US1354902A - louis - Google Patents

Description

V. A. FYNN.

IGNITION CONTROLLING SWITCH. APPLICATION men ms. r, 1918.

1,354,90 Patented 0011.5,1920.

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IV I TNESS UNITED STATES" :VALEBE A. FYNN. OF ST. LOUIS. MISSOURI. ASSIGNOR T0 WAGNER ELECTRIC MANU- PATENT OFFICE.

FAUT'URING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPURATION OF MISSOURI.

IGNITION-CONTROLLING SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

Application filed March 7, 1918. Serial No. 221,063.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VALIJRE A. .FYNN, a

subject of the King of England, residing at the- .cityof St. Louis, State of Missouri, United States of America, have invented a certain new and useful Ignition-Controlling Switch, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable 3113 510116 skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeiand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawin s, forming part of this specification.

-invent1on relates to a switch for controlling the ignition circuit of an internal combustion engine and is more particularly adapted .to bevused in connection with-a battery ignition system;

The object of the invention is to automatically disconnect the source of energy from the i nition circuit, when the engine speed falls e'low its lowest operating speed or when the engine comes to rest.

My invention will bebetterunderstood by i reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which Figure 1 shows one form of my improved ignition switch as applied to a battery'ignition, starting and li hting system for use:on automobiles, while *ig. 2

is an ex' lanatory diagram; Fig. 3 illustrates a modi cation.

.In a battery ignition system, the current taken by the spark coil varies greatly accordins to the speed at which the timer is driven. The speed of the timer depends on the speed of the engine. With the engine standing still, the current taken by the spark coil is amaximum. As the speed increases, this current diminishes rapidly at first, and then slowly, as indicated by curve 33 of Fig. 2. The slow change in the current takes place at speeds exceeding the lowest operating speed of the engine. This speed'is, as a rule, only'a small :'PGI' cent. of the maximum speed at which the engine runs in normal op'eration, as indicated by the/ dotted lines 34 and 35 of Fig. 2,

i where the line 34 marks the lowest and the circuit interruption caused by the timer. .These interruptions-produce the same e'fi'ect as a changein the impedance of the circuit. As long as the engine revolves, the current in the ignition circuit is a pulsatlng one, the

frequency of the pulsations being proportional to the speed.

It is apparent from Fig. 2, that a coil which is designed to operate near the safe temperature limit under normal working conditions, is very liable to become overheated and damaged in case the ignition circuit is not interrupted after the engine comes to a stand-still. In such case the-coil will be subject to an abnormal and excessive current and the drain on the battery may be so great as to entirely discharge same in a short space of time. y improved ignition switch is adapted to prevent the occurrence of these conditions.

In carrying out this invention, I provide an electromagnetic ignition switch, which-is normally open but which can be closed by hand or by energizing one of its magnetizing windings and which opens automatically as soon as the frequency of the current interruptions in the ignition circuit has fallen below a predetermined limit or has become zero and the current in said circuit has vided with a shunt winding, a'serles winding, and a short-circuited winding. The spring tends to keep the armature away from the electromagnet and holds the ignition circuit open. The shunt winding is adapted to be connected to the battery and i-arries a constant current when its circuit is com-= pleted. Its circuit is normally open, but is completed when the ignition switch is closed. The series winding is included in the primary or low tension ignition circuit, and, therefore, carries a pulsating current when the engine revolves and a constant unidirectional current when the engine is at rest and the ignition circuit closed. The series winding is connected to oppose the magnetization produced by the shunt winding, and the. number of its turns is so chosen that the magnetization of the shunt winding is equaled when the engine is not running or is revolvin at a speed below its lowest operatin speed.

ince the ignition switch should not be closed until the engine is cranked to start it, I prefer to so arrange the circuit closing switch of the starting motor that when it closes the starting circuit, it also closesthe reduce' the impedance of the series winding "bf'the x apidl windingi This screening efiect will diminsh "be connected to circuit by means of the switch 30. The bata well known manner,

the other. "connect-the winding 4 to the spark plugs 6 to a r 8 through thewindmg F Q. circuit of the shunt winding on the automatic switch, The closing of the shunt wi c'ircilit closes the ignition switch, which completes the i ition circuit when the timer is closed. Vl hen theengine fires and the starting switch is released, the shunt winding, the circuit of which is now also closed throng the contacts of the ignition switch, remains closed as long as the engine speed keeps above the critical or that for which the arutonmtic 'switchi isset to open.

