US1300922A - Igniter. - Google Patents

Description

P. BROWN.

1 IGNITER. APPLICATION FILED APR-9.19M.

1,300,922. Patented Apr. 15,1919.-

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IN V EN TOR.

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P. BROWN.

IGNITER APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. 19]].

Patented Apr. 15,1919.

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ig-w WITNESSES: Z0. Q9 644 P. BROWN.

IGNITER. 7 APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. 19!].

1 ,300,922. Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

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IN VEN TOR.

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STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHELPS BBQWN, F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS;

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

Application filed April 9, 1917. Serial No. 160,892.

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, PHELPS .Bnown, a

citizen'of the United States of America, re} siding' at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of- Massachusetts,thave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Igniters, of which, the following is a. Specification. r

This invention relates to igniters and more particularlyto high speed igniters of the 'reciprocatory armature type.

Igniters of this type are particularly de-- sirable in that sharp and rapid variations in' the magnetic flux may be produced in the generating coils as distinguished from the -gradual variations producedby oscillatory or rotary armatures. They are furthermore advantageous in igniters for explosive engines for the reasonthat the speed of the armature may readily be made independent of that of-the engine and made constant irrespective of fluctuations in engine speed so that aconstant electromotive force may be generated at all engine speeds which is a desirable condition especially on starting.

- Although 'igniters of thereciprocatory. armature type are known and desirable for the reasons outlined, considerable 'difliculty has been hitherto experienced in providing an economical arrangement of the sources of magnetic flux. For example, in igniters wherein there is a reversal of flux in the tages heretofore encountered.

generating coils, it has been heretofore thought necessary to employ two sources, usually permanent magnets, of relatively large size for the reason that the arrangement of magnets relatively to the cores .and

armatures'was such that flux was directed through the generating coils first from one source and then from the other. The flux from each source in such devices could not be utilized at the same time for the generation of electricity, but 'on the contrary -1t was found necessary to" alternately divert the.

flux from each-source in a shunt path outside the coils. This invention is concerned with the provision of an improved lg'niterof the reciprocatory armature type, wherein a reversal-of flux through the generating coils may be obtained withoutthe disadvan- According to .one feature of this invention, a new technical effect-is attained by suddenly reciprocating two armatures and thereby successively reversing the. 'dlrectlon .of flux through'the coils of the-generating windings from one source of magnetism, and

this effect is characterized by the fact that the magnetic flux fromthe one source is utilized to the best advantage at all times since itsuccessively passes through a coil of the generating windings in suddenly reversed directions with respect to the latter at all times instead of being shunted as heretofore to avoid passing through the generating windings part of the time.

According to another feature of this invention a new technical effect is attained by the use of only two armatures by suddenly -reci rocating the latter and thereby successiv y reverslng the direction of flux through two generating coils from two separate sources of magnetism, and this effect is characterized by the cooperation of the-two armatures acting alternately with the cores'of the coils and-the sources of magnetism in such a way that each of the latter contributes in the production-of a flux through both coils in one direction when one, arma-. ture isin contact with both cores and in the opposite direction when the other armature 1s incontact with both cores. According to one aspectof the invention, the new technical effect may be attained in one way by connecting the north pole of a permanent magnet to the end of a core withnetic flux will be made.

According to another feature of the in-' v'ent ion ahigh speed igniter of the reciprocating armature type is provided by which an economical arrangement and distribution of the sources of magnetlc flux with relation to the armatures and the cores of the generating coils is attained, whereby the parts may be compacted into small compass and wherebv the parts, especially the moving parts, may be made relatively light to permit high speed operation. 7

According to the stated features of the invention in connection with preferred em= bodiment to bejdescribed, it will be apparent that the invention may be embodied in various functional and constructional forms as may occur to those skilled in the art; for example, two armatures may be used with a single source of magnetic flux or itv may be used with two sources of magnetic flux and 'so on, but all such variations, each of which Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2 with partsbroken away Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the upper armature removed;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 66 of Fig.1;-

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of'the upper part of the igniter with certain parts removed to reveal structure therebelow;

Fig. 8 is a perspective vie-w of the reciprocable bar for operating the armatures.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the upper armature;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the retaining' member for the upper armature; and

Figs. 11 and 12 are diagrammatical views illustrative of the magnetic circuits which obtain at different periods in the operation ofv the igniter.

