US1221200A - Ignition system. - Google Patents

Description

R. MCCLENATHEN. IGNITION SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20| I913.

1 ,221,200. Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

www i @wc-Mg# FBJW UNITEDl STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT MCCLENATHEN, OE AKRON, OHIO, AssIGNoR, EYMEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER CORPORATION, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedAplu 3, 1917.

Application filed February 20, 1913.- Serial N o. 749,634.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT MCCLENA- THEN, a citizen of-the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Systems, of which the following is a full, clear,

current from a battery passing through a timer, yibrator and coil; second, by passing l current from the same battery through a different timer associatedy with a magneto, thence to the same coil; and third, by passing current generated in the magneto through the timer associated with,said magneto to the same coil. If, for 'any reason, the timer not associated with the magneto should get out of order, the battery current, if a battery were used, could be passed through the timer associated withthe magneto, or the magneto current pass through the timer associated with the magneto and v supplied to the spark producing coil. If

the battery should get out of order or, for any other reason, it is desiredv to discontinue.

the use of a battery, current could be supplied'from the magneto through themagneto timer to the coil. Again, if the magneto should become defective, current from the battery through the timer, not associated with the magneto, could be supplied to the spark producing coil. This system is claimed in my co-pen ing application.

It has been found that when battery. current is supplied through the timer associated with the magneto to the spark producing coil, the battery wears out in a comparatively short time for the reason that the duration of engagement of the contacts of the magneto timer is comparatively long when considered with respect tO the duration of the repeated contacts of the vibrator connected in circuit with the timer not associated with the magneto. For this reason, the battery current is not supplied tothe coil through the magneto timer except in cases of emergency. Again, it has been found that when the battery current is supplied to thek coil through the magneto timer instead of through .the timer not associated with the magneto, the platinum contacts of the magneto timer are burned or destroyed more readily, due largely to the fact that the condenser which is connected across the contacts of the magneto timer isI particularly adapted for use with current supplied from the magneto. The magneto when running slow produces alow output in current and Voltage, and while operating at high speed leaves the platinum points in contact so short a time i that the current does not have time to build up to an excessive value which would injure the platinum points. With the use of the battery current through the magneto timer, the current reaches a much higher value,

especially on low lmagneto speeds, than is produced by the magneto at any time, vand consequently, destroys the platinum points. It has been found by experience that engine operators, whether operating a stationary engine or an engine in an'auto-vehicle, often turn the control switch to a position where battery current is supplied to the coil through a magneto timer, negligently or carelessly leaving the switch' in such posltion thereby' wearing out their battery in -a shorter time than is necessary and at the same time rendering the lifeof the platinum contacts of the magneto timer shorter than should be the case, when the necessary spark could be produced more efficiently by other switch connections.

It is therefore the object of my invention to incre'ase the etliciency of my triple ignition system, to render the system fool-proof, and to overcome carelessness and negligence on the part of the operatorusin'g the ignition system.

This object is accomplished by providing and properly locating a spring-pressed member which normally lies in the path of the operating key or handle of the master switch' which controls connections of my ignition system. This spring-pressed member is so located that the switch cannot be thrown into a position whereby battery current is supplied to the spark producing coil through the magneto timer unless said member is first moved in a manner to permit said handle to pass the same to move the switch into the desired position.

The invention is illustrated on the accom and drawings and will be particularly set forth in the appended claims.`

Referring first to Fig. .1, which discloses diagrammatically my selective triple -ignition system, a battery 10 is adapte to turf 2o nish .current through a switch 11 to the primary coil or coils 12 of a translating device 29 having a secondary or high voltage coil 13 from Iwhich the spark is produced,

" the current also passing through an independent-timer' 14 in one position of the switch 11. ln another position of the switch 11, current from the Jbattery 10 passesv through said switch, translating or spark .p producing coils t12 and 13, and through a timing device 15 which `forms al part of a magneto 16 having'an-armature 16a. In still-A another position offthe `f`switch,. current is supplied from said magneto 16`through said switch 11, coil 12 and the timer 15 'which is associated with said magneto. The complete cicuits will be more closely followed later.

-As already stated, current from the battery is only to besupplied through the timer 15 4associated wlth the magneto in cases of emergency for the reasons given. It is,

therefore, decidedly advantageous to pre-l .vent the careless throwing of the switch into the pcsition which is to be used only in'cases of emergency. Tol prevent the operator from throwing the' switch into the-position i'n which battery current is suppliedo the translatin u Vthrough t e timer lassociated with the magneto,l I have provided a spring-pressed member 17 located in a switch cover 18, the

spring-pressedpositiye stop member 17 lying in the path of a key or.v handle 19 which is adapted to operate the movable contacts f 20,v 21, and 22 of the master switch 11, said I contact being preferably mounted in a disk 23 of /insulating material. Under `normal Poperating conditions the' spring-pressed positive stop member 17 projects out of the coverv 18 tothe extent that it lies in the path of the-switch k'ey 19 so that the switch can be turned only into positions marked c. Mag, 101i and B-T, as shown in Fig. 2, the hposition of the key v19 when pointing to BfT, corresponding to a switch position 66 in which the battery current passes through features oi my inven. tion will be apparent from the description' device or spark-producing coil Laarzen e the spark producing coil and timer 14, which is independent Vof the magneto, and Mag. position corresponding to a switch positionl in which' current from the magneto passes through the same spark producing coil and the timer 15 associated with the` magneto.