In order to minimize-the'effect of the ignition current in' the'series winding of the automatic switch at high speeds and increase it at 'lowspeeds, and also in order to to a: minimuni,'.I' provide a short-'circuited windington the automatic switch, and place saihc' lit the closest possible inductive relationto the" series winding! This short-cir cuited winding will not have any effect on the magnetization produced-by the shunt wnrding when SiiIldWind'lhg isconnected to produce s eonstant mag'netization, but it will tend to suppress the magnetizing efiect y varying current in the series with-decreasing frequency oi the variations of the current and disappear entirely when the current interruptions cease.

In Fig.1 the storage battery 8 is permanently connected to-the main 36 of thelightingcrrcuit comprising'the' lamps 31 and can the other mam 37 ofxsaid teryf is also permanently connected to one -pole of the direct current engine driven lighting and charging generator 23, 24. This generator is ada be "to beconhected of thwbattery by means of a battery switch 27 of lmown construction,-which closes when thegenerator voltage reaches a certain value and opens when said'volfiage falls below. thebattery voltage. Then this automatic battery switch is closed the generator and: the battery cooperate in the generator charging'the battery and supplying such consumption circuits as are connected, or the consumption circuit or circuits receive part of their energy from the battery and part of it from the: generator. The high tension winding 4 of the ignition circuit is grounded at one end and connected: to'the engine driven distributor 5 at This distributer is adapted to in-theusual way.

" The low tens'ion'i 'nition circuit can be traced from the positive pole 41 of the hat- 3 ofthe spark coi the timer 7" and back to the negative E3010 of the battery in one of three paths. ither by way of t e spring controlled normally open switch' 40, or by way? of the I nected to its 1 by means of an-engine hand, the spring arcing, suchas carbon ing and ignition spring controlled and normally open starting switch 10 and the contacts 11, 12 thereof, or by way of the contacts 17, 18 of the automatic ignition switch 16, the series windin 1 1 on said switch and the spring controllec and normally closed switch 39.

The automatic ignition switch also carries a shunt winding 15, one cnd oi which is permanently connected to the positive pole of the battery, while the other end can be connegative pole without passing through the timer 7, andeither by way of the normally closed switch 39, the winding 14: of the automatic ignition switch and the contacts 17,- 18 thereott, or by way of the starting switch 10 and itscontacts 11, 12, or throughthe normally open switch 40;

The timer 7' is operated in the'usu'al way driven cam. When the engineis at rest, this timer may be open 385 or closed, depending on the position in which the engine comes to rest.

Switch 39 is intended to be operated by to keep it :closed.

trolling it tending to keep it open. The starting switch 10 is normally held open by means of the'spring 9. Itcan be closed by hand, inwhich. case'it not only connects one A end of the shunt winding 15 to the negative pole of the battery 8,but also completes the j circuit of thetcranking motor 21, 22 which with an armature adapted to'cooperate with 1 the core-20 and carrying a pair of movable contacts adapted to cooperate with a couple of stationary ones 17,18. hen two groups of contacts are used one is arranged to close beforeand to open after the other and may be provided with a. tip adapted to withstand tips, for example. One group of contacts may be used instead of two. Iii-addition to the shunt winding 15 andthes'eries w nding'l l, the core also carries a permanently short-circuited winding 38, diagrammatically shown as a single closed loop. In practice one would use a more efiicient form of short-circuit, such for instance as a solid'copper cylinder sur-.

rounding the core 20' and located under the series coil 14.

