The Cathode Ray Tube site
electronic glassware
History and Physics Instruments
electronic glassware
History and Physics Instruments
Crookes tubes
Radiant matter
The first page
Radiant matter
The first page
Crookes mineral tube
Crookes Cathode ray deflecting tube.
made by Pressler
made by Pressler
Activated tube
Sir William Crookes
1832 -1919
1832 -1919
Crookes Maltese Cross tubes
In front a small early (French?) modell with the cross falling backwards, in the back a Pressler tube with the cross falling to the front.
In front a small early (French?) modell with the cross falling backwards, in the back a Pressler tube with the cross falling to the front.
The Maltese Cross tube (Crookes nr 9) is one of the
most famous Crookes tubes.
The tube demonstrates that electrons
go in a straight line and don't go through metal.
The cross can actually lay down and
stand up (mechanically). When the cross lies down,
the glass face of the tube emits a green glow when the
electrons strike the glass wall, when it's right up you
will see the shadow of the cross. After a while due to
fatigue of the glass the glow is less strong, when the
cross is tipped over at that time, the previous
unexposed glass glows brighter than the surrounding
glass.
This phenomena was discovered by Johann Wilhelm
Hittorf in 1869. (He was a former student of Julius
Plücker) Hittorf did a lot of discharge research in the
same period when Crookes did his discoveries, the
scientists had many contacts and changed frequently
information.
most famous Crookes tubes.
The tube demonstrates that electrons
go in a straight line and don't go through metal.
The cross can actually lay down and
stand up (mechanically). When the cross lies down,
the glass face of the tube emits a green glow when the
electrons strike the glass wall, when it's right up you
will see the shadow of the cross. After a while due to
fatigue of the glass the glow is less strong, when the
cross is tipped over at that time, the previous
unexposed glass glows brighter than the surrounding
glass.
This phenomena was discovered by Johann Wilhelm
Hittorf in 1869. (He was a former student of Julius
Plücker) Hittorf did a lot of discharge research in the
same period when Crookes did his discoveries, the
scientists had many contacts and changed frequently
information.
The Cathode ray deflecting tube (Crookes nr 14)
demonstrates the influence of a magnetic field to the
electron beam. The visible beam appears on the
aluminum sheet covered with phosphor, will bent away
from the center when a magnet is held near the tube.
This phenomena was discovered by Julius Plücker and
Johann Wilhelm Hittorf. Plücker published it in the
Poggendorffs annalen der Physik und Chemie 1858.
demonstrates the influence of a magnetic field to the
electron beam. The visible beam appears on the
aluminum sheet covered with phosphor, will bent away
from the center when a magnet is held near the tube.
This phenomena was discovered by Julius Plücker and
Johann Wilhelm Hittorf. Plücker published it in the
Poggendorffs annalen der Physik und Chemie 1858.
Mineral tubes (Crookes nr 4)
After Crookes his first announcement in 1879 he made a second one in
1881 about the fluorescent and phosphorescent properties of different
materials in his (pdf) article Discontinuous Phosphorescent Spectra in High Vacua.
Some minerals glow beautiful due to their fluorescent or phosphorescent
behavior when the tube is activated, phosphorescent means that the glow still
continues for a while if the excitation stops. Different samples of fluorescent
minerals, shells, coral or gemstones were used.
Another research from C.Doelter can be read in this (pdf) German article from 1911.
Here is a list of some common used minerals in Crookes tubes.
Color mineral
red calcite
yellow apatite
bright green willemite
blue scheelite
brown dolemite
violet magnesite
After Crookes his first announcement in 1879 he made a second one in
1881 about the fluorescent and phosphorescent properties of different
materials in his (pdf) article Discontinuous Phosphorescent Spectra in High Vacua.
Some minerals glow beautiful due to their fluorescent or phosphorescent
behavior when the tube is activated, phosphorescent means that the glow still
continues for a while if the excitation stops. Different samples of fluorescent
minerals, shells, coral or gemstones were used.
Another research from C.Doelter can be read in this (pdf) German article from 1911.
Here is a list of some common used minerals in Crookes tubes.
Color mineral
red calcite
yellow apatite
bright green willemite
blue scheelite
brown dolemite
violet magnesite
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Caution.
In general most Crookes tubes are high vacuum
devices and need high tension to work properly.
When these tubes are activated with high voltage
a small amount of soft X-Ray's (bremsstrahlung)
are produced !
This is a serious health issue, beware of voltages
exceeding 5000 volts. These are not toys!
In general most Crookes tubes are high vacuum
devices and need high tension to work properly.
When these tubes are activated with high voltage
a small amount of soft X-Ray's (bremsstrahlung)
are produced !
This is a serious health issue, beware of voltages
exceeding 5000 volts. These are not toys!
Activated samples.
Johann Wilhelm Hittorf
1824 - 1914
1824 - 1914
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See even more fine Crookes tubes on the following pages!
NEW look here on
for a great demonstration of these tubes
from Alastair Wright.
Don't forget the warning to the right!
for a great demonstration of these tubes
from Alastair Wright.
Don't forget the warning to the right!
