US1355358A

US1355358A - Magnetic spabk-plfg

Info

Publication number: US1355358A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1920-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1937-10-12

Description

W am

L. W. RASMUSSEN.

MAGNETIC SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 19'19.

1 ,355 ,358. Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

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MAGNETIC SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED Iu1YIe.I9I9.

PI-,ented oct. 12, 1920.

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MAGNETIC SPARK-PLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led rluly 16j` 1919. Serial No. 311,227.

T 0 1f/ZZ 'zo fiom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis IN. RasMUssEN, a citizen of the 7United States, resi-ding at Chicago, in the county of Cook and cState of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'h/lagnetic Spark- Plugs; and I do hereby declare the followto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to ignition devices Jfor use in internal combustion engines, and the like, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved make and break spark plug, by means of which the sparks are produced by the making and breaking oi"- the electrical circuit at the electrodes.

Another object of the invention is the provision oi a magnetic spark plug of novel land improved construction and operation employing an electro-magnet for vibrating one electrode to rapidly make and break the circuit when the electrical current is delivered through the plug, thereby assuring of perfect ignition of the charge, and enabling the plug to be used with currents of lower potential than with plugs using a spark gap requiring a current of high potential.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such a plug embodying a unique assemblage and association of the component elements, providing a thoroughly practical and efficient ignition device for replacing the ordinary spark gap plug.

l'V ith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing Jfrom the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the plug showing the hood and other portions in section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view with the hood removed.

Fig. 3 is a diametrical section looking in the same direction as in Fi 1, portions being shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 is an inner or bottom end view of the plug..

The plug proper is indicated at 1, being threaded to screw into the engine cylinder similar to an ordinary plug, and being provided thereon with a base 2 on whichthe magnet and corresponding parts are mounted, said base having a marginal rabbet 3 receiving the lower edge or open end of a bell shaped hood 4l which incloses the working parts to protect and conceal same. rlhis hood is removably secured to the base by means ol screws 4: or the like ,'and the base has Lshaped holes 5 opening at one end at the top of base near the margin and at the other end in the margin of the base below the rabbet 5, to provide means for thev engement of a wrench for applying and removing the plug 1, and to also afford means oi ventilation ior the circulation of air into and out of the hood.

The sparking means of the plug includes a rock shait 6 extending longitudinally through the plug 1 and base 2 at one side of the plug, and having secured on its inner end a collar 7 provided with an arm 8 to which is secured a suitable electrode or contact 9 of such material as to prevent corrosion or disintegration due to they passage of electricalcurrent. This electrode or contact 9 cooperates with a similar electrode or contact 10 secured to the inwardly extending ear 11 at the inner end of a longitudinal rod or bolt 12 extending through a longitudinal bore 13 with which the' plug 1 and base are provided. The rod or bolt 12 has a tapered enlargement 14 at its inner end iitting within an insulator 15 seated in the inner en larged end of the bore, 13, and the outer end of the bolt or rod extends through an insulator or insulating washer 16 seated within a recess 17 provided in the base 2, a nut 1S being threaded on the outer end of the bolt to draw said bolt outwardly so as to securely fasten it to the plug with the tapered portion 111- iitting tightly in the insulator 15 and the nut 18 within the recess 17 below the surface of the base` The electrodes or

contacts

9 and 10 are adapted to contact, as seen in Fig. 4l, for the passage of current between the rods 6 and 12. l

Above the base 2 is disposed yan electromagnet 19 extending over the recess 17 and disposed between and carried by lat posts or end pieces 21 rising from the base and provided with feet 22 secured on'the base by means of screws 23 or the like, providing n a nonrmagnetic support for the coil or wind- Patented Oct. 12, 1920. Y

ing. One terminal 20 of the electromagnet is clamped under the nut 18 to connect the magnet in circuit with the sparking device, and the other terminal 24 of the magnet is secured by means of screw 25 or the like on a contact tongue 26 sefiured on a bridge 2.7 of insulating material that is in turn mounted on the end pieces 2l ot the magnet, The magnet is thus in circuit with the electrode rod 12 which is insulated from the plug and base, and connection is made through the electrodes or contacts with the rock shaft or rod 6 which is grounded to the plug.

The hood or bell 4 carries the connection for the electrical conductor or wire. Thus, a socket 38 depends on the top oit the hood and is provided with a threaded stem 29 extending upwardly through insulation 30 provided in the top of the hood, and mits 3l are threaded on said stem to provide a binding post for the connection or the conductor or wire, as well as supporting the socket 28 from the top of the hood. A contact 32 is slidable in said socket and is yieldimgl,7 depressed by an expansion spring 33 disposed in the socket behind said contact. T iis Contact 32 bears on the contact tongue 26 when the hood 4 is secured on the base, thus electr'- cally connecting the binding post and conductor with the electromagnet to complete the circuit, and when the hood-is removed,

vthe circuit is broken, the contact 82 being removed from the tongue 26.

