US1338521A - Ignition-detector and spark-intensifier - Google Patents

Description

A. Q. NASH.

IGNITION DETECTORv AND SPARK INTENSIFIER.

APPLICATION FILED APILZG, 1918.

1,338,521, Patented Apr. 27, 1920,

A l Q unna/410111111410110 251s gay.

ALEXANDER e. NASH, or KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

IGNITION-DETECTOR. AND SPARK-INTENSIFIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

Application led April 26, 1918. Serial No. 231,030.

i 'a citizen of the United States, and resident disposed in the of Kansas Cit inthe vcounty of Jackson and vState of Kfissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Detectors and Spark Intensifiers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to apparatus for indicating the condition of the controlling circuits for a gasolene engine. The invention includes a device which is intended to indicate the condition of the circuit and which may perform the functions of a detector, to enable the operator of a gasolene engine 'to ascertain whether the sparking apparatus is operating properly in all the cylinders; itv also operates to perform the function of an intensifier by insuring a sufficiently strong current to produce an effective spar in each cylinder.

The general object of the invention is to produce a lsimple apparatus for this purpose which will provide a spark gap at which the spark may be observed, in this way indicating whether the current 1s passing in the controlling circults.

Features of the invention relate to the supporting means for the terminals between which the spark gap is formed and also to the means cooperating therewith to control the flow of the current through the terminals.

In the preferred form of the invention, I employ a freely movable contact which is spark gap, and features of the invention relate to the means for holding the terminals in a substantially vertical position so that the supportingsurfaces for the movable member-will be substantially horizontal.

The invention consists in the general combination of the parts and features to be particularly described hereinafter all of which contribute to-produce a simple and efficient ignition detector and spark-intensifier. preferred embodiment of my. invention will be particularly described in the following specification 'while the broad scope of m invention will be pointed out in the appen ed claims.

In the drawing, v

Figure 1 is a vertical section through apparatus embodying my invention, and including a diagram of the wiring ywhich may be used with the apparatus, l

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken about on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, upon a reduced scale, Fi 4 is a plan of a portion of a bracket whic constitutes a feature of the invention, the terminal which is supported by the bracket being indicated in cross section, an

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the device showing a modified construction for my invention and indicating how it can be applied directly to an ordinary spark-plug. eferring more particularly to the parts, in carrying out my invention, I provide a plurality of spark tubes 1, 2, 3 and 4,' each of which corresponds to one of the cylinders of the en ine lindicated at 5 (see Figs. 1 and 3). ach engine cylinder carries a spark plug 6 and these spark plugs 6 are wired in parallel, with the different s arking tubes in series with the plugs. ig. 1 illustrates the preferred construction of each sparking tube, each of which com rises a short length of a translucent tube if which may be of glass, and the ends of this tube are provided with caps 8 -and 9 which may be sealed to the tube by means of cement so as to form a hermetically sealed sparking chamber within the tube-i These caps are preferably of insulating material, and the lower cap 9 carries a fixed terminal 10 the outer end of which projects from the head 9 and engages a bracket 11. The upper terminal 12 passes into the interior of the tube 7 through the upper cap 8 and engages with an upper terminal bracket 13. These brackets are simply bent pieces of conductive material such as brass, and conductors fthe current to the distributer from a bat- `tery 20 or other source of current which is grounded or connected to the engine as at 21 so as to form a complete circuit through each detector tube. V

The terminals 12 are preferably adjustable, for which purpose they have a screw connection with the cap 8 and pass down intothe interior of the tube, the innerend being provided with an enlarged condenser sparking condition I prefer to provide a freely movable conductive member which may be in the form of a small metal ball j 25 of steel or any other suitable conductive material. If the width of the spark gap is properly adjusted by means of the threaded terminals 12, and their coperating clamping nuts 26, the spark will jump from the ball to the upper terminal head 22 or vice versa, and the ball will jump up and down between thel faces of the terminal heads thereby keeping the faces of the heads clean.

It is desirable that the-lower surface 24 which supports the ball 25 should be substantially horizontal; in other words, the tube should be held with its axis in a substantially vertical position. As the instrument board of different automobiles may be at different angles, I provide means for adjustably supporting the tubes in a vertical position, whatever may be the relation of the support to them. This means preferably comprises a movable mounting back or board 27 to which the brackets 11 and 13 are secured by means of the terminal bolts- 18 and 15 respectively, and I refer to mount the board withfthe tubes whlch it carries in a suitable case28 which may be of simple box form, provided with a front window 29 of lass, the upper edge of the l.window frame fbeing attached by hinges 30 so that the frame can be swung upf to give access to the interior of the case. he ends of the back or board 27 are provided with -studs 31 which project through the side walls 32 of the case and operate as trunnions on which the back may swing. Between the walls 32 and the ends of the back, spring washers 33 are provided, and the outer portions of the bolts 31 are provided with nuts 34 and check nuts 35; from which arrangement evidently the back 27 will be readily adjustable into a vertical plane, even 1f it should happen that the case 28 is. disposed in an inclined position, such as it would have if lit is mounted in an inclined instrument board 36.

