Spark gap apparatus

Claim 1

A spark gap socket for an electron discharge device having a circular array of circular pins comprising: a wafer of electrical insulating material having a plurality of circumferentially spaced circular apertures aligned with and formed to telescope over said circular array of circular pins of said electron discharge device; a wafer of electrical conducting material having a plurality of circumferentially spaced circular apertures with each one of said circular apertures of said electrical conducting material aligned with and of a diameter greater than the diameter of corresponding ones of said apertures of said wafer of electrical insulating material, said wafer of electrical conducting material formed to provide an air gap intermediate said conducting material and each one of said circular pins of said electron discharge device and an air gap intermediate said conducting material and said wafer of insulating material in the region immediately adjacent the periphery of each of said circular apertures in said wafer of electrical conducting material; and a socket portion of electrical insulating material affixed to said wafers of electrical insulating and conducting materials and having a portion thereof spaced from said wafer of electrical conducting material to provide an air gap in the region immediately adjacent the periphery of each of said apertures in said electrical conducting material and intermediate said socket portion and said wafer of electrical conducting material, said socket portion including a hole in each of said portions spaced from said wafer of electrical material with each hole having an electrical conductor therein formed to receive a circular pin of said circular array of said electron discharge device.