Chapters
1600- Early History
1914- First World War
1940- Second World War
1945- Post War developments
1600-
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Early History
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1640
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Vacuum Pumps
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The first vacuum. Otto von Guericke's air pump
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1643
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Mercury Barometer
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The barometer first demonstrated by Evangelista Torricelli
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1654
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Vacuum Pumps
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Magdeberg Hemispheres a demonstration of the force of air pressure
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1672
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Air Pumps
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Improved air pump and treatise on vacuum experiments published.
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1716
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Pressure explained?
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Jacob Hermann suggests that gas pressure is proportional to density and to the square of the average velocity of the gas particles in motion
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1811
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Avogadro's Law
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A principle stated in 1811 by the Italian chemist Amedeo Avogadro (1776-1856) that equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure contain the same number of molecules regardless of their chemical nature and physical properties
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1855
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Geissler Tube
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Johann Geissler produces a mercury vacuum pump and with it he produces the first good vacuum discharge tubes
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1856
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Gas Properties
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Karl Kronig suggests that gas molecules in equilibrium travel in straight lines unless they collide with something
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1858
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Cathode Rays
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Julius Plucker demonstrated that magnetic fields bend what later became known as cathode rays.
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1860
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Lamps
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Joseph Swann patents the the carbon filament incandescent lamp that operates in a partial vacuum
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1862
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Vacuum Pumps
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Geissler-Topler mercury vacuum pump developed
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1865
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Vacuum Pumps
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Hermann Sprengel develops the mercury drop pump
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1870
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Vacuum Pumps
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Sir William Crookes vacuum pumping system
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1871
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Cathode Rays
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C F Varley suggests that cathode rays are particles
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1871
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Cathode Rays
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Sir William Crookes advances the idea that cathode rays are negatively charged particles
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1874
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Photo-emission
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G R Carey invents the photo-electric cell
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1876
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Gettering
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Sir William Crookes demonstrates pumping by chemical getters
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1876
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Vacuum Pumps
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L von Babo develops a self-recycling Sprengel vacuum pump
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1876
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Telephone
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Alexander Graham Bell invents and demonstrates the telephone
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1879
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Lamps
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Thomas A Edison files US patent on high vacuum carbon filament incandescent lamp
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1879
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Cathode Rays
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Sir William Crookes develops the Crookes Tube, an early form of cathode ray tube
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1879
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Vacuum Pumps
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Edison improves the self-recycling Sprengel-Geissler mercury vacuum pump
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1880
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Vacuum Pumps
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Apparatus for evacuating Edison's electric lamps. Based on Crookes design
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1883
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Edison Effect
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Thomas A Edison first observes thermionic emission in a vacuum
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1883
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Edison Effect
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John Ambrose Fleming presents a paper on the 'molecular shadow' to the Physical Society of London on May 26
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1883
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Lamps
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In October 1883 the amalgamation of Edison Electric Light Co Ltd and Swan Electric Lighting Co to form Edison and Swan United Electric Light Co. Ltd.
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1887
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Cathode Rays
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Sir William Crookes performs the Maltese Cross experiment
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1889
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Cathode Rays
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Jonathan Zenneck improves Braun's CRT and adds time base deflection
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1889
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Valves
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The British General Electric Co. Ltd was formed
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1885
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Edison Effect
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Sir William Preece duplicates Edison's experiment, makes quantitative measurements and presents a paper to The Royal Society
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1886
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Positive Ions
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Eugen Goldstein observes 'canal' rays (German = kanalstrhlen}. So called because they were emitted through a hole in the cathode.
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1890
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Valves
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A C Cossor Ltd was formed.
