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Old 21st Jul 2011, 1:30 pm   #1
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Default Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

The Alexandra Palace Television Society Archive are delighted to announce their most significant and important donation to-date - an Emitron camera tube. The first electronic camera tube, developed by EMI, and used for the start of the BBC Television Service at Alexandra Palace in 1936.

The tube was donated by the widow of Norman Taylor, former BBC engineer and APTS member, who died suddenly in January 2011.

Nothing is known about the history of this tube, or even how Norman acquired it.

This is the only tube known to be in private hands. There are only 8 other tubes known to exist in the world - 7 at the National Media Museum and 1 with RCA in the USA.

As you can see the tube is in fantastic condition and also appears to have a full vacuum.
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Old 21st Jul 2011, 4:14 pm   #2
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Default Re: Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

I can think of no better place for an Emitrons camera tube to be. However, it seems a pity to me that there are seven Emitrons in the NMM and none in other museums about the country. Surely this is a case where inter-museum loans are an absolute must.
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Old 21st Jul 2011, 4:58 pm   #3
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Default Re: Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

Are there any Emitron cameras, complete with tube, at the NMM? Imagine one restored to working order! Though I imagine it couldn't do much without a whole lot of ancillary equipment...
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Old 21st Jul 2011, 6:23 pm   #4
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Default Re: Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

What is the bulge at the back for? It would be wonderful to see this tube working, even with modern electronics doing the support work. People don't realise just how cutting edge AP was in the '30's.
 
Old 21st Jul 2011, 9:22 pm   #5
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Default Re: Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

Quote:
Originally Posted by Panrock View Post
Are there any Emitron cameras, complete with tube, at the NMM? Imagine one restored to working order! Though I imagine it couldn't do much without a whole lot of ancillary equipment...
As far as I am aware there are 2 complete Emitron camera chains. The rest are just tubes (but I might be wrong). There is also a super-emitron camera tube. The remainder are just standard Emitrons. As Panrock has said on another forum:

Quote:
What a wonderful piece of advanced technology from ¾ of a century ago!

It looks the part too. To 1936 eyes it must have looked like a bug eyed space monster from the future. A harbinger of "Things to Come".
Couldn't agree more! But I think it's a thing of beauty.

merlinmaxwell - the bulge at the back contains the signal plate, where the scene is focused on via the lens on the front of the camera.
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Old 22nd Jul 2011, 10:59 pm   #6
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Default Re: Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

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the bulge at the back contains the signal plate, where the scene is focused on via the lens on the front of the camera.
From what I can see, the signal plate is in the main body of the tube and the bulge at the back seems to be empty. Is it the way that the mica plate was got into the tube which was then sealed before evacuation .
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Old 23rd Jul 2011, 7:35 am   #7
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Default Re: Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

The very question I was going to ask, I did note the signal plate was in the middle. BTW when I was an apprentice in the '80s work had a copy of the book by Zworykin and Morton on how they developed and made the RCA tube, I read it, very interesting.
 
Old 23rd Jul 2011, 9:18 am   #8
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Default Re: Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

I wonder if the bulge at the back is merely to locate the tube in the chassis of the camera? It's definitely nothing to do with the signal plate, as that is the big flat square in the centre.
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Old 23rd Jul 2011, 10:54 am   #9
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Default Re: Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

Sorry I misunderstood, I thought you meant the "bulb", not just the bulge at the back.

From what I understand the bulge at the back was used to insert the signal plate, which was then closed off before evacuation.

This still from "Television Comes To London" shows the camera tube with the signal plate inserted, but the bulge is still a section of glass tube. It has yet to be heated and closed off.

Some might be forgiven for thinking that what you see in this picutre is the lens, but the lens side of the signal plate was the same side as the electronic gun, so what you see in the top of this picture is most definitely the bulge before being closed.
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Old 23rd Jul 2011, 11:41 am   #10
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Default Re: Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

Simon

Many congratulations on obtaining the Emitron tube.

There is another surviving tube in BBC TVC, I saw it this June on a visit there. There may also be one in BBC Wood Norton, but I haven't had any news of that one lately.

It would be useful to make/keep a list of surviving tubes. The one you have is the "long necked" development of the "short necked" one. Do you or anyone know of a short neck survivor?

Regards

Brian Summers

my Emitron pictures: http://www.tvcameramuseum.org/emi/em...37emitron1.htm
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Old 24th Jul 2011, 12:40 pm   #11
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Default Re: Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

Hi Brian,

I remember the Emitron camera at TVC, but at that time it was in one of the corridors (but Robin Reynolds, who was Head of Heritage at that time), didn't know if the camera had a tube inside it.

It has been suggested on the forum for former BBC staff that the tube Norman had might be the tube that was at Wood Norton, but no one can confirm this at present. I certainly would be good to know the history of the tube.

I'm very surprised that none of the tubes have a stock number or identification number on them - making it almost impossible to trace the life of the tube.

I don't know if the Museum in Bradford has any short-neck tubes, but yes a list of surviving tube would be very useful - so might dash of an email to Iain Baird to see if he can provide details of the tubes at Bradford.

Best regards

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Old 10th Aug 2011, 12:46 pm   #12
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Default Re: Emitron Camera Tube - Donated to the APTS Archive

Quote:
Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell View Post
The very question I was going to ask, I did note the signal plate was in the middle. BTW when I was an apprentice in the '80s work had a copy of the book by Zworykin and Morton on how they developed and made the RCA tube, I read it, very interesting.

I've just bought a copy of "Television The Electronics of Image Transmission" by Zworykin and Morton. I've only looked at a few parts so far but there is certainly a lot to interest television historians. It does give quite detailed descriptions of the manufacture of both iconoscope and kinescope and lots more besides.

Thanks for the recommendation merlinmaxwell.

Peter
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