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Function of a three-terminal spark gap

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ChristofferB:
Hey guys,

I picked this oddity up today at my local electronics store. It seems to be a spark gap, with a fixed and a sliding terminal (sliding terminal has a milimeter scale etched in it) - on a bakelite base. I think it looks 30's-early 50's ish.

The odd part to me is the third, angled terminal below the two other ones. it doesn't have any movable parts, and doesn't really have a screw terminal as the other two, just a 2mm cross hole. it's also very close to one of the terminals.

The guy at the store said he thought it had been used for ignition coil testing, but it doesnt strike me as a mechanic's tool.

Can anyone venture a guess as to its function or origin?

I'm at a loss. Looks good on a shelf of oddities though.

--Chris

mikerj:
Could be a trigger electrode I suppose.

floobydust:
More about them here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/high-voltage-vintage-equipment-question-for-the-physicists/msg1286145/#msg1286145

edit: changed link to post about how the "teaser electrode" works

Tom45:

--- Quote from: blueskull on October 02, 2019, 08:17:49 pm ---In other words, this is a triggered spark gap.

--- End quote ---

Thanks. Triggered spark gap is something I've never encountered or heard of in my long life until now.

ChristofferB:
that's exactly what I was going to say.

Thanks for the quick responses. good to know.

--Chris

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