The operation of the improved ignition switch in connection with the starting, lightsystem. with which it is illustrated in Fig.- 1 is as follows:

1 'Withwthe-engine atrest-, the timer '7 may baa-open or closed.

the starting-switch opengthe switch- 39 will-be The battery switch 27, 10and the auxiliary switch 40' will be controlling same tending The switch 40 is also nT-' ranged for hand operatiomthe spring conclosedand we will assume the automatic switch 16to be open. If the engine is to be cranked by hand, the auxiliary switch 40 is held .closed until the engine fires. The clos- 5 ingiof this switch completes the circuits :be-

tween the battery andthe winding. 1510f the i :switchzlfi-causing saidswitch to. Ol0S6. ':'-Tl1iS places the timer in control oftheignition circuits UAIS the :enginef ;revolved,I. ,1 the .wwindingildrisenergizediby thei nition' current. ..'When the engine fires an reachesits I idling speed orrexceedsusame; theswitchAO .may be released without fear ofthe switch 16 opening becausewthe magnetization produced by 14 will, under the circumstances,

not besufficient 't'o-reduce the total magnet- 2' Tizatiomof the core.20to a: point where it ;will releasethe spring controlled armature with which it cooperates. r f 20 If heengine fails to start and the switch .40 is released-mfterithe engine comes 'to rest, the automatic switch-will stay closed if the timer-has stoppedinnits ;.open .-position and there will bea drain on the battery to the 2 5 rextent-of the'sma'll current taken by thewinding 15. If the timer stops its'closed positionund. the switch 40 is not released after 4 the engineihas -cometo rest, then ;the.. auto- .matic switch will vibrate runtiLswitch 40 is '-.opened.:when the automatic switchwill open !and stay open. In=case the engine. has come 21: ito restwithithetimer Topeniantl theautotmatic switchrihas. cons uence remained s-closdg itr may be' opened: y momentarily 3 zopening -switch.39; it vwill open automatically if the engine is moved in any way so as to close the timer, even for a Short period. If theengine is to be crankedtby means of the motor/21 22, thenuswitch 10 is closed, 4 r'whereby'the circuit ofthe cranln'ng motor Faiid the circuit of the shunt winding 15 are both. completed. The operation isotherwise switch 40. c After the engine has reached a-s'ufficient speed, the battery switch 27 closes,- but this -makes-ino diife-re'nce to the operationiof the automatic switch 16. 'When it istdesire'd to stop the engine, it is only necessary to open switch- 39 and hold it open for a brief space 7 By placing the timer 7 in a position within the ignition circuit in which it will interrupt thB CHIIODC throughwthe series winding 14, but not through the shunt winding 15 of the automatic switch, I make'the magnetizing value of the current through the winding ltdependent on the en inc speed. This current is then fully eifective at zero engine speed, but its effectiveness diminishes with increasing speed for the reason that its periodicity increases, thus making the shielding effect of Foucault currents more and more pronounced. Such currents are set up in the core 20 and more particularly 15 and the negative pole of a well as throu hft he ,windiiig:

,switch, magnetic means holding said switch n. closed POSItIOQ' and iieans reswitch, means operated from the source of inthe shortcircuited winding 38. The fact that the magnetizing effect of the pulsating current in 14 dim nishes with increasing .QtSPQML By locating the timer etw n thewinding hi; battery 8,; as

shown in F 3, said timerwilljnterrupt the current t rou' h the windin ,15as, well as thro gh the; Winding .14, an the, current in both of the windings will ,.b,e, as long as the engine rei olyes. e switc will operate as before eiiceptth a tgthq automatic switch -will notflstay closed ,in caseifl the engine. stops with the times. open; and

,switch40. or ,switch 10 is not released after the engine-has come to rest. lihelreason for this chan e is that an ,tin er located in this aternative; positioni interruptsthe current through thewi'ndinglq is :i i Having fu describejd= my intention, what I, claim as new an l desire'tofsec ure by L e s tl eti i e si d S a y n n'igmt y e t z-prifiwfy e tion circuit I comprising a source of c' ir ent, an ignition tirner yancl.afcircuitfcoritro g spending f, to, abnormal curren in the prim y i i i n! I9. 'i z. H- t a switch. $1 open i i i-91 b 3. i ff'fi if is m wwn em ar 11a? e tion circuit comprising aseniriebf current an ignition timer'and a ci itcuitcontrolling switch, magnetic means normally holding said switch in closed position, and means responding to abnormal currc n't"iii the pit mary ignition circuit to render the holding means ineffective. r t u 3. In an ignition system, a prima'ryigni- "the same as explained-in connection with ltion circuit comprising a sourc e oficuri'eiit,

an ignition timer and i circuit controlling current fornormally holding said switch in closed position, and means responding to ab- ;nOrmal current in "the primary ignition circuit to render the holding means ineffective.

