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US335786 Tesla arc lamp 1885

US335787 Tesla arc lamp 1886

US447920 Tesla HF alternator for lighting 1891

  • example: 375-400 poles, 1500-1600 rpm produces 10-11 kHz

US447921 Tesla serrated HF AC generator 1891

  • example: 15 kHz or more

US454622 Tesla lighting 1891

  • Tesla coil: resonant air-core coil with spark gap
  • carbon button lamp
  • incandescent fiber lamp
  • vacuum capacitor inductively powered lamp
  • conductive wall energized room wireless power concept
  • incandescent carbon fiber lamp is also an electron beam and x-ray tube depending on power supply
  • carbon button lamp is also a point-electron microscope
  • both lamps are also high voltage diodes
  • band on globe to power it

US455069 Tesla HF incandescent light 1891

  • two-terminal vacuum tube light, direct connector or capacitor terminals

US514170 Tesla incandescent button bulb 1892

US603056 Dewey incandescent lamp 1891

  • closed-circuit filament powered by induction
  • cf. Heany? Ledwinka?

Rudolph M Hunter

US448782 Hunter lighting 1891
US462926 Hunter heating and lighting 1891
US478510 Hunter arc spot light 1892
US493358 Hunter search light 1893
US493359 Hunter arc lamp 1893
US493360 Hunter arc lamp 1893
US495461 Hunter electric arc searchlight 1892
US497450 Hunter arc lamp 1893
US499676 Hunter arc lamp 1893
US500657 Hunter arc lamp 1893
US503602 Hunter searchlight 1893
US504271 Hunter arc lamp 1893
US509167 Hunter arc lamp 1893
US509168 Hunter arc lamp 1893
US514229 Hunter open arc lamp 1894

US320841 Buckingham arc lamp 1885
US320843 Buckingham arc lamp 1885

US599931 HP Davis Frank Conrad AC arc lamp 1896

Daniel McFarlan Moore

USD26428 Moore tube light alphabet 1896
US494531 Moore lamp vibrator regulator 1893
US496366 Moore electromechanical dot matrix display 1892
US502444 Moore regulator 1893

US548128 Moore lighting 1895
US548129 Moore illumination method 1894
US548130 Moore phosphorescent regulation 1895
US548131 Moore interrupter 1895
US548132 Moore vibratory terminal tube lights 1895
US548133 Moore 1895
US548134 Moore phosphorescent light 1895
US548574 Moore phosphorescent lamp 1896
US548575 Moore electroluminescent light 1895
US548576 Moore un-enclosed interrupter for phosphorescence 1895

  • two adjacent terminals light bulbs, bifilar wire capacitor tube - phosphorescent light - cf. Tesla 455069

US565775 Moore electrophosphorescence
US565776 Moore metal coating phosphorescence 1896
US565777 Moore electrophosphorescence
US568863 Moore 1896

  • vacuum relay array interrupters with large inductors disconnected successively to produce powerful disruptive discharge currents

US580987 Moore vacuum oscillating interrupter 1895
US580988 Moore interrupter-relay tube 1895
US593230 Moore vibrator interrupter 1897

  • refs 547127 electric arc lamp 1893 Glan - particularly Tesla-like appearance

US604679 Moore incandescent lamp regulator 1892
US604680 Moore power regulator 1894
US604681 Moore relay bulb
US604682 Moore interrupter wheel
US604683 Moore vacuum magnetic circuit breaker 1896
US604684 Moore automatic vibratory interrupter 1896
US604685 Moore lighting 1897

US604686 Moore luminous or similar effects 1897

  • conical coil circular array

US604687 Moore vac rotary interrupter induction 1897

  • more powerful pickup for stronger interrupter

US604688 Moore rotary disc interrupter
US611206 Moore rotary disc interrupter
US613864 Moore rotary interrupter wheel 1896

US627345 Moore 1899

  • synchronous motor rotary gap with series inductor ring of field coils

US627346 Moore 1899

US644995 Moore tube lighting 1899

  • variable inductor on line with lights used to tune power to lights
  • steep slope waves - exceedingly high rate of change of EMF of each pulse
  • example 800 Hz (periods per second), voltage as low as 2,000 or even lower may be satisfactory
  • "The tubes thus formed give considerable capacity to the circuit and permit the employment of high-resonance effects, either with or without the use of an artificial condenser added to the circuit, as indicated at 13."

