PRODUCTION OF TESLA VRSOVICE, NATIONAL ENTERPRISE, IN PRAGUE-VRSOVICE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000400030004-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 23
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 16, 2009
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: December 17, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SECRET
COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
This material contains Information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States within the mean-
Ing of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs. 793
and 704, the transmission or revelation of which in
any manner to an unauthorized person Is prohibited
by law.
SUBJECT Production of Tesla Vrsovice, DATE DISTR.
National Enterprise, in Prague-Vrsovice
NO. OF PAGES
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
REQUIREMENT
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
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SECRET
STATE ARMY NAVY AIR FBI AEC
(NOTE: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; field distribution by "#".)
17 December 1954
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COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
DATE DISTR. 4 Sept 1954
SUBJECT Production of Testa Vrsovice, National NO. OF PAGES 22
Lnterprise,- in Prague-Vrsovice
DATE OF INFORMATION
PLACE ACQUIRED
THIS IS UNEVALUATEDINFORMATION
PRODUCTION OF PARTS
1. Large size cathodes consisted mainly of tungsten rods, and of
molybdenum supports. The cathodes usually had eight rods arranged
with alternate potentials Zais shown in Annex A, Fig. 17. The indi-
vidual parts were welded together; rarely were they mechanically
joined. The welding was done by an oxy-hydrogen flame in a neutral
atmosphere; normally nitrogen. Sometimes A mixture of 75% nitrogen
and 25% hydrogen was used. Welding and heat treatment were performed
in the Main Production Building on the third floor as was the pro-
duction of individual parts. 1. Large size cathodes were produced
mainly for CAT 10, CAT 12A, CAT 20, CAT 201, ACT 201, CAT 14c,
and CAT 17C tubes.
2. Medium size cathodes had either four or two rods.
a. The four-rod cathodes had two parallel branches arranged in a
square and connected Zais shown in Annex A. Fig. g. The four
rods making the two branches were the essential part of the
cathode and were of tungsten. Further, there were a support
(a molybdenum rod) and a tension device (a molybdenum rod
with spring attached). The tension device held the rods in a
taut position, These cathodes were used for the-following
tubes: CAT 9, ACT 16, CAT 6, CAT 6K, ACT 14, CAM 3, CAT 3.
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2
b. The two-rod cathodes were similar to the four-rod cathodes and
were used for the ACT 9, ACM 1S, ACM 3, ACR 2, ACS 2 tubes and
for the NT types, for types, for DELI 2, DET 2, DET 3,, and
for the f flowing high-power rectifiers: CAR 6, CAR 2, and
CAR 4. The tension device for the cathodes for high-power
rectifiers bad a different design. The four-rod and two-rod
cathodes were produced mainly in the Main Production Building
on the third floor,
3. Small size cathodes were the following:
a. Tungsten or thoriated tun sten cathode was an IM" ('Vs
shaped wire for RD /3 . 14 or a spiral shaped wire for ATL 2..
b. Nickel oxide cathode was a nickel band, "M" shaped, used for
the DET 5, DET 11, CU 6, and PT 6B. These cathodes were used
for mercury rectifiers in the GU 14, GU 11, OT 14, GT 15. The
base was made of meshed wire 71M" or spiral shaped. The nitrogen
oxide cathodes were produced in the Main Production Building. 3.
They were dipped in or sprayed with barium hydroxide or barium
carbonate.
4. Special cathodes consisted of copper foil tubings, and were used
for Geiger Mueller tubes, GMT 16700 and GMT 30/300. These cathod s
were produced in the Main Production Building on the second floor. .
Grids
5. Grids consisting of molybdenum rods, four molybdenum supports,
molybdenum con
ti
nec
n parts ann a sleeve, which w&' a nickel-iron
sheet,/Wnnex A, Pt.27lwere produced on the third floor of the Main
Production Building. They were used for all the high-power trans-
mitter tubes: CAT 104 CAT 12A, CAT 20, CAT 201, ACT 2010 CAT 14C,
CAT 17C; for medium-power modulators: ACM 1S, ACM 3, CAM 3; and for
some MT special tubes.
Grids consisting of, usually, molybdenum supports wound with
molybdenum or tungsten wire and of a sleeve (nickel-iron sheet)
had circular or rectangular winding which was attached to the supports
with a thin tungsten or molybden
m s
ir
l
h
u
p
a
-s
aped wire Lee Annex A,
Fig 347. These grids were used for CAT 9, ACT 16, CAT 6, ACT 14,
CAT , CAT 3, ACT 9, ACS 2, and for some MT tubes and for DET 2
and DET 3. These DET tubes had grids with rectangular winding.)
These grids were produced on the third floor of the Main Production
Building. 5-
7. Meshed grids were composed of . bodies made of meshed molybdenum or
tungsten wire. This meshing was in the form of a sock a
performed on an old grid machine These
grids had molybdenum supports and o ers and a sleeve which was a
.nickel-iron sheet.
