RARE Antique GE 195528 TUNGAR Bulb and CEM Co. Porcelain Socket

Description: For sale is a combination of an antique GE Tungar bulb, displayed in an antique CEM porcelain socket, left behind in my late father's radio electronics inventory and vintage parts "collection." Fortunately, my husband has a good electronics background, and he loves doing research to discover just what my dad's vintage parts actually are. This is what he found about this combination: Description: Own a piece of radio history with these RARE, antique exemplars of the bygone era of “roaring twenties” radio, when “battery eliminators” were all the rage for charging or supplying power to battery-operated, home radios. These electrical artifacts represent manufactures of two 20th century American industrial giants: General Electric Co. of New York, AND Connecticut Electric Manufacturing Co., of Bridgeport, Connecticut. You are viewing: 1-a GE Cat. 195528 Tungar rectifier bulb, with an external anode adapter; displayed in ... 2-a CEM Co. glazed, porcelain, electrical socket. In the late 1920’s, both artifacts were used in Willard Radio-A-Power Units; providing rectified power to antique radios, by furnishing direct current for low voltage, tube filaments (in place of the “A” battery),and for low current, high voltage, vacuum tube plate circuits (in place of the “B” battery). Willard Units also functioned as battery chargers. (To view a picture of a Willard Power-A-Unit and photographs of an actual Willard control panel, search for my listing: 116275116549.) Inventory Class: Pre-owned. Who Wants It?Private and Public Museums ─ Collectors of RARE tubes ─ Collectors of antique, electronic artifacts ─ Prop Managers ─ ─ Universities ─ Science Teachers ─ Radio Amateurs ─ Collectors of General Electric artifacts ─Anyone living in Bridgeport and Litchfield Co., Connecticut, or Trenton, New Jersey Condition: As found — As is — As Photographed. Seller has no means of testing the operation of this electronic rectifier tube. The untested, pre-owned, Tungar rectifier & electrical socket are being sold for display, as “collectible artifacts.” Items may have dust, dirt, wear, dents, rust, chips, scratches, oxidation, etc. which can result from usage or age-related, environmental, handling & storage effects. (The socket has chip in the collar.) See photographs. All electronic items are non-returnable. Buyer should review photos and applicable texts before purchasing this antique, collectible artifact. 1-The GE Cat. 195528 Tungar rectifier bulb Tungar History: This RARE, antique, Cat. 195528 Tungar rectifier bulb is a 2nd generation representative of General Electric’s 1916 development of tungsten cathodic tubes, sealed with a nickel anode, in argon-filled, glass envelopes. They were dubbed “Tungar bulbs,” and Tungar soon became a GE, registered trademark. The Cat. 195528 rectifier bulb was designed as a half-wave rectifier, for use in low-voltage circuit applications. First generation Tungar bulbs bore close similarity to a laboratory flask; and featured a glass-to-metal seal at the top of the bulb, wherethe nickel anode protruded. As early as 1919, the $3.00 Cat. 195528 Tungar bulbs were the heart and soul of three Tungar brand, GE battery chargers - Catalog Numbers 195529, 198646 and 199547. (See July, 1919 issue of Motor Record magazine, page 66.) Tungar bulbs were also used in home-made battery chargers. The artifact offered here is the next generation bulb! In August 1925, the Canadian General Electric Co., Ltd., of Toronto, Ontario, on behalf of its Massachusetts assignees, James J. Fitzpatrick of Marblehead, & Ralph T. Cheeseman of Lynn, filed an application with the Canadian Patent Office for the “new style” rectifier shown here. In June 1926, GE received Canadian Patent #261,760 for its “rectifying arc device.” Three years later, on January 15, 1929, General Electric Co. was granted U.S. patent No. 1,699,103 for the rectifying arc device on behalf of the same assignees. (The US patent was later printed on the packaging for Tungar Cat. 195528 rectifier bulbs.) This offering is apparently an EARLY exemplar of the “new style” Cat. 195528, as it exhibits the pointed exhaust tube closure at the top of the bulb – a feature which soon vanished. The bulb you are viewing also features an external anode adapter, connected to an electrically isolated section at the top of the bulb's base. The adapter follows the external contour of the bulb, projecting upward to accommodate clip-lead connections. The adapter design simulates the anode terminals projecting from the top of 1st generation bulbs. Thus, GE could retain the Cat. 195528 designation and replace 1st generation Tungars in devices that were designed around an exposed Tungar anode near the top of the bulb! What Tungars Do:The Tungar rectifier