US2454279A - High-power oscillator tube - Google Patents

Description

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Flled June 22, 1945 Nov. Z3, 1948.v J. E. GoRHAM A 2,454,279

HIGH POWER OSCILLATOR TUBE Filed June 22, 1945 zshets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN EfGORHAM `cumbersome and troublesome.

Patented Nov. 23, 1948 i UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the GovernmentI for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon, j

rlhis invention relates to oscillators, and more particularly to self-contained oscillator tubes.

Electron tubes have already been made which are nearly self-contained oscillators, particularly for the generation of ultrahigh frequency power. Such tubes, however, have a number of disadvantages. The amount of power generated has been limited. Although tuned loops have been disposed within the tube envelope for tuning the anode-to-anode and grid-to-grid circuits, it has nevertheless been necessary totune the cathode-to-cathode circuit by means of an external circuit, which has sometimes proved In some tubes it has been necessary for a number of stems and lead-ins to project in the same direction from the tube envelope at points relatively close to one another, thus making the construction o-f the tube a difficult glass-blowing job.

The primary .object of the present vinvention is to generally improve oscillator tubes, and more particularly ultra high frequency oscillator tubes having resonant loops Within the tube envelope. A more specific object is to provide such a tube having greatly increased power output. Still another object is to facilitate tuning the cathode circuit by providing capacitance loading between the cathodes, thereby reducing the inductance needed for resonance. In fact, in accordance with a further feature and object of the invention, the necessary inductance may be provided by a reduced length of cathode leadin housed within the tube envelope.

Still another object is to devise an oscillator tube in which nearly all of the lead-ins extend in different directions at widely spaced points von the tube envelope, thus simplifying the` glassblowing job incident to construction of the tube.

To accomplish the foregoing and Iother objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the oscillator tube elements, and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which Figure l is a horizontal section through an oscillator tube embodying features 4of my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken approximately in the plane of the line 2 2 of Figure l.;

faire i its @e end Vieweg@ kwieV Figure 4 is a detail showing the cathode;

Figure 5 is a detail showing the electrode assembly and cathode choke;

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram explanatory of the oscillator tube; and f Figure r7 is a detail similar to Figure 4, but showing a modification.

4Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figure 6, the tube comprises a glass envelope I2 within which are disposed two electrode assemblies, each comprising a cathode I4, a grid I6, andan anode I8. As will later appear when considering the structure of the tube, the cathodes are preferably disposed in end-to-end relation on a common axis With the closed ends of the cathodes adjacent one another, thereby providing a capacitance 20 which facilitates tuning of the cathodes by reducing the length of cathode lead-in needed for resonance. This length is symbolically defined or terminated by the chokes 22. These are shown outside the tube envelope in Figure 6, and .may be located in this manner, but as will later appear, they may also be housed within the tube envelope.

The anodes are connected to one another by a tuned loop 24, and the grids are connected by a tuned loop 26, thus joining the two electrode assemblies for push-pull operation. The loops 24 and 26 are located relatively close together, thereby providing regenerative coupling therebetween. `In the actual structure, it is convenient to `locate the loop 26 within the loop 24. While not essential, it is also convenient to make the structure symmetrical by the addition of equal, oppositely-extending loops 24 and 26'.

Referring now, to Figure 1 of the drawing, it will be seen that the cathodes I4 are hollow sheet metal cans, heated by means of internallycarried heater filaments 30. The cans are preferably coated on the o-utside with a suitable electron emissive material, this being best shown at 32 in Figure 4. The cathode can is vcarried by a lead-in 34 which is preferably a hollow tubular ing a generally cylindrical cathode can closed at its inner end, said end comprising a flat surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said cathode, a cathode lead-in extending outwardly from said can,l a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed end-to-end ona common axis colinear with the axes of the cathodes, with the nat surfaces of the cathode assemblies adjacent one another whereby said surfaces form a radio-frequency condenser providing capacitance loading for facilitating timing of the cathodes.

2. An ultrahigh frequency tube comprising a glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies, each of said assemblies including a cylindrical cathode can closed at its inner end, a cathode lead-in extending outwardly from said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrodeassemblies being disposed end-to-end on a common axis with the closed ends of the cathode assemblies adjacent one another providing cathode-tocathode capacitance loading for facilitating tuning of the cathodes, the outwardly oppositely projecting lead-ins of the cathodes having radio-frequency chokes within said envelope at -a point defining the inductance for providing resonance with the aforesaid cathode-to-cathode capacitance.