8. Wound grids consisted of from two to four supports, wound with
molybdenum wire (the winding was spiral, circular, or rectangular).
The supports had notches into which the winding wire was pressed.
These supports were copper plus two per cent silver wire when the
grid served as the first grid. They were of nickel wire when the
grid served as the second or third grid. These cathodes were used
for DET 5, DET 11, PT 6B. These rids w re
Production Building on the third floor. . produced in the Main
They were duced on
a simple grid machine (an old machine
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Anodes
9. Copper anodes were used for transmitter tubes with external anode.
There were small, medium, and large sizes.
a. Small copper-anodes were used for ACT 9, ACM 1S, ACM 3, ACR 2,
ACS 2. The anode was a copper tubing with a bowl-shaped base.
A copper pin with internal threads and used as a connector was
soldered to the center of the base on the outside. The top of
the copper tubing was turned by lathe to a knife edge to be
sealed to glass later. The bowl-shaped base was achieved by a
so-called metal pressing operation in which one end of the
tubing revolved on the spindle of the lathe and the other end
of the tubing was formed into a bowl-like shape with a dull
tool. This operation was performed on the first floor of the
Main Production Building.
b. Medium-sized copper anodes consisted of copper tubing, the
diameter of which was adjusted to the necessary size, to
which ..flat copper bottom was soldered in the Press Shop
when the anode was used for CAT 9 and ACT 16 tubes. 7. The
bottom was bowl-shaped (the same process as described above)
when the anode was used for the CAT 6, ACT 14, CAT 6K, CAM 3,
CAT 3 tubes. A copper pin was soldered to the center line of
the bottom on the outside. In addition, a ring was soldered
at the top of the tubing. This ring was shaped by being drawn
up from a nickel-iron sheet by a die and a press machine. This
ring had a knife edge, turned by lathe, to be sealed to the
glass. There was a copper band on top of the tubing placed just
below the ring to hold the tube in the water cooler. Inside the
top of the tubing were notches turned by lathe J s shown in
Annex B, Fig.; these notches were to reflect the heat emitted
from the cathode.
c. Large copper anodes for CAT 10, CAT 12, CAT 20, CAT 201, CAT 14C,
CAT 17C. These anodes were copper tubing adjusted as described
above (paragraph 9b). The top of this tubing was softened by
gas burners and compression rings were repeatedly driven
against the top to narrow it to the desired diameter. This
operation was done on the third floor of the Main Production
Buildings. A flat bottom was out from a copper plate and
soldered to the tubing. A copper pin was soldered on the out-
side to the center of the bottom. A bronze bad was soldered
close to the top of the tubing and a nickel-iron ring (paragraph
9b) was soldered to the top of the tubing above the band.
Notches were then turned by lathe on the top of the inside as
described above. Finally, a knife edge was made on the ring
by lathe. In addition, with the CAT 14C and CAT 17C types
only; vertical notches were out on the surface of the tubing in
order to enlarge the surface for better cooling.
d. Anodes used for the high-power rectifiers, CAR 6, CAR 4, and.
CAR 2, were. copper tubing shaped by a pressing operation into
the form shown below:
Bronze bands were soldered to the external upper and lower
part of the anode. Two nickel-iron rings were manufactured
from nickel-iron sheet by lathe; one was soldered to the top
and another to the bottom of the cathode. These rings had a
knife?edge.
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10. All copper anodes were manufactured as follows: The lathe operation
was done in the Main Production Building in the Machine Tool Work-
shop 6. on the first floor of the Main Production Building. The
following equipment was in the workshop: three lathes (two were
old, one was built in Czechoslovakia after 1945), one shaper (an
old Czechoslovak product), one old, imported drilling machine, one
old (possibly British) lathe for metal pressing, two work benchas,
four vises, etc. The soldering of the anode's bottom to the
nickel-iron ring was done with g silver and copper soldering rod
in the Welding and Press Shop. 1? There was one gas welding appa-
ratus and one apparatus for welding by means of an oxy-hydrogen
flame. (Another gas welding apparatus was located in the Auxiliary
Building. 9?) Before the glass envelope was sealed to the knife
edge of the anode or to the knife edge of the grid ring, the knife
edge was copper-plated. The pressing operations were done in the
Welding and Press Shop by means of a hydraulic press. This was an
old press of unknown origin and had one ton maximum pressure at a
maximum of 20 atmospheres.
