Re: Chisel-edged electrodes (fwd)

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: Tesla List Moderator <mod1-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2001 00:39:14 EST
> From: Mddeming-at-aol-dot-com
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Chisel-edged electrodes
> 
> Hi All!
>          I encountered a reference in my old notes (1962) about chisel-edged
> electrodes for a rotary gap. The leading edge is flat while the trailing edge
> is tapered like a chisel tip.The rationale for this seems to be that the
> tapered edge and narrow point reduces the time they are within arcing
> distance of each other and this produces faster quenching. Has Anyone tried
> anything like this?
> 
>          | |
>           \|         ---> direction of movement
> 
>                  |\
>                  | | <--- Stationary electrode
> Matt D.

	An outfit named BENWOOD made rotary gaps of that design back circa
1919-1922, and advertised them in the ham magazines (QST, that is). 
Rotor was cast zinc.  They also sold the rotors separately, I think.

Ed