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1891
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Cathode Rays
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George J Stoney suggests the name of electron for cathode ray particles
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1896
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Gettering
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Mallgnani Corp demonstrates the use of phosphorus gettering
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1896
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Valves
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The British Thomson-Houston Co. Ltd. was formed
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1897
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The Electron
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Sir Joseph Thomson discovers 'corpuscles' later called electrons
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1897
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Radio
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Guglielmo Marconi sets-up in July 1897 the Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company Limited to commercially exploit his patents
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1899
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Valves
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The British Westinghouse Electrical and Manufacturing Co. Ltd was formed. This later became the Metropolitan-Vickers Co. Ltd, (Metrovick)
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1900
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Vacuum Pumps
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James Dewar builds a cryosorption pump using activated charcoal and liquid air
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1900
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Valves
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John Ambrose Fleming becomes scientific adviser to Marconi's company
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1901
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X-Rays
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W C Roentgen wins Nobel prize for Physics for discovery of x-rays
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1901
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Radio
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Gugliemo Marconi transmits signal from England to North America
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1901
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Electron
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Richardson produces an equation for the emission of electrons from incandescent metal filaments
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1901
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Lamps
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Peter Cooper Hewitt develops the fluorescent lamp
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1902
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Lamps
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Georges Claude builds the first neon lamp
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1902
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Lamps
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E Weintraub develops the mercury arc lamp and rectifier
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1902
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Lamps
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Charles Proteus Steinmetz files a patent on mercury vapour lamp with halide salts to improve colour
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1902
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Lamps
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Peter Cooper Hewitt develops the mercury vapour lamp
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1902
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Cathode Rays
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A C Cossor Ltd make the first British examples of Braun's CRT
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1903
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Cathode Rays
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Harris J Ryan builds magnetic deflection CRT's
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1904
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Cathodes
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Arthur Wehnelt publishes details of the oxide coated hot cathode CRT
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1904
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Valves
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January 1904, Arthur Wehnelt patents a diode. The patent does not mention use for rectification of RF. The device is described in connection with charging accumulators
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1904
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Valves
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October 1904, John Ambrose Fleming produces rectification of RF in a valve. Valve history begins
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1904
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Valves
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November 16 1904, John Ambrose Fleming applies for a patent on the Oscillation Valve, later known as the Thermionic Valve and Fleming Diode.
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1905
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Cathode Rays
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Philip Eduard Anton von Lenard wins Physics Nobel prize for Cathode Rays
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1905
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Vacuum Pumps
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Wolfgang Gaede makes rotary mercury-sealed mechanical vacuum pump
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1905
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Physics
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Albert Einstein explains the photoelectric effect
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1906
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Vacuum Pumps
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W Voege and Rohn build the thermocouple vacuum gauge
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1906
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Valves
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Lee de Forest invents the Audion (triode) as a sensitive detector
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1906
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Cathode Rays
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Dieckmann, Glage, Rosing, Campbell-Swinton propose the use of the Braun tube to display television images
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1908
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Cathodes
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Fleming replaces the carbon filament in his valve with a tungsten filament. This is before a process of making ductile tungsten had been devised
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1909
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Vacuum Pumps
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Otto von Baeyer develops the ionisation vacuum gauge
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1909
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Electron
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Robert Milikan measures the charge on the electron by the oil drop experiment
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1909
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Radio
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Guglielmo Marconi and Carl F Braun win Physics Nobel prize for wireless telegraphy
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1910
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Vacuum Pumps
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Pfeiffer Co produce the rotary oil-sealed mechanical vacuum pump
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1910
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Lamps
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Georges Claude demonstrates the neon lamp in public
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1910
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Valves
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German telephone relay soft valve by Leiben-Reiz
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1910
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Valves
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The early production Audion's looked like this
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1911
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Radio
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Edwin H Armstrong invents the regenerative circuit
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1911
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Radio
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'Doc' Herrold begins first radio broadcast service in San Jose California
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1911
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Radio
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Henry Round of the Marconi company commences work on the design of a diode valve
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1912
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Vacuum Pumps