Various features of the invention in addition to those above described will appear in the detailed description with relation to the present preferred form.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 6: Generating windings or coils 15 and 16 are employed which are electrically connected together in the usual manner by a wire 17 (Figs. 1 and 2). The terminals of the connected coils consist of wires 18 and 19, one of which, for example, the terminal 18, may be grounded in'any suitable manner to the frame of the machine. Coils 15 and 16 are mounted on cores 20 and 21, respectively, as shown in Fig. 6, and these cores preferably consist of a plurality of thin soft iron laminations, as best indicated in Figs. 4 and 7, which are built up in the usual manner to form cores of the desired cross sectional shape and area.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 7, closely adjacent. the upper end of each core 20 and 21 are corresponding blocks 22 and 23 formed with flanges 2st and 25, respectively, which,

when fitted together in substantially abutting relation, as shown, encompass the upper ends of the cores upon three sides. Blocks 22 and 23 are of suitable magnetic material, and the former are somewhat longer than the latter for a reason to appear. The blocks 22 and 23 for core 21 are reversely arranged from those for core 20, and a plate 26 of suitable non-magnetic material extends from each block 22 to a. block 23. The plates 26 are shouldered down to receive the flanges 24. and and constitute spacing members to hold the blocks and thus the cores in the desired spaced relation. Bolts 27 (Figs. 5 and 6) connect the ends of both plates 26 together and each bolt passes through both plates, the flanges 24 and '25, v and the core therebetween. Thus, the laminated ends of each core may be compressed and tightly clamped between the flanges 24 and 25. p

The lowerends of the cores 20 and 21 arespaced one from'another and are clamped together in a manner identical with that described. The important feature to note, however, is that the blocks 22 and 23 for the lower end of each core are reversely arranged from the blocks 22 and 23 thereabove for the corresponding upper ends of the core, as will be seen from Figs. 1 and 6. A rectangular bar 28 is secured at one end by a screw 29 (Fig. 1) to each of the long blocks 22 and is magnetically connected thereto, the screw 29 being preferably also of magnetic material. The several bars 28 are arranged in parallel relation with each other and with the clamping plates 26. It will thus be seen that the other end of each bar 28 is spaced. from a short block 23. A block 30 of non magnetic material is used as a means of closing the physical gap between each block 23 and bar 28, thereby magnetically separating blocks 23 from. bar 28. Bars 28 are held to blocks 23 by screws 31 (Fig. 1) which pass through spacer blocks 30 but which screws 3-1, it is to be particularly noted, are of non-magnetic material. One upper bar 28 is connected to the bar 28 vertically therebelow by a bank of permanent magnets 32 (Figs. 1 and 5) and the upper and lower bars 28 on the other side of the machine are connected together by a similar bank of permanent magnets 33. r The magnets 32 are, however, reversely arranged from the magnets 33 with respect to their polarity, the north pole of the former being at the bottom and the north pole of the latter being at the top of the machine. The magnets of each bank are arranged side by side in parallel and substantially contiguous relation, thereby forming a complete closure for the front and rear sides of the machine. The ends of each bank of magnets are received in U-sh-aPed clips 34, of magnetic and preferably of spring metal, and each clip 34 is held to a'bar 28 by a plurality of screws 35 which pass through both legs ofithe clip and arethreladed into the bar 28 as clearly.

shown in Figs. 1 and 5. ,Each end of each magnet is thus firmly clamped to a bar 28 and is also magnetically connected thereto. It is to be noted, however, that.- none of the screws 35 enter the blocks 23.

Each of the described clamping plates 26 has centrally formed on its inner surface a recess 36 (Fig. 6), whereby vertically alined slidewaysare formed by the upper and lower pairsof plates to receive a reciprocable bar 37. The latter, as clearly shown in Figs. 6

tively. Each armature is built up of a plurality of soft iron laminations which are clamped together by bolts 42. The heads and nuts of each pair of the latter are spaced apart just sufliciently to loosely receive therebetween the bar 37, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, whereby the armatureis prevented ffrom'longitudinal displacement relatively to the bar. The laminations of armature 4O are still further clamped byrivets 43 for this armature is relatively long in order to connect the upper ends of cores 20 and 21.

