Apparatus for igniting and operating gaseous discharge devices

Claim 1

IN A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED ADAPTED SERIATIM TO IGNITE AND SERIES OPERATE A PAIR OF GASEOUS DISCHARGE DEVICES FROM AN ALTERNATING CURRENT SOURCE AND WHICH COMPRISES A THREE-WINDING TRANSFORMER HAVING A PRIMARY WINDING, A HIGH LEAKAGE REACTANCE FIRST SECONDARY WINDING AND A SECOND SECONDARY WINDING, THE WINDINGS ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED END TO END IN THE ORDER NAMED, AND IN WHICH ELECTRICAL LEADS ARE PROVIDED FOR CONNECTION ONE DEVICE IN A CONDUCTING LOOP WHICH INCLUDES AT LEAST SAID FIRST SECONDARY WINDING, SAID LOOP BEING CONNECTED EXTERIORLY TO TERMINALS OF THE SECOND SECONDARY WINDING, AND WHICH LOOP IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A SERIES CAPACITOR THEREIN AND LEADS ARE PROVIDED FOR CONNECTING THE SECOND DEVICE IN A SECOND CONDUCTING LOOP WHICH INCLUDES AT LEAST BOTH SECONDARY WINDINGS SERIES-CONNECTED THEREIN, MEANS FOR BLOCKING THE DIRECT CURRENT RESULTING FROM ABNORMAL OPERATION OF THE SECOND GASEOUS DISCHARGE DEVICE THROUGH THE FIRST SECONDARY WINDING WITHOUT AFFECTING THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS WHICH COMPRISES A DELTA ARRANGEMENT OF THREE CONDENSERS PRESENTING THREE TERMINALS, TWO TERMINALS CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TO THE SECONDARY WINDINGS BETWEEN SAID WINDINGS, AND THE THIRD TERMINAL OF SAID DELTA ARRANGEMENT BEING CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID LEADS ADAPTED TO CONNECT WITH THE FIRST GASEOUS DISCHARGE DEVICE.