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Wolfgang Gaede develops first theory and experiment on the molecular-drag vacuum pump
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1912
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Lamps
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Irving Langmuir produces gas filled incandescent lamp
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1912
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Radio
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Lee de Forest makes the first valve amplifier
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1912
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Radio
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H M Fassenden develops the Heterodyne receiver
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1913
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Vacuum Pumps
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Wolfgang Gaede first diffusion pump using mercury
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1913
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Cathode Rays
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A Dufour develops a high voltage, continuously pumped CRT and records directly onto photographic plates
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1913
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Cathode Rays
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John Johnson and H J Van der Bijl develop the first commercial CRT. Western Electric 224-A
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1913
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Valves
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Marconi receiver with Captain Round's C valve
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1913
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Valves
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Captain Round's T transmitting valve developed
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1913
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Valves
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Saul Dushman produces a 40 kV vacuum rectifier
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1913
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X-Rays
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W D Coolidge produces a High Voltage X-ray tube
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1914
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Valves
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ATT purchase licence from de Forest in August 1914
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1914-
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First World War
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1914
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Valves
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Marconi files suit against Lee de Forest over triode
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1914
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Valves
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AEG-Telefunken develops standardised valves for radio reception. EVN94 and EVN129
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1915
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Valves
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Edison and Swan Co. produce Round valves for the Marconi Co.
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1915
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Valves
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GE in America begin production of Pliotrons (triodes)
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1915
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Valves
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In France the first hard vacuum triode was made. During the war over 100,000 were made by the companies Metal and Fotos
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1915
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Cathodes
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Western Electric patents the indirectly heated cathode
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1915
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Valves
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October 1915 Cunningham develops the tubular Audion
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1916
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Valves
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Lee de Forest builds tubular Audions. See DV5
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1916
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Valves
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The White soft valve produced. This has been developed by a British team working at the Cavendish Laboratory under the direction of J J Thomson
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1916
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Valves
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Siemens and Halske in Germany develop the Type 'A' vacuum tube. About 50,000 are subsequently made
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1916
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Valves
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A British version of the French valve was introduced. This was the R Type
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1916
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Valves
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The British Thomson Huston Co. commence making R Type valves for military use
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1916
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Valves
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GEC (Osram) commence making R Type valves for military use
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1916
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Vacuum Pumps
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Irving Langmuir develops a high-speed diffusion pump and all-metal condensation pump
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1916
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Lamps
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The Edison and Swan United Electric Light Co. Ltd. changes name to Edison Swan Electric Co. Ltd.
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1914
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Valves
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ATT purchase de Forest's patent for the triode
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1917
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Valves
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The Metropolitan-Vickers Co commences production of the R Type
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1917
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Valves
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July 3rd 1917, F Lowenstein's patent for negative bias
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1919
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Valves
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October 1919. Marconi and GEC set up a joint company to manufacture valves. This was the Marconi-Osram Valve Co. Ltd. Later known as M-OV
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1920
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Valves
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In September Capt. S R Mullard forms the Mullard Radio Valve Co. Ltd.
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1920
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Radio
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Edwin Howard Armstrong invents the superhet receiver
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1920
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Cathodes
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Irving Langmuir develops the thoriated tungsten filament
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1920
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Vacuum Pumps
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Wolfgang Gaede develops the box pump
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1921
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Physics
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Albert Einstein is awarded the physics Nobel prize for the photoelectric effect
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1922
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Valves
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Mullard introduce the ORA general purpose valve
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1922
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Valves
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Cossor introduce the P1 its first valve design post WW1. The electrode shapes avoided patents held by others
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1922
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Radio
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18th October the British Broadcasting Company was formed.
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1922
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Radio
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On the 14th Novenber 1922 the BBC went on the air from 2LO in London.
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1922
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Radio
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15th November the 5IT and 2ZY BBC transmitters commenced broadcasting from Birming and Manchester respectively.
