Ion generator comprising a shielded radioactive source and means for forcing air past the radioactive source

Claim 1

IN AN ION GENERATOR FOR CREATING AN EXCESS OF IONS OF ONE SIGN, A RADIOACTIVE SOURCE, A MEMBER OF HIGH DENSITY MATERIAL SURROUNDING SAID RADIOACTIVE SOURCE AND SPACED FROM THE SOURCE, THE SPACING BTWEEN SAID RADIOACTIVE SOURCE AND SAID MEMBER OF HIGH DENSITY MATERIAL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE NORMAL DISTANCE OF TRAVEL OF THE RADIOACTIVE RAYS THEN THE NORMAL DISTANCE OF TRAVEL STRIKE SAID MEMBER OF HIGH DENSITY MATERIAL AND ARE BACKSCATTERED THEREFROM, SAID RAYS CAUSING THE CREATION OF A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IONS IN THE AIR IN THE VINCURITY OF SAID RADIOACTIVE SOURCE, A MEMBER OF LOW DENSITY MATERIAL SURROUNDING SAID MEMBER TO HIGH DENSITY MATERIAL, MEANS FOR APPLYING THE CHANGE OF ONE SIGN TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AND A CHARGE OF THE OPPOSITE SIGN TO THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS TO ESTABLISH AN ELECTROSTATIC FIELD BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS FOR SEPARATING THE DESIRED IONS FROM THE UNDERSIRED IONS.