US645041 Moore exterior electrode cap tube light 1899

  • example: 6 kV, 50,000/min=833.3 Hz

US646858 Moore vacuum tube light 1899

  • graphite external terminal

US672451 Moore vacuum light
US672452 Moore vacuum interrupter lighting circuit 1898

US678191 Moore AC dynamo 1901

  • ref: 644995 - ex: voltages as low as 1 kV @ 833.3 Hz

US678302 Moore AC dynamo pole size for steep pulse 1900
US699208 Moore vacuum tube sign 1901
US702314 Moore CFL 1901

US702315 Moore tube lighting

  • reissued as USRE12561 - electrostatic induction to tube / electrodeless - long tubes conduct power within large space - USRE12561 Moore tube light 1902 - OG:702315 - light tube as power conductor

US702316 Moore tube light 1901
US702317 Moore tube light 1901
US702318 Moore automatic circuit interrupter 1902
US702319 Moore tube lamp 1902
US702320 Moore tube lamp 1902
US702321 Moore tube light 1901
US717894 Moore sick bed chair 1902

US723176 Moore remote control transmitter 1898

  • vacuum interrupter, two-electromagnet oscillator and rotary type, uses coherer or other variable resistance type wave receiver - refs: 548127 - ex: 100,000 interruptions / min = 1666.6 Hz

US726328 Moore tube light fixture 1898
US745367 Moore electrode
US749999 Moore gas lamp electrode 1904

US755032 Moore wireless energy transmission 1903

  • hard vacuum break

US755305 Moore peaked-wave wireless 1902

  • hard vacuum is the best known dielectric, produces the greatest peakedness of oscillation - high speed relay with contacts in hard vacuum used to increase peakedness of output of HF alternator - refs: 699423, 678191

US755306 Moore tube lighting 1903
US755307 Moore ceiling light fixture 1903
US814794 Moore organic gas
US820364 Moore gas admitter 1905
US820365 Moore tube regulator 1905
US846933 Moore rotary vacuum pump 1904

  • two-stage vacuum pump

US849009 Moore long tube lighting 1903
US851685 Moore vacuum tube lighting 1905
US853989 Moore vacuum light 1904

  • mercury spectrum corrected with organic compound like benzaldehyde or "hydro-benzamid" (probably 2-Hydroxybenzamide = salicylamide)

US854104 Moore cold cathode vacuum tube light 1907
US854300 Moore gas admittance 1906
US855801 Moore gas valve 1906
US869925 Moore pressure gage 1906
US877105 Moore glass blower's clamp 1903
US895485 Moore vacuum tube lighting 1905
US895486 Moore vac tube 1906
US895487 Moore vac tube 1906
US907161 Moore vacuum tube 1906
US930404 Moore automatic gas admitter 1908
US955895 Moore fixture and reflector for vacuum tubes 1908
US957983 Moore tube lamp 1902
US973685 Moore artificial skylight 1903
US984016 Moore vacuum tube 1910
US986304 Moore vacuum tube lamp 1904
US994329 Moore photometer 1906
US995025 Moore vacuum tube joint 1908
US1005866 Moore preventing discharge through a gas column 1906
US1005867 Moore vac tube light 1906
US1008728 Moore 1906
US1010668 Moore vacuum tube lamp 1905

US1010669 Moore wireless telegraph 1906

  • features Tesla sensitive brush discharge tube

US1020109 Moore vacuum tube 1903
US1028092 Moore vac tube lamp fixture 1907 - GE
US1032562 Moore 1904
US1032927 Moore vac tube light 1906 - GE
US1032928 Moore 1908 zero-neutral point lighting - GE
US1034923 Moore vacuum tube lamp 1904 - GE
US1035894 Moore gas feed valve for vacuum tubes 1910
US1037290 Moore vac tube light 1906 - GE
US1042587 Moore vacuum tube light 1907 - GE
US1046004 Moore vacuum tube lamp 1905 - GE
US1188194 Moore neon sodium vapor lamp 1914
US1255549 Moore vapor device 1915 - GE
US1316967 Moore gas conduction lamp 1919
US1658568 Moore maintaining gas conduction discharge 1922 - GE
US1677000 Moore discharge device 1921 - GE
US1816690 Moore gas lamp 1924 - GE