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1923
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Physics
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Robert A Milikan is awarded the physics Nobel prize for measuring the charge on the electron
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1923
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Valves
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Lee de Forest introduces DV/DL tubular Audions. See DV5
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1923
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Valves
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M-OV introduce Captain Round's DEQ high impedance detector
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1924
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Cathode Rays
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L T Jones and H G Tasker demonstrate electrostatic focusing of a CRT with magnetic deflection
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1924
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Physics
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Lisa Meitner of Germany discovers the radiationless electron transition known as the Auger effect. Named after Pierre Auger of France who discovered the effect in 1926. See Augetron
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1922
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Radio
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Time signals first broadcast: Greenwich from 5th Februry and Big Ben from 17th February.
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1925
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Valves
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Bakelite based valves with the evacuation 'pip' concealed within were introduced
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1925
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Television
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First public demonstrations of television by John Logie Baird from the first floor of Selfridges Store on Wednesday 1st April.
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1926
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Valves
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Mullard introduce the first series of their PM valves. See The Azide Process
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1926
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Valves
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Loewe vacuum 'integrated circuit' multi valves introduced
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1926
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Television
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Farnsworth image dissector produced
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1926
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Vacuum Pumps
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M Siegbahn introduces the disk type of molecular drag pump
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1927
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Television
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Philo T Farnsworth demonstrates an all-electronic television system in San Francisco
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1927
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Television
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Kenjiro Takayanagi demonstrates a gas focused oscillograph CRT to display television images
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1927
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Valves
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In the UK the S625 the world's first screened grid valve is produced
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1927
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Valves
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May 1927, the landmark UX280 rectifier was introduced. This was subsequently manufactured for over 50 years
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1927
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Amplifiers
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Harold S Black discovers the benefits of negative feedback
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1927
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Valves
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Albert W Hull builds the first Thyratron
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1927
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Lamps
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Friedrich Meyer, Hans J Spanner and Edmund Germer, in Germany, patent the high-pressure metal vapour UV and fluorescent lamp
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1928
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Valves
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The B5 base was introduced
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1928
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Valves
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The Mullard company introduce the first Pentode to the UK market
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1929
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Vacuum Pumps
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Kenneth C D Hickman develops low vapour pressure synthetic oils
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1929
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Vacuum Pumps
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Cecil R Burch produces a gas diffusion pump employing low vapour pressure oils
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1929
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Radio
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Complete amateur radio station with one valve transmitter and one valve receiver
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1929
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Television
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On 20th August the first experimental 30 line television pictures from Baird's studio were broadcast.
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1929
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Television
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Manfred von Ardenne demonstrates an all-electronic television in Berlin
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1929
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Valves
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Farnsworth electron multiplier developed
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1929
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Television
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Vladimir K Zworykin files a patent on the kinescope. Zworykin later developed the Iconoscope camera tube
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1930
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Valves
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The Mazda AC/Pen, introduced in 1930, was the first technically successful indirectly-heated power pentode capable of enough output to drive a moving-coil loudspeaker at good volume
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1931
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Valves
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The external metalising of valves was introduced. Generally the metal was painted for protection. Red, Gold or Grey.
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1931
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Valves
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National Union in the USA produce the first valves for car radios
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1932
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Radio
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On 12th March, Broadcasting House in London made its first transmission.
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1932
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Television
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Alan B Du Mont starts to apply CRT's to television
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1932
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Radio
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Short Wave broadcasts to the British Empire started from the Daventry transmitter on 19th December.
