US1617065A - Intermittent glow lamp - Google Patents

Description

7 Feb. 8,1927.

I C. F. LORENZ INTERMITTENT GLOW LAMP Filed March 17, 1923 INVENTOR CHARLES E LORENZ- ATTORNEY g helium, neon,

5 causing 55 space relation for example Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES I 1,617,065 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES FREDERICK LORENZ,

OF EAST bRANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '.[0 WEST- INGHOUSE LAMP COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

INTERMITTENT GLOW LAMP.

Application filed March 17, 1923..

. This invention relates to electrical devices and more particularly to lamps, such as glow or discharge lamps, inwhich a gas or a mixture of gases constitutes the light-producing 5 medium.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and practical intermittentglow lamp.

Another object is to providea glow lamp 0 which may automatically operate to alternately el'lect a contact aal a separation of the cathode and the anode A further object is to provide a device to make and break an electrical circuit without the, employment of metallic contacts.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent. upon a reading of the description.

A glow lamp, as known in the. art, usually comprises a sealed envelope containing argon or other gas at suitable pressure. Within the envelope, and properly spaced from each other, an anode and a cathode are so disposed that a comparatively low voltage will produce a discharge the cathode to become enveloped n a glow.

- Owing to the low wattage attainable in lamps of this character, they are suite l for use in connection with advertising devices so or other novel forms of colored luminosity.

For the purpose of adding to the attractiveness of lamps, particularly when used for advertising purposes, it is proposed to provide for their intermittent operation, that is, to provide a lamp having means incorporated therewith whereby the lamp may be alternately lighted and extinguished. This intermittent action also serves to cut. down the wattage, which result is of eco- 4o nomical advantage when the lamp is used,

for instance, as a night lamp for domestic service.

My invention, therefore,

aims to provide an internal structure for a glow lamp which will operate to niake-and-break the circuit,

thereby causing an intermittent glow Gas lamps of the type to which my invention relates, are operable when the electrodes thereof are disposed in given space relation,

' the space over which a discharge will travel being generally determined by the nature and pressure of the gas within the lamp. a lamp is designed to operate on say a 920 volt line with the electrodes at a definite 2 mm. apart in Serial No. 625,778.

quently, the glow or light source will be absent.

The present invention takes advantage of this characteristic and provides a movable electrode, preferably the anode adapted to be actuated by the heat created during the discharge to elfect a movement of the anode and intermittently change the space relation between the electrodes, thereby causing an intermittent glow. An automatic arrangement for operating the electrode may consist in the incorporation of a section of thermostatic metal in the conductor upon which the anode is mounted.

The normal position of the anode may be such that, when the connection is made to the electric supply line, a dischargebetween the electrodes will occ The heat created by and during the di s gharge then will act upon the thermostatic section which will flex, and the anode will thus be moved from the cathode a sufiicient distance to break the circuit and terminate the glow.

Although the heat-has caused the thermostatic strip to bend and increase the distance between the cathode and the anode, the current is not stopped immediately but continues to flow until the gap has attained a certain length, the length at which the current ceases being greater than the maximum gap which will allow starting. The anodically connected terminal therefore becomes positioned so far away from the cathode that considerable cooling must occur before the anode is close enough for a discharge to take place. This slightly excessive distance attained between the electrodes provides for on and off time intervals, since short time intervals are required for heating and for cooling.

Although the present invention may be utilized to provide an intermittent glow lamp which may be employed for general illumination or for advertising purposes, other uses may be found for such lamp. For instance, the intermittent glow lamp f may be employed as a means for interrupt ing the current or for operating a relay in connection, with relatively large currents. If used for this purpose, it is desirable to provide the lamp with an atmosphere of either argon, helium or neon, neon being preferable when the lamp is used for display purposes alone.

The invention will be more fully under stood by reference to the accompanying drawings in'which,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a lamp .embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a.

'nected to a leading-in conductor 12.

For the purpose of automatically moving the anode 7, a strip 13 of thermostatic metal may be disposed between the support mem- -ber 11 and the anode proper. Thus, the

thermostatic metal may constitute a portion of the support member, but, by reason of its flexure during variations in tem erature, operates to move the anode to and rom the cathode. The lamp may be provided with the usual screw plu 14 for attachment to the standard socket 1n the customary manner.