The lower ends of the latter are brought inwardly toward one another, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, so that the armature 41 need not be as long as armature 40 and does not, therefore, require rivets 43 as the bolts 42 are sufficient for clamping purposes.

Secured to each of the upper blocks 22 by screws 44 and spanning the distance therebetween is a strap plate 45, which is bent in the shape shown in Fig. 10 so that its central portion overlies and is spaced above the armature 40., The ends of plate 45 are provided with oppositely extending slots 46 to receive screws 44, whereby, when the latter are loosened, plate 45 can quickly be removed therefrom by a slight twist sufiicient to remove the ends of the plate from the screws. disk 47 (Figs. 2 and 6) having a point'to enter a central prick punch mark on armature 40 rests upon the latter and relatively strong springs 48 (in this instance, two concentrically arranged springs) are interposed between the disk and the lower face of plate 45. Springs 48 tend to force armature 4O downwardly .so that its ends engage the upper ends of the cores 20 and 21.

Secured to the lower blocks 22 in a similar manner is a similarly formed plate 49 shown. A disk 51 similar to the described disk 47 is applied to the lower face of arma-. ture 41 and is held thereto by a sprin 52 which .seats, as shown in Fig. 6, on p ate- 49. Spring'52 tends to force armature 41 upwardly so that its ends will if not prevented, engage the lower ends of cores 20 and 21. Y

The structure described-is a complete selfcontained'unit which may be mounted to cooperate with any suitable mechanism to reclprocate bar 37. One operable mechanism to accomplish this function is shown in Figs. 5 and 6- inerely for the purposes of illustration. This mechanism comprises a cam b suitably fixed to a shaft 0 which is rotatably supported in a casing A. The

latter has an opening in its upper face toreceive'the plate 49, armature 41, and their connecting parts, and the plates 50 rest upon the upper surface of casing A and are re-' movably secured thereto as stated. Cam 6, as shown in Fig. 5 underlies and supports the lower end of. the described member 39 and, when rotated in the directionof the arrow, will gradually raise bar 37 and allow it to sharply fall twice during each revolu 'tion of shaftb. The latter may be drivenin any suitable manner and at any desired speed by' means which do not concern the present invention.

In operation shaft 0, being driven at the appropriate speed, intermittently raises bar 37, and the latter raises armature 40 away from the upper ends of cores 20 and 21 I againstthe force exerted by springs 48. As

the bar rises, armature 41 is moved to engage and magnetically connect the lower ends of cores'20' and 21 the armature .hav-

ing just prior thereto been held away by the bar 37 whichis somewhat longer, in respect to the distance between the bottoms of slots 38, than the cores 20 and 21. Onfurther movement, cam 17 releases the member 39 and allows armature 40 to be forced sharply downward by the springs 48 into engagement with "the upper ends of cores 20 and 21 13.211137 is also forced sharply downward by armature 40 to forcibly disengage -the armature 41 from the lower ends of ner which will now be described. Considering first the bank of magnets 32Lthe upperends thereof (in this instanc'gof south polarity). are magnetically connected to one upper bar 28 (that to the right of Fig. 1),

and the latter is magnetically connected to block 22 which inturn is magnetically connected to the upper end of ,core 20. The south poles of thesemagnets are magneti cally separated from the upper ends of magnets 33 and core 21 by the two upper blocks 30 of non-magnetic material. The lower ends of magnets 32 (of north polarity) are magnetically connected to the lower end of core 21 and are magnetically separatedfrom the lower end of core in a like manner .by the lower blocks 30. '1

Thus, for the purposes of illustrating the features of the invention, the several magnets 32 may be considered as a single magnet which extends diagonally to connect the upper end ofcore 20 to the lower end of core 21, as shown diagrammatically in Figs. 11 and 12.

Considering the bank of magnets 33, the upper ends thereof are of north polarity and are magnetically connected by the upper bar 28 (as viewed in Fig. 4') and right hand block 22 to the upper end of core 21 and are magnetically separated from the upper ends of core 20 and magnets 32 by the two nonmagnetic blocks 30. The lower ends of magnets 33, of south polarity, are similarly connected to the lower end of core 20 and are similarly separated magnetically from the lower end of core 21. I

. Thps, the several magnets 33 may be considered as one magnet which extends diagonally and magnetically connects the upper end of core 21 to the lower end of core 20, as illustratedin the background of'Figs. 11 and 12. I

The variations in magnetic flux through cores 20 and 21 to generate electricity in 4 coils 15 and 16 will best be understood by reference to the diagrams shown in Figs. 11

and 12.. The poles of magnets 32 and the circuits of flux therefrom are indicated by full letters and lines, respectively, and the poles of magnets 33 and the circuits of flux therefrom are indicated by dotted letters and lines, respectively.

