Apparatus for simultaneously uniformly irradiating a region using plural grid controlled electron guns

Claim 1

Apparatus for simultaneously uniformly irradiating a substantially cylindrical elongated region with energetic electrons directed substantially radially inward toward said region along a plurality of widely different directions, having, in combination, a plurality of grid-controlled electron gun means each provided with means for generating therein energetic electron beams directed substantially radially toward said irradiation region, means for supporting the gun means at a plurality of locations disposed, respectively, along said widely different directions around said irradiation region, a plurality of electron-beam windows one associated with each electron gun means and interposed between the same and the irradiation region for passing the electron beam generated thereby into said region from the corresponding direction, each gun means and the corresponding window being elongated longitudinally of the region to provide a longitudinally extending electron beam at the region, and means for operating the electron gun means substantially simultaneously to irradiate the said region substantially uniformly from the plurality of electron gun means.