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1933
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Valves
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The B7 base was introduced
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1933
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Valves
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Westinghouse introduce a mercury-arc rectifier, the Ignitron
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1933
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Radio
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E H Armstrong announces frequency modulation
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1934
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Valves
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The B9 base was introduced
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1934
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Valves
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In the USA the 6.3 Volt filament is adopted as standard for both AC and DC filaments and heaters
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1934
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Valves
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The GE 6E5 'Magic Eye' tuning indicator is introduced. RCA produce 6E5 in 1935
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1934
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Valves
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The introduction of miniature Acorn valves for VHF. See 955
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1934
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Valves
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In the UK M-OV introduced the Catkin range of valves with external anodes
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1935
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Vacuum Pumps
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Wolfgang Gaede produces the gas ballast pump
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1935
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Vacuum Pumps
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Kenneth C D Hickman produces a fractionating oil diffusion pump and associated oils
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1935
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Valves
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RCA introduce the IO base with the launch of the metal tube valve 6L7
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1935
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Valves
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RCA nine original valves appear in the RCA metal valve family
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1935
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Radar
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Watson Watt demonstrates that aircraft reflect radio waves
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1935
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Television
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John Logie Baird demonstrates a 700 line high resolution television system
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1935
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Transistor
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Oskar Heil patents the field effect transistor. The device, however, did not work
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1936
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Television
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Monday November 2nd. The BBC begins broadcasting from Alexandra Palace transmitter to the London area (Baird system and Marconi-EMI system on alternate weeks).
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1936
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Valves
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Mahn and Mecalf present a paper on velocity modulated valves. The key principle within the klystron
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1937
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Valves
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At Stanford University the Varian brothers produce the first working Klystron
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1937
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Television
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The BBC stop using the Baird system on 4th February in favour of the EMI all electronic 405 line system.
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1937
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Television
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A television outside broadcast van was used for the first time on 12th May. The event was the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
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1937
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Vacuum Pumps
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C M Van Alta produces a diffusion pump with a pumping rate in excess of 100 litres per second
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1937
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Vacuum Pumps
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L Malter demonstrates a multi-stage, self fractionating diffusion pump
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1938
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Valves
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Mazda introduce the MO in the UK as an alternative to the International Octal
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1939
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Television
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RCA and Du Mont demonstrate Television at the NY World's Fair
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1939
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Valves
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The Loctal or B8B was introduced in America
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1939
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Valves
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The Philips introduce the all glass valve and with it the B9G base
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1939
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Valves
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The first all-glass valve for use above 30 MHz was produced. The EF50 played a major part in early Radar
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1939
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Valves
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The B7G all-glass valve base was introduced in America. Its introduction to the UK was in 1947
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1939
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Television
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On 1st September the Government closed down UK Television broadcasting.
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1939
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Radio
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On 1st September the Home Service was formed as the national network and incorporated all regional services.
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1940-
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Second World War
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1940
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Valves
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February 21st 1940 John Randall and Harry Boot make operational the cavity magnetron at Birmingham University
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1940
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Radar
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On September 6th 1940 Sir Henry Tizard takes the cavity magnetron to the USA. This is one of the most secret inventions of the war
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1940
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Radar
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In September 1940 the first RDF system using a cavity magnetron is made in the UK
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1940
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Valves
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In the USA the first all glass B7G 1.4 Volt miniature valve is introduced. This was the 1R5
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1941
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Television
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In America the 525 line system is approved by the FCC for commercial black and white broadcasting
|
1941
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Radio
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A UHF oscillator is made using Acorn valves. See 955
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1941
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Valves
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The UK government introduce the common valve (CV) lists to streamline procurement and increase flexibility in sourcing the valves required by all branches of government especially the military
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1942
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Valves
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Rudi Kompfner at Oxford University produces the first travelling wave tube
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1943
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Computer
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Dr Tommy Flowers builds the first electronic computer for code breaking at Bletchley Park
|
1943
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Valves
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Percy Spencer of the Raytheon Co designs the laminated anode cavity magnetron which increased production rates
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1945-
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Post War developments
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1945
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Valves
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Double triodes
1945
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Radio
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29th July saw the reintroduction of regional broadcasting and the formation of the Light Programme.
