Patent GB-818413-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to the construction of leading-in connections for glow discharge vessels
IPC: H01J17/04
Filed: 1955-07-27
Abstract: 818,413. Discharge apparatus. ELEKTROPHYSIKALISCHE ANSTALT B. BERGHAUS. July 27, 1955 [Aug. 5, 1954], No. 21675/55. Class 39(1). A leading-in connector in a glow-discharge vessel with a gax filling at a pressure above 1 mm. of mercury, having an insulated voltagecarrying inner conductor and a system of protective gaps opening into the interior of the vessel, this system comprising one or more "electrode gaps" (between current-carrying electrode parts or conductors conductively connected therewith and insulators or insulated conductors), and one or more "casing gaps" (between casing parts and insulators or insulated conductors), with or without one or more "neutral gaps" (bounded on both sides by insulators or insulated conductors), in which the inner conductor extending into the glow discharge vessel, and/or metal parts surrounding the inner conductor are exposed, at least at times, to a glow discharge, is characterized by the feature that in addition to the aforesaid protective gaps, a " separating gap " which is substantially' wider than the said protective gaps is provided between an electrode part and a casing part. In one embodiment, Fig. 4, the conductor 35, connected to the source of voltage, carries a metal cylinder 36 and is insulated from the casing 12 by a cylindrical insulator 37 having an annular groove 38. The part of the insulator 37 between the groove 38 and the conductor 35 forms a radial "electrode gap" 39 with the cylinder 36. An insulating tube 40 and a metal tube 41 are mounted in the groove 38 and form an annular "electrode gap" 43a with the cylinder 36. "Neutral gaps" 42a, 42b and 43b are formed between the tubes 40, 41 and the walls of the groove 38. The insulator 37 is surrounded by a metal sleeve 44 conductively connected with the casing 12 and having a metal collar 45 which covers the end surface of the insulator 37 and forms therewith a radial " casing gap " 46. The collar 45 forms with the cylinder 36 an annular "separating gap" 47 which is protected by a disc 31 against the penetration of metal particles, and forms with the metal tube 41 an annular "casing gap" 48. The tubes 40 and 41 may both be of metal or may both be of insulating material. In the latter case the end surface of the tube 41 soon becomes metallized and in effect forms a metal tube. The danger of particles resulting from scale formation falling into the gaps is avoided by the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 in which the conductor 50 is insulated from the casing 12 by an insulator 51 having a radial groove 52 in which is disposed a thin disc 53 forming radial "neutral gaps" 54 and 55. A metal cap 56 mounted over the conductor 50 covers the end surface of the insulator 51 and has a flange 57 forming an annular "electrode gap" 58 with the insulator 51 and a radial "electrode gap" 59 with the periphery of the disc 53. A metal sleeve 60 conductively connected with the casing 12 forms an annular "casing gap" 61 with the insulator 51, a radial "casing gap" 62 with the periphery of the disc 53, and a " separating gap " 63 with the metal flange 57. The disc 53 may be of metal or of insulating material or may consist of an inner insulating disc and an outer metal ring. The conductor 35, 50 may be hollow and may be provided with water cooling. Other simplified embodiments are described.