Battery Charger [Tungar]
Maker and role
General Electric Company, Manufacturer
Object detail
Accession number
1985.46.1
Maker
Description
"Tungar" - direct current. Cat. No.279174. Orange, oblong pressed steel box with handle on top and with an extended base; the lid can be removed. Light bulb and cylindrical coil inside. The bottom of the case having transformer-like plates painted orange. Power supply cable and extra wire at rear.
Brief History
The Tungar battery charger is named after the Tungar rectifying bulb used to convert alternating current (AC) mains power to direct current (DC) power. The Tungar bulb was developed by the General Electric Company (USA) in 1916. It uses tungsten filaments and argon gas, hence the name Tungar (TUNG-sten + AR-gon). High voltage Tungar bulbs use mercury vapour instead of argon. The bulb acts as a one-way valve, only allowing electrons to flow from the cathode to the anode during half of the AC cycle thus rectifying the current to only flow in one direction (DC).
The primary components of the battery charger consist of the Tungar rectifier to convert AC to DC, and a transformer to step down the voltage to the appropriate level. An Edison screw socket at the front of the unit allows connection to the converted DC power.
The Tungar battery charger was manufactured by the General Electric Company (USA) c.1925. General Electric was formed through the merger of the Edison General Electric Company and Thomson-Houston Electric Company in 1892. The merger was financially backed by Drexel, Morgan & Co.
The primary components of the battery charger consist of the Tungar rectifier to convert AC to DC, and a transformer to step down the voltage to the appropriate level. An Edison screw socket at the front of the unit allows connection to the converted DC power.
The Tungar battery charger was manufactured by the General Electric Company (USA) c.1925. General Electric was formed through the merger of the Edison General Electric Company and Thomson-Houston Electric Company in 1892. The merger was financially backed by Drexel, Morgan & Co.
Marks
Tungar / REG. IN U.S. PAT. OFFICE / BATTERY CHARGER / GE / CAT. 279174 / VOLTS A.C. 230 VOLTS D.C. 6/96 / AMP. D.C. 2/.25 CYCLES 40/50 / PAT'D FEB. 27 '12 DEC 30. '13 MAY 9. '16 MAY 14. '18 OCT. 11. '21 / GENERAL ELECTRIC CO., U.S.A. / NP19245 Maker's Plate
Media/Materials
Credit Line
General Electric Company. Battery Charger [Tungar], 1985.46.1. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
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