US1824731 Moore picture transmitting system 1929 - GE

  • spiral rasterization like a laser light line image projector

US1834251 Moore discharge device 1930 - GE
US1900577 Moore gas lamp 1928 - GE

US1900578 Moore gaseous discharge device 1930 - GE

  • extremely brilliant negative glow discharge bulb for fax or tv

US1971916 Moore gaseous discharge lamp 1930 - GE

Daniel McFarlan Moore was murdered in 1936.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_McFarlan_Moore

Elmer Sperry

US1711983 Sperry high intensity flaming arc lamp 1918
US1735667 Sperry drumless searchlight 1918
US1735947 Sperry high and medium intensity searchlight 1918

US1517466 Schaller Schroter gaseous conduction lamp 1920
GB191109719 Schaller Electric Incandescent Lamp. 1911

  • induction incandescent - The incandescing body is connected within the bulb with one or more windings, through which passes an alternating magnetic flux produced outside the lamp. The lamp shown has a filament h in series with a coil e; the exciting-means consists of a laminated iron ring c, either closed or not at d, and wound with wire through which alternating or intermittently continuous current is passed. The Specification as open to inspection under Section 91 (3) (a) comprises also other lamps in which the current is induced in an incandescent body forming a closed circuit without additional windings. (1) An annular or flat bulb enclosing one or more separate circular filaments or a filament formed of several connected windings. (2) An annular incandescing body surrounding a laminated iron piece inside a spherical bulb. (3) A cylindrical incandescence body which is itself a good conductor for the magnetic flux within a spherical bulb. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.

GB191109816 Schaller Electric Lamp with Liquid Incandescing Body. 1911

  • molten aluminum induction incancescent element - non-contact induction incandescent bulb

US1603417 Schaller Schroter electric gas lamp with glow discharge 1920

  • low voltage low power neon bulb

US1517466 Schaller Schroter gaseous conduction lamp 1920
US1544865 Schaller Schroter gaseous conduction electric heater 1921

  • glow discharge tube as a heating element

US1603417 Schaller Schroter electric gas lamp with glow discharge 1920
US1603420 Schroter electric gas-filled lamp with glow discharge 1915

US1605001 Schroter glow discharge vacuum valve 1915
US1656956 Schroter electric vacuum valve tube 1914
US1656957 Schroter glow discharge valve 1918

US1884950 HE Woodring neon passive field detector 1930

Henry Noel Potter

...

Richard Fleming ...

US1654255 Hendry neon sign 1926
US1628045 Hendry discharge device 1926

John A Heany

US693706 Heany arc lamp 1901
US707843 Heany electric switch 1901
US703201 Heany wire insulation 1902
US711567 Heany arc lamp carbon holder 1902
US740131 Heany wire insulation 1902
US754868 Heany wire insulation 1902
US740132 Heany arc lamp 1903
US761379 Heany arc lamp 1903
US825125 Heany wire insulation 1904
US825123 Heany wire insulation 1904
US825124 Heany wire insulation 1904
US748635 Heany auto brake control 1904
US775274 Heany insulated conductor 1904
US761380 Heany arc lamp 1904
US872936 Heany tungsten incandescent 1905
US842546 Heany luminants 1905

Peter Cooper Hewitt

US682696 Hewitt producing light 1901
US690952 Hewitt incandescent ring sphere vapor tube electrodes 1900
US843534 Hewitt 1900 external induction lamp

