“Victor”
Early Coolidge Tube
|
|
|
|
|
Early type
Coolidge hot cathode tube. 20” (50cms) long. 6” (15cms) strongly discoloured bulb. Bearing a patent number dating to
1918-1919. Made by the Victor Corporation, Small tungsten target embedded in a light-weight
copper anode. The hot cathode is a slightly convex
concentric spiral tungsten filament in a molybdenum cylinder. William D. Coolidge
(1875-1973) applied for a patent for this tube on May 9,
1913. The patent was granted on Oct.31, 1916. In his application, Coolidge
states : “……As a cathode I
ordinarily use a tungsten filament, and this may be conveniently heated by
current from a storage battery, or transformer with suitable regulating
devices so that the temperature of the cathode or filament may be adjusted at
will. I have found that electrons will be emitted from such a cathode, which
electrons will traverse the space between the cathode and the target under
the influence of the
electromotive force
impressed upon the
tube, and by
bombardment of the target
will give rise
to x-rays……..” |
|
The introduction of the “Hot
Cathode” opened a new era in the practice of radiology. It obviated the
instability and the “ temperamental”
behavior of gas discharge tubes of the different types used until
then. When asked about the behavior of gas discharge
tubes, Röntgen would have stated in a letter “I do
not want to get involved in anything that has to do with the properties of
tubes, for these things are even more capricious and unpredictable than
women”. |
|
Alongside German researchers like Lilienfeld and Rosenthal, as well as a German patent in
the name of Fürstenau, W.D.Coolidge
and his assistant Irving Langmuir, perfected a tube in 1913 in the
laboratories of the General Electric Co., Schenectady, which soon became
known the world over as the Coolidge Tube. (Georg Siemens
“History of the House of Siemens”, Karl Alber,
1957, Vol II, p.79) |
|
About the Victor
Electric Corporation 1895 : “Victor Electric Company”
incorporated. Got involved in 1896 in the manufacture of
therapeutic and x-ray machines. 1916: Victor, Snook, Macalaster-Wiggin,
and Scheidel-Western, combine to form “Victor
Electric Corporation. 1920 : General Electric acquires
interest in Victor which reincorporates as “Victor X-Ray Corporation”. 1926 : “Victor X-ray Corporation” becomes
a wholly-owned affiliate of General Electric. 1930 : “Victor X-Ray Corporation”
becomes “General Electric X-Ray Corporation”.
“The Story of X-Ray”, General Electric Co., 1963, p.60 |
| Go to Category Index |  |
|
| Go to Main Page |