US1221922A

US1221922A - Spark-plug.

Info

Publication number: US1221922A
Application number: US7602716A
Authority: US
Inventors: William S Thomas
Original assignee: JAMES E BUZZARD
Current assignee: JAMES E BUZZARD
Priority date: 1916-02-03
Filing date: 1916-02-03
Publication date: 1917-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 1934-04-10

Description

W. S. THOMAS.

SPARK PLUG. APPLIICATION FILED FEB. 3, I916.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

wi lmeoo WM 6.

WILLIAM S. THOMAS, OF LOCK HAVEN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES E. BUZZARD, OF LOCK HAVEN, PENNSYLVANIA.

' SPARK-PLUG.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 10, 19M.

Application filed February 3, 1916. Serial No. 76,027.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lock Haven, in the county of Clinton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark- Plugs, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to improvements in spark plugs, and more particularly to spark plugs designed for use with internal combustion engines, an object of the invention being to so construct the several parts of the plug that the gap between the electrodes can be adjusted without removing the plug, and provide an improved indicator which is located on the upper portion of the plug, and which indicates the gap between the electrodes so that the operator can adjust which permits a priming fluid to be poured each plug to suit the working conditions of each cylinder.

A further object is to provide a spark plug of the character stated which permits a relatively wide or fat spark and which is composed of a plurality of parts easily assembled and easily kept clean.

A further object is to provide a spark plug into the cylinder through the plug, and which under normal conditions is tightly sealed.

A further object is to provide a spark plug of the character described which can be operated to vary the length of gap, and permit the accumulated carbon to be burned whenever desired by simply increasing 'the length of the gap and the voltage of the electric current. v

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating in full lines the normal positions of the several parts, and in dotted lines other positions of adjustment.

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, and.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view.

1 represents the body of the plug having a cylindrical bore 2, which at its lower end communicates with a circular recess 3 of larger diameter than the bore 2, and a beveled seat 45- connects the recess 3 with the bore 2 for a purpose which will more fully hereinafter appear.

The body 1 has a screw-threaded end 5 to screw into the engine cylinder (not shown), and a stationary electrode 6 is fixed to the end of body 1, and cooperates with the movable electrode 7 in the ordinary way.

"This movable electrode 7 is in the form of a rod having a hook shaped lower end 8, which latter and the stationary electrode 6, are recessed as shown at 9, whereby anextended surface is offered to the electric current as it leaps the gap, and insures a fatter spark than is possible with other forms of electrode. I y

The electrode 7 extends through a ring 10 located in the recess 3, and has a shoulder 4 11 bearing against the ring, and normally holding the ring against the seat 4 to insure a tight closure of the passage through the plug.

' A tube 12, of insulation, preferably fiber, is located in the bore 2, and is spaced from the ring 10 by a series of perforated disks 13, preferably of mica. In other words, the laminated mica disks 13 are positioned be tween the end of tube 12 and ring 10, and the electrode 7 extends through the ring 10, disks 13, and tube 12, and on its upper screw-threaded end 14:, a nut 15 is positioned and operates to bind the shoulder 11 against the ring 10, and securely clamp the electrode in place.

The upper end 14: of the electrode constitutes a binding post, and a nut 16 is positioned thereon to clamp the conductor (not shown) thereto.

The tube 12, at its upper portion, is externally screw-threadcd as shown at 20, and two

nuts

17 and 18 are located on this threaded portion 20, one nut operating as a jam for the other.

-To the lower nut 18, a bifurcated cam lever 19 is pivotally connected, and bears against the end of the body 1, so that this lever operates to move the tube 12 longitudinally in the body,1, and normally holds the tube in one extreme position with the trodes 6 and 7. To indicate this length of gap, a pointer 21 is fixed to a collar 22 which is secured by'a screw 23 around tube .12," and registers with a short scale 24 on the end of body 1, hence indicating exactly the position of the movable electrode.

It will be noted particularly by'referenee to Fig. 2, that an annular tapering recess 25 is provided between ring and the wall of recess 3,.and this recess operates as a suction chamber from which any accumula ed oil or liquid is sucked outby the movement of theengine piston, hence preventing any accumulation at their point to short circuit the spark plug. 5

The ring 10 is provided with an annular depending flange 26 which acts as a wall, and prevents the formation of carbon to bridge the gap-between the electrodes. In other Words, carbon which forms around the electrodes, adjacent the body of the plug,

cannot short circuit until accumulated in sufficient quantity to inclose the flanged end of the ring, and this carbon can be readily burned from time to time by simply length ening the gap between the electrodes and increasing the voltage of the current without removing the spark plug.

. The priming may be permitted from time to time by swinging the lever 19 on its pivot to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, and then pouring the gasolene or other hydro-carbon oil through the bore 2, as it will be noted that the bore 2 is of greater diameter than tube 12, and sufiicient space is provided for the passage of the liquid.

The ring 10, however, normally seals the plug, but when moved away from the seat 4 by the action of the lever 19, permits the entrance of the liquid into the cylinder.

