a rid-like auxiliary electrode inter--' secting t e discharge tube between the cathode and the anode and dividing it into sep- 75 arate parts, a source of direct current connected to the auxiliary electrode, an adjustable resistance in the circuit between the source of direct current and the auxiliary electrode, and means to superpose the undug lating current to be reinforced on said cir-' cuit.

11. In a relay for undulatory currents, an exhausted discharge tube, a cathode and an anode therein embodied in an electric cir- 35' cuit, an auxiliary cathode embodied in-a separate circuit, a grid-like auxiliary electrode for heating said cathode, an anode, an auxiliary electrode formed with apertures between said cathode and anode, means for "supplying said electrodes with current, the 5 potential of the auxiliary electrode being intermediate between the terminal potentials of the heating circuit of the cathode. ii. A relay for undulatory currents comprising adischarge tube, a cathode and an anode therein, an auxiliary electrode formed with apertures and intersecting the space in the discharge tube and substantially dividing it into separate parts, and a source of direct current connected to said auxiliary electrode.

6. A relay for undulatory currents com-. prising a discharge tube, a cathode and an anode therein, an auxiliary electrode to cause a drop of potential between the cathode and anode and formed with apertures and intersecting the space in the discharge tube between said cathode and anode and dividing it into separate parts, and a source of direct current connected to said auxiliary electrode.

7. A relay for undulatory currents comprising a discharge tube, a cathode and an anode therein embodied in an electric circuit with said cathode, an auxiliary electrode formed with apertures and intersecting the space between the cathode and the anode, a source of direct current connected to said auxiliaryelectrode, the latter forming a resistance for the currents in the circuit, and means for arying said resistance in accordance with the currents to be reinforced.

ing it into separate parts, a source of direct 90 current connected to the auxiliary electrode and the circuit of the auxiliary cathode, and means to super-pose the undulating currents to be reinforced on the circuit of the directcurrent source. 95 12. A relay for undulatory currents com- 1 prising a discharge tube, a cathode and'an' anode therein, an auxiliary electrode formed with apertures and intersecting the space'in. the discharge tube and dividing it into sepa- 1100 rate parts, means for supplying-saidelec trodeswith current, the potential of the aux- 8. In a relay for undulatory currents, an iliary electrode being established intermeexhausted' discha'r e tube, a cathode and an diate between the potentials of the cathode anode therein, em odied in an electric cirand of theanode. '105' cuit, a grid-like auxiliargeelectrode intersect 13. A relay for undulatorycurrents com} ing the discharge tube tween the cathode prising a discharge tube, a cathode and an and the anode and dividing it into separate anode therein, an auxiliary electrode'fo'n'ned parts, a source of direct current connected to with apertures between said cathode and the auxiliary electrode, the latter forming a anode, and connected with a source of; (ii- @110 resistance for the currents in the circuit, an rect current thus forming-a virtual adjustable resistance between said source of shoe in the circuit of the cathodeandanode, 1. direct current and the auxiliary electrode, means for supplyingasa-id"electrodesfwith-' and means for varying the resistance of said current, the potential of the. auxiliary-sled y electrode in accordance with the currents to trc'ide being. established intermediate between 111i be reinforced. the potentials of the anode and of the cath-' 9, In a relay for undulatory currents, an ode, and means for varying .tlfi -.-virt ual exhausted discharge tube, a cathode of meresistance formed by the auxiliary electrodetallic oxid filaments heated to incandescence, in I accordance with the currents to be lie-,1 the filaments being wound on a carrier in inforced. I v 1 the manner of a metal filament lamp, an 14. A relay for undulatory currents cont. anode embodied-in an electric circuit with prising a discharge tube, a cathode'fandf-anzjsaid cathode, a grid-like auxiliary electrode anode therein, an auxiliary electrode. formed intersecting thespace of the discharge tube withv apertures between said cathode and do and dividing it into separate parts, thiselec-f anode, and connected, with a: source: of dif1'25 trodebeing perpendicular tothe axis of the I rect current thus ormingp -vi r u1g1 r, s i t-,; carrier, :1 source. ofdirectcurrent connected ance in the circu1t'of .-the cathodeandanode to said electrode, the latter thus" forr'i'iiifig'v a.- anadjustable'resistance'hetween-sa dsounee 2 resistance for the currents in the circuit, 'l ofdirect current and. the;alix1 l ary electrode," 55 an adjustable resistancebetween the source means for'supply-ing sa d electrodes-with electrode formed 9 current, the voltage of the current supplied to the auxiliary electrode being less than the voltage between the cathode and the anode, and means for yaryingthe virtual resistance formed by the' auxiliary electrode in accord- I an'ce with the currents to be reinforced.

