Radio Age - 1952, April -34 Pages, 2.9 MB, .PDF - VacuumTubeEra

Rapid public acceptance of metal-shell kinescope picture tubeskeeps production lines busy at RCA plant, Marion, Ind.Metal-Shell Kinescopes Gain in FavorUse of SteelGives Larger TubesGreater Strength and Lighter WeightBy Larry S.TheesGeneral Sales AlunagerRCA Tube DepartmentM.-ETAL-SHELL television picture tubes,introducedcommercially less than four years ago, have already wonsuch rapid acceptance among the industry's receiver manufacturersthat they currently account for nearly 30 percent of total kinescope sales.In the 21 -inch size, they areactually outselling comparable all-glass types by a widemargin.The television industry's trend toward larger picturetubes of metal-shell construction developed and introducedcommercially by the Radio Corporation of Americain1948, shows that time and usage have confirmed themetal tube's special advantages to electron tube producers,TV receiver manufacturers, and home set owners.According to available statistics, the industry's majortube producers during 1950 sold approximately eightmillion kinescopes of all types, of which approximatelytwo million were of the metal variety. During the firstnine months of 1951, the same producers sold more thantliree-and-a-half million kinescopes, of which more thana million were metal types.The RCA Tube Department, the industry's largestproducer of kinescopes since 1938, currently uses metalshellconstruction in approximately two-thirds of all thekinescopes it produces. It can be anticipated that thecompany will develop and produce more and largermetal types, when and if required by consumer demand.Although all-glass tubes will remain an importantitem in the industr)', there is every indication that forlarger tubes, from the 21 -inch size up, the metal-shellconstruction will be favored. This prediction is basedprimarily on the metal tube's established advantages forthe set manufacturers—advantages which provide superiorpicture quality, permit streamlined receiver production,and resolve problems of handling, assembly, andbreakage loss.The metal tube's inherent characteristics emphasizethe following features:( 1 ) The faceplate, unlike that of the all-glassenvelope, is produced as an independent unit, facilitating(Continued on page 29)J6 RADIO AGE