discharge tube display
Date: 1900-1950
Inventory Number: 1997-1-1765
Classification: Discharge Tube
Dimensions:24.4 x 54 x 37.8 cm (9 5/8 x 21 1/4 x 14 7/8 in.)
DescriptionA series of discharge tubes mounted on a display board (framed, all painted black), each with its electrodes connected to binding posts at the left and right side of the board. The connecting cables are underneath the board, but white lines have been drawn on the board indicating where they go. One can ascertain that there are individual binding posts for all of the tubes on the left side, while there is a single binding post that connects to all of them on the right (ground?).
Following is a description of each tube (from top to bottom)
1. A small bulb with two electrodes at the bottom and glass tips on its front and back. It is partially filled with a yellowish mineral.
2. A long, cylindrical, V-shaped tube with similar disk-shaped electrodes at each end, and a third electrode, also disk-shaped, attached at the bend. It looks towards the side that connects to the ground. That electrode is currently disconnected.
3. A small bulb with two disk-shaped electrodes coming in from the bottom, with a glass tip on one end and a narrow tube on the other. It is partially filled with a purplish mineral.
4. MISSING
5. Two identical tubes connected in series. Each is in the shape of three consecutive bulbs, the one in the middle slightly larger than the other two. Each has needle-shaped electrodes at both of its ends.
6. A long, thin cylindrical tube with electrodes at its ends.
7. A narrow, relatively thick tube with long, needle shaped electrodes that almost touch at the center.