- Referring to Fig. 11, when armature 40' is positioned as there shown, flux flows from the north pole of magnet 32 upwardly through core 21 across armature 40 to the south poleof the magnet. Flux from the north pole of magnet 33 passes through ar-' mature 40, and downwardly through core 20 to the south pole of the magnet. The magnetic circuits described eflect'the same result as if a single magnet, for example,

a horseshoe magnet, were used in which the north and south poles were" connected 1'6,- spectively to the lower ends of cores 21 and 20. Thus, the result is that two. magnetic circuits from separate sources cooperate'to produce in efl 'ect one continuous circuit which encircles both coils 15 and 16.

Referring to. Fig. 12, when the armatures 40 and 41 are positioned as there shown, the flux from the north pole of magnet 3-2 passes through armature 41 and upwardly through core 20 to the south pole of the magnet. Flux from the north pole of magnet 33 passes downwardly through core 21 and across armature 41 to the south pole of the .magnet.

The circuits thus produced from separate sources areanalogous to a single magnetic circuit from .a single magnetic source, such as a horseshoe magnet, for example, in which'the north and south poles are respectively connected to the upper ends of cores 21' and 20 respectively.

The use of horseshoe magnets arranged as described would not, however, permit the desired beneficial results to be obtained for 'it will be obvious that only one magnet through the winding which comprises both 7 coils 15 and 16. There is, therefore, no shunting of the flux from either source to exclude it from the cores. Obviously, therefore, the total cross sectional area of the magnets 32 and 33 need be only half that heretofore necessary when two sources, alternately shunted as described, we're used, assuming like characteristics of magnetic material and like degrees of saturation. Thus, the invention is characterized in one of its features by economy of material from which follows reduced cost of manufacture,- reduced weight and that compactness of parts desirable in high speed machines.

It has been seen that bar37 is reciprocable to alternately raise' and lower each armature.

As the bar is raised, the circuits shown in Fig.-12 are gradually established and shortly thereafter the bar is sharply lowered, and the. circuits shown in Fig. 11 are quickly established while the circuits shown in Fig.

12 are quickly interrupted. -The flux from each magnet always passes throng the cores in the same direction, but the flux is shifted alternately from one core to the other. The flux from magnet 32 passes alternately through cores 20 and 21, but in' an upward direction therethrough in each instance. Likewise, the flux from magnet 33 passes alternately through cores 20 and 21 in .a

downward direction. It will thus be seen that a change'fromthe conditions-illustrated in Fig. 12 to'those in Fig. 11 will efi'ect a reduce the inertia resistance.

,tures.

reversal of flux and consequently a variation of magnetic lines of force of double the variobtained by the described economical are rangement of a relatively small amount of material which is one of the important features of the invention.

The invention is capable of particularly advantageous embodiment in high speed igniters. While inall igniters, the economical use of materials and compactness of parts is a desirable criterion, in high speed-igniters, it, is'especially important to secure lightness of parts, particularly the movable parts. For example, the bar 37 and armatures 40 and-41 should be made as light as possible-to The advantage of the present arrangement lies in the reduction in length of the armatures by the close assembly of the coils 15 and 16 per" mitted by the relatively thin bar 37 therebetween which is yet strong enough to function with the weight of the parts necessary to move, and more particularly in the re duction in cross sectional area of the arma- The latter advantage follows from the fact that the armatures are not employed as heretofore, for the dual function of leading flux from one source through the cores and of simultaneously shunting the flux from the other source across its pole pieces. The total flux from all the magnets 32 and 33 being only substantially half that of a single source heretofore used, the cross sectional area of each armature may be reproportion for a given degree of saturation.

Thus, an improved igniter of the reciprocating dual arm'ature type has been provided which is characterized by the utilization of all the flux from all the magnetic sources in the generation of intermittentcurrents ofelectricity and by an economical arrangement of parts particularly advantageous for high speed igniters of this .type.