I provide means :for cutting out the detector tubes, if desired, so that the ignition l circuit will not pass through them. For

this purpose I provide a multiple switch which is preferably mounted on the rear side of the back or board 27. This multiple switch is of very simple form and consists of a lever 37 corresponding to each terminal bolt 15, the heads of which operate as contacts to be engaged by the swinging bly mounted in a bracket 40 attached on the -forward face of the back 27. VThe rear portion of this stem extends through the wall and is bent around so as to form an arm 41 the end of which is bent forwardly so as to form a pintle 42. By inspecting F ig. 2, it will be evident that if the stem 39 be rotated in a left hand direction, the arm 41 will swing toward the left and the levers 37 may be moved into engagement with their corresponding contacts 15. Evidently the circuit will then short-circuit through the switch levers 37`and cut out the detector tubes. The stem 39 passes to the exterior of the case through a slot 43 in the forward wall of the case. (See Fig.f3). It is necessary to provide this slot on account of the necessity for tilting the back 27 to-enable it to maintain a vertical position, as it may be necessary to attach the case in an inclined position as indicated in Fig. 1. On the outer end of the stem, means is provided such as a thumb head 44 to enable the stem to be rotated from the exterior. The ydetector tubes are detachably mounted in the brackets 11 and 13. For this purpose the lower end of the terminal 10 projects froni the cap 9 and is received in a socket in the form of a small cup shapedv depression 45 formed in the bracket 11. The upper bracket 13 is in the form of a plate with a slot'47 extending in from its edge,y and into the open end of which the terminal 12 maybe' l passed in putting the tube in position.l The bracket 13 is also provided with a 'slight bend or bow l46 on which the nut 26 seats, and as the bracket is of resilient material this bend coperates with the nut to get the effect of a check nut. In this way the nut 26 not only operates to enable the terminal 12 to be secured in any adjusted position with respect to the terminal head 23, but it will be evident that by` loosening it up, the entire tube can be readily disengaged or detached from the back. In doing this the lower bracket 11 which is slightly resilient may be sprung downwardly.

In some cases it may not be desired to mount the tubes withinv the body of the automobile, in which case they can be attached to the outer ends of the spark plugs. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 5 in which 48 indicates the outer end of the spark plug, which is assumed to be in an inclined position. In Aorder to enable my sparking tube to be attached to it and held in a vertical position, I provide a bracket 49, one arm of which is attached to the binding post of the spark plug by the nut 50. The other arm is horizontal and supports the sparking tube 51 in a vertical or upright position. This sparking tube has substantially the same construction as that indicatedin Fig. 1, except that the lower terminal 52 seats directly onthe horizontal arm of the bracket 49 to which it is secured by a thumb screw 53. This terminal 52 has \a circumferential wall 54 within which the lower end of the translucent tube 55 is cemented, the upper end of the tube being 'cemented in-a metal cap 56 through which the adjustable terminal 57 passes downwardly. The lower end of the terminal is formed with a terminal head 58 which cooperates with the part 52 to form a spark gap in which a ball 59 is held. The glass Ytube 55 is enveloped in a cylindrical casing 60 of hard rubber or similar material, the lower end of which is threaded to the outer sideof the wall 54 of the lower terminal or cap 52. The upper end of the tubular casing is formed with an opening which receives a circular boss 61, on the underside of -a cap screw 62, which cap screw seats on the upper end of the casing 60. The conductor 63 is secured on the cap screw by a suitable thumb nut 64. The cap screw 62 has a threaded connection with the threads of the terminal 57 and hence operates as a check nut. Diametrically opposite points of the wall of case 60 are provided with sight openings 65 through which the spark gap is visible.

The terminal heads will also operate in the usual manner of condenser plates to build up a diiference in the potentlal at the gap, and as long as the current is able to jump this gap the spark plugs will be assured of a good hot spark.

Itis obvious that any number of switch levers 37 and corresponding contacts 15 may be employed, and one pair may be provided for the starting circuit of the engine, in which case my apparatus will indicate the condition of the starting circuit as well as the condition of the ignition circuit.

It will be noted that as the terminals 10 and 12 are connected in the regular or normal ignition circuit the ap between them has the effect pf intensi ying the ignition spark. That is to say, if the current is strong enough to jump the gap between ythe heads 22 and 23 a good ignition lspark will be formed in the cylinder; in addition to this theheads operate as condenser plates which operate to increase the electricity that will collect in the ball, thereby increasing the activity of the jumping movements of the ball. In this way the terminal heads tend to increase the efficiency of the ball in keeping their surfaces clean.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is only one of the many embodiments my invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of my invention nor in my claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

1. An ignition detector and spark-intensifier comprising the combination of a translucent tube, insulating caps mounted in the ends of the tubes, a terminal extending inwardly into the interior of the tube .from each of the caps, said terminals being connected in series with the spark plug of the engine and disposed apart to form a spark gap in the ignition circuit visible through the tube, and a freely movable metallic ball held by said tube between said terminals .operating to intensify the spark at the spark plug and as a detector to indicate whether a spark is being formed at the spark plug.

