Vacuum tube and method of making it

Claim 2

A tube comprising an envelope having a tubular ceramic wall, a first electrode closing one end of said tubular ceramic wall, a seconD electrode disposed coaxially at the other end of said tubular ceramic wall, a ceramic ring disposed coaxially on said second electrode, a third electrode disposed on said ceramic ring closing the aperture thereof, an active-metal strip bonded to the interior surface of said ceramic ring and contacting one but spaced from the other of the electrodes of the group consisting of said second electrode and said third electrode, and said active metal strip being loaded with an isotope of hydrogen.

Claim 3

A tube comprising an envelope having a tubular ceramic wall, a first electrode closing one end of said tubular ceramic wall, a cup-shaped electrode having an aperture in the bottom disposed closing the other end of said tubular ceramic wall, a ceramic ring disposed on said cup-shaped electrode coaxial with said aperture, a tubulation disposed coaxially on said ceramic ring opposite said cup-shaped electrode, an active-metal strip bonded to the interior surface of said ceramic ring, said strip being electrically connected to said tubulation and electrically insulated from said cup-shaped electrode, and said active metal strip being loaded with an isotope of hydrogen.

Claim 4

A tube comprising an envelope having a tubular ceramic wall, a first electrode closing one end of said tubular ceramic wall, a cup-shaped electrode having an aperture in the bottom disposed closing the other end of said tubular ceramic wall, a ceramic ring disposed on said cup-shaped electrode coaxial with said aperture, a tubulation disposed coaxially on said ceramic ring opposite said cup-shaped electrode, an active-metal strip bonded to the interior surface of said ceramic ring, said strip being electrically connected to said tubulation and electrically insulated from said cup-shaped electrode, and said active metal strip being loaded with an isotope of hydrogen.

Claim 5

A tube comprising an envelope having a tubular ceramic wall, a first electrode closing one end of said tubular ceramic wall, a cup-shaped electrode having an aperture in the bottom disposed closing the other end of said tubular ceramic wall, a ceramic tube disposed through said aperture of said cup-shaped electrode with the periphery of said aperture sealed to the exterior wall of said ceramic tube, a rod electrode disposed within said ceramic tube and sealed to the interior wall thereof, and two active-metal strips spaced from each other and bonded to the interior surfaces of said ceramic tube, one of said active-metal strips being electrically connected to said cup-shaped electrode, and the other of said active-metal strips contacting said rod electrode, and said active metal strips being loaded with an isotope of hydrogen.

Claim 6

A tube comprising an envelope having a tubular ceramic wall, a first electrode closing one end of said tubular ceramic wall, a cup-shaped electrode having an aperture in the bottom disposed closing the other end of said tubular ceramic wall, a ceramic tube disposed through said aperture of said cup-shaped electrode with the periphery of said aperture sealed to the exterior wall of said ceramic tube, a rod electrode disposed within said ceramic tube and sealed to the interior wall thereof, and two active-metal strips spaced from each other and bonded to the interior surfaces of said ceramic tube, one of said active-metal strips being electrically connected to said cup-shaped electrode, and the other of said active-metal strips contacting said rod electrode, and said active metal strips being loaded with an isotope of hydrogen.

Claim 7

A tube comprising an envelope having a ceramic wall, an electrode disposed within said envelope and comprising an active metal loaded with one isotope of hydrogen, a spark source disposed within said envelope, said spark source comprising two spaced metal strips bonded to said ceramic wall, the distance between said metal strips being at least as short along the inner surface of said ceramic wall as it is anywhere else in the tube, at least one of said strips being made of an active metal loaded with another isotope of hydrogen, and terminals means for said electrode and spark source extending to the outside of said envelope.

Claim 8

A tube comprising an envelope having a ceramic wall, an electrode disposed within said envelope and comprising an active metal loaded with one isotope of hydrogen, a spark source disposed within said envelope, said spark source comprising two spaced metal strips bonded to said ceramic wall, the distance between said metal strips being at least as short along the inner surface of said ceramic wall as it is anywhere else in the tube, at least one of said strips being made of an active metal loaded with another isotope of hydrogen, and terminals means for said electrode and spark source extending to the outside of said envelope.

Claim 9

A tube comprising a gastight envelope, a first electrode at one end of said envelope, a first cylindrical ceramic member forming part of the sidewall of said envelope and bonded at one end to said first electrode, a second electrode bonded to the other end of said ceramic cylinder, a second ceramic member forming another part of the wall of said envelope and bonded to said second electrode, a third electrode bonded to said second ceramic member at a position spaced from said second electrode, terminals for all of said three electrodes extending to the outside of said envelope in electrically insulated relation to each other, and a spark source comprising at least one thin strip-shaped film of metal bonded to the surface of said second ceramic member inside the tube envelope, said film being film being electrically connected to one of said second and third electrodes and spaced from the other of said second and third electrodes, said first electrode and said film of metal each comprising active metal loaded with an isotope of hydrogen.

