US1563677A - Ignition breaker - Google Patents

Description

v 1,563,677 Dec' 1' 1925' w. F. WAGNER IGNITION BREAKER Filed Sept. l. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet; 1

fill/mi Dec. 1', 1925. 1,563,677

I w. F. WAGNER IGNITION BREAKER Filed sept. 1. 192s 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec, 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM F. WAGNER, 0F AMBRIDGE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IGNITION BREAKER.

Application filed September 1, 1928. SeriaI No. 660,615.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. WAGNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ambridge, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Breakers; and I -do declare the following to 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.

My invention relates to breakers for use in connection with the ignition systems of automobile and other motors, and has reference more particularly to breakers of the type employing a stationary contact, and a movable contact arm movable toward said stationary contact under the influence of a spring and forced away from the stationary contact by a rotary cam.

It is one object of the invention to provide an ignition breaker of extreme simarm, contact sprin plicity and hence one which is not liable to get out of order, provision being made whereby an adjustment to compensate for worn contacts, may be made with the use of an ordinary screw-driver instead of requiring special miniature wrenches.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unique form of torsion spring for moving the contact arm toward the stationary contact, and to provide means co-operable with an extended arm at one end of said spring, for varying the tension ofthe latter, as required.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel association of movable contact carried by said arm, and cam-engaging s oe, the construction being such that the shoe could be relied upon if' desired, to limit the outward springing of the contact spring, with respect to the larm, even if the usual hook for this purpose, were eliminated. l

Yet another object is to provide a novel mounting for the relatively stationary contact or contacts, including means for electrically connectin With the foregoing in view, the invention 'resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

a wire terminal thereto.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a breaker constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are vertical sectional views as indicated by lines 2 2 and 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view as indicated by line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Figures 5 and 6 are detail vertical sectional views as indicated by lines 5 5 and 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating construction which is preferably used for dual ignition.

. Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view as indicated by the irregular line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectionalview on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view on line lO-lO of Fig. 7.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates the base of the breaker which is provided with the usual downwardly extending stub-shaft 2 by means of which it may be rotatably sup-v ported for ad'ustment by the usual spark advancing an retarding means connected with the lateral ear 3. The numerals 4 merely designate the usual spring latches for connecting an insulating cover to the base 1, which cover commonly contains the distributor for supplying the current to the spark plug wires. Extending through the stub-shaft 2 and the breaker base 1, I have shown the well known vertical shaft 5 having the usual driving gear 6 atits lower end and provided at its upper end with a cam 7 for operating the breaker, said cam being provided with an upward extension 8 for carrying the dis.- tributor brush (not shown).

Rising rigidly from the base 1, is a post 9 which is preferably threaded into said base as shown in Fig. 3. This post passes through apertured ears 10 on one end of a movable contact-carrying arm 11 which is preferably stamped .from Hat metal. The upper and lower edges ofthe arm 11 are provided with lateral Hanges 12 which extend in the same direction, and an insulating shoe 18 is securedbetween the free ends Y of said flanges, by rivets or the like 14, said 65. y-being insulated from the plate and being shoe being co-operable with the cam 7. A contact spring 15 is secured at one end to the arm 11, by rivets or other desired means 16, at a point between the flanges 12 and the ears 10, the free end of said spring being provided with a pair of contacts 17 for coaction with stationary contacts, yet to. be described. The spring 15 passes between the arm 11 and the shoe 13 and if desired, this shoe may bev utilized to limit the swing of the spring 15 away from said arm 11, but in most instances, I prefer to bend the free end of said arm 11 to form a hook18 which limits the outward swing of the spring 15 and moves the latter positively away from the stationary contacts when the arm 11 swings under the influence of the cam 7.

For the purpose of swinging the arm 11 toward the cam 7 and the stationary contacts, I have provided a torsional .spring 19 surrounding the post 9 and provi ed with an extend-ed end 20 which contacts with said arm 11, the other end of said spring being extended to provide an arm 21 forengagement with any of a plurality of teeth or abutments 22, for the purpose of varying the tension of the spring, the outer end of the arm 21 being preferably bent to form a finger-piece 23 by' means of which it may be engaged with and disengaged from the parts 22.

In the preferred form of construction, the parts 22 are in the form of ratchet teeth bent upwardly from one edge of a flat metal plate 24 which is secured upon the base 1, b

a screw or the like 25, said plate being re erably provided with an opening 26 Fig.l 3) through which the post 9 passes, thus holding the plate against turning.

It will be seen that by`adjusting the arm 21 along the teeth 22, the tension of the spring 19 may be adjusted as required. Furthermore, when said arm is entirely disengaged from the teeth, the ears' 10 land spring 19 may be bodily removed from the post 9, when it is necessary to remove the arm 11 and fparts'carriedf thereby for any reason.

