Abstract: A spark plug for internal combustion engines has center and grounded electrodes having surfaces disposed adjacent to a spark gap between the electrodes and directed to but spaced from each other and also have side faces converging toward the spark gap. Each of the electrodes is provided with a piece of a noble metal secured to the surface directed to the other electrode. The noble metal pieces provided on both electrodes define the spark gap therebetween.

Abstract: An improved end closure for a tubular light-transmitting ceramic envelope used in sodium vapor lamps is disclosed which comprises assembly of a ceramic disc fitted into one end of a metal sleeve having a different diameter opening at its opposite end for circumferential engagement with the arc tube inserted therein with all of the assembled members being hermetically sealed together by a ceramic sealing frit. The improved end closure permits thermionic electrodes to be inserted through openings in the ceramic discs with said electrodes being hermetically sealed at said openings with additional ceramic sealing frit.

Abstract: A charged particle accelerator vacuum chamber comprises an exit window adapted for extracting charged particles into the atmosphere, having at least one foil (1) secured in a frame (2), and guide slots (4) provided along a longer side of the exit window, the frame (2) being inserted into said slots (4).

Abstract: The invention is a structural improvement in the framing member of a rectangular color CRT mask-frame assembly. The improvement, which promotes rigidity in the framing member, is in the form of a continuous perimetrical channel-like indentation extending along the major and minor related elements of the framing member. The beneficial corner mergings of the respective channel-like indentations are effected by discretely shaped "S"-like arcuate channel-like formations which are oriented substantially relative to the flow of the formed material thereat.

Abstract: A color television picture tube of three in-line gun type wherein a ring-shaped ferrite permanent magnet or magnets are disposed around a neck portion of the tube, at least a pair of mutually-opposing pole pieces made of highly permeable magnetic material are provided within the tube neck portion as a part of the gun assembly so as to be magnetized by the ring magnet or magnets and to form an electron beam magnetic focusing lens system. In the picture tube, the pole pieces are each of a substantially elliptical cross section as viewed from a plane perpendicular to the tube axis, and spaces are provided between an inner wall of the tube neck portion and the pole pieces to accommodate support rods for gun assembling.

Abstract: In a glow plug energization control circuit wherein the output voltage produced from a glow plug temperature simulator composed of a charging/discharging circuit is compared with a reference voltage from a reference voltage generator and heating of the glow plug is controlled in accordance with the result of the comparison, the voltage developed across the glow plug is applied to the charging/discharging circuit to charge a capacitor thereof and the level of the reference voltage is changed in response to changes in the voltage of the voltage source by which the glow plug is heated.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp having a chassis member including a cylindrical part including a generally cylindrical thread portion and a cylindrical straight portion. A longitudinal recess is provided on the outside of the cylindrical part. The chassis member also includes a holding plate and a maintaining plate including an edge wall member and projections having notches. A screw base is secured to the thread portions of the cylindrical part and a base member is attached to the cylindrical part. A winding envelope formed by bending a straight tube twice into U-shapes and a ballast are respectively mounted to the maintaining plate and the holding plate, and a globe member is attached to the base member.

Abstract: A ballast circuit for a fluorescent lamp including a gaseous discharge light bulb which for a given input power produces a decreasing amount of light as the bulb temperature decreases below a designed operating temperature at which the amount of light produced is a maximum, the ballast circuit being adapted to be connected in series with the bulb and having a first impedance at the designed operating temperature.

Abstract: A negative ion generator is formed from a magnetically insulated transmission line having a coating of graphite on the cathode for producing negative ions and a plurality of apertures on the opposed anode for the release of negative ions. Magnetic insulation keeps electrons from flowing from the cathode to the anode. A transverse magnetic field removes electrons which do escape through the apertures from the trajectory of the negative ions.

Abstract: A starting circuit for discharge lamps includes a current limit device, a full wave rectifier circuit and a Cockcraft-Walton's circuit which are connected between a d.c. discharge lamp having a cathode and an anode and the input terminals of an a.c. power source. Moreover, the Cockcraft-Walton's circuit is constructed by sharing a rectifier with the full wave rectifier circuit and a preheating circuit is provided for the cathode and includes another rectifier of the full wave rectifier circuit and a switching device.