ShI. ld, .ng Parts
11. Anode shield rings for high-power transmitter tubes with external
anode protected the seal of the anode's knife edge to the glass
from the effect of the electrical field. There were always two
shield rings, one inside and one outside the tube Za-s shown in
Annex B. Fig. The external ring of the medium and largest
type tubes in Cis category simultaneously served as a cooling
device. Air was forced through drilled holes on the periphery
against the seal of the knife edge to the glass. The internal
shield ring was shaped from ,copper ? tubtxrg. -The external ring was
pressed from a copper sheet forming a curved edge; then the shield
ri1ag was nickel.-p'I.' (J Both the external and internal anode shield
rings were,-manufactured on the, first floor of the Main Production Buildin
12. Various shield parts, usually made from nickel sheet, were used
for shielding the cathode of medium-power special tubes (mercury
rectifiers: GU 14, GU 11, GT 14 GT 15); for shielding the third
grid of low-power r ecial tubes (ie. PT W. All of the shield
parts were produced on the third floor of the Main Production
Building. 3?
Terminals
13. Terminals with nickel or copper knife edge included:
a. Heater terminals consisting of a conical-shaped part (with a
flat bottom) pressed from a nickel-iron sheet. Two copper pins
were welded with a silver welding rod, to the center of the
bottom, one from the inside and one from the outside. Then,
the knife edge was formed by lathe on the .top of the conical-
shaped part. Mee Annex B, Fig. 3.7. These heater terminals
were used for igh-power transmitter tubes (i.e., CAT 10,
CAT 12A, CAT 20, CAT 201, CAT 14C, CAT 17C).
b. Grid terminals were also conical-shaped (pressed from copper
sheet) with a copper in inside the bottom and a knife-edge top.
ee Annex B, Fig. 4. . They were used for CAT 9, ACT 16, CAT 14C,
CAT 201, ACT 201. T e welding and pressing was done in the
Welding and Pre18Shop and the lathe operation in the Machine
Tool Workshop. ?
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5
14. Platinum terminals (so-called zdere) / nnex B, Fig. 5
7 were used as
heater terminals. They were of two sizes; the larger ones were
used for CAT 9, and the smaller ones for CAT 3, CAM 3, CAT 6, CAT 6K,
ACN is, ACN 3, ACR 2, ACS 2, ACT 9. These platinum terminals were
supplied by Safina, National Enterprise, in Prague. To save platinum,
efforts were made to replace these terminals by CrrFe terminals Igoe
Annex B. Fig. F. The first CrFe parts were made in the Tesla
Vrsovice plant in 1952. These well samples made on the third floor
of the Main Production Building. . The results seemed to be good
but it was planned to start mass production only after the terminals
had been thoroughly tested on tubes in operation.
15. Straight platinum terminals consisted of a nickel part which was
inside the tube, a platinum center part which was sealed into the
lead glass, and an external part which was a copper cable (copper
filaments woven together). Zgee Annex Co Pigs I and la. These
platinum terminals were used: as general terminalsfbr MT-tubes (except
the MT15), MR tubes, and for the DEM 2, DET 2, DET 3 tubes. They
were also used as grid terminals for the following,high-power trans-
mitter tubeei CAM 3, CAT 3, CAT 6, ACT 14, CAT 10, CAT 12A, CAT 20.
The straight platinum terminals were produded in the Main Production
Building on the third floor. 11. Since 1952, efforts had been made
to replace theme platinum terminals for the MR and MT type tubes in
order to conserve platinum. An a substitute, niokel-iron-oopper
wire was sometimes used.
16. Molybdenum terminals were rods from one to four millimeters in
diameter and were sealed into molybdenum glass. The current was
conducted to the terminal by a copper cable which entered a nickel
tubing, welded electrically to the terminal. Usually the copper
cable was welded to the terminal before the tube was finished. This
prooedure,however, caused the oxidation of the cable during further
production processes of the tube and the oxidized cable broke easily.
For this reason, rejects of the RD 200/3.5 tubes jumped from 10%
to 25% in 1951. Therefore, with respect to this tube, the copper
cable was welded to the terminal after the whole tube was finished.
Molybdenum terminals were used for aU 11, GU 14, CST 14, GT 15, MT 14,
and RD 200/3.5 tubes. They were manually produced on the third
floor of the Main Production Building. .
Input Leads
input
IT. Input leads from nickel-iron-copper wire were made as follows: the
internal part of the lead was nickel and the center part, which was
sealed into the lead glass, was nickel-iron-copper wire of 0.35 mm.',,
0.4 mm,, or 0.5 mm., and sometimes up to 0.8 mm. in diameter. The
length of the center part was about five millimeters. The external
part was a copper cable or copper wire. All three parts were welded
together Annex C, .Fig. 37. These input leads were mainly used for
low-power special tubes, i. e., DET 5, DET il, CU 6, PT 6B, RHT 1,
RHT 2, and for the Geiger-Mueller tubes. Nickel-copper wire was
used as a grid lead for the ACT 9, ACM 1S, ACM 3, ACS 2 tubes. The
grid leads were produced on the third floor of the Main Production
Building. 12.