The upper side of the base 1 is provided. with a channel 27 .which extends in the@ direction in which the free end of the arm'll moves, under the inuence of the spring 19 andV the cam 7, said channel having parallel side walls. Until further stated, reference will now be made only to the form of construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. These views illustrate an insulating contact-carrying block 28 received in the channel 27 and contacting with the parallel side walls of the latter, the upper surface of saidblock 28 having a channel 29 with parallel side walls, in which a horizontal metal plate 30 l. is received, said plate having a slot 31 through which a screw 32 passes, said screw vceive the ends of wire terminals.

threaded into the base 1, so that after adjustment of the plate 30, the latter may be clam ed in place. One end of plate 30 is provided with a binding screw 33 .for electrically connecting a wire terminal 34 thereto, while the other end of said plate is extended vertically as indicated at 35 and carries a pair of contacts` 36 which are in electrical engagementtherewith and co-act with .the contacts 17. It may here be stated that if desired, only one of the contacts l7 and one of the contacts 36 may be used, but two of each are preferable. It will be seen that due to the mounting of the contacts 17 on the spring 15, which isin turn carried by the. pivoted arm 11, said contacts will have a wiping action on the contacts 36, which keeps both sets of contacts bright and shiny, so that they will operate effectively. As wear takes place, requiring compensation, it is simply necessary to loosen the screw 32 with an ordinary screw driver, adjust the plate 30 to the necessary extent, land again tighten said screw. Saving in time and trouble is thus effected over the usual breakers, in which specially constructed minute wrenches are usually required to make adjustments.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10, a relatively large insulating carrier block 28a is received at its, lower portion in the channel 27, in, contact with the parallel sides of the latter, and in the construction shown, this block 28a is provided with parallel bores 40 extending horizontally therethrough from end -to end, to form sockets in the opposite ends of said block. The sockets at one end are occupied by a pair of metal sleeves 41 adapted to re- Fitting in the sockets at the other end of the block 28 are two plugs 42 which are carried by the short arms of a pair of L-shaped conductors 43, said arms also carrying a pair of stationary contacts 368L for co-'action with the contacts 17. The longer arms of the conductors43 extend along one side of the block 28, and screws 44 pass through these arms, and through the block 28 and sleeves 41. These screws serve to hold the conductors 43, lugs 42 and contacts36 in place, as well as orming binding screws for holding the wire terminals in the sleeves 41. Obviously, the plugs 42 prevent lateral shifting of the contacts 36. j

The construction just described, in connection with Figs. 7 to 1.0, is designed primarily for dual ignition, but b connectingv the two screws 44 with a vsuitab e conductor, this same form of breaker can be used in connection with the ordinary simple form of ignition system. fAll wires may Well pass through an opening 45 in the base 1 and I have illustrated a ybinding screw 46 adjacent said opening for the ground wire 41.

In the construction of Figs. 7 to 10, I prefer to secure the block 28n to the base 1, by a screw 32l passingthrough said block and threaded in the base 1, the former being slotted at 31a to permit adjustment of said block in the channel 27, so that the contacts 36a may be adjusted as required, to compensate for wear.

By employing the construction shown and described, or a substantial egnivalent thereof, a breaker is provided which is extremely simple and hence comparatively inexpensive. Nevertheless, it is highly eliicient and reliable and is not liable to get out of order. Whenever, any adjustment of the contacts isI necessary, it may be quickly and easily made Without the use of special tools, and the entire movable contact-carrying arm, may be bodily removed whenever necessary or advisable. Moreover, the 'speed with which this arm moves under the action Aof the spring, may be varied as occasion may demand, by proper adjustment of the spring,

as above-set forth.

Excellent results have been obtainedfrom the 'details disclosed and they are therefore preferably followed, but within the scope of the invention xas claimed, numerous minor changes may be made. Y

I claim:

1. In an ignition breaker, a swinging arm,

- a post onwhich said arm is pivoted and from which it is slidable, a stationary support carrying said post, a helical torsion spring surrounding said post and connected with said arm in a manner to prevent relative movement of the arm and spring longitudinally of the post, one end of said Vspring having a lateral tensioning arm, and a series of spaced overhanging abutments carried by said sup ort for holding said tensioning arm in any desired position and for holding the spring and support a ainst relative' movement longitudinally ofg the aforesaid post.

2. ,In ani 'tion breaker, a swinging arm having a au' of ears extending laterally in the same 'rection and provided with ahned openings, a stationary support having a post received in said openings in a manner to permit poStLahical torsion spring surrounding s'iliding'of said ears from said to. provide a4 tensioning arm, and a series of spaced overhanging abutments carried by said support for holding said tensioning arm in any desired adjusted position and for holding the spring and support against relative movement longitudinally of thef post.

3. `An ignition breaker contact arm hav-` ing provision at one end for pivotal mounting, a portion of said arm having lateral flanges extending in the same direction from its upperand lower edges, an insulating shoe secured between said ianges in spaced relation with said arm and adapted to co-act With an arm-operating cam, and a contactcarrying spring secured to the arm between its pivotal axis and said block, said spring extending between said arm and said shoe, and to the free end of the former.

4. An ignitionvbreaker comprising a base formed in its upper side with a channel having parallel side walls, a contact member mounted on the base and movable in a direction substantially parallel to said side walls, an insulating contact carrier secured in said channel and engaging said parallel side walls thereof, and contact means carried by said carrier and adapted for adjustment toward said movable contact member as necessary. v

5. .Anignition breaker comprising an insulating carrying block having a socket in each of two opposite ends, an L-shaped conductor having a plug and a Contact on one of its two arms, said plug being received in one of the sockets, the other arm of said con-4 ductor lying against one side of said block, a wire terminal-receiving sleeve in the other socket, and g screw passing through the conductor, block and sleeve to secure a wire terminal in said sleeve and to hold said conductor, plug and contact in place.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aixed my signature. Y

f WILLIAM WAGNER.-

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