Philo T Farnsworth and Ed Gray tubes

[ahura999]

[Oneminde]

And how is it going, do you see any similaretys before i start digging true the patents?

[MythMath]

I hope it's okay if I inject this little colorful sidebar:
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What did your neighbor build in his basement?

Well, mine was Philo T. Farnsworth,
and this is what he cooked up in his:


Farnsworth Fusor

The device, as originally envisioned by Farnsworth,
could generate cheap power for the masses...

And by the military backers, it was seen as a potential power
supply for weapons like the ol' backpack laser canon...

Farnsworth eventually left the project,
before it was successfully completed...
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___________________________________
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The house where the initial prototypes were built
in the first half of the 60s, is just a couple of blocks
from my studio, and just a few from where I grew up...



When the efficiency of the designs started to improve,
the decision was made to set up a proper lab a quarter
mile away in the downtown/industrial area...

Memories of the times from Farnsworth's son

"Neither my mother nor I were welcome at the lab for security reasons,
and I only visited twice, and my mother only a time or two more.

I did go one day and I saw the fusor do its thing, and it was astounding to me.

I watched as the voltage applied to the fusor's cathode was increased
past the 50kv point, all the particle counters began to chatter,
and the focus on the fusor device intensified, the room was electric.

We had a few explosive moments as stray dust particles would bridge
the high voltage supply and a spark would startle everyone...

...The deal, as I understood it: Phil was to get a controlled, nuclear
fusion reaction in the lab in Fort Wayne, and then they (ITT) would
build a facility for the extended work in a suitable (remote) area.

Phil lived up to his part of that bargain."


_________________________________

What is Star Mode...?


from: Fusor.net

This is a visual signature of good clean operation of
a fusor. It heralds a major, initial success in the
construction of the basic device.

In the fusor, good geometrical alignment of the
inner grid structure is important.

A clean vacuum that is free of organic
vapor and, hopefully, water vapor is also desired.

If these criteria are met, then the indicative visual
signature is referred to as "star mode".

The appearance to the eye is of a glowing ball of
plasma within the center of the inner grid with what
appears to be multiple radiating, fine pencil like rays
streaming out of it through virtually every opening in
the inner grid. It is not only unmistakable and beautiful
but shows that most of the basic hurdles in fusor
operation have been conquered.
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How to ensure better defense contract funding:

On the day of the proof of performance test,
Gene was told to go into the next room and
listen during the ITT testing for the high
voltage call out and as it climbed, he was to
play the tester spark along a massive fume
hood intermittently and at the maximum
usor voltage call out he was to arc the tester
closely and at a fixed point on the hood until
the callout of decending fusor voltage,
when he would again walk the tester loosely
along the large hood.

This was the illicitly generated count that
launched a bigger funding from ITT to create
the more successful real future fusion efforts
and boost the stock as well as bring
Farnsworth into the spotlight,
more so than had his work in television,
at least for a while.

The now-familiar photos of Farnsworth posing with
the "top hat" or "bell-jar" fusor circa 1959-61 were
taken as a result of the publicity campaign that ITT
mounted...

The irony, of course, if we're to believe Gene Meeks
via Richard Hull, is that the fusor that Farnsworth
is posing with here was obsolete even before the
photo was taken.
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Farnsworth on Television:

Although he was the man responsible for its technology,
Farnsworth appeared only once on a television program.

In 1957, he was a mystery guest on the TV quiz show
I've Got A Secret. He fielded questions from the panel of
celebrities as they unsuccessfully tried to guess his secret
("I invented electronic television.").

For stumping the panel, he received $80
and a carton of Winston cigarettes.

{He later died of pneumonia...}


Video of Farnsworth on "I've Got a Secret"

[phi1.62]

Farnsworth multipactor tubes utilized a phenomena known as the Multipactor Effect. According to Wikipedia:

The Multipactor effect is a phenomenon in radio frequency (RF) amplifier vacuum tubes and waveguides, where, under certain conditions, secondary electron emission in resonance with an alternating electric field leads to exponential electron multiplication, possibly damaging and even destroying the RF device.

I've always been under the impression that the Gray Tube utilized either electorstatic or aetheric energy. I recently purchased a book called "Polytubes" by Jorge Resines which I've yet to read. When I get the opportunity to read it I'll relay anything of interest to the forum.

Borderlands has an article regarding the multipactor:

THE FARNSWORTH MULTIPACTOR TUBE

While we're on the subject of multipactors is anyone aware of a company that manufactured the multipactor tube and if so what was the model number?

[blackchisel97]

Multipactor tube

Auction ended - Multipactor tub; Philo T Farnsworth invented in the 30s - eBay (item 190341675660 end time Oct-20-09 14:30:51 PDT)


Vtech

[phi1.62]

Auction ended - Multipactor tub; Philo T Farnsworth invented in the 30s - eBay (item 190341675660 end time Oct-20-09 14:30:51 PDT)
Vtech

I sent an email to the guy who sold this item. Turns out he has several which he plans on selling individually over the next few weeks. Here's the latest one for auction:

1936 Multipactor, invented by Philo T Farnsworth CHECK! - eBay (item 190345198645 end time Nov-04-09 06:18:45 PST)

If anyone here ever wanted a multipactor this is probably a good opportunity to purchase one.