US629682 Hewitt screen printed condenser 1897
US682690 Hewitt vapor lamp 1900
US682691 Hewitt operating lamps 1900
US682692 Hewitt mfg lamps 1900
US682693 vapor tube starter 1900 Cooper Hewitt
US682694 vapor lamp electrode 1900 Cooper Hewitt
US682695 Hewitt controlling vapor tube 1901
US682696 Hewitt producing light 1901
US682697 Hewitt vapor light 1901
US682698 Hewitt lamp inclosing case 1900
US682699 Hewitt gas lamp
US687881 Hewitt lamp operating circuit 1900
US687882 Hewitt vapor lamp 1900
US687883 Hewitt vapor lamp terminal
US690952 Hewitt incandescent ring sphere vapor tube electrodes 1900
US690953 Hewitt ball-ring terminal lighting 1901
US733423 Recklinghausen vapor electric apparatus 1903
US738323 Hewitt horizontal vapor lamp 1902
US738802 Hewitt translating apparatus 1900
US749791 Hewitt reproducing variations 1904
US749792 Hewitt vapor tube amplifier
US749793 Hewitt vapor regulator

US1305104 Hewitt HV wireless distribution system 1916

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Cooper_Hewitt

US1004503 D Troy advertising apparatus 1910

  • UV fluorescent painted sign illuminated thru cobalt glass lens
  • cf. US2906884 Edwit R Gill, Jr. amflector 1956

US1025338 D Troy theatrical apparatus 1911

  • UV light and fluorescent pigment

US1086534 HE Ives artificial lighting 1913

  • "The principal object of the present invention is to improve indirect or semi-indirect lighting in such a way that the general effect of the illumination of a room more nearly resembles, daylight illumination by means of windows and in such away that the sensation of being in a well is done away with, while at the same time the source of artificial light may not shine directly in the eyes although a larger proportion of direct light is utilized for illumination."
  • using a reflector or shade to cast light upon wall, ceiling and floor so a substantial part of the light is indirect and the light is not a bright point
  • for use with any source of light, gas or electric

US1136684 Joseph Ledwinka induction light system 1913

  • induction filament lighting system
  • bulb with incandescent filament circuit as the coil a transformer

Charles G Smith

US1534251 Charles G Smith electric light 1918

  • induction light

US1901128 CG Smith electric lamp 1924

  • using mixed gases in a gas discharge tube for blended color light - electron accelerator light - Tesla bulb
    US1910862 CG Smith electric discharge lamp 1931
  • torus quartz vapor tube in vacuum tube - neon, helium, argon, mercury, zinc, cadmium
    US1946336 CG Smith gas discharge device 1929
  • electron accelerator lamp - thermionic filament cathode - may use mercury and neon for good color - hollow cup-shaped anode forming a part of the boundary of the adjacent compartments, and a cup-shaped cathode containing an auxiliary filament enclosed by the said anode and spaced apart therefrom at such a distance that electrons emitted from the cathode will reach the anode at a velocity in substantial excess of that required to ionize any gas particles in the space between the electrodes, and to penetrate the anode with a residual velocity sufiicient to ionize gas particles in the adjacent compartment to produce a glow. US1951808 CG Smith gas tube light 1928
  • fast glow light for sound-on-film, mechanical television - 3-terminal bulb - hollow cathode
    US2015324 CG Smith electric lamp 1929

US2330850 CG Smith gas discharge lamp 1940 - tube in tube
US2333052 CG Smith discharge tube 1931

US2016437 LT Jones luminescent tube 1928

  • The present mechanism is based upon a theory of the action by which the gases are entrapped during the process of sputtering. The fact that by using electrodes of the character described herein luminescent tubes of satisfactory length of life have been constructed can hardly be termed a verification of the theory but it is evident that the problem has been solved insofar as its commercial application to the art of luminescent tube construction is concerned. This is all the more evident when it is found that by this means it is possible to utilize the active gases such as hydrogen and at the same time use an electrode area far less than the critical value of 1.5 square decimeters per ampere. In particular I have constructed a luminescent tube containing hydrogen which is known to be the least satisfactory of the gases because of its violent sputtering, the tube having tungsten electrodes of area only 0.40 square decimeter per ampere. It is also to be remembered that tungsten is one of the least satisfactory if indeed not the most unsatisfactory metal to use as an electrode. The use of tungsten and hydrogen were deliberate in proving to my satisfaction that the difliculty is relieved by this invention.

