BulbCollector Forums
BULB DISCUSSION BOARDS => Antique Bulb Discussion => Topic started by: Tim on September 20, 2003, 04:49:00 pm
-
For anyone reading this, now or ten years from now:
I'm looking for any historical information concerning the Amglo Corporation that was formed around 1935 in Chicago. I believe the inventor Andrew F. Henninger Jr. was the leadership behind the company, and probably the founder. Henninger held many interesting patents in the gaseous lamp field that I would like to learn more about. I would like to know if his company marketed any of these products and to what extent. For those not familiar with Amglo, the company produced gaseous lamps such as stroboscopic lamps, neon lamps, etc. Amglo is still in business and is a leading supplier of specialty and custom lamps. Contact with the company today hasn?t been a success, so I?m turning to the Internet. If you know anything about the history of Amglo or Andrew F. Henninger Jr. of Chicago please contact me. Contact information here:
http://www.bulbcollector.com/email.html (http://www.bulbcollector.com/email.html)
Thanks for reading!
------------------
Tim
Kilokat's Antique Light Bulb Site (http://www.bulbcollector.com)
Mountain Dew Collectibles, Volume I (http://www.dewcollector.com)
-
Hi Tim!
About Amglo Corporation, I only know that this brand was one of the first flash-tubes manufacturers. When I was a photography student I learnt that they did make a tube type called "Open Spiral" that only had the two main electrodes (anode & cathode) without the outside placed one that we are familiarized with. As all of we know, today's electronic flash units make use of well known Edgerton's Triggering System, but Amglo tubes were lower pressurized than Edgerton ones, thus, the arc can strike into them without the aid of external HV pulses, only switching the capacitor (high) voltage through the tube by means of a rough relay. Therefore the use of a triggering electrode becomes superfluous.
Such tubes were very popular among US press photographers in first 40's, but not so here in Europe, where the Edgerton system was the first practically available, from the beginning, after WWII.
The main drawback of Amglo "Open Spirals" was owing to the relative low pressure of gas filling into them. In fact, the lower the Xenon presure, the falling the Lm/W efficiency.
Furthermore, the use of relays to switch a such high voltages and currents did cause unpleassant and noisy sparks, contact burning and an undesirable delay in flash triggering that made very difficult a precise synchronization with camera's shutters.
By all these disadvantages, Open Spirals dissappeared from flash equipment in favour of Edgerton more pressurized ones in 1940's.
At least this is all that I know about Amglo's History.
Best regards
M. Gonz?lez. http://mis-bombillas.webcindario.com (http://mis-bombillas.webcindario.com)
P.S. I would like to have one of those "Open Spirals" for my little "Virtual Museum" :-)))
[This message has been edited by M?nico Gonz?lez (edited September 22, 2003).]
-
Hi M?nico,
Thanks for the reply and the information. I've always been curious about these flashlamps and it's interesting to know how they were used. I have a few in my collection of "curious" flash tubes. I also have an interesting brochure cataloging these types of flash lamps from around 1959 that was put out by Amglo. If anyone is interested let me know and I'll put it online.
Andrew Henninger invented the open spiral flash which is why I place him with Amglo. My real interest is Henninger?s (or early Amglo?s) interest in neon lamps.
I may have an extra open spiral flash for you. I?ll let you know if I come across it!
Thanks,
------------------
Tim
Kilokat's Antique Light Bulb Site (http://www.bulbcollector.com)
Mountain Dew Collectibles, Volume I (http://www.dewcollector.com)
-
I'm so glad to hear about you have found interesting my little comment. Really are a little bit, it's the sole info. I have about Amglo Corp. I always have been too much interested about electronic flash technology, not only as a photographic lighting source, but as an electric discharge light device itself.
About Open Spiral catalog, yes, you are right. It would be a great idea to put it on
line for these lamps can be viewed!
Thank you very much in advance for your really interesting offer about "an extra open spiral for me" really sounds like a temptation!
If finally you come across it, please let me know about postal conditions and taxes.
Best regards,
M. Gonz?lez.
http://mis-bombillas.webcindario.com (http://mis-bombillas.webcindario.com)
-
For M?nico and anyone else interested in Amglo lamps:
I've posted the booklet I mentioned above. The date on this is 1959:
http://www.bulbcollector.com/cgi-bin/imageFolio.cgi?search=amglo (http://www.bulbcollector.com/cgi-bin/imageFolio.cgi?search=amglo)
Enjoy!
