US1181867A - Timer for ignition sytems. - Google Patents

Description

w. GADKE.

TIMER FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3,1914.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Emmi: .ummmjvc.

WILLIAM GADKE, OF PHILAIJELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

. TIMER son IGNITION SYSTEMS.

Spe'ciflcationof Letters IPatent.

Application filed June a, 1914. Serial No. a42,es5.'

- To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GADKE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Timers for Ignition' Systems, of which the following is a.

specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a novel mechanism particularly designed for successively making and breaking an electric circuit, and more especially the primary circuitof the ignition system of an internal combustion engine.

It is further desired to provide a timer which, in addition to being relatively simple, substantial and reliable in operation, shall have its parts soarranged and constructed'that its action is substantially constant regardless of the speed at which its driving member is operated; that is to say, its contact members shall be actuated to make and break the circuit in which they are included at a definite time after the slide member has been actuated by the driving member, regardless of the speed of the latter.

I further desire to provide a. timer in which the parts shall be so disposed and constructed that they shall be practically unaffected by the momentum resulting from the high speed of operation of any of them, the invention contemplating a mechanism which shall not require attention or repair for long periods of time.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I 1 Figure 1 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, showing the construction of a timer made according to'my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the timer shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of certain of the parts of the timer; and Figs. 1 and 5 are elevations, to some extent diagrammatic, illustrating the operation of the mechanism.

In the above drawings, 1 represents a 1'0- tary timing shaft whose speed is the same as, or bears a definiteratio to. that of the engine in whose cylinders the explosive charges are to be ignited. One end of this shaft projects through a relatively fixed circular plate '2 which may constitute the base of a casing whose detail construction forms no part of the present invention.

That portion of said shaft which projects above the top face of the plate has keyed or otherwise fixed to it a collar 3 carrying a ring 4 of insulating material on.- which is mounted a metal ring 5, and this latter has pro ecting from its curved surface any suit able number of radial pins 6 depending upon the number of cylinders of the engine. In the present case there are four such pins mounted on the ring 5 at points 90 distant from each other. Carried by, but insulated from, the baseplate 2, is a fiat, more or less segmental, metal plate 7, held in place by screws 8, insulated therefrom by non-conducting washers 7 and T, and passing through nonconducting bushings so that thereis no current flow between the base structure 2 and said plate 7. The latter is provided with a terminal screw 9 electrically insulated from the base-plate and designed for the connection of a conductor forming part of the primary current of an ignition system.

Mounted on the plate 7, immediately adjacent the ring 5, is an angle piece 10 detachably held in place by screws 11 and cooperating with the turned-up edge 12 of the plate 7 to form a narrow guide-way extending substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the plate 2, and in this guide-way is mounted a hooked slide 13. Said slide is characterized by the possession of an incline and a shoulder or. hooked portion 14, which, under normal conditions, extends practically perpendicular to the top surface of the plate 2 in the path of movement of the pins 6. From the top end of this shoulder to the adjacent end of the slide piece 13 the incline 35 extends at an angle of about 60 to the line of said shoulder and is like wise engaged by the pins 6 when the timing shaft 1 is turned in a direction opposite to that required for them to engage the shoulder.

The slide 13 has through its body portion an elongated slot 15 for the reception of a pivot pin 16 mounted in the parts 10 and 12 and extending across the guide-way in which said slide is movable. The rear end of the slide is forked in the present instance and one branch 17 extends upwardly to provide an arm for the attachment of one end of a Patented May 2, 1916.

spring 118: whose second end is connected to a pin 19 mounted in the plate 7, the arrangement being such that the spring maintains the forward portion of the slot 15, or that end nearest the hook formed by the incline 35 and the shoulder 1-1, in engagement with the pivot pin 16. j

