US1126407A - Electric ignition apparatus for internal-combustion engines. - Google Patents

Description

G. OOWGHER.

ELECTRIC IGNITION APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION TILED DEG. 23,1912.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

GEORGE oowcHEB, or WIMBLEDON, EmeLANn.

' ELEormc IGNITION arrnaa'rus FOR. INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

master.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentee 26,1915.

Application filed December 23, 1912. Serial N 0. 738,279.

T o all whom; it may concern Be it known thatI, GEORGE CowoHnR, a subject of the King of Great Britain, re-.

siding at Wimbledon, in the county of Surrey, England, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Ignition Apparatus for' Internal Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to sparking plugs for internalcombustion engines of that type where ahollow terminal is employed which forms an observation tube or view piece to enable the spark and also the flame of combustion to be pected under worldng conditions of compression andjfiring.

The invention consists primarily of a particular construction of such sparking plugs which involves essentially an inner hollow v electrode provided with a transparent view some means for piece, an outer metallic body or shell insulated from the inner hollow electrode, and

between the inner hollow electrode and the outer metallic body or shell. The plugs may be connected to the electrical leads in any suitable manner either direct to the lead terminals or by means of adapters as will hereafter be made clear;

To enable the invention to be more clearly v understood I will now describe it with ref- .erence to the accompanying drawing Figure .-1 is a sectional elevation of a sparking plug constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an under plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional View of a,

modified construction of sparking plug, and

- Fig. 4 is an underplan view thereof.

Referring to these drawings and particularly to Fi 1 and 2 the view piece 1 which is preferab y solid may be of any transparent substance capable of withstanding heat and pressure, or of any shape such as spherical, cylindrical or any modification of such primary forms. I mount this view piece in a. hollow metal casing 2 with suitable packing. washers 3 to prevent the passage of the gases as well as to prevent its being injured by the pressure attendant on the method of mounting.

The casing 2 should preferably be made of'a metal which is a good conductor of electric current, notliable to corrode, or it may be made of a cheaper material and fitted "By screwing down the nut providing a fixed spark gap.

or the like. This casing 2 with its exten sion 4 forms what in ordinary spark plugs corresponds to the central insulated wire or electrode.

- The numeral 5 designates an insulator.

preferably of porcelain or steatite, but not preferably of porcelain or steatite, which incases the extension 4, the'one end of which insulator abuts against a shoulder on the latter. 4

The numeral 9 designates a gland nut, which in turn abuts against a shoulder 10 formed on insulator 8. It is arranged in.

this case to screw on to the plug body 6. 9, pressure is ex-' erted rendering the joints gastight through the medium of the packings before mentioned.

The casing 2 and its extension 4 maybe fitted together in contact as shown in Fig. 1.

It is very essential that proper'electric contact be assured between these parts 2 and 4.

The spark plug body 6 is similar to those commonly in use and is formed with a spigot 11 for screwing into the cylinder or valve' cap of the motor. It is fitted with.

sparking points 12 of some material which is not liable to corrode or melt, such as nickel, platinum or the like. These points are to be arranged to give the proper sparking. distance between them and the vlec trode2 or a point or points aflixed to such electrode. 13 is a nut by which thelead terminal 14' is secured in position.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown a slightly modified construction. In this case 15 is the casing containing the view piece 16. An extension 17 proceeds from the casing 15 and is connected thereto by screwing as at 17. Insulation packing rings 18 are provided as before. A single insulator 19 separates the casing 15 ande'xtension 17 which as before forms the hollow electrode, from the plug body 20, and a nut 21 screwing into the plug body 20 forms the means of securing the parts together, packing rings 22 being provided to insure tight joints. The nut 23 secures the lead terminal 24 between it and the nut 25 and this nut 23 is provided with a second transparent View piece 26 which protects the view piece 16 from dust. Fixed spark points 27 cooperate with the casing 15 to form the necessary spark gaps.

That I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a spark plug, an outer hollow body carrying spaced sparking points, an insulator supported in the body, a central elec-' trode comprising a hollow metal casing supported in the insulator, said electrode having shoulders, a transparent material supported by the shoulders, a screw threaded tube positioned in the electrode so that one end thereof engages the transparent material, and means disposed adjacent the opposite end of the tube for protecting the transparent material from'foreign substances.

2. in a spark plug, an outer hollow body carrying sparking points, an insulator supported in the body, and a central electrode comprising a hollow metal casing supported in the insulator, means for supporting a view piece adjacent the sparking points and tubular member, one end of the tubular member adapted to engage the view piece, a nut on the opposite end of the tubular member, said nut having a recessed portion, and a guard supported in the recessed portion for protecting the view piece.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE COWCHER. f Witnesses:

EDWARD A. EVE, O. J. WORTH.

Images