current thus forming a virtual resistance in th e'circuit of the cathode and anode, an adustable resistance between sa d source of direct current and the auxiliary electrode,

means for supplying said electrodes with current, the voltage of the current supplie to the auxiliary electrode being less than the voltages between the cathode and the anode and means to superpose the undulating currents to bereinforced on the circuit of the auxiliary electrode. I

16. A relay for undulatory currents comprising a discharge tube, a cathode and an anode therein, an auxiliary electrode formed with apertures. between said cathode and anode intersecting the space in the dis charge tube and dividing it into separate parts and connected with a source of direct current thus forming a virtual resistance in the circuit of the cathode and of the anode, means for supply'ng said current, the potential of the auxiliary electrode being established intermediate between the potentials of the cathode and of the anode and means to superpose the undulating currents to be reinforced on the circuit of the auxiliary electrode.

17. A relay for undulatory currents comprising comprising a source of direct current for heating said'cathode, an anode, an auxiliary with apertures between said cathode and anode, this electrode being perpendicular to the axis of the carrierand connected with. a source of direct current electrodes with of May, 1914.

a discharge tube, a metallic oxid. cathode therein heatedv to incandenscence, the filaments being wound on a carrier in the manner of .a metal filament lamp, a circuit thus forming a virtual resistance in the circuit of the cathode and anode, supplying said electrodes with currents, the )otential applied to the auxiliary electrode cing interniediate between the terminal potentials of the heating circuit.of-the oath: ode, and means for varying the virtual resistance in accordance with the currents to be reinforced.

18. A relay for undulatory currents c'oini prising a discharge tube, ameta-llic oxid cathode therein heated to incandeseence, the

filaments being wound on a carrierfin the manner of a metal filament lamp, a circuit comprising a source of direct current for heating said cathode, an anode, an auxiliary electrode formed with apertures between said cathode and anode, this electrode dividin said tube into two separate parts and being connected with a source of direct current thus forming a virtual resistance in the circuit of the cathode and anode, means for supplying said electrode with current of varying voltage, the potential ofithe auxiliary electrode being established intermedi ate between the potentials of the cathode and of the anode, and means for varying the virtual resistance formed by the auxiliary electrode in accordance with the currents to be reinforced. i

In testimony whereof 'we have hereunto setour hands and seals at Vi'enna,-Austria,

on the date below written. Signed at Berlin, Germany,

Du. ERJST voN LIEBEN, [11. 5.]

Administrdfor of thecstote ofbobert 'vo'n Licben, deceased.

EUGEN REISZ. -[i.. 5.]

trator:. 'Smcmnnn S'rnAUss,

, AUGUST Fu'ccsa. I 4 lVitnes ses to the signature of Eugen Reisz: Ann'namnls Rmsz,

I BRUNO Pu'rz cnn.

means for formed by the auxiliary electrode this 7th day \Vitnesses to the signature of the adminis-' It is hereby certified thet in reissue Letters Patent No, 13,779, granted 'July 21, 1914, upon the application of Ernst Von Lieben, of Vienna, Austria-Hungary,

rs iPatent No.

' -iii the printed'specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 42, for

ode; page 3, line 47, efter the word or insert the article a," end' thabfhe said Letters Patent should be read with these correetions therein thefthe same may oonform to the record of the casein the Patent Oflice,

. 1 Signed and sealed this 22nd day of September, A. D., 1914. V

" [am-e 1 7 R. F. WHITEHEAD,

' -l v Acting Gowjmism'onerqf Patenm

Images