Method and system for switching high currents using pool type tubes with external firing bands

Claim 1

A SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING THE SWITCHING TIMES OF CURRENTS DURING EACH HALF CYCLE OF AN A.C. VOLTAGE, COMPRISING A PAIR OF IGNITRONS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED ELECTRICALLY TO SAID A.C. VOLTAGE TO CAUSE CONDUCTION THERE THROUGH WITH EACH OF SAID IGNITRONS IS FIRED, A PAIR OF CAPACITRON TYPE TUBES EACH HAVING AN ANODE AND A MERCURY POOL CATHODE AND A FIRING BAND, MEANS CONNECTING THE ANODE AND CATHODE OF EACH OF SAID CAPACITRON TUBES TO A RESPECTIVE IGNITRON AND SAID A.C. VOLTAGE TO FIRE ITS RESPECTIVE IGNITRON WHEN SAID CAPACITRON TUBE IS CONDUCTING, CIRCUIT MEANS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A PAIR OF A.C. INPUT SIGNALS IN PREDETERMINED PHASE RELATION TO SAID A.C. VOLTAGE AND PHASED 180* FROM EACH OTHER, MEANS EFFECTIVE TO AMPLIFY EACH OF SAID INPUT SIGNALS TO HAVE AN AMPLITUDE SUFFICIENT TO FIRE A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID CAPACITRON TUBES DURING ALTERNATE HALF CYCLES OF SAID A.C. VOLTAGE, MEANS EFFECTIVE TO LIMIT THE DURATION OF EACH OF SAID INPUT SIGNALS TO HAVE A WIDTH IN EXCESS OF ONE HUNDRED MICROSECONDS AT THE FIRING RANGE, MEANS EFFECTIVE TO ATTENUATE THE NEGATIVE PORTION OF EACH OF SAID SIGNALS TO HAVE AN AMPLITUDE OF LESS THAN THREE KILOVOLTS, AND MEANS EFFECTIVE TO CONNECT SAID AMPLIFYING AND LIMITING AND ATTENUATING MEANS TO THE FIRING BAND OF EACH OF SAID CAPACITRON TUBES TO CAUSE SAID CAPACITRON TUBES TO FIRE DURING ALTERNATE HALF CYCLES OF A.C. VOLTAGE AT A TIME DURING EACH SAID HALF CYCLE AS GOVERNED BY THE PHASE RELATION OF SAID PAIR OF INPUT SIGNALS TO SAID A.C. VOLTAGE.