Gas filled thyratron type switching discharge tubes

Claim 2

A thyratron type switching discharge tube comprising a cathode structure, a control grid and an anode structure arranged in an envelope filled with a gas at a suitable pressure, the anode structure incorporating means for constantly generating a plasma confined to said anode structure and including a thermionic electrode and at least one adjacent discharge electrode, means for applying a hold off voltage to the control grid, and means for enabling triggering pulses to be superimposed on said hold off voltage, the plasma generated, during operation, serving as a source of charged particles whereby immediately upon reversal of the bias of the anode-cathode path after triggering of the tube, a current flow may be achieved with a minimum of bombardment of the anode structure by high energy ions.

Claim 3

A thyratron type tube as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for constantly generating a plasma includes means for applying a D.C. potential across said thermionic electrode and said discharge electrode.

Claim 4

A discharge tube as claimed in claim 1, in which the cathode structure of the discharge tube also incorporates means for generating a plasma confined to said cathode structure and including a thermionic electrode and at least one adjacent discharge electrode.

Claim 5

A thyratron type switching discharge tube which may be subjected to reversal of bias of its anode-cathode path after triggering of the tube comprising, in combination: an elongate envelope having a thermionic anode structure within one end and a thermionic cathode structure within the opposite end; a discharge electrode adjacent said anode structure and located between said anode structure and said cathode structure; bias means for maintaining a constant plasma generation confined between said discharge electrode and said anode structure prior to triggering of the tube in order to minimize bombardment of said anode structure by high energy ions in the event of said reversal of bias of the anode-cathode path after triggering of the tube; a control grid adjacent said cathode structure and located between said anode structure and said cathode structure; means for applying a hold off voltage to said control grid normally to prevent firing of the tube; and triggering means connected to said control grid for altering said hold off voltage to cause said tube to be switched to initiate current conduction through its anode-cathode path.

Claim 6

A thyratron type switching discharge tube which may be subjected to reversal of bias of its anode-cathode path after triggering of the tube comprising, in combination: an elongate envelope having a thermionic anode structure within one end and a thermionic cathode structure within the opposite end; a discharge electrode adjacent said anode structure and located between said anode structure and said cathode structure; bias means for maintaining a constant plasma generation confined between said discharge electrode and said anode structure prior to triggering of the tube in order to minimize bombardment of said anode structure by high energy ions in the event of said reversal of bias of the anode-cathode path after triggering of the tube; a control grid adjacent said cathode structure and located between said anode structure and said cathode structure; means for applying a hold off voltage to said control grid normally to prevent firing of the tube; and triggering means connected to said control grid for altering said hold off voltage to cause said tube to be switched to initiate current conduction through its anode-cathode path.

Claim 7

A thyratron type switching discharge tube as defined in claim 4 including a second discharge electrode adjacent said cathode structure and second bias means for maintaining a constant plasma generation confined between said second discharge electrode and said cathode structure during operation of the tube so that even before firing there will be localized plasmas within the tube confined adjacent said anode and cathode structures respectively.