Cooling Rings
18. Cooling rings were copper tubings welded into a circle with drilled
holes on the outside. They were used for high-power transmitter tubes
with external anode. The cooling ring was fastened to the band of
the tube by copper strips, and air was forced through the openings in
order to cool the seal of the glass to the anode. Air was conducted
into the cooling ring by a rubber hose. Cooling rings were produced
manually on the third floor of the Main Production Building. 13. The
surface of the ring4was nickel plated .. in the Auxiliary Production
Building (Annex).
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Grid Rings for CAT 17C
19. Grid rings for the CAT 17C tubes were made as follows. A pressing
operation produced a cup-shaped object from a nickel-iron sheet.
The bottom of the cup was out out and a copper band was soldered to
the outside of the remaining nickel-iron ring by means of a silver
welding rod. The copper band was centered on this nickel-iron ring.
A knife edge to be sealed to glass was made on both edges of the
ring bX lathe. The pressing took place in the Welding and Press
Shop, 1? the lathe operation in the Machine Tool Workshop. 0?
Heater Leads
20. Heater leads (for cathode heating) were of two types:
a. Non-cooled leads, used for high-power electronic tubes with
external anode. These leads consisted of a cop er rod (external),
copper cable (center), and copper rod (internal which was
threaded at the ends for screwing to the heater terminals. The
parts were welded together with a silver welding rod. Zinnex C,
Fig. 37-
b. Forced air-cooled leads, for the largest high-power transmitter
tubes: CAT 17C, CAT 14C, CAT 201. The external part was a
copper tube through which cool air was driven. A bronze tubing
was welded to the copper tube with a silver welding rod. The
bronze tube was shaped like an accordion to counterbalance the
expansion of the lead caused by heat. The internal part was a
copper tube with openings in the surface, serving as outlets for
the cool. air. This tube was threaded for screwing into the
heater terminal. 5nnex C, Fig. 47, The lathe work for the
production of heater leads took place in the Tool Shop of the
Production Building; 15. the welding and assembly in the Auxiliary
Production Building. 7. The bronze tubing was delivered from
another plant but Source did not know which one.
Supports and Bases
-21. Supports and bases of various designs and sizes usually made of
copper or brass strips, were used to support heater terminals of
the cathode for all high-power transmitter tbe's with
external anode. In ada:ltiori suet: parts were used to support neater
leads, anode outlets and grid outlets of the following tubes: MT,
MR, DEM 2, DET 2, and DET 3. These were made from brass (usually
brass strips) and insulating plate. Also included in this category
were various other supporting parts such as copper strips which were
placed around the; grid ring of the CAT 17C and used as an external
terminal for the grid, grid terminals (copper strips) for the CAT 9
and ACT 16 high frequency transmitting tubes, and also grid terminals
for the non-high frequency transmitting tubes.
22. Standard supports (which served to support heater leads as well as
grid terminals) for ACT 9, ACM 1S, ACM 3, ACR 2 and ACS 2 consisted
of brass tubing, and a ceramic insulating plate with brass contactors.
Standard bases for mercury rectifiers for GU 11, GT 14 and GT 15
consisted of a sleeve of nickel sheeting, an insulating plate
(pertinax or hardened Bakelite cardboard) and brass contactors which
were set in the insulating plate. Standard bases for RD 200/3.5 and
for PT 6B consisted of a sleeve of nickel or aluminum sheeting,.a
ceramic insulating plate, and brass contactors.
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23. The production and asrof supports and bases took place in the
Main Production Building on the third floor. 16. The brass con-
tactors were produced in the tool shop of the Production Building. 15.
The ceramic insulating plates were supplied from another Czechoslovak
plant (Source did not know which one). Other Insulating parts were
produced in the Main Production Building on the. third floor. 16. In
addition, there was also assembly of supports in the Main Production
Building second floor. 17. All the metal supports not made of nickel
were nickel-plated, with the exception of aluminum parts.
Coolers
24. Coolers were of two types: Coolers with horizontal cooling fine for
air-cooled high-power trfnami ter tubes with external anode - for
ACT 16, ACT 201 and ACT 14; 19. coolers with axial cooling fins for
the smallest air-cooled high-power transmitter tubes with an external
anode, i. e., for ACT 9, ACM 1S, ACR 2, ACS 2.
The cooling fins were copper strips about four centimeters wide and
formed as illustrated:
They were assembled in rows around the anode to form a cylinder. The
cooler was attached to the anode by screwed sleeves. The coolers
were produced in the Main Production Building on the second floor. 17.
