US1579625A - Spark plug - Google Patents

Description

April 6, 1926. 1,579,625 1 G. E. BANGHART SPARK PLUG Filed Sept. 5, 1923 gnw'nlofn I 2 Hawaii. Bay/141?:

Patented Apr. 6, 192 6.

UN'iTED-STA S excites a. nairenimr, against-N; vmmm;

f manna;

v I Application flied September 5,1925. Serial No 661,039.

To allwhom it may cancer-4w Be it known that I, Gnonen E Bimiim,

' a citizen of the UnitedStates', residing at Ballston, iii-the county of Arlington and State of'Virginia, have invented certain new and: useful Improvements in- Spark Plugs, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention has for an object to effect 3 improvements in sparlr plugs, to the ends'ot securing more 'eflicient{"tunction in I ignition, longer life in thej'plug, .r'ninir'numj-use' ofstock iii-production of the parts, andother improvements;

For the "rej efficient functioning of the plug itis an'attainment of the invention thatthepa'th of the spark is localized and tends after initiation, to move in the same path in which it is initiated, whereas in plugs having one or more ordinary elec-- trodes the spark changesfroni one position to another rapidly,'encountering successivefunctions. m y

b provided means 'by whicln -contrary to a previous'pr-actice of heating that part of ly newi cool'dieletric matter which limits its head and intensity ofactivityg It is also an attainnientfin this direct-ionthat the electrodes' "keep themselves clear by physical Further-- efliciency is attained a main charge adjacent the igniting device heat accumulating electrodesare utilized to" heat a small part 'otfthecliargecwithin an enclosure which in'itselfwill impart to the transmitting element. and whereby the use adjacent the electrodes whenthetime of nition eventuates. Ano ther purpose islto" enclosed mixture a certain amounto't heat", absorbed from ignition of "charges. It is an important object to provide a plug in which" an ele'ctrode maybe utilized also as afheat of high compression and excessivelyv large size infthe said element will not be required,

by preventing absorption of heat from the" heat transmitting element by movement of large bodies otthe charge which are not cause] a highly powertiil explosion of. the

initially ignited part of the charge a ndfit s H rapid propagation by-ndirection ,ot'thel;

initially ignited part within limited paths to distant parts' of the explosion chamber It isalso an aim to attain what isbelieyed to bean improved ionization effect about the electrodes when the device is in use.

Incidentally, the plug functions to vent access to the terminals of oil, erran- Naturallmithe attainment of theseeiids" 13011 from the main body of, the leli e.

mum developmentot pow h P get-away; low idling'speedj Longer life in the plug is secured in the provision of electrodes which will burn away'in a-mimmumdegree, reduced liability'ot'breakage of porcelains either by ex- 'tre'm'esrof heat, or by mal-adjustments due to removal and replacement in cleaning. i r I Additional objects, advantages and featui'es of invention reside in the construction, arrangement. and combination of parts'as hereinafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein, I

Figure 1 is a vertical sectionalview of the plug in'one embodiment,

-Fig. 2 is a top view of the liood removed, Fig. 3 is an elevational view of thepi-ug,

tion, showing a familiar mounting of the porcelain.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing'the 'hood integral, and also illustrating a modification of theupper electrode.

Fig. 4-is an elevational view partly in sec- 7 There isi'illustrated a plug comprising a case body 10*having anenlarged, interior-V ly threaded, exteri'orly hexagonal upper or nut part 1l','and anexteriorly threaded-cyscrewed into the ordinary plug opening of an internal combustion engine cylinder. 1 The case as shown n Figure 11s formed with of the 'upperfpart'll, agwvell as somewhat smaller than'ttl e'interior of the part 12. v

The lowcryend of the plug of Figure 1 "is formed with a further reduced cylindrical extension 14, below; the nipple proper "formed with a-' circumsoribing exterior groovelfii' Upon this extension there is snugIyfitted a hood 16 the sides of which are cylindrical and formed with slits 17 opening on the upperopen edge of the hood -whereby some, resilient flexing action of the intervening parts is'permitted. The upper edge portion isformed'with a rib or indenitations 19adaptedto snap snugly into the groove 15, andi'etain the'ho'odagainst casual I detachment. v The part 14 is ofsufliciently smaller diameter thanfthe threads on the nipple to permit the hood to i thereover and still clear the sides' ottheephg openlind'r'icaI nipple. part 12 adapted ,to be an interior 'ainnular shoulder 13 having a y diameter considerably lessthan the interior through the aperture -for reduction is preferably located/opposite. thebas'e' ing of the engine cylinder readily. In fact, a shoulder is formed in practice, whiclrenables the ready insertion of a screw driver between the edge of the hood and the nipple proper and the exercising of leverage to pry the hood off when necessary. The hood may be replaced by holding it in position with the upper end of the case rested on an anvil or the like, and delivering a blow with a hammer on the bottom of the hood. The hottoin or closed end of the hood maybe formed as desired, but in the present instance is in the form 01"" a segment of a sphere formed integrally with the wall of the hood. p

A porcelain core is mounted in the upper case 11 which includes preferably upper and lower cylindrical stem and apron parts 2122 within intervening cyl ndr cal enlargement adapted to rest on a packing 23 on the shoulder 13 and receive at the upper side the thrust of 'a gland 2a of sleeve-like form extending beside the enlargement a distance, a packing 25 being interposed. The gland is provided with an upper nut part. 4

It is to be noted that the lower part of the porcelain or apron 22 stops a distance above the extension 14;. In the porcelain. there is mounted in any approved manner an axial electrode 26 having a ball terminal 27 thereon within, adjacent or below the extension 14.

