(006W)

Information on Other Tube Makers: 6 Pages
By H. Ohtsuka
1) GeneralWe might have to recognize as fact that there is a weakness in Japan in terms ofdocumentation, and if we look back old days when we opened up the country to the westernworld, same situation has seen.
As to dawn of vacuum tube era, we can see situations of major electric companies like
TEC/Toshiba, JRC and NEC from their own history book*. As the editor, I respect theirwriting in recognizing the first days of their development of each vacuum tube, etc., butthere are some discrepancy even within their writing. This must be an unavoidable matteras it is extremely difficult in determining the day of introduction of a type of vacuum tube.
If you look at carefully, there may be months or even year(s) of span in the date between
their design and actual sale in the market, and such determination must be extremely
difficult for outsiders. Therefore we must solely rely on the each manufacturer’s officialpublication.
Note: *: See (003W 1/2),(004W) & (005W) respectively

In this article, editor tried to gather reliable materials from all papers available today,and added notes as required.
2) Remaining Records on Other Tube Makers (from “History of Electron Tube” edited byS. Okamura)a) Oki Electric Co. (p.p.: 103):“In Oki Electric Co., a study of vacuum tubes was initiated under theinstruction of Electrotechnical Laboratory. An air-ship-type triode was developed,
and in 1918 a prototype of telephone equipment for a connection between the sea
and the land using this tube wewas completed and delivered to the Electrotechnicallaboratory.”
From “100 year step of Oki Electric Company” in Japanese:1

Oki electric started production of vacuum tubes since 1916. This was an excellent
view for a civil company challenged vacuum tube production at that time. K.
Murozumi and S. Fujii took lead of research work. Research and production ofvacuum tubes were conducted in Tamachi factory in Tokyo, and manager of
research and testing section, T. Baba was the responsible person. They found out
papers from Electrical World and Electrician magazines, created a glass vacuum
tube with diameter of 5cm. Assembled anode and grid in the bulb, and tested afterevacuation. But could not stop glow at 60V of anode voltage. Test result showed
good sensitivity below 60V compared with a crystal detector, but was extremely
unstable in amplification operation.
They used nickel for anode and grid, and tungsten for filament. For stem sealing,
as we could not find materials as shown in the magazines, utilized platinum wire
which was used for telephone repeater lamps. They must have heated nickel plate
well to exhaust occluded gas. They experienced extremely tough time, but result
indicated problem was how high vacuum can be obtained.
The governmental test lab. was working on the same target at the time, butthey had a modern high performance pump. But we only had an early oil-pressured
pump which could never obtain high vacuum. We tried to put magnesium powderin the glass tube to remove remaining air and heated from outside, but neversuccessful as remaining gas was not only oxygen.
Our idea was fast, but hit a wall as vacuum pump was the obstacle. J. Toki who
was the chief engineer at the time had to return to the government.
It is regret that if we could continue research with a pump having highperformance, we might be able to reach creation of “getter” faster than TEC.
In 1919 we formed a wireless equipment shop in Osaki factory, and a new pumpwith high performance has installed. Thus we could manufacture so-called hardvalve, and with the tubes we manufactured, wireless communication system forspecial ship for emperor, Sakaki-Maru has realized.
After that, we continued manufacturing our own triode tubes for broadcastingreceivers and shipboard wireless equipment with good reputation, but then, apatent claim on getter raised from TEC, and we were forced to quit the wholeoperation.
We have still continued our research work after this incident by curiosity of ourresearch staff, but it was extremely regretful matter as this movement was a
remote source of our delay in wireless field. ----- English version by ed.

2b) An-naka Denki (now Anritsu): p.p.: 51, “History of Electron Tube”
An-naka Denki (now Anritsu) was established mainly for repairing andmanufacturing military-use wireless telecommunication equipment in 1900. It
took charge of TYK transmitters.
b-1) From 30 Year History of Annaka Denki Seisakusho” (from 1900 to 1930)“Chapter 3-1: In 1924 when radio broadcast has started in Japan, we havesupplied radio receivers, headphones, speakers, etc. trying to avoid overseas
products invade Japan too much”.
“Chapter 4: Major Products: When we started business in 1900-01, world was inearly stage of spark wireless system, and we have manufactured induction coils
first, and then extended to spark transmitters, various detectors, storage batteries
and capacitors. And in 1917 started manufacturing vacuum tubes to overcome
inconvenience of crystal receivers (this was discontinued in 1924 by a reason).”Note: This is a small part of whole book. It is written in Japanese, and excerpts
were made by the editor. There is no mention on the tube types they made, but
gave us an idea of manufacturing time period. Also, the main reason they
discontinued tube manufacturing must be patent problem between TEC, etc.----Ed.
b-2) A piece of information on internet (it says from 60 year history of University of ElectroCommunication): “There are at least 2 types of vacuum tube known overseas: Oneat the left of photo is a soft valve, and assumed to be used as audio amplifier inJapanese navy’s equipment. On the right, equivalent to QX, must be for detector.
The latter has took over by TEC when they quit manufacturing”. As date of
introduction of those types (plus some more type like AAB-7 existed? ) areunknown. We assume production date of them must be
between 1917 and 1924 (see above), and probably around1920. According to TEC’s list (001L), the year of
introduction of UM-103/A and UM-104/A (equivalent toBritish V.24 and Q) by TEC are listed as 1927, and therefore
possible to imagine that TEC utilized Annaka’s knowhow
on those tubes for own production. But a question still
remains what happened on AAB-5, or possible other types
later. Anyway, AAB-5 or any other Annaka tube was3