The parts are so arranged that their move ment from time to time dislodges carbon which might otherwise accumulate to short circuit the plug, and it will be noted that the several parts are capable of adjustment tovary the spark and to permit a ready assemblage of the component elements of the lug. I

p Various slight changes might. be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, .and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myselfat liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit I and scope of the appended claims. Having thus described my invention,.what T claim as new and desire to secure by Letters atentis:

1. The combination in a spark plug, of a body portion having a bore extending therethrough, a tube extending into and having a diameter smaller than the bore thus proand extending to the outer surface of the body portion, said body portion having a recess at its innermost end, said recess being of larger diameter than and intersecting said'bore, an electrode secured to said tube and having a ring thereon normally fitting said recess and cutting ofl communication between the bore and the recess, and a single member operative to turn said tube and to raise and lower the tube to move the ring into and out of fitting engagement with said recessed part of the body portion to permit ,the bore to be brought into open communication with the recess, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a spark plug, of a body portion having a bore extending therethrough, a tube extending into and having a diameter smaller than the bore thus providing an annular passage around said tube and extending to the outer surface of the body portion, said body portion having a recess at its innermost end, said recess being of larger diameter than, and intersecting said bore, an electrode secured to said tube and having a ring thereon normally fitting said recess and cutting ofi communication between the bore and the recess, and a member pivotally supported on said tube and having a cam designed to engage the body portion and thereby move said tube longitudinally to open and close said bore with respect to the recess", substantially as described.

3. The combination in a spark plug, of a body portion having a bore extending therethrough, a tube extending into and having a diameter smaller than the bore thus providing an annular passage around said tube and extending to the outer surface of the body portion, said body portion .having a recess at its innermost end, said recess being of larger diameter than and intersecting said bore, an electrode secured to said tube 1 and having a ring thereon normally fitting saidrecess and cutting off communication between the bore and the recess, said tube being screw-threaded at its outer end, a nut 'a body having a longitudinal bore, and a recess in one end larger than the bore, and a beveled seat connecting the recess and bore, of a tube located in the bore ,3t ring'locatcd in the recess and adapted to engage the seat, a movable electrode projecting through the tube and the ring, a stationary electrode on the body, electrode relatively 'to the stationary elec-' trode,

said means also adapted to move the means for turning the movable movable electrode longitudinally to move the ring away from its seat-and permit priming liquid to' be poured through the bore of the body, substantially as described.

5. In a spark plug, the combination with .a body having a longitudinal bore, and a recess in one endlarger than the bore, and a beveled seat connecting the recess and bore, of a tube located in the bore, a ring located in the recess and adapted to engage the seat, a'q'movable electrode projecting through the tube and the ring, a stationary electrode on the body, a lever supported byv the tube and having a cam portion for engagement with the body, said lever being adapted to move the tube longitudinally and also adapted to turn the tube, substantially as described.

6. The combination in a spark plug, of a body portion having a bore extending therethrough, a tube extending into and having -a diameter smaller than the bore thus providing an annular passage around said tube and extending to the outer surface of the body portion, said body portion having a recess at its innermost end, said recess being of larger diameter than and intersecting said bore',-an electrode secured to said tube and having a ring thereon normally fitting said recess and cutting oif communication between the bore and the recess, said tube be? ing screw-threaded at its outer end, a nut fitting said screw-threaded portion, a lever pivoted on said nut and having a cam operative to move the tube longitudinally when the lever is moved on'its pivot, a-second nut on said screw-threaded end of the tube for engagement with the first nut to lock the latter to the tube, said lever when the first nut is locked being operative'to turn the tube, substantially as described.

7 The combination in a spark plug, "of a body portion having a'bore extending therethrough, a tube extending into and having a diameter smaller than the bore thus providing an annular passage around said tube and extending to the outer surface of the body portion, said body portion having a recess-at its innermost end, said recess being of larger diameter than and intersecting said vbore,-an electrode secured to said tube and having a ring thereon normally fitting said recess and cutting off communication between the bore and the recess, the surfaces forming the side wall of the recess and the periphery of said ring being shapedto provide a tapered annular recess between the ring and said body portion, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a spark plug, of a body portion having a bore extending therethrough, a tube extending into and having a diameter smaller than the bore thus provlding an annular passage around said tubebody portion having a stationary electrode,

a member rotatable within said body portion and having a movable electrode thereon, a collar carried by said member, a pointer on ;the collar, means for'actuatmg said member to move the movable electrode toward and from the stationary electrode, said body per tion having its outer surface marked and in close proximity to the pointer whereby the latter when the member is moved, will indicate the exact distance between the electrodes, substantially as described.

10. The combination in a spark plug, of a body portion having a bore extending there-- through, a tube extending into and having a diameter smaller than the bore thus providing an annular passage around sai'd tube and extending to the outer surface of the body portion, said body portion having a recess at its innermost end, said recess being of larger diameter than and intersecting said bore, an electrode secured to saidtube and having a ring thereon normally fitting said recess and cutting oft communication between the bore and the recess a single member operative to turn said tube and to raise and lower the tube to move the ring into and out of fitting engagement with said recessed part of thecbody portion to permit the bore to be brought into open communication with the 'recess, and a, plurality of perforated layers of mica interposed between the inner end of said tube and said ring, substantially as described;

, WILLIAM s. THOMAS. Attest:

EDNA E. Huoms,