bulb was designed to operate in a.c. circuits, acting as a one-way valve; by permitting current to flow from the positive anode to the negative cathode. Tungar rectifier bulbs were thus designed to rectify alternating current and produce a reliable source of direct current. Besides their use in battery chargers for automobile storage batteries, Tungar bulbs also found application in “battery eliminators” for early battery-operated radios, like the 1927 Stromberg-Carlson! Thus, they became useful in the design of dependable, highly efficient, d.c. power supplies, where the elimination of "noise" and vibration was important. GE Tungar rectifier bulbs could also operate 12-volt relays and function as a filament supply for exciter lamps. Manufacturer: General Electric Co., U.S.A. Type: Cat. 195528 Number of Electrodes: Two. Tungar Base: E27 (27 millimeter or 1.063-inch) (Medium) Edison Screw (ES) Cathode:Thoriated Tungsten Filament. Internal Anode:Nickel, coated with high-purity graphite. Design Filament Voltage:About 2.5 volts. Design Maximum Direct Current Output: 2 d.c. amperes. Dimensions: About 4-inches Long x about 2 inches in Diameter. 2-The CEM Co. glazed, porcelain, electrical socket Description: This heavy duty, rugged, 30 amp., 125 volt electrical socket, manufactured by the Connecticut Electric Manufacturing Co., is constructed of glazed porcelain, with yellow brass fittings and hardware. The 30A. current rating of this device (embossed on the base) is twice the 15A. current rating of a comparable, porcelain ceiling fixture. It features 5/16-inch cast, wiring troughs and two cast reliefs to accommodate the mounting hardware. (The Willard Power-A-Unit, from which this socket was taken, also contained 3 C.E.M. Co. toggle switches with bakelite and porcelain housings. To view them, search for my eBay listing: 116275116549.) Manufacturer:Connecticut Electric Manufacturing Company, 1220 Connecticut Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.A. Company History: The Connecticut Electric Manufacturing Comany was started at Litchfield, Connecticut by three Trumbull brothers in 1906. The firm manufactured switches, sockets and other electrical items. By 1912, its work force had surged to at least 275 employees. That year (1912), CEM Co. removed to Bridgeport, where production began in a new factory, powered exclusively by electricity. In May, 1915, one of the Trumbull brothers perished in the Lusitania, a trans-Atlantic steamer, sunk by German U-Boats off the coast of Ireland. Twelve months later, in April, 1916, a second Trumball brother died. That year (1916), CEM Co. raked in a cool $1¼-million in annual sales! After moving to the new Bridgport factory, CEM Co. began chalking up 40 percent annual growth rates. Under the steady hand of A. H. Trumbull, the only surviving brother, CEM Co. continued to flourish and expand. In 1920, agents of CEM Co. founded the Connecticut Porcelain Co., which acquired the five-kiln pottery works of Standard China in Trenton, New Jersey. The pottery was converted to “dust process” porcelain manufacturing for the production of electrical porcelain items. The Connecticut Porcelain Co. works in Trenton was expected to employ about 250 workers. The porcelain socket shown here may have been made for CEM Co. by its subsidiary porcelain works at Trenton! By 1930, CEM Co., like so many other corporate victims of the Great Depression, had fallen into receivership. Construction: One brass buss is potted in the porcelain base. The other brass buss is attached to the brass socket shell; which appears to be pressed over a raised porcelain boss at the center. A panhead brass screw, threaded through the center boss, furnishes the connection to the tip of the Tungar bulb. Dimensions: The 2 x 2-3/4-inch base is ¾-inch thick, with the porcelain collar rising to an overall height of about 1-9/16-inches. Power Rating:30 amps at 125 volts. Markings: Top: On one end is the embossed rating “30 A 125 V”. On the other end, “CEM Co” is embossed. Bottom: “Made in U S A” is embossed on a recessed pad. Mounting:The porcelain socket can be mounted on a flat surface with two machine screws, or round-head wood screws. Use screws with a maximum head diameter of 21/64-inch. The shank diameter of the screws must be less than 13/64-inch. (Mounting hardware not included.) Electrical Hardware: Both brass busses are threaded for brass machine screws with integral washers. Square brass terminal washers are also included. Wow! That's a lot of information!! If you are a collector of these antique radio components, copy this history to accompany your vintage artifact!! Thanks for looking here!! (bulb box, radio shelves)

Price: 38.69 USD

Location: New Berlin, Wisconsin

End Time: 2024-08-12T00:20:57.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD