Fluorescent lamp having heater circuit disconnect device

Claim 1

In a rapid start type of fluorescent lamp comprising an elongated glass envelope having a phosphor coating on the inner wall thereof and having an electrode at each end thereof and means to supply heater current to said electrode, the improvement which comprises a thermally actuable circuit opening device proximate said electrode, said device being normally closed at room temperature and thereby permitting heater current to flow through said electrode during lamp start up, said device becoming open after lamp ignition as a result of heat from said electrode, thereby stopping said heater current flow, said device comprising a bimetallic element enclosed in a sealed glass bottle and supported therein by two wires extending through the glass bottle seal, said electrode being mounted on a glass stem mount having two lead-in wires extending therethrough, one of said lead-in wires being connected to one end of said electrode, the other of said lead-in wires being connected to one of the wires that extends through the glass bottle seal, the other end of said electrode being connected to the other of the wires that extends through the glass bottle seal, and a support wire one end of which is embedded in the glass stem mount and the other end of which supports said other end of said electrode.