US1290624A - Interrupter for ignition-dynamos. - Google Patents

Description

C. T. MASON. INTERRUPTER FOR lGNITION DYNAMOS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. I918.

Patented Jan. 7', 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

aw/ Mano C. T. MASON. INTERRUPTER FOR IGNITION DYNAMOS. APPLICATION FILED "3.29.1918.

Patnted Jan; 7,1919.

1,290,624. I 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. T. MASON. INTERRUPTER FOR IGNITION DYNAMOS.

APPLICATION HLE D APR. 29. I918. 1,290,624. Patented Jan. 7,1919. I {SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' v v 6140mm UNITED'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES THOMAS MASON, 0F SUMTEB, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO SPLITDORF ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWARK,

JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW INTERBUPTER FOR IGNITION-DYNAMICS.

Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

Application filed April 29, 1918. Serial No. 231,481.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES THOMAS SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sumter, in the county of Sumter and State of South Carolina, have invented cer- .tain new and useful Improvements in Interrupters for Ignition-Dynamos, of which the followin is a specification, reference being had to t e accompanying .and wherein the resistance of said contacts when closed is reduced by other contacts of relatively high conductivity arranged 11f multi le with the first named contacts for breaking the circuit and which are timed So as to open before and close after the contacts which interrupt or break the primary circuit. The present invention is directed to an improvement in the interrupter of my prior application for accomplishing the purpose set forth therein.

An object of the invention is to provide an interrupter having a plurality of pairs of contacts timed so that one pair open before and close after the other pair wherein the pairs of contacts are arranged concentric to each other so as to reduce to a minimum the space in which the contacts are located and so as to simplify the construction of the interrupter.

A further object of the invention is to rovide an interrupter mechanism of the a ve character .wherein the inner pair of contacts are formed of metal of relatively low conductivity, while the outer pair of contacts are formed of metal of relatively high conductivity.

- Still another object of the invention is to provide an interrupter of the above char acter wherein the inner stationary contact is adjustably mounted in the outer stationary contact and wherein the outer stationary con- .tact may be adjusted for varying the position of both stationary contacts.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings .which show b way of illustration one embodiment of t e invention;

Figure 1 is an end view of a magneto generator having my improved interrupter applied thereto, the end cap being removed to show the interrupter mechanism; 7

Fig. 2 is a side view of the magneto generator and a vertical sectional view on the line'2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view showing more or less diagrammatically the interrupter mechanism, both pairs of contacts being closed;

Fig. 4 is a similar view but showing the outer pair of contacts as seamed;

Fig. 5 is a similar view ut showing the operating cam turned so as to separate both pairs of contacts; and

Fig. 6 is a detail inplan showing a por-' tion ofthe supporting bracket and the stationary contacts.

Theinvention is embodied broadly in an "interrupter for breaking the circuit of a high tension ignition system, which interrupter includes two pair of contacts, one of which is of higher conductivity than the other, as for example, one pair of contacts may be made of silver while the other pair is made of tungsten. One contact in each pa1r 1s fixed, while the other contacts are carried by a movable lever which is operated by a camon the main shaft of the magneto generator. The pairs of contacts are arranged concentric to each other. The inner stationary contact is carried by a part which is threaded into the part which carries the outer stationary contact. The outer stationary contact is preferably ring shaped and the inner stationary contact is spaced therefrom at the sparking surface. The part carrying the outer stationary contact is threaded into a bracket and is capable of endwise adjustment therein "The movable contacts as above noted, are both carried by a single lever. The outer contact is rin shaped to correspond with the ring shapes fixed contact with which it cooperates. This outer ring shaped contact is directly fixed or arm which is fixed to the lever.

that as the lever moves toward the station-.

