Radiation counting tube of the geiger-muller type

Claim 2

A radiation counting tube comprising a hermetically sealed envelope, a gas disposed in said envelope, an anode disposed coaxially of said envelope, and a plurality of cathodes each having different areas and sensitivities disposed in spaced relation along the coaxially surrounding said anode, said cathodes being disposed within and spaced from said envelope.

Claim 3

The radiation counting tube of claim 1 wherein said anode is a longitudinal wire common to said coaxial cathodes, and separate output leads are connected to each said cathodes and said anode.

Claim 4

The radiation counting tube of claim 2 wherein said cathodes have cylindrical shapes of different lengths and diameters forming a plurality of different radiation sensitive sections about said anode, the larger lengths and diameters providing greater sensitivities.

Claim 5

The radiation counting tube of claim 3 wherein said cylindrical cathodes have helical shapes with spaces for the passage of ions.

Claim 6

The radiation tube of claim 3 wherein each of said cathodes are supported on glass discs disposed transversely of the axis of said envelope and at each end of the associated one of said cathodes, adjacent ones of said discs of adjacent ones of said cathodes being in contact with each other, each of said discs having an axial hole to support said anode and said discs associated with each of said cathodes confining the resulting ionization of their associated one of said plurality of radiation sensitive sections to prevent propagation of said resulting ionization into others of said plurality of radiation sensitive sections.

Claim 7

The radiation counting tube of claim 3 wherein said tube is of the Geiger-Muller type having a threshold voltage for operation and including means within the larger said cathodes positioned between said anode and said larger of said cathodes to equalize the threshold voltages for each section.

Claim 8

The radiation counting tube of claim 3 including voltage supply means connected between said anode and cathodes, means connecting said cathodes together, and a common current measuring means connected in series with said voltage supply means and said means connecting said cathodes to provide a single measuring scale without range switching.

Claim 9

The radiation counting tube of claim 6 wherein said means to equalize said threshold voltages includes a coaxial ring around said anode.

Claim 10

The radiation counting tube of claim 6 wherein said means to equalize said threshold voltage within the largest diameter cathode includes a bend in said anode.

Claim 11

The radiation counting tube of claim 7 wherein each cathode is sensitive to a predetermined range of radiation and the ranges are added together in said common measuring means.