Claim 10

A tube comprising a gastight envelope, a first electrode at one end of said envelope, a first cylindrical ceramic member forming part of the sidewall of said envelope and bonded at one end to said first electrode, a second electrode bonded to the other end of said ceramic cylinder, a second ceramic member forming another part of the wall of said envelope and bonded to said second electrode, a third electrode bonded to said second ceramic member at a position spaced from said second electrode, terminals for all of said three electrodes extending to the outside of said envelope in electrically insulated relation to each other, and a spark source comprising at least one thin strip-shaped film of metal bonded to the surface of said second ceramic member inside the tube envelope, said film being film being electrically connected to one of said second and third electrodes and spaced from the other of said second and third electrodes, said first electrode and said film of metal each comprising active metal loaded with an isotope of hydrogen.

Claim 11

A tube as claimed in claim 5 in which said second ceramic member is a cylinder, said second electrode is a disc shaped member having an aperture therein, and the solid portion of said disc shaped member forms a shield between said spark source and said first ceramic member.

Claim 12

A tube as claimed in claim 5 in which said second electrode has a generally cylindrical sidewall, and a smaller diameter cylinder is positioned within said cylindrical side wall to shield said first ceramic member from said spark source.

Claim 13

A tube comprising an envelope having a ceramic wall, a first electrode and a second electrode disposed within said envelope, terminals for said first and second electrodes extending to the outside of said envelope, a metallic coating bonded to the inside surface of said ceramic wall and including an active metal, said coating being spaced from said second electrode, a terminal for said coating extending to the outside of said envelope, with an isotope of hydrogen, and the distance between said coating and the nearest electrically separate metal surface in said tube being at least as short along the surface of said ceramic wall inside said tube as it is anywhere inside said tube, said active metal coating being loaded.

Claim 14

A tube comprising an envelope having a ceramic wall, a first electrode and a second electrode disposed within said envelope, terminals for said first and second electrodes extending to the outside of said envelope, a metallic coating bonded to the inside surface of said ceramic wall and including an active metal, said coating being spaced from said second electrode, a terminal for said coating extending to the outside of said envelope, with an isotope of hydrogen, and the distance between said coating and the nearest electrically separate metal surface in said tube being at least as short along the surface of said ceramic wall inside said tube as it is anywhere inside said tube, said active metal coating being loaded.

Claim 15

A tube comprising an envelope having a ceramic wall, a first electrode and a second electrode disposed within said envelope, terminals for said first and second electrodes extending to the outside of said envelope, an active-metal strip bonded to the inside surface of said ceramic wall and loaded with an isotope of hydrogen, said strip being positioned closer to said second electrode than it is to said first electrode, and the distance between said second electrode and said strip being at least as short along the surface of said ceramic wall inside the tube as it is anywhere else inside the tube.

Claim 16

A tube comprising an envelope having a ceramic wall, a first electrode and a second electrode disposed within said envelope, terminals for said first and second electrodes extending to the outside of said envelope, an active-metal strip bonded to the inside surface of said ceramic wall and loaded with an isotope of hydrogen, said strip being positioned closer to said second electrode than it is to said first electrode, and the distance between said second electrode and said strip being at least as short along the surface of said ceramic wall inside the tube as it is anywhere else inside the tube.

Claim 17

A hermetically sealed tube comprising a first metallic electrode at one end of the tube, a first annular dielectric member having one end thereof sealed to said first electrode and forming a portion of the envelope of said tube, a second metallic electrode sealed to the other end of said first dielectric member, a second annular dielectric member sealed to said second electrode and forming another portion of said envelope, said second electrode having an annular portion positioned between said first and second dielectric members and forming an annular part of said envelope, said second dielectric member forming along its surface inside the tube the gap of a spark source having one side thereof electrically integral inside the tube with said second electrode, a third metallic electrode forming the other side of said spark source, said spark source gap being at least as short entirely along the inside surface of said second dielectric member as it is anywhere else inside said tube, the distance between said second and third electrodes outside said tube being greater than the length of said spark gap, and all three of said electrodes being solid metal.

Claim 18

A hermetically sealed tube comprising a first metallic electrode at one end of the tube, a first annular dielectric member having one end thereof sealed to said first electrode and forming a portion of the envelope of said tube, a second metallic electrode sealed to the other end of said first dielectric member, a second annular dielectric member sealed to said second electrode and forming another portion of said envelope, said second electrode having an annular portion positioned between said first and second dielectric members and forming an annular part of said envelope, said second dielectric member forming along its surface inside the tube the gap of a spark source having one side thereof electrically integral inside the tube with said second electrode, a third metallic electrode forming the other side of said spark source, said spark source gap being at least as short entirely along the inside surface of said second dielectric member as it is anywhere else inside said tube, the distance between said second and third electrodes outside said tube being greater than the length of said spark gap, and all three of said electrodes being solid metal.

Claim 19

A tube as claimed in claim 10 further comprising shield means positioned in said tube between said spark source gap and said first dielectric wall member.

Claim 20

A tube as claimed in claim 10 in which said first electrode and said spark source comprise active metals loaded with an isotope of hydrogen.

Claim 21

A tube as claimed in claim 10 further comprising an exhaust tubulation hermetically sealed to said second dielectric member and electrically integral with said third electrode.

Claim 22

A tube as claimed in claim 10 in which said tube is evacuated and the material of said spark source is such that the occurrence of an arc across the spark source evolves gas from said material during the existence of the arc.