US1350815A - Ignition mechanism for internal-combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

0. Y. KNIGHT. V IGNITION MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

I APPLICATION FILED OCT. 17, IBIS.

1 ,350.8 1 5 at ted Aug- 24, 192i WNW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

IGNITION MECHANISM FOR IN TERN AL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

Application filed October 17, 1918. Serial No. 258,526.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, CHARLES Y. KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at asadena in the county of Los Angeles and State of alifornia, have invented a certain new and. useful Improvement in Ignition Mechanism for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide ignition mechanism for internal combustion engines which shall be of improved construction and operation.

he invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawing and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of an internal combustion engine showing one embodiment of the present invention applied thereto; and

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. p

In the operation of internal combustion engines, and especially of high speed and high compression engines, such as are used for racing purposes and for aerial navigation, difliculty has been experienced due to the extreme heat to which the electrodes of theignition plugs are subjected. A portion of this heat is caused by the extremely high temperatures generated by the explosions following each other with such rapidity, but the high temperature to which the electrodes are subjected is also augmented by the high tension current generated by the magneto or other source of current which must also be operated at a high speed because of the high speed of the engine. For instance, a motor revolving at a speed of three thousand revolutions per minute and ignited by a magneto subjects its ignition plugs to the necessity of producing fifteen hundred sparks per minute. This produces almost a continuous are from point to point the heat of which is intense in the extreme, and in some cases becomes so great as to cause the materials of which the points are composed to melt or fuse, thereby putting the plug and consequently the cylinder out of commission.

In the present invention each cylinder is provided with a plurality of ignition plugs ASSIGNOR TO KNIGHT AMERICAN I so connected with the generator and so timed that the operation will be divided between the various plugs, the spark being produced by the different plugs in succession. One mechanism for producing this result is shown in the drawings in which the numeral 10 designates the casing of an engine cylinder on which are mounted a plurality of spark plugs ll, 12, 13 and 14. A distributer 15 of any well known or approved construction is mounted on the cylinder casing and is provided with a plurality of contact members 16, 17, 18 and 19. The contact members 16, 17, 18 and 19 are connected with their respective plugs 11, 12, 13 and 11 by jumpers 20 and a rotary distributer arm 21 connected with the magneto or other source of ignition current engages the contact members 16, 17, 18 and 19 successively so that during the operation of the engine the spark plugs are successively connected with the ignition current. The contact arm 21 is driven in synchronism with the operation of the engine and the form, of mechanism illustrated in the drawing for this purpose comprises a bevel gear 22 a portion'of which is broken away in Fig. l. The bevel gear 22 meshes with a bevel pinion 23 secured to a shaft 24 journaled in bearings 25 on-the cylinder casing and driven by av chain 26 connected with the moving parts of the engine so that the shaft 24 and contact member 21-will be rotated in syn chronism with the operation of the piston cylinder. By this mechanism the plurality of spark plugs are caused to operate one at a time to produce explosions in the engine cylinder at the proper time in the cycle of the engine operation and the rotation of the contact arm 21 is so timed that the various spark plugs of each cylinder will operate successively so that when one plug operates to cause an explosion it will remain inactive during subsequent explosions produced. by the operation of the other spark plugs until the other spark plugs have all operated in turn to ignite the fuel in the engine each for a single explosion. In this way the rapidity of the spark of a single plug is divided by the number of sparks employed and the contact points 6f each plug are permitted to cool during the ignition produced by -the operation of the other plugs. This relieves each plug of the effect produced by the almost continuous are resingle pl g.

plurality of I claim:

1. In combination. with the cylinder oil an internal combustion engine a plurality of ignition plugs connec 'nl with said cylinder, and means controlled by the engine vfor causing said plugs to operate successively.

2. In combination with the cylinder ct an internal combustion engine, a plurality of: ignition plugs for igniting the charge in said cylinder, and means controlled by the engine for successively connecting said plugs with a source oi electrical current in synchronism with the operation of said engine to cause said plugs to operate successively to produce the successive explosions of the fuel in said cylinder.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a plurality of ignition plugs all connected with he same cylinder of said engine, and means controlled by the engine for operating said plugs successively to cessive explosions of the fuel in said cylinder.

5 In an internal combustion ignition plugs all connect -3(. with a single cylinder of said engine to ignite the fuel therein, and means controlled by the engine for operating each of said plugs to produce an explosion in said cylinder While the other plugs connected with said 0 lindcr remain quiescent.

5. .11 an internal combustion engine, a plurality of spark plugs all connected with the same cylinder of said engine to ignite the fuel therein, and means controlled by the engine for successively connecting s: id plugs with a source of electrical energy in synchronism with the operation O'f'SEtlfl engine so that said plugs will operate individually and successively to produce successive explosions in said cylinder. y 6. The combination with a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, of a plurality of ignition plugs connected therewith for igniting the charge in said cylinder, a distributor produce sue-- for successively connecting said plugs with a source ot electrical energy, said distributer being arranged to connect but one of said plugs with said source at one time and inechai'iisni controlled by the engine for op-- .erating said distributor in synchronism with the operation of said engine so that when one oi? said plugs operates to ignite the fuel in said cylinder at the proper time in the cycle of movement oi said engine the other plugs connected with said cylinder will remain quiescent.

7. The combination with theexplosion chamber of an internal combustion engine, and means controlled by the engine for successively firing at relatively different points Within the chamber the explosive charges admitted thereto.

'8. The combination. with the ex )lOSlOIl chamber of an internal. combustion engine, and a plurality oi electrodes communicating with the chamber at relatively diil'ercnt points and means controlled by the engine for successively energizing said electrodes to tire the explosive charges admitted to the chamber.

9. The combination with the explosion chamber of an internal combustion engine and an ignition system including a plurality of spark plugs arranged to successivcly lire the explosive charges admitted to the chamber, and a rotatable device driven by the engine for successively closing the ignition circuit through eachof said spark plugs.

10. The -,conibination with an internal combustion engine cylinder and a plurality of fixed spark plugs upon the cylinder for successively igniting the explosive charges admitted thereto a rotatable circuit closing member driven by the engine and fixed contact members upon the spark plugs extending into the path of said rotatable circuit closing .meniber.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this l ith day of Uctober A. D. 1918.

CHARLES Y. KNIGHT.

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