When the switch key 19 points to the po- .sition B-T, which is the usualstarting position, themaster switch '11 is ina positlon permitting currentl to flowfrom battery 10 through conductor^24, terminal 25,'stationary contact 26, movable contact 21, stationlary contact 27),..conductor 28, vprimary or low voltage coil 12 ofthe translating device `29, stationary contact 30, movable contact 20,

stationary contact 31, vibrator. 32, conductor 33, terminal 34, conductor 35, timing member f4, to ground and back to the battery 10.

lW'hen this circuit is completed, current passes through the'low voltage coil 12 and at the instant that said circuit is broken at the contacts of the vtimer 14 a high voltage current is induced in the secondary coil 13 of the translating device 29, and-with the help of the vibrator 32 a shower of sparks is produced .t the spark plugs 36;

When the switch key 19 is in a position pointing to Mag., the master lswitch 11 is in a, position in which current from the magneto coil v16 4passes throughrconductor 40,

'terminal 41, switch contacts 42, 21, 27, conductor 28, coil 12,. switch contacts 30, 20, and 36, terminal 37 conductor 38, timing device 15, to ground and back tothe magneto coil 16, the necessary spark being produced at the spark plugs 36, in this case, when the circuit is completed through timer 15 associated with the magneto. l 4 t As stated above, the' operator may move the switch into three positions, oli, B-'T and Mag. freely. But/when moving the switch in one directionfromoiiI position, he

can move the switch no farther than the Mag.' positlon. for the reason that the switch key 19 passes into engagement with the springpr'essed positive stop member 17. If, in case of emergency,` as vabove considered, the operator desires to 'move the switch 11 into the position in which current can pass from the battery 10 through the timer 15 of the magneto, he must firstv remove or press thespring-pressed stop member 17 outof the path of the switch key 19 to permit said master switch 11 to be moved into such position indicatedby B. Maon the switch box -18. With the switch in' this position, current passes from battery 10 through conductor 24, terminal 25, switch contacts 26,

21, 27, conductor 28, prima Icoil 12, switch" contact 30, 20', 36, termina 37, -conductor 38, through timer 1,5 to ground and back 'to battery 10, the necessaryxspark being produced at the spark' plugs 36 as above considered. The switch is'not left in this position longer than'absolutely necessary, :for

the reason that the battery will wear out in a comparatively short time and the platinum contact members of the timer 15, associated with the4 magneto, will be worn out much more rapidly than if the switch were in another position. l

When the master switch 11 vis in the position corresponding to the position B-T of the switch key 19,"the movable contact 22 of the switch 11 is in engagement with a stationary Contact so that a circuit may be completed from battery 10 through conductor 24, terminal 25, switch contacts 26, 21, 27, conductor 2S, coil 12, stationary contact 30, button switch 4G, contacts 22 and 45, terminal 47, conductor 48, to ground and back to the battery, when the circuit is closed at the button switch 46 for producing a spark for starting anengine Without first cranking the engine. Condensers 48a, 49, and 50 are respectively connected across the contacts of timer 15, timer 14 and vibrator 32, for protective purposes. y

- It is evident that other means may be provided for preventing the switch from being moved into the emergency position, except when it is particularly desired so to do, instead of using the spring-pressed positive stop member 17 and that ments and modifications may be used, and it is my intention to cover all such arrangements and modifications which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as new is l. In an ignition system, the combination of a source of current supply, a coil adapted to receive current therefrom, a plurality of timing devices, through one of which current always passes when supplied to said coil under normal operating conditions, and means adapted normally to prevent the passage of current to said coil through a certain one of said timing devices.

2. In an ignition system, the combination of a battery, a magneto, two timing members, a coil for spark purposes, means for controlling the production of a spark through other arrange` the agency of said coil with said battery and one timing member, or with the same battery and the other timing member, or with said magneto and the second timing member,and positive means adapted normally to prevent the production ofv a spark through the agency of said battery and a certain one of said timing members.

3. In an ignition system, the combination of a battery, a magneto, a plurality of timing members, a coil for spark purposes, means for controlling the production of a spark through the agency of said coil with said battery and one of said timing members, or with the same battery and another of said timing members, or with said magneto and one of said timing members, and means adapted normally to prevent the production of a spark through the agency of said battery and a certain one of said timing members. l

4. In an ignition system, the combination of, a plurality of sources of current supply, a plurality of timing members, a coil for spark purposes, production of a spark through the agency of said coil with one of said sources and one of said timing members or with the same source and another of said tim-ing members, or -with another of said sources and one of said timing members, and means adapted normally to prevent the production of a spark through the agency of one of said sources and a certain one of said timing members.

5. In an ignition system, the combination of a source of current supply, a coil adapted to receive current therefrom, a plurality of timing devices through which current supplyof said coil may be effected, and positive means adapted normally to prevent the passage of current to said coil through a certain one of said timing devices.

means for controlling the.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature,

in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT MCCLENATHEN. Witnesses: i C. R. CONN,

W. L. CARLTON.'

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