Patent GB-655604-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to colour television
IPC: H04N3/04
Filed: 1946-07-15
Abstract: 655,604. Cathode-ray tubes. VALENSI, G. July 15, 1946, Nos. 21083 and 21084. Convention dates, Dec. 13, 1943 and Nov. 18, 1944. Addition to 645,125. [Class 39 (i)] [Also in Group XL (b)] In a colour television system in which a coded signal representative of the colour of an element is generated at the transmitter with the employment of apparatus including a cathode-ray tube, is transmitted and utilized to control a cathode-ray tube for decoding the signal, the transmitted signal is generated in the output circuit of the cathode-ray tube and the decoding cathode-ray tube includes a screen with variable electron-transparency. The transmitting arrangement may include a number of discrete anodes connected to separate tappings on an external source of voltage, Fig. 1 (not shown), or the anodes connected to resistors of different values, Fig. 2 (not shown), or in a modification, Fig. 3 (not shown), the resistance of an anode member in the output circuit of the tube may depend on the position of the beam relative to an output point on the anode. In a further modification, Fig. 4, the cathode-ray tube O includes a screen G having apertures p1, p2, p3 of different areas, so that the number of electrons of beam, emitted from a cathode r and controlled by coils b1, b2, which reach an anode A is varied by the position of the beam relative to the screen. The arrangement shown in Fig. 5 includes a triple iconoscope I having three mosaics Mx, My, Mz scanned by three beams from cathodes Tx, Ty, Tz, respectively, and utilized to produce colour component sig. nals of the object Ob to be transmitted. The three beams of the tube are shielded from each other by screens C, Cl, preferably of mica. In a further arrangement, Fig. 12 (not shown), and generally similar to that shown in Fig. 5, the coding cathode-ray tube comprises a screen of which the effective part is right-angled triangle having a number of sections arranged to have variable electron transparency. The variable transparency screen may be derived from a sheet having differing numbers of holes punched per unit area for the different sections of the sheet forming the screen. Alternatively the screen may be formed by electrolysis, using a metallic cloth of fine mesh in which a pattern related to the variably-open areas is covered with a cellulosic varnish capable of resisting attack by acid and of preventing metallic deposition. After metallic deposition on the unvarnished areas, the screen is washed with acetone to remove varnish from the apertures of the open part of the screen. In a further modification, the screen may be made by a loom with a Jacquard mechanism to weave an openwork or meshed screen of fine metallic wires so that different areas of the screen have different areas of the meshes filled in by the woven wires. In a further embodiment, Fig. 15, the coding arrangement comprises a first cathode-ray tube O of which the beam is deflected by angularly-displaced coils Bb, Br and plates Pv so that the numbers of electrons passing through a triangular perforated screen G are effective to vary the voltages in resistances R1, R2 connected to sector-shaped anodes A1, A2. The output voltage at R1, R2 in combination with further control voltages derived from valves lb, lv, lr control coils B1d, Blyl to vary the position of the cathode beam in a second tube O<SP>1</SP> in relation to a perforated screen G1 to vary the electron flow in the external load resistance RT to derive a signal T representative of the colour of an element of the object which is being scanned. The decoding cathode-ray tube C, Fig. 19, comprises a screen G with elongated slots pn, pb, pv, pr, whose widths in planes parallel to the plane of the drawing are varied in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and a rectilinear beam from the cathode y is varied in intensity at the grid u and in position by a coil B so that the electrons passing to the respective anodes an ... av vary the voltages applied to the cathodes yn ... yr of four cathode-ray tubes producing respectively an image in black-and-white, and also blue, green and red component images. In a further receiving arrangement, Fig. 21 (not shown), the cathode-ray tube has three beams scanning separate parts of a variable-opacity screen, preferably of the alkali-type, the separate images being projected through appropriate colour screens to a viewing screen. In a modified transmitting arrangement, Fig. 24, in which each element of the object is analysed in respect of its components in seven colour components, the image Ob is projected on to a photo-sensitive cathode Ph1 and each element after analysis by a spectograph S, E2, is projected on to a second photo-sensitive cathode Ph2. The electrons emitted from the cathodes Ph1, Ph2 are focused by a coil LE on to mosaics M1, M2 scanned by beams from cathodes T1, T2. The mosaic M2 is associated with seven separate collecting anodes c2u, c2i ... corresponding to the seven component colours. The outputs at resistances RU, RI ... are fed to two series of valves LU, LI ... , lu, li ... , and thence to coils DJ, DB, DR, DU and pairs of plates DI, DI1, DO, DO1 and DV, DV1. The positioning of the beam in relation to a screen G having seven sectors with five zones in each sector determines the coded colour signal in terms of the voltage appearing across the load resistance RT. In a further receiving arrangement, Fig. 26, the coded colour signal determines the component colour signals in a manner generally very similar to that shown in Fig. 19, and the corresponding voltages are applied to cathodes cb, cb, cr of a cathode-ray tube O having a fluorescent screen F1. The respective beams are arranged to impinge on contiguous points on the screen by auxiliary deflecting plates Pb, Pr, and the beams as a whole are scanned horizontally and vertically by coils bh, bv. The separate beam control arrangements are shielded from each other by mica plates i1, i2. The image on the screen Fl is projected on to a viewing screen EP having receiving series of lines in the colours blue, green and red and the viewing side of the screen is rendered diffusive by a coating of opal or of minute glass fibres. The differentlycoloured lines may be formed by a photographic process on a film which is applied to a glass plate, or may be engraved by pens carrying inks of different colours and preferably using dyes with an aniline base. The multi-coloured screen may be combined with the fluorescent screen by fusing it to the conical portion of the cathode-ray tube. In a modification of the combined fluorescent and viewing screens, the screen EP may comprise three differing substances and combined in such a way that the three series of lines have effectively different refractive indices so that, by dispersion, the consecutive lines are violet-blue, red and green. Specification 524,443 and U.S.A. Specification 2,375,966 are referred to.