' 4, In an ignition system, a prin ary igni- 'jtion circuitcoinprising a source o;E,ciirrent,

an ignition tii'i'ier and a controlling switch, magnetic means normally holding said switch in closed positionfmeans responding' to abnormalfcurrent in the primary ignition circuit to causetli'e switch to open, and 'an auxiliary. switch for opening the primary ignition circuit,

5. In an ignitionsy'stein, a primary ignition circuit comprisin a source of current, an ignition timer an a circuit controlling switch, magnetic means normally holding said switch in closed position, means respending to abnormal current in the primary ignition circuit to cause the switch to and an i nition tiiner, a switch controlling said circuit' and ma netic means for operating said switch, said means comprising two windin s connected to produce opposing magnetlzations, one of said windings being in series circuit with the timer when the switch is closed. v

7. In'an ignition system, a primary ignition circuit coi'npri'sing a source of current and an ignition timer, a switch controlling said 'ci'r'cuit, 'm'a' "etic means for operating said switch; said means comprising two windin connected to produce opposing magnetizations, one of said windings being in series circuit with the timer when the switch is losed, and means for connecting the other windilig'ih circuitwith the source of current to close the switch.

8. In an ignition system, a primary ignition circuit comprising a source of current and an ignition timer, a switch controlling said circuit, ma etic means for operating said switch, 'sald means comprising two windings connected to produce opposing mag'netizations, both of saidwindings being in circuit with the source of current when the switch is closed and one of the windings being in series circuit with the timer;

9. In an ignition system, a primary ignition circuit comprising a source of current and an ignition timer, a switch controlling said circuit, ma etic means for operating said switch, said means comprising two windings connected to produce opposing magnetizations, one of said windings being connected to the source of current in series with the timer and the other winding being connected to said source in shunt with respect to the timer circuit.

10. In an engine starting and ignition system, a primary ignition circuit compris ing a source of current, an ignition timer and a circuit controlling switch, a starting motor and a startin switch therefor, and means for closing 516 controlling switch and holdin it closed, said means being controlled by t e starting switch when the con trolling switch is open and by the control ling switch when said switch is closed.

11. In an engine starting and ignition s stem a rimar 1 nition circuit com rising and a circuit controlling switch, an electroa source of current, an ignition timer magnet for closing said switch and holding it closed, said magnet being provided with a shunt exciting winding, means for connecting said winding in circuit with the source of current to close the controlling switch, and other means making connection between said windin and said source when the controlling switc is closed.

- 12. In an ignition system, a primary ign-ition' circuit,a source of current therefor and a. switch controlling said circuit, magnetic: means for operating said switch comprising 'two windings connected to produce an ignition tiiner and a'controllingswitch, -and an electroinagnet for operating said switch, s'aid magnet being provided with a shunt 'wintling, .a short-circuited winding and a series winding.

14. In an ignition system, a primary ignition circuit comprising a source of current, an i nition timer and acontrolling switch, an an electroma net for operating said switch-,"said magne being provided with a shunt winding,- a short-circuited winding an'd aseries winding, said last named winding being in'circuit with the ignition timer when the ignition controlling switch is closed.

15. In an ignition system, a primary ignition circuit, a switch for controlling said circuit, magnetic means for operating said switch comprising two windings, means for impressing a substantially constant potential on one'of said windings, and means for supplying to the other'winding a current of varying frequency.

16. In an ignition system, a primary ignitioncircuit, a switch for controlling said circuit, magnetic means for operating said switch comprising two windings, means for impressing a substantially constant potential on one of said windings, means for supplying to the other winding a current of varying frequency, and means for reducing the magnetizing efi'ect of said last named winding with increasing frequency.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and afiixed my seal.

VALERE A. FYNN. [1 5.

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