Circuitry for triggering a spark gap

Claim 1

In a circuit for triggering breakdown of an arc path through a gaseous atmosphere between a pair of spark gap defining electrodes, an auxiliary triggering electrode disposed in the gaseous atmosphere between said pair of spark gap defining electrodes, first circuitry means for connecting a source of potential across said pair of spark gap defining electrodes, second circuitry means for interconnecting said pair of spark gap defining electrodes and said auxiliary triggering electrode for applying a triggering potential between said auxiliary electrode and one of said spark gap defining electrodes to initiate an arc between said pair of spark gap defining electrodes at a precisely predetermined potential as applied across said pair of spark gap defining electrodes, said second circuitry means including a voltage-divider means with the output of said volTage divider being applied to said auxiliary triggering electrode, said voltage-divider means having a series connection of first and second resistive means with an output connection to said auxiliary electrode disposed therebetween, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN, said first resistive means includes a four-layer diode which switches rapidly from substantially a nonconductive state to a conductive state at a certain threshold voltage applied thereacross, whereby at the precisely predetermined potential applied across said pair of spark gap defining electrodes and said voltage divider network said four-layer diode breaks into conduction to apply an output triggering potential to said auxiliary trigger electrode to trigger an arc across said pair of electrodes defining said spark gap.