Abstract: A lead-tin-bismuth alloy is disposed within a solenoidal electric field lamp to control the mercury vapor pressure. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the alloy is placed within the tip-off region of the lamp envelope. The alloy is fixed within the tip-off region by a means of wetting the alloy to a metal wire structure such as a helix or a cylindrical screen. Alternatively, the alloy may be placed on an interior surface of the envelope by first wetting the glass with a layer of indium or other metallic wetting agent. Additionally, methods for wetting the lead-tin-bismuth alloy to the metal wire include firing the alloy in contact with the wire in a hydrogen atmosphere at a sufficiently high temperature to wet the alloy to the wire. The present invention permits the control of mercury vapor pressure in solenoidal electric field discharge lamps.

Abstract: Methods of and apparatus for coating the glass envelope and predetermined portions of the end caps of a fluorescent lamp with a coating of polymeric material including securing the end caps against displacement, subsequently, preheating the glass envelope and the predetermined portion of the end caps to a first predetermined temperature above the melting point of the polymeric material for a predetermined amount of time; subsequently, masking the electrical connecting pins and all of the end caps except the predetermined portion thereof; subsequently, exposing the glass envelope and the predetermined portion of the end caps to a fluidized bed of powder of the polymeric material for a predetermined amount of time to apply a coating of the powder to the glass envelope and to the predetermined portion of the end caps; subsequently, reheating the glass envelope and the predetermined portion of the end caps to a predetermined temperature above the melting point of the polymeric material and for a predetermined amo

Abstract: Methods of and apparatus for coating the glass envelope and predetermined portions of the end caps of a fluorescent lamp with a coating of polymeric material including securing the end caps against displacement, subsequently, preheating the glass envelope and the predetermined portion of the end caps to a first predetermined temperature above the melting point of the polymeric material for a predetermined amount of time; subsequently, masking the electrical connecting pins and all of the end caps except the predetermined portion thereof; subsequently, exposing the glass envelope and the predetermined portion of the end caps to a fluidized bed of powder of the polymeric material for a predetermined amount of time to apply a coating of the powder to the glass envelope and to the predetermined portion of the end caps; subsequently, reheating the glass envelope and the predetermined portion of the end caps to a predetermined temperature above the melting point of the polymeric material and for a predetermined amo

Abstract: Lumen maintenance of fluorescent lamps is improved by dispersing throughout the phosphor a small quantity, less than 0.2% by weight of the phosphor, of a metallic borate. The improvement is realized in lamps with or without an internal conductive coating.

Abstract: For fluorescent lamps which use a double layer of phosphor with manganese-activated zinc silicate phosphor in the overlying layer, a small predetermined amount of finely-divided antimony oxide is added to the first phosphor layer coating paint which, after application, is lehred at a temperature which is sufficient to volatilize the organic binder but which is insufficient to volatilize more than a minor proportion of the antimony oxide. Thereafter, the second phosphor layer coating paint which includes the zinc silicate is applied over the first-applied layer and the applied second layer coating paint is then lehred at a temperature which is sufficient to volatilize an appreciable portion of the residual antimony oxide in the first-applied layer to cause the volatilized antimony oxide to contact the zinc silicate.

Abstract: Fluorescent lamp incorporates tin oxide conductive coating on the envelope interior surface and the lamp also incorporates phosphor means comprising manganese-activated zinc silicate phosphor, which may be used as a blend constituent. The lamp is processed in such a manner as to improve the performance of the zinc silicate phosphor. In order to improve the adherence of the phosphor to the tin oxide conductive coating, the tin oxide is overcoated with a film of sub-micron-size aluminum oxide and, in accordance with the present processing, there is included with the aluminum oxide finely divided antimony oxide. The phosphor is then overcoated onto the mixed film of aluminum oxide and antimony oxide, and during the later lehring processing of the coated phosphor, the antimony oxide is volatilized to contact the zinc silicate phosphor to improve the performance thereof.

Abstract: An improved low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp, particularly of the fluorescent type. The inner wall of the glass envelope is coated with a layer of SiO.sub.2 particles which, in turn, is coated with a phosphor layer. The SiO.sub.2 particles have a particle size of below about 100 nm. The SiO.sub.2 particle containing layer containing between 0.5 and 0.7 mg of SiO.sub.2 particles per square centimeter of glass envelope which is coated.

Abstract: A method of preparing phosphor suspensions for coating fluorescent lamps wherein the temporary organic binder is an association compound of purified carboxy methyl cellulose and polyethylene oxide in such proportions as to avoid the gelation caused by ionizable phosphors releasing multivalent cations.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for preparing a water soluble lacquer, which comprises dissolving polyethylene oxide having a molecular weight of at least 2,500,000 in water to form a polyethylene oxide aqueous solution, adding acid to said solution in such a manner as to adjust the pH of the solution in the range of from 3.0 to 5.0, heating the resultant solution at a temperature of not lower than 95.degree. C., cooling the solution and removing the remaining acid with an ion exchange resin.

