Alpha-numeric display tubes

Claim 2

An alpha-numeric character display tube comprising a housing having a base of electrically insulating material and sealed envelope with a transparent viewing face, a plurality of cathode wires electrically insulated from each other each extending through the base whereby the one ends of the wires form a cathode matrix and a transparent anode mesh spaced from the cathode matrix within the housing between the viewing face and the cathode wires which anode is connected to one end of a connecting wire, the other end of the anode and cathode matrix wires each extending outside the housing to a decoding circuit and means arranged to apply a striking potential between the anode and selected ones of the plurality of cathodes which selected ones of the cathodes together represent a character, the representation of the character being visually displayed in the tube through said viewing face and anode.

Claim 3

An alpha-numeric character display tube according to claim 1 wherein the base comprises a sintered glass preform held in a metal framework.

Claim 4

An alpha-numeric character display tube according to claim 2 wherein a connection is made through the sintered base from outside the envelope.

Claim 5

An alpha-numeric character display like according to the preceding claim 1 wherein the anode comprises an anode mesh and an apertured anode spacing plate, the apertures of the anode corresponding to and being aligned with the cathode wires.

Claim 6

An alpha-numeric character display tube according to the preceding claim 1 wherein the housing contains a rare gas comprising neon with a small quantity or argon and a small quantity of mercury.

Claim 7

A display means for a calculating machine comprising a register having at least one stage into which a digit is stored, a decode circuit, an alpha-numeric character display tube associated with said stage of the register wherein the display tube comprises a housing having a base of electric insulation material and a cover with a transparent face, a plurality of separate electrically isolated cathode wires extending through The base whereby the one ends of the wires form a cathode matrix, a transparent anode spaced from the cathode formation within the housing and means connecting said anode and the other ends of the cathode matrix wires extending outside the housing to the decode circuit to apply a striking potential between the anode and selected ones of the plurality of cathodes which together represent a character in said matrix the representation of the character is displayed in the tube, corresponding to the number stored in the respective stage of the register.

Claim 8

A display means for a calculating machine comprising a register having at least one stage into which a digit is stored, a decode circuit, an alpha-numeric character display tube associated with said stage of the register wherein the display tube comprises a housing having a base of electric insulation material and a cover with a transparent face, a plurality of separate electrically isolated cathode wires extending through The base whereby the one ends of the wires form a cathode matrix, a transparent anode spaced from the cathode formation within the housing and means connecting said anode and the other ends of the cathode matrix wires extending outside the housing to the decode circuit to apply a striking potential between the anode and selected ones of the plurality of cathodes which together represent a character in said matrix the representation of the character is displayed in the tube, corresponding to the number stored in the respective stage of the register.

Claim 9

A display means for a calculating machine according to claim 6 wherein the register comprises a dynamic register.