- In the hood there is mounted a horizontal. stud-like electrode 28 extending from the wall of the hood a distance above the bottom this electrode is provided with a terminal ball 29 located on the axis of the plug. The last electrode is readily mounted by insertion through a drilled opening in the wall of the hood, and the electrode orhood peened. An axial aperture 30 is formed in the hood beneath the ball 29, and in Fig. 1 the hood is shown as hav ing a diagonal opening 31 extending partly in the wall and partly in the bottom of the hood, while additional apertures 32 may be formed at other parts of the hood as found desirable to correspond with the size or shape or" the cylinder in which the device is used. Ordinarily, I have formed two of the openings 32 in plugs adapted for use in the Ford motor. The electrodes are so spaced in the hood that there is a clearance between the hood and (ball 29 which will permit adjustment of the ball with respect to the ball 27, moveaent on the axis of .thelatter; This may be accomplished .by insertion of. a tool through the aperturefSl for widening, or

the For this reason the-aperture the electrode .28, [so "that "the cente'ring' of the electrode in'a'd'justnie'nt may be assured? 7 otherwise re tricted to form It is important that the balls 28 and 29 be of comparatively large size in proportion to the parts or the plug as ordinarily constructed, -i-t-bein g the purpose that either one or both shall function to accumulate a considerable degree of heat from explosions of charges, it is believed that if any difference is made in the size of the two, the lower should be the larger, and when direct current is used for ignition, the lower electrode should also be the positive terminal. is believed also that the balls have an effect in so ionizing the air or held about the gap that the spark is made more eflicicnt and less vacillating. The hood may be adjusted with one of the lateral aperturespreferably the large diagonal one til oisposed toward the intake valve of the motor in which it installed, so that the incoming charge will direct fresh gases into the hood. There will be no great movement of gases through the hood, however by this action, and theetl'ect will be that heat given oit by the balls will be concentrated on a comparatively small amount of the charge mixture bringing it to a nascent condition with respect to ignition so that it will readily become fired by the spark at the gap. The wall and bottom of the hood also aid in this effect, partly warming the mixture entering, so that the balls may raise the enclosed gas to a higher temperature than the balls or a hood acting alone. When.

the part of a charge within the hood becomes ignited under these conditions, it explodes violently, projecting itseli throu h the openings of the hood and establishing immediately numerous areas of propagation of ignition in the main body of the charge, and resulting in a quicker explosion without requiring high initial compression. 7

In Fig. 4 the use of an ordinary retainer nut or gland 35 at the outer part of the percelain 18 shown, as well as a modification of the formation of the shoulder 13, For the utilization of an electrode ofgreat-er diameter 1n the enlargement 22-.a familiar st-ruc ture 1n plugs.

In F1g. 5, in place of the ball 28, there is prov ded on the axial electrode a cup-like terminal d0, which is hollow and provided with a restricted openingiin-m-ediately adacent the ball 29 which is nountedas before described, the remainder of t being also made in accordance e plug the previous disclosure. In the formatio o't-the terminal 40, the extremity of the e trade proper-41. is formed with a thread, and a .short section of tube corresponding to the upper part of the terminal 40 is 'interio-rlv threaded ands'erewed on to the ele ode, the lower end of the tube section bei spun or 1e reduced Constihetient-tte s r a y adjusting the gap between the mean for electrodes, which is accomplished by removing the core and with a pair of pipe, pliers turning "the terminal 40 as required to vary the gap, then replacing the parts. In case the removable, hood is employed, removal ofp the. core from the case Will not, of course, be

with respect to the plug;

required, but the hood is removed and the terminal 40 adjusted indicated.

The function of this last described form of the device is to cause the opposed surfaces of the electrodes to be cleaned by the rush of exploding gas fromthe terminal 40, in addition to the'heating effect before noted.

Iii adjusting the hood,the plugcase is preferably first screwed home in the engine cylinder, and a mark then made on the case indicating the directionof the'intake valveafter which the hood is adjusted With the opening 31 adjacent the mark thus made.

' The plug is adapted to be produced at a low cost Without special diiiicultiesi'nshop practice, and has been found to function With eminent satisfaction, through actual use.

As in Fig. 5, also, the hood element may be made integral With the "case, as at 42.

It should be noted that the ball' elements become very highly heated in the operation of the device as indicated, and this in addition to superheating the portion of the charge Within the hood of the plug, also keeps the terminals free of soot or carbon. Fig. 4 incidentally illustrates the use of a horizontal slot 36 formed in the Wall of the hood in a planeat right angles to the axis of the plug and coincident with the stem 28. In conjunction with this slot, the

desired.

apertures 32 may be used or omitted as desired, the width and lengthof the slot being electrode'28 to be inserted through the open-' ing in the hood insteadof through the upper end of'the case forsecurement in-the Wall of the hood.

. What is claimed 2- In a plug ofthe character described, a case hooded at the inner end, an insulating core therein, an axial electrode mounted in the. core exposed Within. theliood, a separate electrode mounted Within and on the side of the hood including a stem set in the Wall of Within the hood and cooperative relation to the first electrode, said hood being laterally I i aperturedfor the recept on of gases and projection of ignited gases as described, in cluding an aperture opposite the stem. of

the hood and aheat accumulating and rera ning enlargement on the stem spaced the second named'electrode of a size to per-r niit insertion of saidlelectrode and admit a 'tool for adjustment of the gap.

In testimonywhereof I have afiixed my signature.

GEORGE E. BANGHART.

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