A series of infra red image converter cells were made for night vision equipment, but sadly this exhibit has no type number visible. An image is focused on the emitting cathode and accelerated by a high voltage to the screen.

I purchased a similar device in the 1960s from a war surplus shop in London. The instruction leaflet made reference to a Zamboni Pile to provide the several thousand volts required to energise the cell. Research shows that this was an 'electrostatic battery' constructed from silver foil, zinc foil, and paper. Foil disks of 20 mm dia. were stacked up several thousand thick and then either compressed in a glass tube with end-caps and a screw fixing, or stacked between three glass rods with wooden endplates.

The internal structures seem complicated for a simple device and probably the design was more complicated that it seems.

On the right can be seen the light sensitive cathode and behind it is the screen.

Seen from the output window the screen can be seen to be constructed on a mesh support. The connections are to the metal at the cathode window and to the ring on the output window.

The wide glass tune envelope is 51 mm in diameter, and is 44 mm tall.

This exhibit was last updated on 04 February 2008