Apparatus for manufacturing discharge tubes

Claim 2

Apparatus for manufacturing a discharge tube having an envelope in which an inert gas and an operating substance are sealed, comprising an evacuating pipe system in the form of a manifold including a closable opening; and means which is inserted into said evacuating pipe system through said opening to supply an operating substance into said envelope without exposing said substance to the atmosphere, said manifold further including a first and a second flow circuits respectively connected to a vacuum pump and to a source of said inert gas and a third circuit, one end of said third circuit connected to said evacuating pipe system between said second circuit and said closable opening, the other end of said third circuit being connected to said envelope through a chipoff portion.

Claim 3

The apparatus for manufacturing a discharge tube according to claim 1 wherein said evacuating pipe system has an auxiliary pipe system which is connected to a second vacuum pump and provided with an opening adapted to receive said means for supplying said substance and means is provided to selectively control the communication between said third circuit and said first and second circuits and the communication between said first, second and third circuits and said auxiliary evacuating pipe system.

Claim 4

The apparatus for manufacturing a discharge tube according to claim 1 wherein said means for supplying said operating substance to said envelope comprises an open ended cylindrical sheath, a spindle axially movable in said sheath and rotatable about the axis of said spindle, one end of said spindle projecting outwardly through one end of said sheath, a depression provided on the periphery of said spindle near the other end thereof to accommodate the substance and packings provided around the periphery of said spindle on the opposite sides of said depression to seal said substance against atmosphere.

Claim 5

Apparatus for manufacturing a discharge tube having an envelope in which an inert gas and operating substance are sealed, comprising an evacuating pipe system in the form of a manifold including a closable opening; and means which is inserted into said evacuating pipe system through said opening to supply an operating substance into said envelope without exposing said substance to the atmosphere, said manifold further iNcluding a first and a second flow circuits respectively connected to a vacuum pump and to a source of said inert gas and a third circuit, one end of said third circuit being connected to said evacuating pipe system between said second circuit and said closable opening, the other end of said third circuit being connected to said envelope through a chipoff portion; said evacuating pipe system having an auxiliary pipe system which is connected to a second vacuum pump and provided with an opening adapted to receive said means for supplying said substance; and means is provided to selectively control the communication between said third circuit and said first and second circuits and the communication between said first, second and third circuits and said auxiliary evacuating pipe system.

Claim 6

Apparatus for manufacturing a discharge tube having an envelope in which an inert gas and operating substance are sealed, comprising an evacuating pipe system in the form of a manifold including a closable opening; and means which is inserted into said evacuating pipe system through said opening to supply an operating substance into said envelope without exposing said substance to the atmosphere, said manifold further iNcluding a first and a second flow circuits respectively connected to a vacuum pump and to a source of said inert gas and a third circuit, one end of said third circuit being connected to said evacuating pipe system between said second circuit and said closable opening, the other end of said third circuit being connected to said envelope through a chipoff portion; said evacuating pipe system having an auxiliary pipe system which is connected to a second vacuum pump and provided with an opening adapted to receive said means for supplying said substance; and means is provided to selectively control the communication between said third circuit and said first and second circuits and the communication between said first, second and third circuits and said auxiliary evacuating pipe system.

Claim 7

Apparatus for manufacturing discharge tube having an envelope in which an inert gas and an operating substance are sealed, comprising an evacuating pipe system in the form of a manifold including a closable opening; and means which is inserted into said evacuating pipe system through said opening to supply an operating substance into said envelope without exposing said substance to the atmosphere, said manifold further including a first and a second flow circuits respectively connected to a vacuum pump and to a source of said inert gas and a third circuit, one end of said third circuit connected to said evacuating pipe system between said second circuit and said closable opening, the other end of said third circuit being connected to said envelope through a chipoff portion; said means for supplying said operating substance to said envelope comprises an open ended cylindrical sheath, a spindle axially movable in said sheath and rotatable about the axis of said spindle, one end of said spindle projecting outwardly through one end of said sheath, a depression provided on the periphery of said spindle near the other end thereof to accommodate the substance and packings provided around the periphery of said spindle on the opposite sides of said depression to seal said substance against atmosphere.

Claim 8

Apparatus for manufacturing discharge tube having an envelope in which an inert gas and an operating substance are sealed, comprising an evacuating pipe system in the form of a manifold including a closable opening; and means which is inserted into said evacuating pipe system through said opening to supply an operating substance into said envelope without exposing said substance to the atmosphere, said manifold further including a first and a second flow circuits respectively connected to a vacuum pump and to a source of said inert gas and a third circuit, one end of said third circuit connected to said evacuating pipe system between said second circuit and said closable opening, the other end of said third circuit being connected to said envelope through a chipoff portion; said means for supplying said operating substance to said envelope comprises an open ended cylindrical sheath, a spindle axially movable in said sheath and rotatable about the axis of said spindle, one end of said spindle projecting outwardly through one end of said sheath, a depression provided on the periphery of said spindle near the other end thereof to accommodate the substance and packings provided around the periphery of said spindle on the opposite sides of said depression to seal said substance against atmosphere.

Claim 9

Apparatus for manufacturing a discharge tube having an envelope in which an inert gas and an operating substance are sealed, comprising, in combination: an evacuating pipe system including a closable opening; means which is inserted into said pipe system through said closable opening to supply an operating substance into said envelope without exposing said substance to the atmosphere; said means including an outer member and an inner member which is translatable and rotatable relative to said outer member; a first flow circuit connected to a vacuum pump; a second flow circuit connected to a source of inert gas; and a third flow circuit having one end thereof connected to said evacuating pipe system between said second flow circuit and said closable opening, the other end of said third flow circuit being connected to said envelope through a chipoff portion.

Claim 10

Apparatus for manufacturing a discharge tube having an envelope in which an inert gas and an operating substance are sealed, comprising, in combination: an evacuating pipe system including a closable opening; means which is inserted into said pipe system through said closable opening to supply an operating substance into said envelope without exposing said substance to the atmosphere; said means including an outer member and an inner member which is translatable and rotatable relative to said outer member; a first flow circuit connected to a vacuum pump; a second flow circuit connected to a source of inert gas; and a third flow circuit having one end thereof connected to said evacuating pipe system between said second flow circuit and said closable opening, the other end of said third flow circuit being connected to said envelope through a chipoff portion.

Claim 11

Apparatus for manufacturing discharge tubes having an envelope in which an inner gas and an operating substance are sealed, comprising, in combination: an evacuating pipe system; a chipoff portion connecting said evacuating pipe system to said envelope; first means for evacuating said evacuating pipe system and said envelope connected to said evacuating pipe system through said chipoff portion; second means for supplying said inert gas to said envelope through said evacuating pipe system; third means for discharging said inert gas through an opening of said evacuating pipe system; fourth means for inserting said operating substance into said evacuating pipe system through said opening to transfer said substance into said envelope while said inert gas is being discharged through said opening; said operating substance being hermetically sealed against the atmosphere; fifth means for adjusting the pressure of said gas in said envelope to a predetermined value; and sixth means for sealing off said chipoff portion to separate said envelope frOm said evacuating pipe system.

Claim 12

Apparatus for manufacturing discharge tubes having an envelope in which an inner gas and an operating substance are sealed, comprising, in combination: an evacuating pipe system; a chipoff portion connecting said evacuating pipe system to said envelope; first means for evacuating said evacuating pipe system and said envelope connected to said evacuating pipe system through said chipoff portion; second means for supplying said inert gas to said envelope through said evacuating pipe system; third means for discharging said inert gas through an opening of said evacuating pipe system; fourth means for inserting said operating substance into said evacuating pipe system through said opening to transfer said substance into said envelope while said inert gas is being discharged through said opening; said operating substance being hermetically sealed against the atmosphere; fifth means for adjusting the pressure of said gas in said envelope to a predetermined value; and sixth means for sealing off said chipoff portion to separate said envelope frOm said evacuating pipe system.