|
1947
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Transistor
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Bardeen, Brattain and Shockley demonstrate the first semiconductor amplifier
|
1947
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Valves
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B7G used on UK valves for the first time
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1948
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Computer
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F C Williams describes the use of a CRT as a digital memory
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1948
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Valves
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The B8A 'Rimlock' valve base is introduced
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1948
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Valves
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B9A based all glass double triodes 12AU7, 12AX7 and 12AT7 are introduced
|
1949
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Computer
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Valve memory is introduced
|
1950
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Transistor
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October 3rd 1950 the transistor is patented
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1950
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Television
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RCA demonstrate the shadow mask colour TV tube
|
1952
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Gettering
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Ring getter with U-shaped cross section for valve manufacture is introduced
|
1953
|
Valves
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B8A 'Rimlock' valves of all glass construction are introduced in the UK
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1954
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Valves
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Mullard introduce the EL34 25 Watt dissipation audio output pentode
|
1954
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Transistor
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Texas Instruments produces the first silicon transistor
|
1957
|
Valves
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The Nixie display tubes are introduced
|
1958
|
Lamps
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Elmer Fridrich and Emmett Wily file a patent application on the tungsten halogen lamp
|
1958
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Vacuum Pumps
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Varian Associates introduce the 'modern' Vacsorb cryosorption pump
|
1958
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Computer
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The IMB 709 was introduced. This was the last major valve computer and featured magnetic core memory
|
1959
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Computer
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IBM 7090 introduced, this is the world's first all transistor computer
|
1959
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Valves
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The Varian Klystron VA842 introduced. This multi-cavity liquid-cooled Radar klystron is the largest documented production klystron
|
1960
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Vacuum Pumps
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Varian Associates Inc. produce the 1000 Litre per second Valcon pump
|
1960
|
Valves
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Ross Aiken develops CRT for aircraft and 14 inch thin CRT
|
1960
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Valves
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The Nuvistor is developed. See 6CW4
|
1960
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Laser
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Ali Javan invents the Helium-Neon gas discharge laser
|
1961
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Vacuum Pumps
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C H Kruger and A H Shapiro unveil statistical theory of turbo-molecular pumping
|
1961
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Vacuum Pumps
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Varian Associates Inc produce very large sorption pumps for roughing large chambers
|
1961
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Lamps
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Gilbert Reiling files a US patent for 'modern' metal-halogen incandescent lamp
|
1961
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Valves
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William R Wheeler introduces the UHF metal-gasket captured step-seal
|
1962
|
Transistor
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Fairchild Semiconductors produce the first integrated circuit
|
1962
|
Valves
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Varian VA126 high power travelling wave tube introduced
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1968
|
Transistor
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July 1968, Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore founded Intel
|
1968
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Transistor
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A Y Cho et al develop molecular-beam epitaxy
|
1969
|
Vacuum Pumps
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K H Mirgel produces the vertical uni-directional turbomolecular pump
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1971
|
Computer
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Intel introduce the 4004, the world's first microprocessor. This was a 4-bit device in a 16 pin DIL package.
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1974
|
Vacuum Pumps
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First oil-free vacuum pump
|
1975
|
Computer
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Altair computer with microprocessor introduced for home use
|
1975
|
Vacuum Pumps
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NASA Cryo-pumps for space simulation and semiconductor manufacture
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1976
|
Computer
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April 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak found Apple computer
|
1977
|
Valves
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Mass production of valves ends in most Western European countries and the USA
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1978
|
Computer
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June 1978, the industry standard 8086 16-bit microprocessor is made. It has 29,000 transistors and a clock speed of 4.77 MHz. It was made in quantity on 4-inch silicon wafers
|
1986
|
Valves
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Raytheon close the last major valve production line in the USA
|
1989
|
Computer
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The 1.2 million transistor Intel 80486 is produced. The initial clock frequency is 25 MHz
|
1993
|
Computer
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Intel introduce the Pentium processor. This is fabricated on 8-inch wafers. The 8-inch wafer process having been developed in April 1992
|
2000
|
Valves
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The National Valve Museum opens its virtual doors for the first time.
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