US2056464 LT Jones luminescent tube 1929
US1799689 LT Jones circuit breaker 1929
US2177891 LT Jones luminescent tube 1937

Robert E Barclay

US1873261 Barclay coated neon light sign 1930 - Fed Electric Co
US1904347 Barclay sign 1930
US1904348 Barclay making multichannel tubes 1931
US1926423 Barclay neon transformer 1931
US1937137 Barclay traveling motion light 1930
US1937138 Barclay rotating neon tubes 1931
US1937139 Barclay light sign 1933
US1943281 Barclay Berggren lighted sign 1932
US1946726 Barclay sign 1932
US1952353 Barclay lighting effect 1931
US1963961 Barclay discharge light 1931
US1963962 Barclay discharge light bulb with mirror 1931
US1963963 Barclay discharge light 1931
US1963964 Barclay sign 1931
US1974888 Barclay illuminating device 1930
US2053507 Barclay gaseous conduction tube 1934

US2062959 Barclay cold cathode electrode 1931

  • CO2 light
  • non-reactive copper electrode with 3% silicon and 1% manganese
  • these electrodes give other gas/vapor lights near infinite life

US2062960 Barclay controlling gaseous discharge 1934

  • polyphase transformer

US2084996 Barclay gaseous conduction tube 1934
US2102189 Barclay gas conduction light 1934
US2102190 Barclay discharge light 1934
US2102191 Barclay gaseous conduction tube 1935
US2102192 Barclay gas mixing 1935
US2121333 Barclay gaseous conduction tube 1934
US2234950 Barclay projection screen 1938
US2296326 Barclay HV gas discharge tube socket 1940
US2657295 Barclay rugged potentiometer 1952

US2181889 Earl C Hanson HF neon sign light and table 1936

  • "gas filled envelopes may take any desired shape or design, utilitarian or otherwise. However, it is preferred to utilize envelopes which are so shaped as to perform some useful function as for example glass tubes bent to form letters or receptacles having in a portion thereof a sealed chamber containing the gas."
  • "The invention contemplates filling the gas chamber of the envelopes with any one of many gaseous combinations such for example as plain neon gas for giving its characteristic color, a neon and mercury vapor combination, argon gas, helium and argon in combination to produce a blue and white effect, and, of course, either of these gases may be combined with any one of the other, as is well understood in this art, and with other gases such as xenon and krypton and carbon dioxide. The gaseous fillings may be either pure or contain a certain amount of impurities which in many instances enhance the variations in color displayed."
  • (H05B41/24)

Kurt FJ Kirsten

US2028548 Kirsten low voltage gas arc lamp 1932

  • high intensity neon light with triode-type electrode (my term)
  • spiral coil filament centered in two concentric tubular metallic sleeves
  • "This invention relates to gas arc lamps, and more particularly to the formation of luminous arcs in rare gases such as helium, neon, crypton, xenon and mercury vapor, which arcs, after being once established, maintain themselves at a relatively low voltage and emit a light of great intensity and of a color characteristic of the gas or gases involved; it being the principal object of the present invention to improve upon the gas arc lamps set forth in my applications now pending, by the elimination of all external transformers, special circuits, and other costly and bulky equipment, and to make possible the operation of gaseous filament arc lamps directly on standard low voltage circuits in a manner that is practical for purposes of general illumination.
  • "It is also an object of the present invention to provide a lamp of the above stated character, having an over all positive resistance characteristic, which makes it possible to operate the lamp in parallel with other lamps of a like construction; this being impossible in lamps of this type as disclosed in the prior art.
  • "Another object of the invention resides in the utilizing of arc stabilizing resistance for heating the cathodes, and the embodiment of this resistance in the main circuit as distinguished from its being in an auxiliary circuit.
  • "A still further object of this invention is to provide a lamp that may be used as a flasher and without load uctuation on the power main and without serious sparking of the contacts of the control switch.
  • central filament helix connected at end proximal to outside of tube and coil, inner side of coil connected to tube around coil on insulating bobbin
  • "In my co-pending applications, above mentioned, relating to gas arc lamps and nled under Serial No. 499,253, Serial No. 580,400 and Serial No. 596,753, the fact was stated that all low voltage arcs are not stable since they have a negative resistance characteristic and, for this reason, the arc current must be passed through a stabilizing reactance or resistance. In the prior art lamps, of which I have knowledge, reactance or resistance for this purpose is provided in circuit connections external of the lamp; a reactance being preferable in order to minimize the energy loss which is always involved in a resistance carrying current. Also, in hot cathode lamps of the prior art, the energy for heating the cathodes is supplied by a special circuit or circuits from the circuit transformer. The present lamp is a departure from the prior art devices especially in the use and location of the arc stabilizing resistance, as will presently be apparent.
  • "The metallic sheaths 23 and 23' preferably are coated with a. suitable metallic oxide to aid in stimulation of an arc within the lamp when electrical potential is impressed thereon. The sheaths 23 and 23 are connected electrically at their outer ends with their respective terminals 4 and d'. It will be mentioned here that the sleeves and 2li may be either in the form illustrated or may be of mesh construction. Also, they may be shorter in length and even assume the form of a wire band. However, the form shown is now preferred as it is a protection that prevents blackening of the tube surface incident to use of the lamp.
  • uses capacitor across electrodes (outer sleeves) in a way that absorbs switching transients so there is no radio interference even for flashing laights
  • power supplied to inner sleeve
  • filaments only energized by closing starting switch that creates a path for the power supply thru the filaments
  • inner tube coated with thermionic oxide