------------------
Tim
Kilokat's Antique Light Bulb Site (http://www.bulbcollector.com)
Mountain Dew Collectibles, Volume I (http://www.dewcollector.com)
-
Hi Tim,
Great Booklet!
It's astonishing to see how wide the range of discharge tubes (not only flash lamps) manufactured by Amglo was.
I never have seen a real photo of one Open Spiral before, only some schematic draws on it. I always seemed like an intriguing and enigmatic tube, because it looks like if it were been broken at one end, having lost an electrode, hee!
Really a great and valuable gift to us.
Thank you very much, Tim.
M. Gonz?lez,
http://mis-bombillas.webcindario.com (http://mis-bombillas.webcindario.com)
[This message has been edited by M?nico Gonz?lez (edited October 02, 2003).]
-
quote:
Originally posted by M?nico Gonz?lez:
I never have seen a real photo of one Open Spiral before, only some schematic draws on it.
Here's a better picture of one, in an A envelope:
(http://www.bulbcollector.com/photos/amglo_flash.jpg)
I'm still searching for that duplicate but I haven't come across it yet. I'll keep looking!
------------------
Tim
Kilokat's Antique Light Bulb Site (http://www.bulbcollector.com)
Mountain Dew Collectibles, Volume I (http://www.dewcollector.com)
-
Thanks Tim for that marvellous reference, its the first time I've come across such detailed info. I also have an open spiral tube at http://www.lamptech.co.uk/Spec%20Sheets/Amglo%20Xenon.htm (http://www.lamptech.co.uk/Spec%20Sheets/Amglo%20Xenon.htm)
As you can tell from the lack of info on the page I know virtually nothing about it, until having read your post. Do you happen to have any later Amglo literature which might provide its specs? I have been in touch with Amglo directly but unfortunately nobody seemed to have the faintest idea about anything other than their current product range.
Best regards,
James
-
What a great picture!
Thanks Tim.
It?s a very curious lamp in such A-19 (A-60 here) envelope. I have seen the photos of Open Spirals at Amglo booklet you have post two days ago, but all tubes shown are fitted with more regular tubular envelopes.
I have not seen the James' one neither, despite the fact I visit his website almost daily.
by the way, it?s another amazing tube (ST shaped like older valves).
Only a question, Tim,
The brass-porcelain socket that holds the Amglo lamp at your picture, are a regular E26 American lampholder? or are a regular E27 vintage European one? It looks almost the same as our classic brass sockets, like the one I described at the Forums some weeks ago.
I always have identified that kind of lampholders as European and more precisely, as Spanish ones. Please let me know if a such sockets are being or was upon manufactured in US too.
Thanks again.
Best regards,
M. Gonz?lez http://mis-bombillas.webcindario.com (http://mis-bombillas.webcindario.com)
-
M?nico,
The socket in the picture came from a collector in France - you are correct - it's European. Aside from this, I can't narrow down the country of origin. The top ring is made of porcelain, BTW.
I always thought these made great looking display sockets and I would like to obtain more if anyone knows a cheap source for them.
------------------
Tim
Kilokat's Antique Light Bulb Site (http://www.bulbcollector.com)
Mountain Dew Collectibles, Volume I (http://www.dewcollector.com)
-
M?nico (& Tim),
Quote:
About Amglo Corporation, I only know that this brand was one of the first flash-tubes manufacturers. When I was a photography student I learnt that they did make a tube type called "Open Spiral" that only had the two main electrodes (anode & cathode) without the outside placed one that we are familiarized with.
/Quote
Thanks for the interesting info! I'm an Amglo fan and only know little more than I've read here. I'm interested in learning more!
I've posted a few PIX of the examples of Amglo lamps I have. These are the High Pressure (triggered) flash lamps, Low Pressure (self-ionizing) flash tubes, and a Mystery tube that I hope someone can recognize for me.
Go here for the PIX: http://www.stonard.com/Bulbcollector/ (http://www.stonard.com/Bulbcollector/)
Drill down for folders for each of the three types.
The Mystery tube I call the "Amglo Eye" tube, can you guess why?
Comments Welcome!
--
Peter J. Stonard
Office phone/voicemail: (408) 377 7496
Cell phone/voicemail: (408) 489 2862
website: www.stonard.com (http://www.stonard.com)
email: pstonard@ix.netcom.com
-
Hi Bigglez,
Glad to see your Amglo Family especially the open spiral ones!
I guess the red tube are neon filled. Am I correct?
The "mistery" tube you call "Amglo Eye" looks like it were a neon tuning indicator for early broadcast/communication superhetorodyne receivers.
Those kind of lamps were commonly used in German/Dutch receivers before the cathodic "Magic Eye" era.
Please, don't take this as 100% true; ask to Tim for a more accurate answer.
About the "unknow" triggered 1 1/2 turns spiral flash tube fitted with Octal base, it looks very near to the popular FT-152G from China, that are widely employed to strobos and photographic use around the world.
Are you completely sure it is an Amglo tube?
I hope this info would be useful to you.
Best regards,
M. Gonz?lez
http://mis-bombillas.webcindario.com (http://mis-bombillas.webcindario.com)
P.S. Actually I'm taking a lot of pictures of my Xenon flashtubes collection to add them to my website very soon.
[This message has been edited by M?nico Gonz?lez (edited October 07, 2003).]
-
Hi Bigglez
Your "eye tube" could be a day-night detector for a control to turn on street lights or other lighting at night. I know if I put high enough voltage on some detector tubes from old street light controls they will glow purple(argon gas). I might be wrong, just a thought.
-
Hi Peter,
quote:
Originally posted by Bigglez:
...and a Mystery tube that I hope someone can recognize for me
Ok, these are the Amglo neon lamps that interest me! Here?s my observation?
As M?nico suggested, this is a neon lamp that was made for indicator use. This same lamp was used in the amplifier circuits of some 1930s jukeboxes. The lamps were used as bass and treble indicators. This fact leads me to believe that the length of the glow discharge can be easily controlled, maybe by varying the current fed to the tube? I?m sure they found uses in other types of electrical equipment as well. As for when your mystery tube was made, if you?re curious, I would guess around 1937 based on the scraps of information I?ve gathered.
If you come across any more please keep me in mind! I may have some interesting flash tubes to trade (http://www.bulbcollector.com/ubb/smile.gif)
------------------
Tim
Kilokat's Antique Light Bulb Site (http://www.bulbcollector.com)
Mountain Dew Collectibles, Volume I (http://www.dewcollector.com)
-
quote:
Originally posted by tim:
Hi Peter,
Ok, these are the Amglo neon lamps that interest me! Here?s my observation?
As M?nico suggested, this is a neon lamp that was made for indicator use. This same lamp was used in the amplifier circuits of some 1930s jukeboxes. The lamps were used as bass and treble indicators. This fact leads me to believe that the length of the glow discharge can be easily controlled, maybe by varying the current fed to the tube? I?m sure they found uses in other types of electrical equipment as well. As for when your mystery tube was made, if you?re curious, I would guess around 1937 based on the scraps of information I?ve gathered.
If you come across any more please keep me in mind! I may have some interesting flash tubes to trade :)
Tim, M?nico, et al.,
The Amglo tube that I call the "eye" tube is the letter 'I' from the alphabet. I believe there are 35 others out there (A-Z plus 0-9). My "eye" might be a "1", who knows.
I have placed the US patent 01960245 for this device and several other Amglo patents on my web page here:
http://www.stonard.com/Bulbcollector/Amglo%20Patents (http://www.stonard.com/Bulbcollector/Amglo%20Patents)
You will need a Quicktime plug-in or a means to read TIFF files. I've compressed and Zipped the pages of each patent together for download, but you may also wish to browse then directly from my page.
Sorry, no HTML for this, I'm robbing time from another project to get to this point.
One day....
I'm have never seen any other letter tubes, that makes mine rather unique. Like any other obsessed collector I want them all!!
Actually, with a box full we could recreate the original message board noted in the patent. I did this for a slightly different display using neon letters energized by an RF field - Tim, you may recall I sent you pix of my crude signs back in the late 1990s.
Comments Welcome!
--
Peter J. Stonard
Office phone/voicemail: (408) 377 7496
Cell phone/voicemail: (408) 489 2862
website: www.stonard.com (http://www.stonard.com)
email: pstonard@ix.netcom.com
-
quote:
Originally posted by tim:
Hi Peter,
Ok, these are the Amglo neon lamps that interest me! Here?s my observation?
As M?nico suggested, this is a neon lamp that was made for indicator use. This same lamp was used in the amplifier circuits of some 1930s jukeboxes. The lamps were used as bass and treble indicators. This fact leads me to believe that the length of the glow discharge can be easily controlled, maybe by varying the current fed to the tube? I?m sure they found uses in other types of electrical equipment as well. As for when your mystery tube was made, if you?re curious, I would guess around 1937 based on the scraps of information I?ve gathered.
If you come across any more please keep me in mind! I may have some interesting flash tubes to trade :)
Tim,
Slightly off-topic, but I do have a long thin neon "bar-graph" tube from Russia. It's sitting on my workbench waiting for a rainy day (here in Kelly-Forn-Ia we can count those on our fingers).