Very many variations from the form of invention described and preferred may be made without. departing from all the features of the invention which are new. For example, one bank of magnets as 32 may be removed and the apparatus will still function to advantage in generating desired currents, but the form shown with bothsets of magnetsj32 and 33 is preferred- So other changes could be made all of which" need not be pointed out'in thisspecification but are intended to be properly included with "the invention in its various aspects.

What IcIaim is' 1; A machine for generating electrical currents comprising two coils having each a of magnetic flux, and two :armatures each arranged to be moved into core of magnetic material therein, a permanent magnet connected at one end with one core end and at the other end with an end of the other core, and reciprocable means operable alternately to first magnetically connect said end of the one core with the opposite end of the other core and then magnetically connect the first mentioned end of the last-named core with that end of the othercore not connected to said magnet.

52.- An igniter, comprising in combination, generating coils electrically connected in series to form a single Winding, two cores for said coils, reciprocable means operable alternately at opposite ends of the cores to magnetically connect and disconnect the latter, and two sources of magnetic flux magnetically connected to said cores so that when the cores are connected at one end, each source contributes in producing a flux through said winding in one direction and when the other ends of the cores are connected each source contributesin producing a flux through'said winding in an opposite direction. 3. An igniter, comprising in combination, generating coils, cores therefor, a source of magnetic flux and two reciprocable armatures cocperating withsaid source and cores ,to alternately direct the flux from the source through one and then the other of said cores. 4. An igniter, comprising in combination,

generating coils, a source of magnetic flux, a

reciprocable armature arranged to alternately establish and interrupt a magnetic circuit from said source through one of said coils and a second reciprocable armature arand out of contact with the cores and to cooperate alternately with the cores so as to shift the flux from each. source, first through one and then the other of said cores.

6. An igniter, comprising in combination, generating coils, cores therefor, two sources ciprocating and out of contact with the cores and to cooperate alternately with the cores, so as to shift the flux from each source, first through one and then through the other of said cores, and so that flux passes through both of said cores when either armature is incontact therewith.

7. An igniter, comprising in combination, two generating coil's, cores therefor, two rearmatures each arranged to be moved into 7 moved into and out of contact with the cores, two sources of magnetic flux arranged to produce flux in opposite directions through either core, said armatures arranged to cooperate with the cores alter nately so that flux from one source passes through one core \vhile flux from the other source passes through the other core and so that flux from each source is alternately shifted from one to the other of said cores.

8. An igniter, comprising in combination, two generating oils, cores therefor, a source of magnetic flux, and two reciprocating armatures, each arranged alternately to be moved into and out of contact withthe cores so as to alternately shift the fiux from one source through the first and then through the second of said cores and so as to simultaneously shift the flux from the other source through the second and then through the first-named core.

9. An igniter, comprising in combination, generating coils, two sources of magnetic flux, a reciprocable armature arranged to alternately establish and interrupt a magnetic circuit from one source through one of said coils and from the other source through the other of said coils, and a second reciprocable armature arranged to simultaneously shift the flux from each source through the core theretofore connected to the other sourcewhen the first-named armature interrupts its respective circuits.

10. An ignlter, comprlsmg 1n combination, tWo generatmg colls," cores therefor,

two sources of magnetic flux adapted to pro-' duce flux in opposite directions, a reciprocable armature arranged to alternately establish and interrupt magnetic circuits so that flux from one source passses through one core in one direction and so that flux from the other source passes through the other core in an opposite direction, and a second reciprocable armature operablewhen the first-named circuits are interrupted to simultaneously shift the flux from each. source through the core theretofore connected to the other source.

11. An igniter, comprising in combinasource of magnetic flux having one of its poles magnetlcally connected to one end of one of said cores and its other pole to the opposite end of the other core, a second source of magnetic flux having one of Its poles magnetically connected to the other end of the first-named core and its other pole to the opposite end of the second core,

and a reciprocable armature adapted to magnetically connect and dlsconnect the cores at oneend, a second reciprocable armature adapted to disconnect and magnetically connect the opposite ends of said cores, and means to reclprocate sald armatures so that ,each acts alternately to connect and dis- 50 tion, two'generati'ng coils, cores therefore, a

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