University Health Network - Academy of Medicine Collection
Category
Basic Science Artifacts
Classification
Basic Science, Chemistry
Accession Number
1989.7.6
Description
Glass Crookes type x-ray tube consists of large bulb which containing a platinum anticathode projecting into bulb interior centre; glass side tubes project from the main bulb containing a cathode, anode and a softening device containing asbestos; a metal rod exits from softening device tube and ext…
Glass Crookes type x-ray tube consists of large bulb which containing a platinum anticathode projecting into bulb interior centre; glass side tubes project from the main bulb containing a cathode, anode and a softening device containing asbestos; a metal rod exits from softening device tube and extends toward the cathode.
Number Of Parts
1
Provenance
Original owner Mr. & Mrs. H. D. McKinley; acquired from the Academy of Medicine.
Maker
Wiggin Co.
Dates
1905
1920
circa 1905-1920
Date Remarks
Based on Internet research
Material
glass: clear
metal: silver, black
Inscriptions
Etched in glass: "VICTOR // TRADE MARK // BOSTON U.S. // PLATINUM // [illeg.] WIGGIN CO. // 50536"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0007
0007-F2-3
Dimension Notes
Length 51.0 cm x Width 23.4 cm x Depth 15.0 cm
Condition Remarks
Manufacturer's mark is worn
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Internet
Book
JPG
Reference Comments
"Crookes tube." Wikipedia, the free encylopedia. December 9, 2009. Wikipedia. 15 December 2009
Research Facts
A Crookes tube is an early experimental electrical discharge tube, invented by British physicist William Crookes and others around 1869-1875, in which cathode rays (electrons) were discovered. Crookes tubes are now used only for demonstrating cathode rays. This term is also used for the first generation, cold cathode x-ray tubes, which evolved from the experimental Crookes tubes and were used until about 1920.
This Crookes style tube is a nearly evacuated tube which contains three electrodes, the anode, cathode and anticathode. The anode and anticathode are electrically connected so that these two electrodes have the same potential and carry a positive charge. The cathode is the negative electrode from which electrons or cathode rays emerge to strike the platinum anticathode producing x-rays which radiate from the bulb; the softening device in a side tube regulates the quantity of gas within the tube and will liberate gas when heated raising the pressure in the tube; when the pressure drops in the tube and the voltage across the tube increases requiring a higher voltage to operate, a spark will jump the gap between the cathode and the metal rod connected to the softening device, heating the asbestos and causing it to give off gas raising the pressure in the tube.