Anyway, I believe it is a glow column who's height is controlled by the applied voltage. It's glass and about 150mm long by 12mm diameter, with wire ends (two or three IIRC).
I have not seen the "Juke Box" displays you cite, any PIX?
Comments Welcome!
--
Peter J. Stonard
Office phone/voicemail: (408) 377 7496
Cell phone/voicemail: (408) 489 2862
website: www.stonard.com (http://www.stonard.com)
email: pstonard@ix.netcom.com
-
quote:
Originally posted by Bigglez:
Actually, with a box full we could recreate the original message board noted in the patent.
"DRUGS"? LOL!
------------------
Alan "A.J." Franzman
Email: a.j.franzman at verizon dot net
------------------
-
quote:
Originally posted by Bigglez:
I have not seen the "Juke Box" displays you cite, any PIX?
Yep, I know about Henninger?s neon alphabet tubes but I?ve never seen any in the flesh before either. You?re right though ? your mystery tube could be a letter tube that served a dual purpose, maybe. Here?s evidence of a pair of ?I? tubes used in that jukebox amp I mentioned before, along with a picture of the tubes for comparison to yours. BTW, this amplifier is from a 1937 Mills Studio jukebox:
(http://www.bulbcollector.com/photos/amglo-juke3.jpg)
Here's the chassis, Amglo tubes are highlighted:
(http://www.bulbcollector.com/photos/amglo-juke0.jpg)
and the Amglo tubes?
(http://www.bulbcollector.com/photos/amglo-juke4.jpg)
Comments welcome?
------------------
Tim
Kilokat's Antique Light Bulb Site (http://www.bulbcollector.com)
Mountain Dew Collectibles, Volume I (http://www.dewcollector.com)
[This message has been edited by tim (edited October 09, 2003).]
-
quote:
Originally posted by tim:
Yep, I know about Henninger?s neon alphabet tubes but I?ve never seen any in the flesh before either. You?re right though ? your mystery tube could be a letter tube that served a dual purpose, maybe. Here?s evidence of a pair of ?I? tubes used in that jukebox amp I mentioned before, along with a picture of the tubes for comparison to yours. BTW, this amplifier is from a 1937 Mills Studio jukebox:
(http://www.bulbcollector.com/photos/amglo-juke3.jpg)
Here's the chassis, Amglo tubes are highlighted:
(http://www.bulbcollector.com/photos/amglo-juke0.jpg)
and the Amglo tubes?
(http://www.bulbcollector.com/photos/amglo-juke4.jpg)
Comments welcome?
Tim,
Thanks for posting these PIX. Another clue drops into place. My single tube is identical to your PIX. Perhaps I don't have an alphabet tube after all? I got the Pat numbers of that tube, BTW.
This would explain why no other letter tubes have been found recently. Could it be that Amglo failed to market the sign tubes, and someone found a secondary use for the 'eye' tube as an indicator?
I wonder if there was a patent for this application? Your PIX shows a standard tuning eye tube alongside, so this must have been a show piece of current (ie 1937) electronics construction.
I have not tried to vary the supply to mine, just lit it up to confirm it was good. (Note to M?nico - I can't get any of the Amglo open spiral tubes to ionize. It's probably beyond my present test voltages which are geared to Nixie tubes).
Comments Welcome!
--
Peter J. Stonard
Office phone/voicemail: (408) 377 7496
Cell phone/voicemail: (408) 489 2862
website: www.stonard.com (http://www.stonard.com)
email: pstonard@ix.netcom.com
-
M?nico, could you please send me your address. Recently I picked up a few more ?open spiral? Amglo flash tubes and would be happy to mail you one but I just need your address. Please email privately, my email address can be found here:
http://www.bulbcollector.com/email.html (http://www.bulbcollector.com/email.html)
Thank you,
------------------
Tim
Kilokat's Antique Light Bulb Site (http://www.bulbcollector.com)
Mountain Dew Collectibles, Volume I (http://www.dewcollector.com)
-
Hi Tim!
The e-mail is on the way.
Thanks in advance and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2004!
M. Gonz?lez.
-
Hi Tim!
The Amglo tube did arrive yesterday on evening and did it OK.
It looks extremely cool!
I will email you tonight,
Thank you very much Tim!.
Best regards
M. Gonz?lez.
P.S. Due to a H.D.D. failure at my host?s server, my website is temporarily out of service. I hope it will be newly online tomorrow.