Westinghouse Electric Corporation

North American Philips Lighting Corp.

North American Philips Electric Corp.

George S Evans

Henry Skwirut

Edward W Morton

John F Gilmore

By Roderick Gilmore, Administrator

John F Gilmore, Deceased

An energy-saving instant-start series-sequence fluorescent lamp system includes power-reducing capacitor means connected in series circuit arrangement with one or both lamps in a two-lamp system. A protective device is connected in circuit with a first lamp of the system so that in the event the second lamp fails to operate and causes a high current to flow through the first lamp, the protective device reacts to prevent the system from being damaged. A lamp incorporating the power-reducing capacitor and protective device is also disclosed.

Energy conserving instant-start series-sequence fluorescent lamp system

The mercury-vapor pressure within an operating fluorescent lamp is regulated by several discrete bodies or bits of a suitable amalgamative metal (such as indium or an indium alloy) that are placed into the lamp envelope before it is sealed. The metal bodies are not secured to any of the structural parts of the lamp and are thus free to move about within the envelope. When they subsequently combine with the dosed mercury in the finished lamp, they form a plurality of mobile amalgam bodies that are distributed at random locations within the lamp and release controlled amounts of mercury vapor when the lamp is energized and the amalgam bodies are heated. The amalgamative metal is preferably dispensed into the envelope in the form of spherical pellets that are provided with a porous non-stick coating to prevent them from becoming accidentally attached to each other or to the lamp electrodes. The amalgamative metal pellets may also be combined with the mercury outside the lamp to form pellets of preformed amalgam which, when dispensed into the envelope, simultaneously doses the lamp with predetermined amounts of both mercury and amalgamative metal. The introduction of a measured amount of an amalgamative metal into the lamp, either separately or in combination with a predetermined dosage of mercury, can thus be achieved in a very simple and economical manner during the normal sequence of operations required to manufacture the lamp.

Fluorescent lamp having integral mercury-vapor pressure control means

Fast 'warm-up' of an amalgam-regulated fluorescent lamp under 'cold' starting conditions and safe failure of the lamp at the end of its useful life are achieved by coating selected portions of both stems with a material that contains indium or an indium alloy and initially is semiconductive. The coating is applied to portions of the stems adjacent the electrodes and covers a segment of one or both of the lead wires at the point where they emerge from the stem presses. The coating is thus rapidly heated and releases mercury vapor as soon as the lamp is energized. When the electrodes are devoid of emission material and the lamp has reached the end of its useful life, sputtered material from the metal parts of the mount renders the coating electrically conductive and causes the arc to impinge upon and finally puncture the stem. The coating accordingly serves both as an auxiliary-amalgam source and a 'fail-safe' component. Coatings of materials that are electrically conductive as soon as applied and contain an amalgamative metal can also be used, providing they do not contact both leads.

Fluorescent lamp with an integral fail-safe and auxiliary-amalgam

The mercury-vapor pressure within an operating fluorescent lamp is regulated by several discrete bodies or bits of a suitable amalgamative metal (such as an indium-tin alloy in the form of pellets) that are anchored at fixed sites within the lamp during the manufacture thereof. Emplacement of the metal pellets is achieved by dropping them into the open upper end of the envelope while the circumferential seal of fused glass which joins the stem to the opposite end of the envelope is still hot and 'tacky' as a result of the sealing-in operation. The metal pellets automatically fall toward and contact the newly-formed circumferential seal and remain fused and bonded to its surface after the glass cools and rigidifies. The introduction of a controlled amount of an amalgamative metal into the lamp and its emplacement in a strategic but inconspicuous location at one or both ends of the sealed envelope are thus achieved in a very simple and economical manner during the normal sequence of operations required to manufacture the lamp.

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Caldwell, NJ, United States of America

George S Evans