Electron discharge tubes

Claim 2

A tube as claimed in claim 2 wherein said container comprises a first portion adapted to act as a boiler and a second portion adapted to act as a condenser, said first and second portions having between them a chimney which extends from the inner wall of said first portion into the interior of said second portion and which has holes therein for returning condensate from said second portion to said first portion, the cathode being carried exterNally on the wall of said first portion.

Claim 3

A tube as claimed in claim 3 wherein the container is tubular with the said second portion tapered and of increasing cross section in a direction away from the said first portion.

Claim 4

A tube as claimed in claim 4 wherein the inner wall of at least the boiler portion of the container is formed to assist in splashing movement of boiling material and prevent the formation and retention of vapor layers and bubbles on said inner wall.

Claim 5

A tube as claimed in claim 5 wherein the inner wall of at least the boiler portion of the container is grooved longitudinally and/or circumferentially.

Claim 6

A tube as claimed in claim 5 wherein the inner wall of at least the boiler portion of the container is fitted with wire mesh or tubes joined to its surface.

Claim 7

A tube as claimed in claim 2 and intended to be used in any of a variety of different positions wherein the interior of the container is tubular and continuous, the cathode is carried externally on a portion of the length of the tubular wall, and a wick is provided extending over at least most of the length of the tubular inner wall of the container.

Claim 8

A tube as claimed in claim 8 wherein heat is taken from the container by radiation by mounting said container with at least part of its external wall adjacent to but spaced from a radiated heat receiving body.

Claim 9

A magnetron in accordance with claim 9 wherein said body is constituted by part of the normally provided magnet system and/or the normally provided anode system of the magnetron.

Claim 10

A tube as claimed in claim 8 wherein forced cooling of the container is effected by extending the wall thereof to form a tubular extension beyond said container and having its wall in good heat exchanging relation with said container, and force-cooling the extension.

Claim 11

A tube as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interior space of the container is external of a central axial tube member providing the inner boundary wall of said container and a heater filament is mounted inside said tube member.

Claim 12

A tube as claimed in claim 1 wherein an electrical heater is mounted near one end of the container adjacent the cathode thereon.

Claim 13

In a cross field microwave tube including a tubular cathode adapted to operate at a selected temperature and an anode disposed in outwardly spaced relation to said cathode, said cathode being of selected length, the combination of: an elongate hollow container having one end portion surrounded by said cathode in heat-exchange relation thereto, said container being of a length substantially greater than said selected length of the cathode to present a body portion of said container which projects beyond said cathode, said container including wall means for providing a closure at said one end of the container and closure means remote from said one end to define a closed space within said container providing a boiler region emcompassed by said cathode and a condensation region within said body portion; a body of material within said container which is a liquid at the operating temperature of said condensation region and vaporizes at the operating temperature of said boiler region, said material having a boiling point temperature and a latent heat of vaporization sufficient to prevent overheating of said cathode; and means for recycling condensate from said condensation region to said boiler region.

Claim 14

In a cross field microwave tube as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for recycling comprises a chimney within said container and joined thereto adjacent the juncture between said boiler and condensation regions, said chimney projecting into said condensation region and having openings therein for draining condensate into said boiler region.

Claim 15

In a cross field microwave tube as defined in claim 15 including an auxiliary thermionic cathode disposed close to said one end of the container but externally thereof.

Claim 16

In a cross field microwave tube as defined in claim 16 incLuding means connected to the opposite end of said container for supporting the container and locating said tubular cathode with respect to said anode.

Claim 17

In cross field microwave tube as defined in claim 14 including means connected to the opposite end of said container for supporting the container and locating said tubular cathode with respect to said anode.

Claim 18

A cross field microwave tube comprising, in combination: a tubular cathode and an anode disposed in spaced, surrounding relation to said cathode; and means for supporting and cooling said cathode, said means comprising an elongate, hollow container having one end portion surrounded by said cathode in heat-exchange engagement therewith and having an opposite end portion projecting axially away from said cathode, support means connected to said opposite end of said container and fixed relative to said anode to position and support said cathode with respect to the anode as aforesaid, and a quantity of material within said container which is a vapor at the operating temperature of that region of the container surrounded by said cathode and is a liquid at the operating temperature of that region of the container axially beyond said cathode, whereby the container not only supports and positions the cathode with respect to said anode but also functions as a boiler-condenser to cool said cathode.