unknown to Japanese tube society until it was shown in Saga. ------ Ed.
b-3) From OTB by AWA, following photos are reported (type number unknown):Vol. 32-4, Feb.’92: Page 8Vol. 31-4, Feb.’91: page 22

by Lauren Peckham

by Lauren Peckhamb-4) Standard type tubes also made?:In our UEC museum, there is a tube bearing “Annaka” marking exists. It looks
like popular 201A type tube, but inside is invisible as covered by Magnesium getter.
It only marked as “Annaka 258”. This tube can be seen in the photo file in (001P)
at the end of this report. According to Annaka’s history book, they quit making
tubes in 1924 (see above), and 201A was first introduced in 1922 by RCA, andtherefore it seems possible.

c) Kawanishi Machine (From “Japan Wireless History/ Nihon Musen Shi,” editedby Radio Regulatory Commission, 1951 (in Japanese).
“Chapter 9.1: Start of producing wireless equipment”:
We, Kawanishi Kikai Seisakusho has started manufacturing wirelesscommunication equipment in Kobe since 1933. In 1937 an independent researchlaboratory has open, and research on vacuum tubes and material forcommunication equipment has started.
c-1) Trial on Vacuum Tubes and actual products (p.p.:125-126):
In March, 1935 exhaust process on first trial product C-204 (UV-204) has
started, and then C-202A (transmitting tube), BM-966 & BM-972 (rectifier tubes)
were tried, but never obtained successful result. After all effort has spent, finally4

in 1936 put in mass-production process. In 1936 various transmitting tubes
including C-167, a water-cooled type, have finally put in mass-production. We hadtremendously tough time to achieve the result.
In December 1937 we received certificate from Japan Broadcasting Society on
KX-12B (rectifier) and UX-26B (receiving tube), and further, production of KX-80,
UY-27A, UY-56 and UY-24B have commenced.
In November 1939 we completed prototype of FB-325A, transmitting tube, andput it to commercial production. This tube was a special one for our company, andused exclusively for aircraft. Its production has continued as our main product.
Note: Kawanishi has taken over by TEN, then by Fujitsu ----- Ed.
d) Miyata Co. (p.p.: 103):“In 1918, the Fleming and De Forest type tubes were produced in Miyata Co.
as a subcontractor of Shimazu Co. by the request of schools.
e) Riken Vacuum Industries (p.p.: 77)“The validity of Langmuir’s patent terminated which many vacuum tube
manufacturers had long a grudge against. As if a dam had broke,Riken

Shinkukan Kogyo (now Hitachi) was born.

f)Others (p.p.: 105-106)*1:“There were medium and small sized companies who produced tubes: NVVvacuum tube of Japan Vacuum Tube Company, TVV vacuum tube of Tokyo Vacuum
Bulb Company, Elevam vacuum tube of Miyata Company*2, OK vacuum tube ofOkada Trading Co., Rajia vacuum tube of Koeisha Industrial, Eiro-bulb of Chiyoda
Company, Low-loss vacuum tube of Oriental Trading Co., Best vacuum tube ofYasuda Lamp Company, NDK vacuum tube of Nippon Electronic Industry, Donvacuum tube of Don Vacuum Tube Company, HW vacuum tube of HW Vacuum
Tube Company, KO vacuum tube of KO Vacuum Tube Company, Eastron vacuum
tube of Easton Vacuum Tube Company and Noble vacuum tube of Ohta Vacuum
Tube Company”.
The hard triode NVV-6A made by the Japan Vacuum Tube Company had a highreputation and was used in the television receiver of 1927.

5Notes: *1: In the original book in Japanese, it says “They have appeared up tobeginning of radio broadcast”. ----- Ed.
*2: Miyata Company is the same one as appeared in 2) d).

3) Other Tube Makers no detail has found yet
There are still few tube makers who are not found record yet.
Following list (as of 1944-45) in “History of Electron Tubes” shows Hitachi andMatsushita (now Panasonic)
made tubes during WWII, but
no information has found up
to now. Hitachi took overRiken {see 2) e) above}, andtable 2.2. shows that they
were making tubes at thattime. But unable to find tube
types or year of manufactureduring the time period..
WeknowMatsushita

made vacuum tubes, but theirproducts are only known asPhilips types which appeared
long after WW II.

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