In order to make and break the circuit when electrical current is passed through the plug, an oscillating armature 84 is provided above the base at one end of the electromagnet, being mounted Jfor swinging movement on the base by means of a screw 35 serving as a pivot for the armature. A leaf spring 36 passes loosely around the pivot ot the armature, and has one end secured to the armature, as at 8'?, while the other end is secured within a post 38 rising from the base. This spring tends to move trie armature from the core of the magnet. The armature 84 has a wiper arm 39 cooperating with a similar arm 40 secured on the upper end ot the rock shaft or rod 6 by means ot a set screw 41 or the like. A coiled wire torsional spring 42 surround the rod between the arm 40 and base and serves to raise the shaft 6 to bring the collar 7 against the lower end of the plug, and the upper terminal of the spring engages the arm 40 while the lower terminal 43 is adjustably engaged in an arcuate series of recesses 44 in the base. This enables the torsion oi the spring 42 to be adjusted and said spring in tending to unwind will hold the contact or electrode 9 against the contact or electrode 10. ln the absence o electrical current passing through the magnet, the armature 34 is moved away from the magnet by spring 36, 1-vithdrawing the arm 39 from the arm 40, so that the spring 42 moves the contact 9 against the Contact l0, as seen in Fig'. 4.

ln operation, when electrical current is passed through the plug, it not only flows through a closed circuit between the

contacts

9 and 10, but also traverses the magnet ,which in being energized, will attract the armature 34, so that the arm 39 being swung will swing the arm 40, thereby swinging the arm 8 to remove the contact 9 from the contact l0. Consequently, this breaks the circuit and causes a spark to be produced between the separated contacts or

electrodes

9 and 10, and the breaking of the circuits deenero'izes the magnet, so that the springs 86 and 42 will turn the armature and Contact 9, thereby again closing the circuit. This making and breaking oit the circuit is repeated rapidly so that a series of sparks can be produced by the momentary flow of'current through the plug to assure or" perfect combustion. The flow oi" current is controlled by the usual timer or distrihuter, and consequently the present device can readily replace `the ordinary spark plug without turther alterations in the ignition system.

An adjustable stop screw 45 is carried by a post 46 rising 'from the base, to limit the movement of the armature 34, and thus limit the separation of the contact 9 trom the contact 10. Tn this way, the separation of the contacts or electrodes is limited, and this enables their separation to be limited to a distance so as to produce a spark gap across which the sparks can continue to jump after the magnet has separated the contacts and as long as current iiows.

V7 hen the hood 4 is removed it is an easy matter to `remove the electromagnet 19v without disconnecting wires therefrom Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. An ignition device including a plug having a base, a rocking rod extending through said plug, make and break sparking means at the inner end of the plug and operated by said rod, an electromagnet rigidly secured on said base and having one terminal connected to said make and break sparking means, said magnet having a contact for the other terminal, an armature under the influence of the magnet for operating said rod, a hood removably secured on the base to inclose the electromagnet. and a binding post carried by the hood hava contact to bear on the aforesaid contact.

2, An ignition device including .afplug having a base, a pair of rods extending through the plug, one rod being mounted for rocking movement, the other rod being insulated Jfrom the plug, contacts carried by the inner ends or" said rods, an electromag' net rigidly mounted on the base and having one terminal connected to the insulated rod, an armature under the iniluence of the electro-magnet for operating the rocking rod, a hood removably mounted on the base to inclose said electromagnet, and a binding post carried by the hood, said binding post and electromagnet having contacts between the hood and base to engage one another when the hood and base are assembled.

3. An ignition device including a plug having a base, an electromagnet secured on the base parallel therewith, make and break sparking means at the inner end of the plug, a rocking rod mounted in the plug 'for operating said sparking means and arranged at one side of said electromagnet, an armature pivotally mounted on the base at one end of the electro-magnet under the influence thereof, and an operative connection between said armature and rod.

An ignition device including a plug having a base, a rocking rod mounted in the plug, make and break sparking means at the inner end of the plug operated by said rod, an electromagnet above the base, supporting means extending from the base and carrying said electromagnet, an armature mounted on the base under the influence of the magnet for operating said rod, a contact carried by said supporting means to which one terminal of the electromagnet is connected, a hood removably mounted on the base to inclose'said electromagnet, and a binding post carried by the hood having a contact t0 bear on the aforesaid contact.

5. An ignition device including a plug, a rocking rod mounted therein, make and break sparking means at the inner end of the plug operated by said rod, an electro` magnet at the outer side of the plug, an armature pivotally carried by the plug under the iniiuence of said magnet, wiper arms carried by said armature and rod for operating said rod from the armature, and spring means for returning said armature and rod.

6. An ignition device including a plug having a base, a hood on the base, a make and break sparking device at the inner end of the plug, and electro-magnetic means carried by the base within the hood for operating said device, said base having openings at its periphery extending to the chamber within the hood for the engagement of a wrench and for ventilation.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS W. RASMUSSEN.

Witnesses:

ROBERT C. BowMAN, PHILIP R. OFTEDAL.