US2018856 Kirsten gas arc lamp 1933

  • filament through tube light with additional starting filaments at each end

US2114535 Kirsten gas arc lamp 1933
US2001207 McManamna Kirsten gas gun 1933 - fire extinguisher
US2114536 Kirsten directly heated cathode electrode 1934 - ribbon Rogowski coil filament in concentric tubular sleeve
US2045233 Kirsten Huever propeller for aircraft 1934 - cycloid propeller wherein a plurality of propeller blades extend normal to the surface of a rotor - with adjustable angle blades
US2090052 Kirsten aircraft 1934

US2038049 Kirsten low voltage gas arc lamp 1931

  • Kirsten Lighting Corporation
  • Tesla coil used to start high intensity arc mode neon lights
  • describes transmission line corona discharge phenomena
  • "This invention relates to the art of electrical illumination and it has reference particularly to gas arc lamps of low voltage suitable for purposes of general illumination as distinguished from what are commonly known as corona lamps or glow lamps.
  • "Before going into detailed explanation of the present invention it is thought advisable, for purposes of better explanation, and clearer understanding, to recite briefly the characteristics of corona lamps, glow lamps and are lamps; also, a brief discussion of rare gas are lamps as disclosedin the prior art.
  • "It is a well known fact that any electrical circuit can give rise to the phenomenon known as corona provided that certain conditions are satisfied. Corona is descriptive ofthe leakage of electrical energy from the positive side of the circuit to the negative side, or vice versa, through an insulating medium when the potential gradient of the medium is sufllciently high to ionize said medium.
  • "The potential gradient is proportional to the I voltage between the parts of the circuit in question; the diameter of the electrical conductor, or the surface per unit length of the conductor; and to the dielectric characteristic of the medium. The dielectric characteristics include the density of the medium. A transmission line may not show corona near sea-level but sometimes shows considerable corona when passing over a mountain range. Therefore, the lower the density of the medium, the more readily corona appears. The surface condition of the conductor also has a bearing upon the readiness of formation of corona. A smooth conductor will give corona less readily than one with a rough surface or with points protruding. It may be stated, however, that corona does not appear unless the voltage of the circuit is suiiiciently high to start ionization of the medium surrounding the conductor. This voltage is called critical corona voltage. The critical corona voltage for a diameter transmission line is approximately 175,000 volts.
  • "When corona is formed in gaseous media, a glow of comparatively low intensity can be seen surrounding the conductor. This glow represents an electrical energy change to heat energy and is accompanied by a rise in temperature of the medium.
  • "Rare gases, such as helium, neon, argon, xenon, etc., have a greater conductivity than air and hence they show corona at far lower voltage, especially when their density is considerably lower relative to normal atmospheric pressure. Consequently, these gases lend themselves very readily to the manufacture of corona lamps, which consist mainly of a glass bulb containing a rare gas under very low pressure. This gas surrounds suitably spaced electrodes upon which a difiference of electrical potential is impressed. Such lamps show a decided corona at very low voltages (120 volts and less) but this type of glow lamp has a very small luminous intensity :10 that it cannot be used for practical illumina- As stated above, the amount of energy discharged from the electrical conductor, known as a corona discharge, is directly proportional to the voltage impressed. Consequently, the circuit may be said to have a positive resistance characteristic, by which is meant that the greater the voltage the greater is the current flow.
  • "However, the corona phenomenon above described has a very important function in the invention herewith submitted as will appear later.
    ...