ary contacts the inner movable contact fi rst makes engagement with its cofiperating member, after which the arm carrying the same yields to allow the lever to continue its movement until the outer movable contact makes engagement with the outer fixed contact.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, I have shown my improved interrupter as applied to a magneto generator indicated at 1. It will be understood of course that the interrupter may be used in other connections than with magneto generators. The interrupter includes a pair of contacts indicated at 2 and 3 which are the main contacts'for making and-breakin the circuit. These contacts are prefera ly made of metal of relatively low conductivity, such an tungsten. The interrupter also includes secondary contacts, which may be said to be the auxiliary contacts and they are indicated at \4 and 5 in the drawings. These auxiliary contacts are of metal of relatively high conductivity such as silver. The stationary contacts 3 and 4 are mounted in a bracket 6 which is secured to the magneto by suitable screws 7 and 8. These screws are insulated from the frame by suitable insulation indicated at 9 and the bracket is also insulated from the frame by suitable insulation indicated at 10. The outer stationary contact 4, which is preferably of silver. is ring shaped and this ring shaped contact may be welded or otherwise secured to a sleeve 11,'which is threaded into the outstanding end 12 of the bracket 6. This outstanding end of the bracket is split as indicated at 13 and a screw 14 passes through the split end and serves-as a means for clamping the sleeve 11 in various adjusted positions. Threaded into'the sleeve 11 is a stem or rod 15. The fixed contact 3 is welded or otherwise secured to this stem or rod 15'. Said contact; -.3 is of .slightl less diameter than the inner diameter o the silver ring contact 4," so. that it is spaced therefrom. The stemor rod 15 is threaded into the sleeve 11 and is held in a listed positions therein by a lock nut 16. rom the above it will be apparent that y loosening the nut 16, the stem or rod 15 may be raised and lowered and the fixed contact carried thereby, adjusted relative to the contact 4 and also by loosening the screw 14 the sleeve 11 may be adjusted vertically, which bring about an adjustment of both of the fixed contacts.

The contact 5 is in the form of a sleeve or ring having substantially the same inner.

diameter as the ring 4. This contact is carried by a lever 17 which is preferably stamped out of sheet metal and bolted to a fulcrum block 18, which is pivoted to .swing about a pivot 19. Secured to the under face of the lever 17 is a bumper block 20 which rides on a cam 21 secured to the main shaft. This cam 21 has a cut away section 22. A spring 23 is secured to a bracket arm 24 at one end thereof and the other end of this spring is secured by a screw 25 to the fulcrum block 18. This spring normally turns the lever in a clockwise direction about its pivotal support 19 and thus forces the bumper 20 into engagement with the rotat ing cam 21 and also forces the movable contacts into engagement with the fixed contacts when the cam 21 turns to a position to permit the lever 17 to swing, to bring about the engagement of the contacts. The rim or sleeve shaped contact 5 is preferably formed with a reduced section 26 which fits an opening in the lever 17 and the upper end of the ring or sleeve contact is spun over onto the upper face of the lever, thus-firmly securing the contact member 5 to the lever. The movable contact 2 is in' the shape of a cylinder and is of less diameter than the inner diameter of the ring or sleeve contact 5, so that this inner contact 2 may freely move in the outer contact. The inner contact member 2 is'carried by a spring arm 27 which is fixed to the lever 17 by a screw 28. This screw also serves to secure the lever 17 to the fulcrum block 18 for the lever 17.

From the above it will be apparent that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3 the cut away part 22 of the cam 21 is directly beneath the bumper block 20 and the'spring 23 has forced both pairs of contacts into engagement. While in this position the circuit through the primary coil of the magneto generator is completed through both pairs of contacts. One end of the primary coil of the magneto generator is indicated at 29, Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings-and this terminal of the primary coil is connected toa screw- 30 threaded into the bracket 6 and the bracket 6 of course has metallic connection with both of the fixed contacts of the circuit interrupter. When'the cam is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 4 the lever 17 is raised so as to separate the contacts 4 and 5. The spring arm 27 which supports the inner movable contact holds the inner contacts in engagement and the lever 17 is now moied so as to engage the spring arm whereby any further movement of the lever will lift the spring arm 27 and raise the inner movable contact. In Fig. 5 of the drawings, I have shown both of the contacts separated.