The normal space relation of the electrode may be such that a discharge will occur when aswitch or key 15 (see Fig. 2) is actuated and a current is permitted to flow from any suitable source, as, for instance, a generator 16 and thus a glow will be.pro-- duced. The thermostatic element will bend by reason of the effect of the heat upon the two metals, of which the element is composed, Which have different coefficients of expansion.

The thermostatic element, being positioned with the side havingthe greater coefiicient of expansion toward the cathode, will bend the anode away from the cathode until a suilicient distance has been attained to terminate the discharge, whereupon a reverse action will take place as the element cools.

A make-and-break is thus providedin the circuit without the necessity of any engagement between the electrodes, thus, the disadvanta e of slight arcing and, the deterioration ecause of pitting and sticking by welding which attends other make-.and-break devices, is avoided. As shown in. Fig. 2, this intermittent circuit breaker may be applied to increase or decrease the; luminosity of a plurality of lamps, as, for instance, the amps of an advertising sign. As illustrated, several lamps 18 may be connected, by what maybe termed a subsidiary circuit, to the electrical source 16. Such circuit may comprise conductors 19 and 21 and conductor 22 which is connected to an armature 23 of a relay 24, the armature 23 being adaptedto make contact with a return conductor 25 connected to conductor 26.

The lam 4; may be disposed in what may be termed a main circuit, and one electrode, as, for instance, the electrode 7 of the lamp 4, may be connected to the source of electrical energy 16 by the conductor 26. The other electrode 6 of the lamp may be connected to one end of the coil 27 of the relay 24 by a conductor 28, the other end of the coil being connected to the source of electrical energy by the conductor 19. Thus when the current'flows through the coil 27 and thence through the lamp, creating a dis charge and glow, the coil 27 is energized, and the armature 23 is moved to separate contact surface 31 thereof from a contact surface 32 connected to the conductor 25.

metal will then, by reason of the drop in temperature, move to position for a repetition of the discharge, whereupon the coil will be energized and the subsidiary or lamp circuit be broken.

The operation of intermittently lighting a plurality of lamps is thereby automatic and of an efiicient and practical nature. Although the lamp 4 is shown as operating to actuate a relay, it is obvious that on lowcurrent circuits it may operate directly to control certain electrical devices. The lamp, as shown, may be operated on a lighting circuit, in conjunction with a suitable resistance 34 which is rovided as indicated.

Although the oregoing description and accompanying drawings set forth and illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that other modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A discharge lamp comprising an envelope, a .pair of electrodes supported in said envelope in a normal predetermined space relation, a gas in said envelope at such pressure that a relatively low voltage will cause a discharge between said electrodes when disposed in said normal spaced relation, and means for automatically increasing the space between said electrodes at distance suflicient to terminate said discharge.

2. A discharge lamp comprising an envelope having twoelectrodes, support memno r hers forf normally maintaining said eleetrodes in a predetermined space relation, a gas in said envelope at such pressure thatla relativelylow voltage will cause a discharge between the electrodes, and means associated with one of said support members for automatieally moving the electrode mounted thereon to increase the space between said electrodes sufliciently to terminate the discharge therebetween.

3. A glow lamp having a cathode, means for supporting said cathode in a given position, an anode normally positioned in such proximity to said cathode as to permit a discharge therebetween, and means associated with said anode affected by the heat during the operation of said lamp to move the anode a suificient distance from the cathode to terminate said operation.

4. A dischar e lamp comprising an envelope, a pair 0 electrodes supported in said envelope in a normal predetermined space relation, a gas in said envelope at such pressure that a relatively low voltage will cause a discharge between said electrodes when disposed m'said normal spaced relation, and

a thermostat for automatically increasing the space between said electrodes a distance suflicient to terminate said discharge.

5. A discharge lamp comprising an envelope having two electrodes, support members for normally maintaining said electrodes, in a predetermined space relation, 21

gas in said envelope at such pressure that a relatively low voltage will cause a discharge between the electrodes, and a thermostat associated with one of said support members for automatically moving the electrode mounted thereon to increase the space between said electrodes sufiiciently to terminate the discharge therebetween.

6. A glow lamp having a cathode, means for supporting said cathode'in a given position, an anode normally positioned a predetermined distance from said cathode, and a thermostat associated with said anode in such manner that heat during the operation of said lamp causes the anode to move a sufficient distance from the cathode to terminate said operation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 16th day of March,

CHARLES FREDERICK LORENZ.

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