The lower branch 19 of the fork is bent at right-angles to the general plane of the slide to form an arm designed to co-act with a projecting arm 20 of a lever 21 pivotally mounted on the;plate 7 by means of a screw 'lhe-movement of this lever in one direction is limited by a posh-23 projecting upwardly from thetop surface of the plate and ad acent its pivot or 't'ulcruni said leveriha's fixed to itaspringstrip 2dof conducting material which spaced nway trom its body and whoseouter end bent through an angle of substantially 180 so as to en gage the opposites -ot said lever.- This strip is of spring 'niaterial and adjacent its end carries contact piece ers 29 and bushings for the screws 30, whereby said plate is heldin position. On this latter is a terminal screw 31 and a turned-up portion 32 for'the reception of a screw whose outer end terminates in a second contact piece 34c adjacent the contact 25. Said screw 33 is so adjusted that these two pieces are separated by a definite space when the lever 21 isin engagement with its post 23 and under these-conditions, the spring 18 holdsthe slide 13 in its rearmost position with its arm 19 slightly below and out of contact with the arm 20 of the lever 21. If now, the shaft 1 be turned in a clockwise direction, the pins 6 successively engage the. shoulder 14 of the slide 13 and move it longitudinally in its slide-way against the action of the spring 155', until the rear end of the slot 15 comes into engagement with the pivot pin 16. Since 'further movement in a'line or plane tangent'to a circle concentric with the shaft 1 is now impossible, the slide 13 rotates on said pivot until its shoulder ll finally disengages the particular one of the pins 6 with which it is engaged, \YhGIQUpOII it quickly returns to its normal position under the action of the springlS, it being noted that thoseface's' of the pins capable of engaging the shoulder 14 are flat, while the opposite faces are cylindrically curved. At-no time during the movement of the slide does its arm 19 engage the arm 20 of, the lever 21, so that there can be no movement of=;-the lever on its pivot. Under the action of each pin, therefore, the slide-13 is movedbya clockwise rotation of the shaft first forwardly in' a straight line, then it is caused to turn on its pivot until its shoulder 14 escapes from the pin 6 and then it moves back to its normal position shown in Fig. 2, the contacts and 34 being, of course, out of engagement. lVhen, however, the shaft 1 is rotated in a counter-clockwisedirection, the curved surface of the pin- 6 first engaging the lever 13 strikes the incline thereof and at once turns it on the; pivot pin 16 as indicated in Fig.5, causing itsarm. 19 to shortly engage the arm 20 of the lever 21, thus swinging the latter onits pivot screw This movement against the action of the spring 26 continue until thecontact" piece engages the contact M at which timethe pin l) is passing oil of the highest part ofthe incline 35 at the upperend of the shoulder 1-1. As soon, therefore as this occurs, the spring l8 turns the lever l3 on its pivot into its normal position with a movement which permits the lever 21 to be moved by the spring 26 toward the post The electric circuit. of which a part is in.- cluded between the screw 9, plate 7, pivot screw lever 21, spring strip 24,. contacts 25 and 34, screw 33, plate 28, and screw31, is thus made and ln'oken,.and.the pins 6 and incline aswell asthe adjustment of the lever arms 19 and 20, are so designed that while the circuit is complete for a suflicient time to produce a spark ofthe proper inten sity in the secondary circuit, there is practically no possibility of the primary circuit being closed for too long a time or acciden-' tally maintained in a closed 'position, since the action of the pins 6 does not cause the arm 19 to-niove the lever,21 sufficiently to close said circuit until just before it passes off of the high part of the incline 35. Even though the speed of the shaft 1. be very greatly increased, the action of the pivoted slide 13 is practically constant, itbeing noted that the movement of the lever 21 toward the screw 33 first permits the contacts and 34. to come into engagement; whcreupon it continues movement independently of the strip 24: until the slide 13 is disengaged from the actuating pin 6.

At low speeds the same sequence of ope ations takes place. The sparks are formed at the same times in each revolution of the timing shaft and they continue for the same length of time, there being novibration or uncertain action due to the inertia of the parts at high speeds, as these latter are relatively light and so mounted that they move through relatively short paths.

By reason of the simplicity of the apparm tus it is inexpensive to make and maintain ating and may be substantial'as well as durable; with a constant elimination of uncertainty of action.

I claim 1. The combination in a timer of two contacts; an actuating member; and a device consisting of a slide free to move bodily and pivotally and positively .-movable by said member to cause one of the contactsto periodically engage the other, said slide being mounted to transmit from said actuating member-to one of the contacts.

2. The combination in a timer of an actumember having a projection; a slide guided to move'bodily in one plane under the action of said projection and also free to move pivotally in the same plane; with two contacts mounted to be periodically closed by said slide while it is being positively-"- moved by said projection.

3. The combination in a timer of a rotary actuating member having a projection; a slide movable bysaid projection and having an elongated slot; a pivot pin passing through the slot; and two contacts of which one is mounted to be positivel moved by the slide to engage the other while said slide is being moved by the actuating member in one of two paths.

4. The combination in a timer of a supporting structure having a guide-way; a member slidable in said guide -way and also pivotally movable; an actuating member mounted to cause movement of the slide in either of two paths; and two contact members including a part acted on by the slidable member while it is being moved by the actuating member in one of its paths, to cause engagement of saidcontacts.

The combina a of a supporting structure havinga guise-way; an actuating member rotatable in either of two directions and having a projection; a slide operative in the guide-way under the action of said projection and having a slot; a pin passing through the slot; a spring acting on the slide to normally. hold it in a definite .position; a fixed contact; with a relatively movable contact cooperating therewith and including a portion placed to be operatively engaged by the slide while the latter is being positively moved by the actuating member.

(3. The combination in a timer of a rotary shatthaving a projection a slide having a hooked portion placed to be engaged by said projection and provided with an elongated slot; apivot pin passing through the slot;

a vspring normally holding the slide in a definite position; and two contacts of which one includes a portion actuated by the slide while the latter is being moved by the projection.