From the above it will be apparent that in my improved interrupter the circuit is broken by the separating of the inner pair of contacts which are of relatively low conductivity. After these contacts are closed, then the outer pair of contacts come into engagement and as these contacts are of relatively high conductivity the resistance in the primary circuit offered by the first pair of contacts of low conductivity, is greatly reduced, thus permitting the primary circuit of the magneto generator to quickly build up to a maximum. These outer contacts of relatively high conductivity will be first opened so that when the spark is produced it will occur at the main inner contacts which are of metal of rela-' ltively low conductivity. This throwing of the spark due to the breaking of the circuit on the tungsten contacts, prolongs greatly the life of the interrupter over that type of interrupter where the contacts are of relatively high conductivity and this further establishing of the circuit by contacts of relatively high conductivity in multiple with the-contacts of low conductivity after said contacts. of low conductivity are (closed, greatly reduces the resistance incident thereto and enables the generator to pick up more quickly and efliciently so as to produce a spark. By the arrangement of the contacts as above described, I have been able to form an interrupter mechanism which is very simple in construction and of few parts. Where one contact is within the other, the width of the interrupter is practically no greater than in the case where a single pair of contacts is used, so that the interrupter mechanism may be placed in a comparatively small lace and as a matter of fact substituted or other intcrrupters having the single pair-of contacts without requiring a reorganization of the "mechanism thereof.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of the construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the in vention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. An interrupter mechanism for ignition systems comprising a pair of main contacts, one of which is movable 'for breaking a circuit for producing an ignition spark, a pair of auxiliary contacts in multiple with said main contacts and one of which is movable, said auxiliary contacts being timed so as to open before and close after said main contacts, said pairs of contacts being so constructed and arranged that one pair is concentric to the other. v

2. An interrupter mechanism for ignition systems comprising a pair of main contacts,

of auxiliary contacts in multiple with said main contacts and one of which is movable, said auxiliary contacts being timed so as to I open before and close after said main contacts, said auxiliary contacts being ring shaped and surrounding said main contacts.

3. An interrupter mechanism for ignition systems comprising a pair of main contacts, one of which is movable for breaking a circuit for producing an ignition spark, a pair of auxillary contacts in multiple with said main contacts and one of which is movable, said auxiliary contacts being timed so as to open before and close after said main contacts, one of said stationary contacts being 80 carried by and located within the other stationary contact.

4;. An interrupter mechanism for ignition systems comprislng a pair of main contacts, one of which is movable for breaking a circuit for producing an ignition spark, a pair of auxiliary contacts in multiple with said main contacts and one of which is movable,

said auxiliary contacts being timed so as to open before and close after said maincon tacts, one of said stationary contacts being carried by and located within the other stationary contact and means whereby said stationary contacts may be simultaneously adjusted and whereby the inner contact may be adjusted in the outer contact.

5. An interrupter mechanism for ignition systems comprising a .pair of main contacts, one of which is movable for breaking a circuit for producing an ignition spark, a pair of auxiliary contacts in multiple with said main contacts and one of whichis movable, said auxiliary contacts being timed so as to open beforeand close after said main contacts, said main contacts being disposed within said auxiliary contacts, said auxiliary contacts being ring shaped and spaced-from the main contacts.

6. An interrupter mechanism for ignition systems comprising a pair of stationary con- 110 tacts, a bracket supporting said stationary contacts, a pair of movable contacts cooperating respectively with the stationary contacts, a lever supporting said movable con-t tacts and one of said movable contacts being 1 ring shaped and fixed to said lever, the other of said movable contacts being shaped so as to extend through the ring shaped contact and spaced therefrom and a spring arm carried bv said lever and carrying the inner 120 movable contact, said contacts being so disposed that'the inner movable contact makes engagement with its cooperating contact prior to the engagement of the outer movable contact with its coiiperating contact.

7. An interrupter mechanism for ignition systems comprising a supporting bracket, a sleeve adjustably-mounted in said bracket and carrying a ring shaped auxiliary contact at its upper end, a stem threaded 1nto 0 said contacts, a spring for moving the lever .toward the contacts, an auxiliary ring shaped contact carried by the lever and co- 0 crating with the ring shaped contact on t e sleeve, a spring arm carried by the lever,

a cylindrical contact carried by said spring arm and extending through the ring contact on the lever and adapted to engage the contact on the adjustable stem, said inner movable contact on the lever being disposed relative to the stationary contacts whereby the ring shaped contacts will be first separated when the lever is moved by the cam, after which the inner pair of contacts are separated for breaking the circuit and whereby said inner pair of contacts will first come into engagement for completing the circuit, after which the outer rin shaped contacts make engagement for re ucing the resistance through said inner pair of contacts, said inner pair of contacts being formed of -metal of higher conductivity than the metal forming the outer ring shaped contacts.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afl'ix my signature.

CHARLES THOMAS MASON.

Images