Abstract: A high-pressure sodium vapor discharge lamp which is provided with a discharge tube and an outer envelope which envelopes this tube.In accordance with the improvement there are disposed in the space between the discharge tube and the outer envelope both a capacitor and a glow discharge starter which are both in parallel with the discharge tube. Consequently an external lamp starter is superfluous. In addition the lamp base may be relatively small.

Abstract: Electric discharge lamps having a ceramic lamp vessel and current leadthroughs of niobium or tantalum cannot be operated in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere or in air due to attack of the current leadthroughs by the surrounding gas.According to the invention, those parts of the current leadthroughs which during operation have a temperature of more than 500.degree. C and more than 350.degree. C, respectively, are screened from the surrounding gas by means of ceramic mouldings which are connected to the current leadthrough in a gas-tight manner by means of sealing material. As a result of this the lamps according to the invention can be operated in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere and in air respectively.

Abstract: The tubular ceramic discharge vessel of electric discharge lamps is sealed according to the invention with a cylindrical and an annular ceramic moulding between which a tubular current leadthrough member is accommodated consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium or alloys thereof. The current leadthrough member is connected in a vacuum-tight manner to the two ceramic mouldings by means of sealing ceramic.