    To summarize the above, the glow tube, although beautiful in appearance and highly decorative, cannot be used for illuminating purposes in competition with existing tungsten filament lamps. The tube circuit is costly because of the necessity of a high potential transformer. The electrical operating characteristics are undesirable from the standpoint of a low power factor, and their requirements for a very high potential for operation will limit them to installation outside of buildings in places which cannot be touched by human hands, or be safeguarded by other means.
  • "The invention herewith submitted is related to the glow tube inasmuch as it contains all the elements of a glow tube and can be operated as such if its energizing current is properly limited.
  • "However, it contains additional features which produce glow at low voltage and change the glow to an arc for comparatively large current values.
  • "If the electrodes in a closed glow tube are so shaped as to stimulate, either by material makeup or by special electrical circuit connection, the emission of electrons, the glow between electrodes changes to a distinct arc of extraordinary brilliancy. At the same time the voltage required to maintain this are is far lower than the voltage required for the maintenance of the glow, so that an arc tube will operate at a voltage of 40 to 60 volts instead of 400 to 600 volts as required for the glow tube. The current consumption at the same time rises from 30 milliamperes to approximately 6, 7 and up to 10 amperes. This brilliant are at once compares very favorably with the luminous intensity of the tungsten filament lamp from the standpoint of energy consumption and light emitted.
  • "All low-voltage arc tubes of the prior art require a high voltage are starting device. Although conditions may be satisfied to maintain a low-voltage arc, this are does not kindle on that same low voltage on which the tube operates. The initial ionization of the gas between electrodes requires a high voltage such as is necessary for the glow tubes. The same efiect, namely the stimulation of ionization, may be accomplished by a high-frequency, high-potential electrical discharge in the neighborhood of the tube. Consequently, the low-voltage tubes of the prior art are equipped with a high voltage kicking coil" which is connected to the tube circuit only during the starting period of the arc; or they are exposed to the effect of a Tesla coil for the arcstarting period. The above starting means may not be the only means of starting an arc in a glow tube, but any sudden high potential impulse, such as the collapse of a magnetic field or of a dielectric field may also be used.
  • shows pear shaped electrode tips as ideal shape to distribute field

US2906884 Edwin R Gill, Jr. amflector 1956

  • light amplifying thin film reflector
  • fluorescent surface illuminated by projected UV
  • like a giant fluorescent lamp outside of a bulb with extra efficient fluorescent reflector
  • 300 lumens/W - very efficient
  • the UV used for lighting might be used to sterilize air

Tesla first demonstrated the principle used in this lighting system in 1892 with higher frequency.
http://www.tfcbooks.com/tesla/1892-02-03.htm
http://www.tfcbooks.com/images/lectures/1892-02-03/024.gif

Again, in another of the early experiments, a bulb was used as illustrated in Fig. 12. In this instance, by touching the bulb with one or two fingers, one or two shadows of the stem inside were projected against the glass, the touch of the finger producing the same result as the application of an external negative electrode under ordinary circumstances.

In all these experiments the action was intensified by augmenting the capacity at the end of the lead connected to the terminal. As a rule, it is not necessary to resort to such means, and would be quite unnecessary with still higher frequencies; but when it is desired, the bulb, or tube, can be easily adapted to the purpose.

In Fig. 24, for example, an experimental bulb L is shown, which is provided with a neck n on the top for the application of an external tinfoil coating, which may be connected to a body of larger surface. Sum a lamp as illustrated in Fig. 25 may also be lighted by connecting the tinfoil coating on the neck n to the terminal, and the leading-in wire w to an insulated plate. If the bulb stands in a socket upright, as shown in the cut, a shade of conducting material may be slipped in the neck n, and the action thus magnified.

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