2. An ignition detector and spark intensiier comprising the combination of a translucent tube, insulating caps mounted in the ends of the tube, a terminal extending inwardly into the interior of the tube from each of the caps', said terminals being connected in series with the spark plug of the engine, condenser plates carried by said terminals and disposed apart to form a spark gap in the ignition circuit visible through thetube, a freely movable metallic ball held by said tube between said condenser plates operating to maintain the faces of the condenser plates in a clean condition, and means for adjusting the distance between the condenser plates.

l3. An ignition detector and spark-inten siier, comprising the combination of a translucent tube, caps mounted in the ends thereof, a terminal extending inwardlyinto the interior of said tube from each of said caps, a terminal head carried by the 'end of each of said terminals within said tube, said terminal heads being disposed apart to 'form a spark gap visible through said tube, a freely movable conductive body confined in the spark gap by said tube and said terminal heads, a support for said parts, and means l for adjustably holding said support in a position to maintain said tube in a substantially luprig'lfit position.

4. An ignition detector and spark-inten Vsifier for a gasolene engine, comprising the combination of a translucent tube correspending to each cylinder of the engine, said tubes having caps in the ends thereof, a terminal extending inwardly into the interior of each tube at each end, the adjacent ends of said terminals of each tube 'coperating to on the face of said back, each pair of.

brackets being connected in a circuit to a corresponding cylinder of the engine, a translucent tube with caps at the ends thereof, removably mounted. between each pair of brackets, each of said tubes having, a

` terminal passing into the interior thereof from each end of the tube and engaging its adjacent bracket, the adjacent ends of said terminals coperating to form a spark gap within each tube visible through the tube, and a freely movable ball of conductive material confined in the spark-gap between the terminals of each tube.

6. An ignition detector and spark-intensifier, for a gasolene'engine, comprising the combination of an adjustable supporting back, brackets disposed in pairs mounted on the face of said back, each pair oi' brackets being connected in a circuit to a correspondin cylinder, of the engine, a translucent tu e with caps at the ends thereof, removably mounted between each pair of brackets, each of said tubes having a terminal passing into the interior thereof from each end of the the tube and engaging its adjacent bracket, the adjacent ends of said terminals coperating to forma spark gap within each tube visible through the tube, a freely movable ball of conductive material confined in the spark-gap between the terminals of each tube, and a multiple cut-out switch for cutting out each pair of terminals from their corresponding circuit.

7.' An ignition detector and spark-intensifier for the gasolene engine of an automobile comprising the combination of a case to be mounted in the automobile body, an adj .1stable supporting lback within said case having means for holding the same in a substantially vertical plane, a pluralit of translucent tubes supported on said back each tube corresponding to a cylinder of th engine and having aV pair of terminals projecting .into the tube from the ends thereof connected to the i nition circuit for the corresponding cylin er of the engine, each pair of terminals within each tube beingdisposed apart and coperating to form a spark gap, a metallic ball confined in each spark gap by the terminals, a cut-out switch carried by said su porting back, for cutting out said termina s, and means for throwing said switch, said means having an operating part projecting to the exterior'of the case.

8. An ignition detector and spark-intensifier for the gasolene 'engine of an automobile, comprismg the combination of a case to be mounted in the automobile body, lan adjustable supporting back within said case having means for holding the same in a'substantially vertical plane, a plurality of translucent tubes supported on said back, each tube corresponding to a cylinder of the engine and having a pair of terminals projecting into the tube from the ends thereofconnected to the ignition circuit for the corresponding cylinder of the engine, each pair of terminals within each tube being disposed apart and coperating to form a spark gap, a metallic ball confined in each spark gap, a cut-out switch carried by said supporting back for cutting out said terminals, said case having a slot on its forward side and said switch having an operating stern extending through said slot, said stem having a thumb head on the exterior of saidy case for operating the switch.

9. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a supporting back, a bracket attached thereto and havin an arm with a slot, projecting from said racket, a coperating bracket opposite said first named lracket, also carried by said supporting ack, said coperating bracket having a depression therein, a tube .having a terminal in each end, one of said terminals projecting at one end of said tube to be received in said depression, the other end of said terminals bemg received in said slot and having a nut for clamping the same to the bracket, said lslotted bra et having a bend. at said nut and being of resilient material to coperate with said nut in securing the terminal thereto. L

10. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a supporting back, a

bracket attached thereto, and having an arm i with a slot extending in from the edge `of said first named bracket also carried by said supporting back, said coperating bracket vslot being disposed r`so as `to permit the entrance of the terminal into thejsame by the lateralmovement of that terminal when the opposite terminal is placed in saidsocket,"

andv a .nut on thel terminal adjacent said slotted larm for .clamping the "terminal 120 thereto. v l l,

Signed at St. Louis, State of Missouri this 23rd day of April A. 191,84.,

VALEX-innen Q'. NASH.

10"5 said arm, a coperating bracket opposite

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