Apparatus for generating electrical energy by the application of heat

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING ENERGY IN A FIRST FORM INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY COMPRISING: (A) AN ENCLOSURE, (B) AN IONIZABLE GASEOUS MEDIUM WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE, SAID MEDIUM CONSTITUTING THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF ELECTRONS, (C) MEANS FOR IONIZING SAID GASEOUS MEDIUM, (D) A FIRST ELECTRODE IN CONTACT WITH SAID MEDIUM AND SUBJECT TO BOMBARDMENT BY BOTH POSITIVE IONS AND ELECTRONS FROM SAID MEDIUM, (E) A SECOND ELECTRODE IN CONTACT WITH SAID MEDIUM AND SPACED FROM SAID FIRST ELECTRODE, SAID SECOND ELECTRODE ALSO SUBJECT TO BOMBARDMENT BY BOTH POSITIVE IONS AND ELECTRONS FROM SAID MEDIUM, (F) MEANS FOR PRODUCING A THERMAL GRADIENT IN SAID MEDIUM BETWEEN SAID SPACED ELECTRODES, SAID THERMAL GRADIENT CAUSING A GREATER NUMBER OF ELECTRONS AND POSITIVE IONS TO STRIKE ONE OF SAID ELECTRONS AND THE OTHER OF SAID ELECTRODES SO THAT A POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE IS ESTABLISHED THEREBETWEEN, AND (G) MEANS FOR UTILIZING SAID POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE.