US1461101A

US1461101A - Electrical distributor

Info

Publication number: US1461101A
Application number: US556364A
Authority: US
Inventors: William B Stearns
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1922-04-25
Filing date: 1922-04-25
Publication date: 1923-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 1940-07-10

Description

July 10, 1923.

W. B. STEARNS ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTOR Filed April 25. 1922 Patented July l0, 1923.

WILLIAM B. STEARNS, OF MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTOR.

Application filed April 25, 1922.

T 0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. STnAnNs, a citizen of the United' States of America, and resident of Milton, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrical Distributors, of which the fol" lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to electrical distributors of the type used to control the ignition of internal combustion engines, commonly called commutatore or timers, but certain of the features of the invention are capable of general application.

Most distributors or timers in common use have a spring-pressed contact arm arranged to follow a closed circular path and wipe across spaced contacts in `the distributor housing. Such d'evices have several serious defects. The spring which forces the contact arm outwardly frequently becomes weakened or broken resulting in irregular operation or complete failure. Tear develops irregularties in the path followed by the rotating arm such that the latter at times jumps over the contacts. Sparking between the contacts frequently occurs resultingr in 'burning and fouling of the contact members and sometimes in fires if gasoline or other highly inflammable vapors are present.

Objects of the invention are to provide a device of the class described which will operate efficiently for an indefinite period without appreciable wear, to eliminate parts which may be easily weakened or broken such as springs and other delicate parts. to prevent sparking between the contacts and fouling thereof and in general to simplify and improve devices of the character de scribed and to make them more efficient and satisfactory in operation.

The invention comprises relatively mov able parts having opposed circuit closing elements arranged to register with each other in successive positions of the parts, at least one of the elements comprising electrical conducting Huid trapped in a recess.

For the purpose of illustration species Serial No. 556,391,

f the lgenus constituting the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

` Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts of the distributor in section;

Fig, Qv is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing 55 a. modification Fig'. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The embodiment of the invention shown for the purpose of illustration comprises an electrical distributor or timer adapted for use in controlling,- the ignition of an internal combustion engine. The particular type of commutator here shown is suitable for a four-cylinder engine. As shown, the distributor comprises a shaft l supported for rotation in bearings 5 on brackets 6 attached to any convenient portion of the engine frame. Any suitable means may be provided for rotating` shaft Il, such as a gear wheel or pulley 7 opera-ted by the engine through a suitable connection.

Surrounding shaft l (which is preferably of metal) and' fast thereon for rotation therewith, as by pins 8, is a` sleeve 9 of in- 75 sulatinp; material such as fibre or hard rubber which has a close sliding fit with a stationary casing 10 also of insulating material such as llibre or hard rubber. Upon one side of the casingv 10 are projections or S0 bosses 11 upon which terminals 1Q are adapted to be made fast. The electrical contacts in the casing 10 to which terminals 1Q are Vconnected are preferably formed by making' an opening 13 in each of the bosses 85 11 extending' from the exterior thereof to the opening; for the rotor which comprises parts il and 9. Terminals 12 are fast in openings 13 in any suitable manner as by the. screw threaded attachment shown thereby closing; one end of each opening 13 which thereupon becomes a recess opening; toward the rotor portion of the device.

The rotor portion of the distributor, comprising shaft 4 and sleeve 9, is provided 95 with recesses 14 spaced longitudinally and circumfcrentially thereof. In the form shown each recess is at an angle of 90 to the next, and each recess 14 is in line with a corresponding recess 13 in the stator casing 10, so that each quarter revolution vof shaft 4 will bring one of the recesses 14 into registration with one of the recesses 13.

Recesses

13 and 14 are filled with a suitable electrica] conducting Huid such as mercury. By reason of the close fit between the sleeve 9 and housing 10, the mercury in these recesses is trapped therein, and no loss or leakage thereof occurs.

In Fig. 2 a modified structure is shown, the general arrangement being identical with Fig. 1, but instead of having recesses in the rotor filled with mercury metal plugs 14 are employed. As shown these plugs are round instead of oval, as are the openings 14 in Fig. 1., and they have a tight pressed lit in both shaft 4 and sleeve 9.

It will be understood that the shaft 4 constitutes the common return of the branched circuit and that this return may lead to ground or, by insulating the shaft of the machine from ground, to the battery.

It will be clear from the above that the complicated mechanisms of the distributors or timers in common use have been avoided and that good contact will be secured through the mercury contacts shown in Fig, 1 or through the metal and mercury contact-s shown in Fig. 2. The use of mercury has the peculiar advantage that impurities and the scum produced by oxidation rise to the top of the pocket of mercury so that the metal is free from impurities as the parts of Contact in both of the modifications shown whereby a good electrical connection is consistently produced. It will furthermore be evident that the sparking between contacts frequent in distributors of the ordinary type is entirely avoided due to the close fit of sleeve 9 in housingl 10.

I claim:

1. An electrical distributor having relatively movable non-conducting parts in contact with each other, said parts having recesses adapted to be brought into registration, and electrical conducting Huid in said recesses.

2.A An electrical distributor having relatively movable non-conducting parts in sliding contact with each other, circuit closing members on said parts arranged to register in certain positions thereof, the circuit closing members on one part comprising electrical conducting luid trapped in recesses in said part by the sliding engagement of the parts.

3. An electrical distributor having a rotating part and a stationary part in sliding contact therewith, one of said parts being formedv from non-conducting material, circuit closing members on both said parts arranged to register in certain positions, one of said members comprising electrical conducting fluid trapped in a recess in one of said parts by their sliding contact.

4. An electrical distributor comprising a rotating part and a stationary part enclosing said rotating part, said rotating part having a core of conducting material and an outer layer of insulating material arranged for sliding contact with said stationary part, said layer having openings therethrough registering iu certain positions of said rotating part with contacts on said stationary part, and a liquid conducting medium in said openings in contact with said core for cooperation with the. contacts on said stationary part.

5. An electrical distributor comprisinf.r a rotating part and a stationary part enc 0s- .ing said rotating part, said rotating part having a core of conducting material and an outer layer of insulating material arranged for sliding` contact with said stationary part, said layer having openings spaced longitudinally and circumferentially thereof, said openings registering in certain positions of said rotating part with contacts on said stationary part, and a liquid conducting medium in said openings in contact with said core for cooperation with the contacts on said stationary part.

6. rin electrical distributor comprising a stationary part, a rotatable part within said stationary part and having an outer face in sliding' Contact with a complemental face on said stationary part, means in said parts for successively closing an electric circuit comprising spaced contact members on said parts. said members on one of said parts being spaced circumferentially as well as longitudinally.

7. An'electrical distributor comprising a stationary part, a rotatable part within said stationary part and having an outer face in sliding contact with a complemental face on said stationary part` means in said parts for'succcssively closing an electric circuit comprising spaced contact members in the form of electrical conducting Huid trapped in openings in the opposed faces of said parts and adapted to be in registration in certain positions of said parts.

8. An electrical distributor I stationary part, a rotatable part within said stationary part and having an outer face in sliding contact with a complemental face on said stationary part, means in said parts for successively closing an electric circuit comprising spaced contact members in the form of electrical conducting fluid trapped in openings in the opposed faces of said parts and adapted to be in registration in certain positions of said parts, said members on one of said parts being spaced circumferentially7 as well as longitudinally thereof.

9. Anv electrical distributor having relacomprising a tively movable parts in contact with each other, said parts having recesses adapted to be brought into registration, and mercury in said recesses forming electrical contacts.

l0. LAn electrical distributor having relatively movable parts in contact `with each. other, circuit ciosing members on said parts arranged to register in certain positions oi" said parts, the circuit closing members on one part comprising mercuryv trapped in recesses in said part.

ll. An electrical distributor comprising a stationary part, a rotatable part Within said stationary part and havingan outer fac'- in sliding contact With a complemental face on said stationary part, means in said parts 'for successively closing an electric circuit comprising spaced contact members in the i'orm of mercury trapped in openings in opposed faces of said parts and. adapted to be in registration in certain positions ot said parts.

12. An electrical distributor having` a cylindrical rotatable part, a stationary part 'forming a closely tting housing ttor said rotatable part, said stationznnT part having; openings therein, the outer ends ot said openings beingi closed by `coanector ter-f minals and the inner ends by said rotatable part, and electrical conducting fluid illing said openings to form inwardly disposed contact members.

13. An electrical distributor having a cylindrical rotatable part, a stationary part, forming a closely fitting housing for said rotatable part. said stationary part having openings therein. the outer ends of said openings being closed by connector terminals and the inner ends by said rotatable part and mercury filling said openings to torni inwardly disposed contact members.

la. An electrical switch comprising a nonconducting member arranged for sliding contact with a second non-conducting member, said members having opposed recesses arranged to register in a certain position of said parts, and electrical conducting fluid in s recesses for closing a circuit when said recesses are in registration.

l5. in electrical switch comprising a non-conducting member arranged for sliding contact with a second non-conducting member, said members having opposed recesses therein arranged to register in a certain position of said parts, and mercury in said recesses 'tor closing a circuit when said recesses are in registration.

Signed by me at Massachusetts this 15th day of April, 1922.

ILLIAM B. STEARNS.