Glass Parts
25. The equipment for producing glass parts was located in the Main Pro-
duction Building on the third floor. 19. The main equipment consisted of:
a. A large sealing lathe adjustable for horizontal or vertical
operation. This was an old lathe,., probably imported from England
before World War II. It was used to seal the anode glass envelope
to the glass stem of the cathode, as well as to seal the glass
envelope to the knife edge of the anode or to the knife-edges of
the grid rings of the CAT 17 tube. This sealing lathe was used
for high-power transmitter tubes with external anode: CAT l4c,
CAT 17C, CAT 201, ACT 20, CAT 12A, CAT 20 and CAT 10.
b. Two medium-size d lathes,
They were
usea y or sea ng opera ons which were necessary for
the manufacture of high-power transmitter tubes (with external
anode) of a smaller size than mentioned above (paragraph 25 a):
CAT 9, ACT 16, CAR 6, CAR 4, CAR 2, CAT 6, ACT 14, CAT 6K, CAM 3
and CAT 3; but also for most of the sealing operations connected
with the production of large stems.
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c, Three sealing machines; one was 'used for medium-power transmitter
tubes (ACT 9, ACM lS, ACM 3, ACR 2 and ACS 2); another for the MR-
type tubes and the DEM 2, DET 2, DET 3; and the third for att 11
(ITT I)1_ Rm 1h ., A nM ,e --- . J
were vertical sealing
machines which could
I armtirrta eoa~usly andle four tubes, each at a different stage. The
first three stages were to heat the glass gradually; the actual
sealing was performed in the fourth stage. There was one pair of
gas burners for every stage; burners were rlnoed opposite ee'h
other and handled manually. The platform on which the tubes were
placed was manually revolved from one stage to the next.
d. A sealing machine for low-power tubes: RD 200/3.5, DET 5, DET 11,
PT 6B RHT 1 d
, G6" RHT 2. This machine was similar to the machines
t
men
ioned above fnaraaranh 7A c);
e. A machine for the prod'iction of small stems for RD 200/3.5, DET 5,
DET 11, CU 6, PT 6B, RHT 1, RIFT 2, GU 14, GU 11, GT 14 and for
the GM tubes. This was a achine'with four to six stages
~Wau one arranged in a nircle. There
pair or gas burners burners were placed opposite each
other) for every stage. Gas and air were used as fuel for the
burners when soft glass stems were being processed, and in addition,
oxygen was introduced when hard glass stems were processed. Four,
or perhaps six, stems could be produced simultaneously. The parts
of the stem were assembled and then heated gradually until they
were sealed together in the last stage and the stem was pressed
into the desired form. The burners were handled manually. This
machine was also imported from England prior to World War II.
f. Electric tempering furnaces for cooling glass parts (mainly stems)
in order to remove the internal tension of the glass created in
processing. The glass parts were put into the furnace, heated
slightly above the transformation point, left at this temperature
for a certain period, and then the furnace was switched off and
the parts were left inside until cool. The inside of the furnace
was made o4` fireproof ?lay and electrically heated by heating
spirals. ~iie desired temperature was maintained by a thermostat.
There were three tempering furnaces in the plant -- an older one,
of 15 kw., of unknown origin, and two newer ones of 5 kw. each,
possibly of Czechoslovak origin.
g. Tempering equipment, vertically revolving, with four stages.
After the sealing was completed, the tube was put into the temper-
ing equipment where it passed through the four stages, the gas
flame of each stage having a lower temperature. There were four
units of this equipment, but only three were in operation. Some
of these units were of foreign origin; the others were manufactured
in the Tesla Vrsovice plant.
h. Two devices for cutting glass envelopes and tubes, operated manually.
Both were manufactured in the plant. A heating resistance wire,
one end of which wa'i connected to one pole of a transformer (one
transformer was six volt, the other twelve), was wound around the
glass; the other end of the wire was connected to the other pole of
the transformer. The wire was heated, thus quickly heating the
glass which caused it to snap where the wire was placed.
i. Work benches with gas burners and various glass work tools.
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26. The following glass parts were produced:
a. Large stems;i. e., cathode stems with two sealed heater terminals
which were used for all the high-power transmitter tubes with
external anode. They were produced from lead glass tubes or glass
envelopes of various shapes and sizes. Most of the large stern
were produced manually; some of the operations being performed on
the glass sealing lathes (paragraph 25b).
b. Medium-size stems; i.e. , cathode stems with sealed heater terminals
and anode stems with one or two terminals. They were made by hand
from lass envelopes. Lead glass was used for MT tubes (except
MT 14f, MR tubes, and DEM 2, DET 2 and DET 3; molybdenum glass was
used for GT 15.
c. Small stems;i.e., heating stems for all low-power special tubes
(DET 5, DE,. 11, CU 6, PT 6B, RHT 1, RHT 2, RD 200/3.51,'as well
as GU 14, GU 11, GT 14 and the GM tubes. There was also an anode
stem in addition to the heater stem for the RD 200/3.5 and the
PT 6B. The stems for RD 200/3.5, GU 14, GU 11, and GT 14 were
molybdenum glass;they were lead glass for all the remaining tubes.
d. Complete terminals,,i.e., metal terminals (paragraphs 1.3-16) plus
the sealed. glass.