Abstract: A phosphor suspension is prepared by adding to an aqueous solution of a polyethylene oxide, a phosphor, a phosphate or a borate of an alkali metal and a phosphor bonding agent. After having passed through a filter, the phosphor suspension flows down on the inner surface of a glass bulb of a fluorescent lamp to form a phosphor layer thereon. The coated bulb is heated to a temperature which is not higher than its softening temperature while it is transported along two opposite guide rails by two endless conveyors by having both end portions supported by associated guide tips on the conveyors projecting above the guide rails.

Abstract: An essentially water-base coating to form reflective films on the inner wall of fluorescent lamps is prepared from a dispersion of TiO.sub.2 in a vehicle comprising a water solution of an organic binder, a volatile organic non-solvent of the binder at room temperature and additions of cationic and nonionic surfactants.

Abstract: Method for forming conductive, transparent coating such as may be used on the interior surface of a vitreous tubular member. In a carrier gas and exterior to the member to be coated, there is formed a vapor from a material substantially comprising organic tin halide compound having a predetermined condensation temperature and a predetermined decomposition temperature, with the temperature of the carrier gas and the formed vapor maintained between these temperatures. The member to be coated is heated to a temperature greater than the decomposition temperature of the organic tin halide compound and the heated carrier gas and formed vapor are longitudinally flowed through the heated tubular member. Upon contact with the heated tubular member, the vapor breaks down to form the transparent conducting coating. The carrier gas and residual heated vapor are flowed out of the member being coated and are cooled to condense and collect the residual material.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for preparing a water soluble lacquer, which comprises dissolving polyethylene oxide having a molecular weight of at least 2,500,000 in water to form a polyethylene oxide aqueous solution, adding acid to said solution in such a manner as to adjust the pH of the solution in the range of from 3.0 to 5.0, heating the resultant solution at a temperature of not lower than 95.degree. C., cooling the solution and removing the remaining acid with an ion exchange resin.

Abstract: Improved adhesion of the phosphor coating in a fluorescent lamp having a transparent film of conductive material (such as tin oxide) on the inner surface of the bulb is obtained by adding small but correlated amounts of finely-divided aluminum oxide, calcium nitrate, and ammonium nitrate to the water-base phosphor-coating composition. The combination of additives bonds the phosphor particles to the bulb despite the intervening layer of tin oxide and the lower lehring temperature required to preserve its conductivity. When the conductive film is composed of a material which can tolerate higher lehring temperatures, other additives such as barium nitrate, cadmium nitrate and strontium nitrate can be substituted for or admixed with the calcium nitrate.

Abstract: An arc discharge lamp electrode is coated by applying thereto a suspension of alkaline earth compounds in a liquid vehicle of lignosulfonic acid, ammonia and ethylene glycol.

Abstract: To apply of a coat of granular luminescent material which comprises an yttrium compound an aqueous suspension is used which contains an alginate as a binder.

Abstract: Method for coating fluorescent material on the inner surface of a bulb using a coating lacquer comprising an aqueous suspension of the finely divided fluorescent material, an organic water soluble polymer, a surfactant, and colloidal alumina as a binder, the improvement which comprises incorporating boric acid and hydrogen peroxide in the suspension. When the coated lacquer is burned out by heating the bulb, the boric acid melt coats the alumina binder to render same inactive for gas absorption and the hydrogen peroxide accelerates the combustion or burning out of the organic polymer and surfactant from the coated lacquer.

Abstract: There is disclosed a mercury lamp which has been found to markedly increase plant growth. The electrodes in a conventional mercury lamp are coated with an "emission material" for extending lamp life and to facilitate starting. In accordance with the invention, the mineral scheelite is added to the emission material, and some additional changes are made in the other constituents.

Abstract: A method of improving the long term operating appearance of a low pressure fluorescent discharge lamp having an elongated tubular vitreous envelope and incorporating a phosphor layer carried as a coating on the interior surface thereof. The phosphor layer essentially consists of a mixed homogeneous three-component blend. The phosphor blend has a blue-violet-emitting phosphor component, a red-orange-emitting phosphor component and a green-emitting phosphor component. The green-emitting phosphor component is zinc silicate activated with manganese. The method entails prior to mixing the phosphors together, washing the zinc silicate phosphor in an aqueous organic acid solution. The organic acid solution consists of at least one of acetic, succinic and terephthalic. The acid washed zinc silicate phosphor is separated from the washing solution and dried. It is then suspended as a part of an aqueous envelope coating paint and applied to the envelope interior surface in the usual manner.