Abstract: A high power vacuum tube 10 has a cylindrical body 16 and a plurality of radially extending fins 18. A cylindrical wall 20 is co-axially disposed about the body and the fins, thus defining an air channel between the body and the wall. To cool the tube, air is forced into the channel from an entry port, and leaves the channel through an exit port. The cooling capacity of the system is optimized by contouring the entry and exit ports to minimize aerodynamic drag. In one embodiment, the entry into the channel is flared outward and a cone assembly 42 is provided adjacent the longitudinal end of the body 16 nearest the exit port. This cone assembly thus forms a continuation of the body 16 which tapers to a smaller cross section in the direction of air flow. The cone assembly may be formed of a stack of discs 70 of successively smaller diameter. The exit port, which may have either rigid or flexible sidewalls, has a venturi shape to further reduce drag.

Abstract: A lamp seal glass is described suitable for direct hermetic sealing to molybdenum which consists essentially of oxides in approximate percent by weight 52-60 SiO.sub.2, 11-17 Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 11-16 BaO, 8-12 CaO, and 3-7 B.sub.2 O.sub.3, along with minor amounts of incidental impurities, residual fluxes and refining agents, said glass having a liquidus temperature no greater than about 1170.degree. C., a softening point in the approximate range 900.degree.-930.degree. C., a strain point in the approximate range 650.degree.-680.degree. C., a working point in the approximate range 1180.degree.-1240.degree. C., and an average coefficient of linear thermal expansion in the 0.degree.-300.degree. C. temperature range between about 45-50.times.10.sup.-7 cm/cm/.degree.C. The glass composition enables improved manufacture of incandescent lamps operating in the moderately elevated temperature range 500.degree.-650.degree. C., especially regenerative cycle halogen lamps.

Abstract: An improved spark gap device and configuration for coupling the device in circuit with equipment such as television receivers are disclosed. The spark gap device includes three conductive pads, the first and second of which are separated by a first gap. The third pad is separated from the other pads by a second gap which intersects the first gap. By coupling the first and second pads across A.C. power lines in the equipment, and by coupling the third pad to earth ground, the energy associated with a high voltage transient on the power lines causes the air in one of the gaps to ionize. Hence, a spark jumps the gap to shunt the transient energy to ground. The intersection of the gaps causes ionization to spread to the second gap and thereby provide an additional path to ground for the energy associated with the transient, thereby protecting components within the equipment.

Abstract: A process for forming lamp capsules such as in the manufacture of miniature arc lamps wherein the bulb portion of the capsule is formed by blowing molten glass into a mold while simultaneously press sealing the lead assembly. The molding and sealing process is accomplished with heat application by means of a press foot assembly closed for a predetermined period of time such as one second to press seal the blank capsule against the lead assembly with one portion of the press foot assembly, and simultaneously to blow mold the blank capsule into another preformed portion of the press foot assembly to form the bulb portion of the lamp capsule.

Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp including discharge tube having at least two electrodes at opposite ends thereof, an outer bulb housing the discharge tube, a circuit for starting the discharge tube and a glow starter which is covered with a heat shield member and disposed between the discharge tube and the outer bulb.

Abstract: An HPS starting aid for providing pulses to an HPS lamp via a ballast tap connection, the aid employing a capacitive voltage divider connected to the power distribution line for charging purposes. There is no power resistor so that the pulse width and amplitude is not dependent on voltage amplitude fluctuations of the line voltage. A voltage breakdown device and a timing RC network determine the pulse positioning of the starting pulse. The size of the capacitors in the capacitive voltage divider and the number of turns on the ballast tap winding determine the pulse width and amplitude.

Abstract: An electric light controller means particularly adapted for use with an array of lamps to produce a distinctive "fluttering" effect, which is the combined visual sense of movement wrought by a sequential chaser together with the substantially random flickering effect associated with a natural flame. The controller is particularly useful in decorative display arrangements, including advertising displays, theatre marquees, and the like for the purpose of attracting attention and notice.

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. 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: A discharge lamp ballast circuit comprises at least one discharge lamp connected in series circuit with a ballast capacitor and inductor across a pair of input terminals for a source of A.C. supply voltage. A controlled semiconductor switching element is coupled across the lamp electrodes and a control circuit for the switching element is coupled to the input terminals and to a control electrode of the switching element. A voltage dependent non-linear impedance device is connected in shunt with the capacitor so as to limit the capacitor voltage to a predetermined value. The voltage dependent impedance device prevents the occurrence of hazardous voltage levels in the circuit and improves the stability during the warm up phase.

Abstract: To achieve an optimum reduction of the warmup time of a Wehnelt cathode, by maintaining a good efficiency, it is proposed to use as a cathode a triode system arranged within the usual cathode sleeve, with the inside of the base plate, on the outside of which the electron-emitting layer is deposited, serving as the anode, so that the electron-emitting layer is heated by the anode dissipation of the triode system.