3. An ultrahigh frequency tube comprising an evacuated glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies, each of` said assemblies including a cylindrical cathode can closed at its inner end, said end comprising a flat surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of 'said cathode', a heater filament in said can, a cathode leadin extending outwardly from said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed end-to-end on a common axis colinear with` the axes of the cathodes with the ilat surfaces of the cathode assemblies adjacent one another whereby said surfaces form a radio-frequency condenser, providing cathode-to-cathode capacitance loading for facilitating tuningof the cathodes, the outwardly oppositely projecting lead-ins of the cathodes having concentric chokes thereon within said envelope defining the inductance for providing resonance with the aforesaid cath-` ode-to-cathode capacitance.

4. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising a glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and resonant loops, each of said assemblies including a cylindrical cathodecan r closed at its inner end, said end comprising a flat surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said cathode, a heater lament in saidV can, a cathode lead-in extending outwardly from said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed end-to-end on a common axis colinear with the axes of the cathodes with the flat surfaces of the cathode assemblies adjacent one another, whereby said surfaces form a radiofrequency condenser, one of the aforesaid loops being a grid-to-grid loop, and another loop being an anode-to-anode loop, said anode-to-anode loop enclosing the aforesaid grid-to-grid loop.

5. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising a glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and resonant loops, each of said assemblies including a generally cylindrical cathode can closed at its inner end, a heater filament in said can, a cathode lead-in extending outwardlyfrom said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed end-to-end on a common axisv with the closed ends of the cathode assemblies adjacent one another providing capacitance loading for facilitating tuning of the cathodes, one of the aforesaid loops being a grid-to-grid loop, another loop being an anodeto-anode loop, the outwardly oppositely projecting lead-ins of the cathode-s having concentric chokes thereon ata suitable point defining proper inductance providing resonance with the aforesaid cathode-to-cathode capacitance.

6. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising an evacuated glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and resonant loops, each of said assemblies including a generally cylindrical cathode can closed at its inner end, a heater filament in said can, a cathode lead-in exe tending outwardly from said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, saidelectrode assemblies being disposed end-to-end on a common axis with the closed ends of the cathode assemblies adjacent one another providing capacitance loading for facilitating tuning of the cathodes, one of the aforesaid loops being a grid-to-grid loop, another loop being an anode-to-anode loop, said anode-to-anode loop enclosing the aforesaid grid-to-grid` loop, the out- Wardly oppositely projecting lead-ins of the cathodes having concentric chokes thereon at a suitable point `defining proper inductance providing resonance with the aforesaid cathode-to-cathode capacitance, the aforesaid glass envelope enclosing the aforesaid loops, chokes and the electrode assemblies.

7. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising a glass envelope carrying a pair of ele-ctrode assemblies and four resonant loops, each of said` assemblies including a generally cylindrical cathode can closed at its inner end, a heater filament in said can, a cathode lead-in extending loutwardly from said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an` anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed end-toend on a common axis with the closed ends of the cathode assemblies adjacent one another, two of the aforesaid loops being grid-to-grid loops extending in opposite direction, the other two loops being anode-to-anode loops extending in opposite direction, said anode-to-anode loops enclosing the aforesaid gr-id-to-grid loops.

8. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising a glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and four resonant loops, each of said assemblies including a generally cylindrical -cathode can closed at its inner end, a heater nlament in said can, a cathode lead-in extending outwardly from said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed end-toend 'on a com-mon axis with the closed ends of the cathode assemblies adjacentV one another, said ends providing a -cathode-to-cathode capac- -itan'ce loading for facilitating tuning of the cathodes, two of the aforesaid loops being grid-togrid loops extending in opposite direction, the other two loops being anode-to-anode loops extending in opposite direction, the outwardly oppositely projecting lead-ins of the cathodes having concentric chokes thereon `ata suitable point defining proper inductance which forms a resonance circuit with the aforesaid Icathode-tocathode capacitance.

9. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising an; evacuated glass envelope .carrying a; pair of electrode assemblies and four resonant4 loops, each of said-assemblies includingavgen-l erally cylindrical cathode can closed Iat its. inner end, a heater filament in said can, a-v cathode lead-inextending outwardlyrfrom said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electr-ode assemblies being disposed end-to-end on a common axis, with the closed ends ofthe cathode. assemblies adjacent one another, said ends providing a cathodeto-cathode capacitance loading for facilitating.

cathode-to-cathode capacitance, theA aforesaid,

glass envelope enclosing the aforesaid loops, chokes and the electrode assemblies.

10. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tubecomprising a glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assembliesand resonant'loops, each'of said assemblies including a cathode, a cathode lead-in extending horizontally outward from said cathode, a grid surrounding saidcathode,V

and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being. disposed end-,to-end ona common horizontalaxis, one of the aforesaid loops being a grid-to-grid loop, anotherloop be.

ing an ande-to-anode loop, said Vloops extending horizontally and said anodetoanode loop enclosing saidy grid-to-grid loop, anode leadins` extending vertically upwardlyfrom the anodes,

and a grid loop support extending verticallyv downward from the nodal point of the grid loop, whereby nearly all of the lead-ins project in different directions at relatively widely spacedl p oints onthe glass envelope of the tube.

11. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising an evacuated glass envelope carrying apair of electrode assemblies andresonant-loops, eachof said assemblies including a generally cylindrical cathode can, a heater filament in said can, a cathode lead-in extending horizontally outward from said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed end-toend on a common horizontal axis, one of the aforesaid loops being a grid-to-grid loop, another loop 4being an anode-to-anodeloop, said loops extending horizontally and said anode-to-anode loop enclosing the aforesaid grid-to-grid loop, anode lead-ins extending vertically upwardly from the anodes, and a grid loop support extending vertically downward from the end of the grid loop, whereby nearly all of the lead-ins project in different directions at relatively widely spaced points on the glass envelope of the tube.

12. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising aglass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and four resonant loo-ps, each of said assemblies including a cathode, a cathode lead-in extending horizontally outward from said cathode, a grid surrounding said cath'- ode, and an anode surrounding said grid, sa id electrode assemblies being disposed end-to-end' on a common horizontal axis, twoof the aforesaid loops being grid-to-gridl loops extending horizontally in oppositedirection, anode lead-ins projecting vertically upwardlyV lfrom the., anode-.- to-anode loops at the anodes, and grid loop lsup-i; ports `depending vertically downward'frorn the. nodal points of the grid l-oops, whereby nearly all,y of the lead-ins project in .different directionsaatA relatively widely spaced pointson the glass envelope of the tube.

13. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tubecom.

prising an evacuatedglass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and four resonant loops, `each of said assemblies'including a cylindrical cathode can, a heater filament in said can,

a cathode lead-in extending horizontally outward,

from said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, saidelectrode assemblies being disposed end-to-end on a'- common horizontal axis, two of the aforesaidloops being grid-to-grid loops extending in fop-4 posite direction, the other two loops being anode-rl to-anode rloops extending in` opposite direction,

said loops extending horizontally and said anodef.

to-anode loops enclosing the aforesaid grid-togrid loops, anode lead-ins projecting vertically upwardly from the anode-toanode loops at ther anodes, and grid loop supports depending ver.

tically downward from the nodal pointsv of the grid` loops, whereby nearly all ofA the lead-ins project in different directions at relatively widely spaced points on the glass envelope of the tube.

14. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube com-v prising a-glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and four resonant loops, each of said assemblies includingfa cathode, a cathode lead-in extending horizontally outward lfrom said.Y

to-anode loop, the outwardly oppositely project, ing leads of the cathodes having concentricchokes thereon at a suitable point defining proper.

inductance forming a resonance circuit with the aforesaid'cathode-to-cathode capacitance, anode lead-ins projecting from the anodes in a direction normal to the plane of the loops andV cathode lead-ins, and a grid loop support connected to the nodal point of the grid'loop.

15. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising a glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and resonant loops, each of said assemblies including a generally cylindrical cathode can closed at its inner end, a tubular cathode lead-in extending horizontally outward from said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed end-to-end on a common axis with the closed ends of thek cathode assemblies adjacent one another, said ends providing capacitance loading for facilitat-r ing tuning of the cathodes, one of the aforesaid loops being a grid-to-grid loop, another loop being an anode-to-anode loop, the outwardly oppositely projecting leads of the cathodes having concentric chokes thereon at a suitable point defining proper inductance forming a resonance circuit with the aforesaid cathode-to-cathode capacitance, anode lead-ins projecting from the anodes in direction normal to the plane of the loops and cathode lead-ins, and a grid loop support connected to the nodal point of the grid loop.

16. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube com' prising a, glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and four resonant loops, each of said assemblies including a cylindrical cathode can closed at its inner end, a heater filament in said can, a cathode lead-in extending horizontally outward from said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed end-toend on a common axis with the closed ends of the cathode assemblies adjacent one another, said ends providing capacitance loading for facilitat ing tuning of the cathodes, one of the aforesaid loops being a grid-to-grid loop, another loop being an anode-to-anode loop, said anode-to-anode loop enclosing the aforesaid grid-to-grid loop, the outwardly oppositely projecting leads of the cathodes having concentric chokes thereon at a suitable point defining proper inductance forming a resonance circuit with the aforesaid cathodeto-cathode capacitance, the aforesaid glass envelope enclosing the aforesaid loops, chokes and the electrode assemblies, anode lead-ins projecting from the anodes in a direction normal to the plane of the loops and cathode lead-ins, and a grid loop support connected to the nodal point of the grid loop.

17. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising a glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and four resonant loops, each of said assemblies including a cylindrical cathode can closed at its inner end, a cathode lead-in extending horizontally outward from said can, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed end-to-end on a common axis with the closed ends of the cathode assemblies adjacent one another, said ends providing capacitance loading for facilitating tuning of the cathodes, two of the aforesaid loops being grid-to-grid loops extending in opposite directions, the other two loops being anode-to-anode loops extending in opposite directions, the outwardly oppositely projecting leads of the cathodes having concentric chokes thereon at a suitable point defining proper inductance forming a resonance circuit with the aforesaid cathode-to-cathode capacitance, anode lead-ins projecting from the anodes in a direction normal to the plane of the loops and cathode leadins, and grid loop supports projecting from the nodal points of the grid loops in a direction opposite that of the anode lead-ins, whereby nearly all of the lead-ins project in different directions at relatively widely spaced points on the glass envelope of the tube.

18. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising a glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and four resonant loops, each of said assemblies including a generally cylindrical cathode can closed at its inner end, a heater lament in said can, a tubular cathode lead-in extending horizontally outward from said can, a heater lead-in running coaxially through the tubular cathode lead-in, a grid surrounding said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed end-to-end on a common axis with the closed ends of the cathode assemblies adjacent one another, said ends forming a radio-frequency condenser representing a capacitance loading for facilitating tuning' of the cathodes, two of the aforesaid loops being grid-to-grid loops ex-tending in opposite directions, the other two loops being anode-to-anode loops extending in opposite directions, said anodeto-anode loops enclosing the aforesaid grid-togrid loops, the outwardly oppositely projecting leads of the cathodes having concentric chokes thereon at a suitable point dening proper inductance forming a resonance circuit with the aforesaid cathode-to-cathode capacitance, anode lead-ins projecting from the anodes in direction normal to the plane of the loops and cathode lead-ins, and grid loops supports projecting from the nodal points of Ithe grid loops in a direction opposite that of the anode lead-ins, whereby nearly all of the lead-ins project in diierent directions at relatively widely spaced points on the glass envelope of the tube.

19. An ultrahigh frequency oscillator tube comprising an evacuated glass envelope carrying a pair of electrode assemblies and four resonant loops, each of said assemblies including a generally cylindrical cathode can closed at its inner end, a tubular cathode lead-in extending horizontally outward from said can, a grid surround ing said cathode, and an anode surrounding said grid, said electrode assemblies being disposed endto-end on a common axis with the closed ends of the cathode assemblies adjacent one another, said ends providing capaci-tance loading for facilitating the tuning of the cathodes, two of the aforesaid loops being grid-to-grid loops extending in opposite directions, the other two loops being anode-to-anode loops extending in opposite directions, said anode-to-anode loops enclosing the aforesaid grid-to-grid loops, the outwardly oppositely projecting leads of the cathodes having concentric chokes thereon at a suitable point defining proper inductance forming a resonance circuit with the aforesaid cathode-to-cathode capacitance, the aforesaid glass envelope enclosing the aforesaid loops and chokes as well as the electrode assemblies, anode lead-ins projecting from the anodes in direction normal to the plane of the loops and cathode lead-ins, and grid loop supports projecting from the nodal points of the grid loops in a direction opposite that of the anode lead-ins, whereby nearly all of the lead-ins project in different directions at relatively widely spaced points on the glass envelope of the tube.

JOHN E. GORI-IAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 20,602 Ruben Dec. 21, 1937 1,971,907 Found Aug. 28, 1934 1,979,668 Boddie Nov. 6, 1934 1,991,175 Ruben i Feb. 12, 1935 2,042,345 Lindenblad May 26, 1936 2,119,675 Gustin June 7, 1938 2,170,657 Herzog Aug. 22, 1939 I 2,250,874 McCarthy July 29, 1941

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