Pulse generating apparatus

Claim 2

Electrical apparatus having a source of electrical energy, a multisection storage condenser connected to said source so as to be incrementally charged thereby with sections of the condenser connected in parallel, a load circuit including a discharge gap connected to be energized by the discharge of one section of the storage condenser, a first control gap interposed between said one section of the storage condenser and the discharge gap, a second control gap having a breakdown potential less than that of the first control gap and less than the voltage of the charge attainable by the parallel connected sections of the storage condenser, first circuit means connecting the second gap to another section of the storage condenser to that the second gap is ionized and rendered conductive when the charge on the parallel connected sections of the storage condenser reaches the breakdown potential of said second gap, and second circuit means for thereupon connecting said sections of the storage condenser in series and subjecting the first gap to the full voltage of the series connected sections of the storage condenser to as to ionize the first gap and render the same conductive to discharge said one section of the storage condenser to the discharge gap independently of the second gap.

Claim 3

Electrical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the storage condenser has two sections, and the second circuit means includes the second gap interposed between the junction between the condenser sections and a common conductor to which the load circuit is connected.

Claim 4

Electrical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said one section of the storage condenser has a capacity which is substantially greater than that of the other condenser section.

Claim 5

Electrical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the discharge gap is a shunted surface gap.

Claim 6

Electrical apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a choke coil interposed between the first control gap and the discharge gap.

Claim 7

Electrical apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the spark-over voltage of the discharge gap is less than the breakdown potential of the first gap.

Claim 8

Electrical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the breakdown potential of the first gap is less than the sum of the voltages of the charges attained by said sections of the storage condenser when the second gap is ionized.

Claim 9

A dual-energy electrical pulse generating apparatus having two sources of electrical energy, a multisection storage condenser, means selectively connecting the condenser to a first of said sources so as to be incrementally charged thereby with the sections of the condenser connected in parallel, a load circuit connected to be energized by the discharge of the storage condenser, a first control gap interposed between at least one section of the storage condenser and the load circuit, a second control gap having a breakdown potential substantially less than that oF the first control gap and less than the voltage of the parallel connected sections of the storage condenser as charged by said first source, first circuit means connecting the second gap to the storage condenser so that the second gap is ionized and discharged when the parallel connected sections of the storage condenser reach their charged condition, and second circuit means for thereupon connecting said sections of the storage condenser in series and subjecting the first gap to the full voltage of the series connected sections of the storage condenser so as to ionize the first gap and discharge said one section of the storage condenser to the load circuit, and alternatively operated means selectively connecting said one section only of the storage condenser across the second of said sources to be charged thereby, whereby the first control gap is then discharged when the charge on the said one section of the storage condenser attains the breakdown potential of the first gap.

Claim 10

A dual-energy electrical pulse generating apparatus having two sources of electrical energy, a multisection storage condenser, means selectively connecting the condenser to a first of said sources so as to be incrementally charged thereby with the sections of the condenser connected in parallel, a load circuit connected to be energized by the discharge of the storage condenser, a first control gap interposed between at least one section of the storage condenser and the load circuit, a second control gap having a breakdown potential substantially less than that oF the first control gap and less than the voltage of the parallel connected sections of the storage condenser as charged by said first source, first circuit means connecting the second gap to the storage condenser so that the second gap is ionized and discharged when the parallel connected sections of the storage condenser reach their charged condition, and second circuit means for thereupon connecting said sections of the storage condenser in series and subjecting the first gap to the full voltage of the series connected sections of the storage condenser so as to ionize the first gap and discharge said one section of the storage condenser to the load circuit, and alternatively operated means selectively connecting said one section only of the storage condenser across the second of said sources to be charged thereby, whereby the first control gap is then discharged when the charge on the said one section of the storage condenser attains the breakdown potential of the first gap.

Claim 11

A dual-energy electrical pulse generating apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said one section of the storage condenser substantially exceeds the other section thereof in capacity, and the second source of electrical energy has a potential greater than that of the first source.

Claim 12

Electrical pulse generating apparatus comprising a source of electrical energy, first and second storage condensers connected in parallel across said source to be simultaneously charged thereby, a control gap having a predetermined breakdown potential, a triggering gap having a breakdown potential less than that of said control gap, a control circuit comprising said condensers and said gaps in series, a triggering circuit comprising said second condenser and said triggering gap in series, whereby said triggering gap is rendered conductive by the charge on said second condenser when it attains the breakdown potential of said triggering gap, thereby connecting said condensers in series across said control gap to render the latter conductive, and a load circuit including a load connected in series with said control gap across said first condenser independently of the triggering gap.

Claim 13

Electrical pulse generating apparatus comprising a source of electrical energy, first and second storage condensers connected in parallel across said source to be simultaneously charged thereby, a control gap having a predetermined breakdown potential, a triggering gap having a breakdown potential less than that of said control gap, a control circuit comprising said condensers and said gaps in series, a triggering circuit comprising said second condenser and said triggering gap in series, whereby said triggering gap is rendered conductive by the charge on said second condenser when it attains the breakdown potential of said triggering gap, thereby connecting said condensers in series across said control gap to render the latter conductive, and a load circuit including a load connected in series with said control gap across said first condenser independently of the triggering gap.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said load includes a spark gap having a spark-over voltage less than the breakdown potential of said triggering gap.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 11 comprising a second source of electrical energy for alternatively charging said first condenser to the breakdown voltage of said control gap, and means for isolating said second source from said second condenser.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said isolating means is a diode.