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The scientist Sir William Crookes paved the way for many discoveries. He worked in his own laboratory in London where he did all of his experiments with different types of near vacuum tubes. In On radiant matter, a lecture delivered to the British Association for the Advancement of Science at Sheffield, Friday August 22 1879 Crookes demonstrated 21 different tubes (each tube had a specific number) and discussed the fourth state of matter, plasma. Many Crookes tubes stood at the base of further discoveries like the X-ray tube and the Braun tube which developed later on into our well known TV tube.
Many German glassblowers (all from the Thuringa area) like Franz Müller Geissler's Nachfolger, Rudolf and Otto Pressler, Robert Götze, Emil Gundelach, Greiner&Friedrichs, Müller-Uri and the British A.C Cossor made Crookes and Geissler tubes from the fourth quarter of the 19th century until the second worldwar. The tubes were sold to schools and Universities for classroom demonstrations by companies like Max Kohl, Ferdinand Ernecke, E.Leybold's Nachfolger, Cenco (US) and Becker (UK).
In WW II the factories were heavily bombed because of the (weapon) work they did for the Nazi regime. What was left of the machinery of the Max Kohl AG plant went to the Soviet Union.
On the website of Jogis-Röhrenbude you can find the complete story (German) of the Pressler company, founded in 1897 and mass produced Crookes, Geissler, X-ray tubes and photocells until 1940, after the war the company went on as Pressler-DGL, after 1960 it merged into VEB-NARVA. (DDR VEB = Volks Eigener Betrieb)
Look here for a complete publication of William Crookes his work in the New York Times newspaper of 1896.
Many German glassblowers (all from the Thuringa area) like Franz Müller Geissler's Nachfolger, Rudolf and Otto Pressler, Robert Götze, Emil Gundelach, Greiner&Friedrichs, Müller-Uri and the British A.C Cossor made Crookes and Geissler tubes from the fourth quarter of the 19th century until the second worldwar. The tubes were sold to schools and Universities for classroom demonstrations by companies like Max Kohl, Ferdinand Ernecke, E.Leybold's Nachfolger, Cenco (US) and Becker (UK).
In WW II the factories were heavily bombed because of the (weapon) work they did for the Nazi regime. What was left of the machinery of the Max Kohl AG plant went to the Soviet Union.
On the website of Jogis-Röhrenbude you can find the complete story (German) of the Pressler company, founded in 1897 and mass produced Crookes, Geissler, X-ray tubes and photocells until 1940, after the war the company went on as Pressler-DGL, after 1960 it merged into VEB-NARVA. (DDR VEB = Volks Eigener Betrieb)
Look here for a complete publication of William Crookes his work in the New York Times newspaper of 1896.
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Third
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Crookes tube workshop of A.C. Cossor 1896.
(picture courtesy of Alastair Wright)
(picture courtesy of Alastair Wright)
To the left the workshop of Alfred Charles Cossor in
Clerkenwell London which would later became a leading
British valve manufacturer. This photograph is made in
1896 while some of his workers (boys!) preparing the glass
tubes, Cossor was that time the only British firm who
could make the first X-Ray tubes which were higher
qualified than the common Crookes tubes and made the
first British Braun tubes in 1902.
Clerkenwell London which would later became a leading
British valve manufacturer. This photograph is made in
1896 while some of his workers (boys!) preparing the glass
tubes, Cossor was that time the only British firm who
could make the first X-Ray tubes which were higher
qualified than the common Crookes tubes and made the
first British Braun tubes in 1902.
Maltese Cross tube early 20th Century
Notice the difference of Anode connection placement compared to the other models.
Notice the difference of Anode connection placement compared to the other models.
Mineral and shell samples light up under influence of Cathode ray's.
Crookes minerals and shells tube
made by Pressler
made by Pressler
Crookes mineral egg tube (Crookes nr 4) demonstrate the
fluorescent behavior of stone and shell minerals or even
mineral sand. This kind of tubes were made in different sizes.
fluorescent behavior of stone and shell minerals or even
mineral sand. This kind of tubes were made in different sizes.
This is a cute 17cm high tube
contains mineral samples willemite,scheelite and others.
made by Pressler
contains mineral samples willemite,scheelite and others.
made by Pressler
Crookes mineral tube
This is an early tube with lime sample from the late 19th century. The mineral is Fluorescent and Phosphorescent.
This is an early tube with lime sample from the late 19th century. The mineral is Fluorescent and Phosphorescent.
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Fourth
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Early maltese cross tube
This tube is made late 19th century with platinum wire connections and blue glass electrode sealings.
This tube is made late 19th century with platinum wire connections and blue glass electrode sealings.
The tubes produced by
the former Pressler
company after WWII were
also fitted with a four
point star instead of the
Maltese cross which was
identically shaped as the
iron cross, a German
Nazi symbol.
the former Pressler
company after WWII were
also fitted with a four
point star instead of the
Maltese cross which was
identically shaped as the
iron cross, a German
Nazi symbol.
Small 15cm mineral tube.
Activated tube
The tube is filled with fluorescent and phosphorescent willemite minerals which glow very bright apple green.
The tube is filled with fluorescent and phosphorescent willemite minerals which glow very bright apple green.
Afterglow of the minerals
A similar tube is displayed in the French 1869 Physics book from Dechanel.
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