(1) Heater terml.nals were nickel-iron, conical-shaped, with a
knife edge (paragraph 13), or platinum terminals (paragraph 14)
to which a lead glass tubing,narrowed into evacuation tubing,
was sealed. These terminals were used for all high-power
transmitter tubes with external anode. After the terminal
was tested and found to be vacuum-proof, the evacuation tubing
was cut off.and the terminal was sealed to the heating stem
(paragraph 26 a).
(2) Grid terminals were copper, conical-shaped with a. knife edge
which was sealed to lead glass tubing narrowed into evacu-
ation tubing. This terminal was sealed to the envelope of
the anode of CAT 14, CAT 201, ACT 201, CAT 9, ACT 16. and
CAT 6K (paragraph 13 b).
(3) Grid platinum terminals (to be sealed directly into lass
annex C Fig. 9. were straight platinum terminals nnex C,
.
if 1 a% sealed into lead glass and to a lead glass tubing
narrowed' into evacuation tubing. This terminal was used for
CAT 6, ACT 14, CAM 3, CAT 3, CAT 10, CAT 12A, CAT 20, as well
as for those MT-type tubes in which the terminal was sealed
to the glass envelope. The remaining MT-type tubes had the
grid terminal sealed into the heater stem.
(4) Anode terminals annex C, Fig. 6) for GT 15, GU 14, GU 11,
and GT 145nnex C, Fig. V .
e. Sealing of the glass envelope anode knife edge was performed on
the glass work lathe as mentioned above; the anode was placed on
one of the revolving spindles of the lathe and the envelope on
the other. The anode and the envelope were centered and while
revolving they were softened by gas burners. When the glass was
sufficiently softened it was pulled onto the anode and sealed to
it. Then the gas flames were gradually lowered. This procedure
was followed with all high-power tubes with external anode. annex
D, Figs 1 and 3.7 When sealing glass envelopes to the knife edges
of the nickel iron grid ring of the CAT 17 tube, first one envelope
was sealed and,then the other ZAnnex D, Fig. 2. The procedure
was similar to the one mentioned above.
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- 10 -
ASSEMBLY OF TUBES
Assembly Shops
-27. Assembly of all tubes produced in the Plant was in the assembly shop
on the second floor of the Main Production Building. The production
And assembly of GM tubes was in a special shop on the second floor of
the Main Production Building. 21. In addition to the usual equipment,
so-called rotary stands were used in the assembly shop. Each stand
consisted of a steel plate as a base and an axial radial ball bearing
(an axial bearing and radial ball bearing conbined as one unit). A
rectangular support device with a conical opening was set into the
ball bearingfand into this conical opening was placed a support with
a head. The head was of the same shape and size as the inside of the
stem of the tube which was to be assembled. The stem was placed on the
head of the support. The size of the base plate of the stand varied
from 15 x 15 cm. to 30 x 30 cm. The height of the stand was about 20 cm.
The stands were of three different sizes.
issembly Process
?g
s
4 =VV= +f the grid
was slipped on the cylindrical
part of the stem and screwed on. The
cathode was then tested for electrical conductivity. This testing was
performed in a testing apparatus which consisted of a base on which
the cathode with grid and stem was set. All of these tube parts
were covered by a bell in order to maintain a neutral atmosphere,
usually nitrogen. There was a supply of power with an adjustable
auto-transformer an ammeter, and voltmeter.. The measuring instrument
showed whether the conductivity was correct. (It was correct when
the connecting parts of the system did not develop resistance, or
when the rod of the cathode was not broken.),
In the assembly of medium-power special tubes (mercury rectifiers;
GU 11, GU 124, GT 15, GT 14.), the heating stem of the cathode was set
on the head of the support as explained above (paragraph 27). Then
the cathode, a strip coated with BaCO (barium carbonate) or Ba(OH)2
(barium hydroxide) was welded to the three t 4
l
In the assembly of high-power electronic tubes, the heater stem was
set on the head of the support and the cathode was attached to the
stem so that the metal terminals of the heater stem were screwed-or
clipped to the support of the cathode Then the
I
s of the stem.
The cathode shield was sli ermna
metal terminal. Then, with ptheothyratrons only, GTa14 anddGT 15 the
cathode shield was covered by a r the
y grid, which was welded to the grid
terminal, which went through the heating stem. The grid was also
welded to the support which went through the heating stem.
~. In the assembly of low-power special tubes, the bottom of the cathode
was attached to the metal input leads which went through the heater
stem of the tube, and the cathode was attached to the tension device.
The tension device was attached to the upper ceramic insulating plate.
This upper insulating plate was laid on the support which went through
the heater stem. The upper ends of the grid supports were set into
the upper insulating plate; the lower ends were set into the lower
insulating plate which. was attached to the same supports as the
upper insulating plate. The sleeve of the anode was.slipped over the
cylindrical part of the stem and screwed on. There were two exceptions
to the above procedure. With the RD 200/3.5 tube, the sleeve of the
grid was attached to the cathode stem and the anode was attached,
also by a sleeve, to the anode stem which was placed opposite the
cathode. With the PT 6B tube, two of the three grids were attached
as mentioned above but the third grid was attached by a sleeve to the
cylindrical part of the heater stem. The anode was attached to the
anode stem.
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- 11 -
31. Before assembly, those metal parts (mainly small nickel-iron-copper
parts) which were supposed to come into the envelope were reduced.
By reduction, the surface of the parts were purified. The reduction
process was performed in two reduction furnaces ,Annex E7 whi h were
located in the Main Production Building on the first floor. 22.
These furnaces were made in the plant during 1945 and 1946. The
internal fireproof tubing was probably imported; the quartz tubing
was imported The parts to be reduced 25X1
were placed on a molybdenum plate, put into the opening of the cooler,
and then pushed into the furnace where they were left at a fixed
temperature for a prescribed period of time. The temperature was
e.nni:rnl'1 art by means of an optical pyrometer 25X1
After reduction, the molybdenum plate containing /_~.)^'
the parts was pushed into the cooler and left until cooled.
32. The sealing of the glass envelope to the glass stem for the tubes was
as follows:
a. The sealing for high-power transmitter tubes with external anode
was performed on glass-seal lathes; the large tubes were placed
on the lathe in a vertical position and smaller tubes in a hori-
zontal position. The smallest tubes in this category, for instance
ACT 9 and ACM 1S, were sealed on the sealing machine. The copper
anode, sealed to the envelope, was set into one of the two spindles
of the lathe; the stem, with the cathode and the grid, was put
into the opposite spindle. Then the stem, along with the cathode
and grid, was slipped inside the anode. The lathe was set into
operation and the revolving parts were centered while the lathe
was fixed in a horizontal position. When the lathe was put into a
vertical position, the revolving glass parts were heated by burners
until the glass envelope was sealed to the glass stem and the seal
was polished by a glass-work tool. After the temperature was
lowered by turning off the burners, the lathe was returned to the
horizontal position and the tube was taken out and sent to the
section for pre-evacuation.
b.. The sealing for medium-power transmitter tubes was performed on
the sealing machines (paragraph 27, c). After the glass stem
was sealed to the glass envelope, the tube was gradually cooled
in the tempering equipment. When sealing the MT and MR tubes
and DEM 2, DET 2, DET 3 tubes, the glass stem was sealed to the
glass envelope before the anode stem was sealed to the envelope.
c. The sealing of low-power special electronic tubes was similar to
the sealing of the medium-power transmitter tubes (paragraph 32 b).
33. The various supports and bases and auxiliary parts (paragraphs 21, 22)
were attached to most of the tubes after the degassing and evacuating
process and with the remaining tubes after the testing of the tubes. 23.
After the tubes were finished they were polished and stamped. An
example of the stamp-.
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"R" was the mark of the Tesla-Vrsovice Plant; "H", the Hloubetin Plant;
"V;" the Vrehlabi Plant; .th& Roznov'Plant carried the letter "R" also.
This stamp was placed in the center of the glass envelope. The serial
number of the tube was put below this stamp. With the high-power
transmitter tubes, if the serial number, placed on one of the internal
parts was visible, no serial number was placed on the envelope of the
tube. In addition to the designation described above, the high-power
transmitter tubes bore the designation indicating the established heater
voltage (in volts and in tenths of one volt), This designation was
placed below the trade stamp and below the serial number, if any.
Materials used in Production 24.
34. In addition to the standard materials for production of tubes, the
following materials were used:
a. Tubes, sheets, rods, wires and cable*, all made of copper.
b. Aluminum sheets.
c. Brass sheets and brass rods.
d. Tin soldering rods.
e. Alabaster gypsum for sealing supports and bases.
f. Bakelite putty for supports, bases, and coverings.
35. In addition to these materials, the following semifinished parts and
finished parts from domestic suppliers were used by the plant:
a. Ceramic insulating plates for low-power special tubes, insulating
plates for heating supports for high-power transmitter tubes of
the smallest sizes, ceramic bases for small low-power special
tubes (DET 11, PT 6B, and RD 200/3.5, and ceramic supports for
the grid outlet for the RD 200/3-5)-
b. Bakelite bases for DET 5 (European designation "A Socle"), Bake-
lite bases for R 1 and RHT 2 (K8A), and bases for CU 6 and for
the GMT tubes.
c. Bronze castings for rings for the large copper anodes.
d. Anode coverings,-copper or brass, for small special tubes and
grid coverings for RD 200/3.5 tubes.
e. Bellowed bronze tubes for forced air-cooled heating leads and
bronze tubing for water-cooled heating leads.
f. Various screws and similar items.
36. There were frequently shortages or complete lack of the following
materials in the plant:
a. Molybdenum and tungsten materials of certain kinds and dimensions.
b. NiFe sheeting, the lack of which was particularly felt during
1951 and 1952.
e. OFHC copper.
d. Si0 insulator
large cathodes o gr s.
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13
e. Lead glass and molybdenum glass parts, the lack of which was
caused by the'large percentage which had to be returned because
of poor quality.
The lack*of these materials caused production difficulties which were
partly overcome by temporarily shifting production from one type of
tube to another.
A. Sketches of Cathodes and Grids
D. Sketches of Medium Copper Anodes, Anode Shield Rings and Various
Terminals
C. Sketches of Various Terminals
D. Sketches of Seals
E. Sketch of Reduction Furnace
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4-
Annex A Sketches of Cathodes and Gri a
Fi . 1.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 2.
Fig.' 39.
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- 15 -
LEGEND TO ANNEX A
1. Cathode; for high-power transmitter tubes
al. Cathode rod through which current passed from top to bottom.
a2. Cathode rod through which current passed from bottom to top.
bl-b2. So-called distance equipotential squares.
2. Cathode; with tension device
a. One branch of the cathode
b. Molybdenum support
c. Tension device
d. Spring of the tension device
e. Ceramic insulating plate
f. Bridge connecting both branches of the cathode
3. Grid.- consisting of rods
a. Grid rods (a total of 16 rods)
b. Grid supports
c. Connecting and simultaneously shielding part
d. Sleeves of the grid
3a. Grid: consisting of supports, wound with wire
a. Supports (a total of four supports)
b. Winding of the grid
c. Spiral-shaped wire to attach the winding to the supports
d. Sleeves of the grid
e. Connecting and simultaneously shielding part
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S$4 ET
Annex B Sketoh e , of Medium Copper An
Various Terminals
Fig. 1.
Fig.
5.
i,ig. 6.
SECR
es, Anode Shield Rings and
Fit. '3.
/j/,7
Fig..: 4.
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- 17 -
LEGEND TO ANNEX B
1. Med um. Copper Anodes
a. Anode tube
b. Band
c, Bottom
d. Pin
e. Nickel-iron ring with knife edge
f. Internal notches
2, Anode Shield Rings
a. Internal shield ring
b. External shield ring (here, in this case, simultaneously a cooling
device)
c. Nickel-iron ring with knife edge sealed to the glass envelope
d. Copper anode
e. Glass envelope
Heater Terminals with a knife edge
a. Conical part with a knife edge
b.-c. Pins
c. Threaded openings
'4. Grid Terminal: with a knife edge
a. Conical part with a knife edge
b. Pin
5. Platinum Terminal (so-called "zder")
5. Chromium-iron Terminal
a. Chromium-iron; bowl-shaped part to be sealed to the lead glass
bl-b2. Copper pins
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18
Annex C Sketches of Various Terminals
Fig. 1.
Fig.
Fig... 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 6.
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Fig 7.
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LEGEND TO ANNEX C
1.-la. Straight Platinum Terminals
~1 I
2. Nickel-iron-copper Wire Input Leads
3. Non-cooled Heater Leads
a. External copper part
b. Copper cable
c. Internal copper part
4. Forced Air-cooled Heater Leads
5.
a. Copper tubes
b. Accordion-~haped bronze tube
c. Internal copper tube, with openings
Complete Grid Terminal
a. Straight platinum terminal
b. Lead glass
6. Complete Anode Terminal: for OT-15
Mo. Molybdenum rod
a. Molybdenum glass
Complete Anode Terminal: for au-14, aU-11, OT-14
Mo. Molybdenum rod
a. Molybdenum glass
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Fig. 3.
/:/
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- 21 -
LEGEND TO ANNEX D
1. Seal of the Envelope to the Anode Knife Edte
a. Copper anode
b. Nickel-iron ring with knife edge
c. Lead glass envelope sealed to the ring
d. Evacuating tube
e. Anode band
2. Seal of the Envelopes to the Two Knife Edges of the Grid Ring of
the CAT ITC e
a. Grid ring
b. Lead glass envelopes
Detailed Diagram of the Seal of the Envelope to the Knite Edge
a. Nickel-iron ring with a knife edge
b. Upper part of the copper anode
c. Lead glass envelope
d. Sea?.
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Annex E
Sketch of Reduction Furnace
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-22.,
IT. N&
6m =-
#ad
NaO
LEGEND To ANNEX E
Reduction Furnace
a. Tube of fireproof material
b. Resistance spiral,' electrically heated
c. Sip glass tube
dl-d2. Coolers
el-e2. Iron sheet cover placed around the furnace and coolers
f. Furnace opening
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