7. The combination in a timer of a rotary member having a projection; a slide having passing through movement directly unaffected by a shoulder and an inclined portion of which; one is engaged. by'the pro ection when the shaft turns in one direction and the other is engaged by said projection when the shaft turns in the opposite directio'n';'- a pivot pin an elongated slot: in the slide; a lever moved by the slide when the shaft projection moves the latter in one path but operatively free from said slide when the shaft rotates in the opposite *direction; afixed contact; and a cooperating contact car- 3 ried by the lever. n

8. The combination in a timer ofa rotary shaft having projections; a supporting structure having a guide-way; ashde more;

able in the guide-way and having. an e lon-' gated slot, said slide including a'shou'ider and an inclined portion, both placed to! he" engaged by said projections; a pivot pin passing through the slot of the slidelya spring normally holding the slide in a deli nite position; two contacts; with a lever carrying one of said contacts and placed t?) be turned on its pivot to cause engagement of the contacts only while the slide is being positively moved by the shaft in one of two definite paths.

9. The combination in a timer of a rotary shaft having projections a supporting structure having a guide-way; a slide operative in the guide-way and having, an elongated slot; a pivot pm passing through the slot; a

spring normally holding theslide with one end of its slot in engagement with the pivot; said slide having a shoulder and inclined portion both in the path of movement of the projections; a fixed contact; anda contact lever cooperating therewith mounted to be positively actuated by the slide to close the contacts when the incline of said slide is engaged by a projection of the shaft and to be thereof is engaged by the projection 10. In a contact devicea pivoted lever; a stop limiting its movement; a head on said lever having a cain face through which it is normally operated in one direction and an abutting face through which said head is operable in the opposite'direction; a second lever having a part inthe line of movement of the first lever at' one point in the latters advance movement whereby in the forward movement of the first-lever the second lever will be positively advanced to close the circuit; a. stop limiting mov'ement of said second lever; with I tension means to return both levers against their stops after they have been moved therefrom.

11. In a contact device a pivoted lever adapted for primary actuation; a tension device tending to hold said lever in inoperative position; a stop limiting the movement of said lever by said tension device; a second lever mounted on a. fulcrum indethe slide when the shoulder pendent of that of the first lever and having an arm which extends adjacent and in the hue of movement of an arm of said first lever, whereby said arm in the advance movement of said first lever will tilt the second lever into position to close the cirflcuit; a. tension device arranged to retract the second lever; and a stop arranged to limit the movement of the second lever by said tension device.

121 The combination of an actuating member; a .lever pe'riodically moved there by; a second lever independently mounted on a fulcrum relatively distant from that of said first lever in position to be turned said contacts'into engagement While being inoved 'byj the actuating member.

I contacts, a lever mounted to cause closing '14. The combination in a timer of two cont acts; {iimember pivotally and bodily movable, mounted to cause closing of said contacts while it is being turned from its normal. position against a retracting force; and a second lever for. periodically turning andtherea'fter releasing said first member.

15. The combination in a timer of two of said contacts' when moved in one direc tion; an actuating member rotatable in ,Qeither of two directions; with a second lever mountedto beturned on its fulcrum by said actuating member when this latter :isrotated in onedirection and thus cause movement of'the first lever While being so turned, said second lever being placed to be moved bodilyby the actuating member when this is turned in the opposite direction and being then without operative .etl'ect' on the firstlever, 116. The combination of a fixed contact; a movable supporting structure including .a second contact; a rotary cam; an independent-and bodily, mo able intermediate Qmember mounted to engage said structure to cause closing of the contactswhile it is being moved by said cam; and 'a spring for returning said intermediate member to its normal position.

17. The combination in a timer of an actuating member; an intermediate member; a ,contact-closing. member jvith two tension devices respectively operative on the intermediate and contact-closing members, both of said devices being operative to return the intermediate member to its normal position after it has been'displaced by the actuating member. 1

18. The combination in a timer. of an actuating member; an int-ermediatemember consisting of a. bodily movable slide having a cam faceplaced to be engaged by' said actuating member; a contact-closing member actuated by the slide; with two tension devices respectively operative on the slide and on the contact-closing member, both of said devices being operative to return the slide to itsv normal position after it has been displaced therefrom by the actuating member.

19. The combination in a contact device of a member having a slide formed with a cam iace through which it is normally operated in one direction and an abutting face through which it is operated in theopposite direction; a second member having a part in the path of movement of the first member while its cam face is being operated on: and contacts placed tobe closed. by said. second member While it is being moved by the first member.

.20. The combination in a timer of two I contacts; an actuating member; and a device consisting of a slide free to move bodily and pivotally and positively movable by said member to cause one of the. contacts to periodically engage the other, said slide being mounted'to transmit movement di-

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