CONTROL OF LARGE ELECTRIC CURRENT

E&MP 43.001

Electrical Engineering

May 17, 1933

Dr.Joseph Slepian (left) and Leon R.Ludwig, Westinghouse research engineers, witness a laboratory model of their "ignitron" control, which may revolutionize present methods of conversion and control of electrical energy.

By means of a tiny current applied to a pencil "igniter", they are able to control currents a million times greater in an electric arc.

It is said that this is comparable to controlling with the flip of a house wall switch the enormous current that would be required by all the homes and industries of a city five times larger than New York (City).

They recently demonstrated the new device at the American Institute of Electrical Engineers' convention in New York.

PHOTO ## 216623 - 216624

Original Caption by Science Service
^© Westinghouse