Abstract: X-ray image intensifying screen including at least one fluorescent layer comprising phosphor particles dispersed in a binder and on top of such layer a protective layer containing a crosslinked polymer mass obtained by an acid-catalyzed reaction of a polymer or mixture of polymers containing reactive hydrogen atoms and a crosslinking agent, the crosslinking agent being an organic compound containing a plurality of etherified N-methylol groups.

Abstract: Finely divided carbon in emulsion in an organic silicate is silk screened onto a substrate to form conductive elements for a fluorescent display device which, when baked, provides a willing host surface upon which a phosphor coating is applied. In one embodiment of the invention, a metallic oxide is mixed with the finely divided carbon.

Abstract: A coating is deposited on the inner wall of a fluorescent lamp bulb from a suspension of particulate matter in a liquid vehicle of polyoxyethylene, hydroxyethylmethyl cellulose and an insolubilizing agent dissolved in water. After drying and low temperature heating to insolubilize the coating, another coating is deposited thereover from a similar aqueous vehicle.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a fluorescent lamp having lead activated barium mesosilicate phosphor coated on the inner wall of the lamp envelope, ammonium chloride or other heat decomposable chlorides are added to the phosphor coating suspension in order to improve the initial output and the maintenance of the lamp.

Abstract: Especially for the fluorescent lamps which have an annular shaped envelope, the phosphor coating is adhered to the interior surface of the envelope by a melted and solidified mixture of boric anhydride and sodium borate. The weight ratios of total boric acid plus sodium borate to the phosphor, as present in the coating suspension, and the relative weight ratios of boric acid to sodium borate in the coating suspension are relatively critical for best performance.

Abstract: Process for coating elongated lamp envelope for reflector-type fluorescent lamp in which only one lehring step is used to remove binder from the applied plural coatings, thereby reducing lamp costs and simplifying the coating process. The reflector portion of the coating is formed of mixed titania and phosphor, which permits the reflective material to be removed from the end portions of the coated envelope after the applied reflective material coating and overlying phosphor have been lehred. There is also provided the resulting lamp.

Abstract: A method of electrostatic coating the inner wall of a low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamp with luminescent material. Stearic acid and/or palmetic acid and/or salts thereof are added to the luminescent material together with nitrate in order to obtain a proper adhesion of the luminescent powder to the wall of the lamp.

Abstract: A film of colloidal alumina is deposited on a fluorescent lamp envelope from a suspension containing nitrocellulose resin. After the film has dried, a phoshor coating is deposited thereon without the need of baking the film.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp which enhances the colors blue and red while maintaining an acceptable overall color rendition contains a four component phosphor blend comprising three broad band emitting phosphors and a narror band emitting phosphor which peaks in the deep red region of the visible spectrum.

Abstract: An improved method for manufacturing a charge image storage dielectric capable of bistable storage is described. The storage dielectric is made by coating phosphor particles with a secondary emissive-forming substance, and then heating the coated particles to form secondary emissive material and simultaneously bond it to the surface of the phosphor particles.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to charge image storage tubes having a direct viewing storage target including a storage dielectric of phosphor material capable of bistable storage of a charge image and which emits a light image corresponding to such charge image, and in particular to an improved storage dielectric of phosphor particles coated with smaller particles of a high secondary electron emissive material bonded to such phosphor particles and to a method of manufacture thereof. A small amount of secondary emissive material is employed efficiently to increase the writing speed and useful lifetime of the storage dielectric without greatly decreasing the brightness of the light image emitted by the phosphor. In one embodiment using 3.5 per cent of magnesium oxide secondary emissive material with 96.5 per cent of manganese activated zinc orthosilicate phosphor material, a writing speed of 400,000 centimeters per second and a light image brightness of 3.5 foot-lamberts was obtained.

Abstract: To improve the performance of fluorescent lamps which use strontium chloroapatite activated by a divalent europium as a luminescent material, prior to coating onto the lamp envelope, the luminescent material is washed with an aqueous fluoride solution and then rinsed to remove residual soluble fluoride.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp having a phosphor coating on the inside surface of the tubular glass envelope, the phosphor coating comprising finely divided phosphor particles coated with a glassy phosphate material. The lamp is prepared by providing an aqueous slurry of the phosphor particles in a solution containing a material yielding a phosphate glass upon firing, coating the interior envelope walls with the aqueous suspension, and firing the phosphor coating at a temperature which promotes the formation of the phosphate glass coating about the particulate phosphor material. A suitable phosphate glass-yielding material is ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, and phosphor coatings produced therewith have been found to have improved adherence to the envelope walls.