US1915709A

US1915709A - Tester for internal combustion engines

Info

Publication number: US1915709A
Application number: US591715A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas J Wiseman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-02-08
Filing date: 1932-02-08
Publication date: 1933-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 1950-06-27

Description

T. WHSEIMAN TEE FOE. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES TES Filed Feb 8, 1932 2 Sheets Sheei; l

J. WIISEMAN TESTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 27, 1933 PATENT I OFFICE THOMAS J. WISEIAN, OI NITRO, WEST VIRGINIA TESTER FOB INTERNAL OOIBUSTION ENGINES Application filed February 8,1838. Serial No. 591,715.

This invention relates to testers for internal combustion engines, and has for an object the provision of novel means for determining whether there is a circuit through the spark plugs from the conductors to ground and, if there is a circuit, whether it is producing a normally operative spark or an impaired ignition. The difficulties of locatin cylin er internal combustion engine are, of course, known tothose who have tested for impairment of function, and it is an object of this invention to provide a compact testing device which will indicate the distribution of current or the lack of distribution,

the said device being ca able of detecting defects through the use 0 visual signals which may be inspected as the mechanisms are actuated to make and break a circuit from the spark plug to a ground connection of the high tension electric circuit.

t is a further object of this invention to provide a casing in which the operating parts of the switches are enclosed, the top of the casing being provided with slots or openings,

through which the visual signal is exposed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide switch operating instrumentalities aving manuallyoperable parts extending so through the casing where they are readily accessible, such parts being the only operative parts of the mechanism which are exposed and which could likely be damaged in andling or manipulating the tester.

It is a still further object of this invention to produce a tester which requires comparatively small storage space and that can be expeditiously manipulated both in the application to the parts of the engine being tested 0 and its removal therefrom, as well as in the operation of the parts for making and breaking the circuit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, wheretrouble in one or more of a multiin like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which-- Figure 1 illustrates a View in perspective of a tester embodying the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates an enlarged transverse sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of fragments of the circuit controlling means; Figure 4 illustrates an underneath plan view of a cover or lid for the casing;

Figure 5 illustrates a diagrammatic view of the circuits; and

Figure 6 illustrates an enlarged sectional view through a fragment of the cover and parts associated with it. 55

It is the purpose of this inventor to provide a tester which will be effective for testing an engine having any number of cylinders and the present embodiment of the in- .vention illustrates a tester for an engine having eight cylinders.

In these drawings, 10 denotes a rectangular housing or easing having a plurality of openings such as 11 on one side, and each of said openings is provided preferably with an insulator 12 through which a conductor 13 extends. Each conductor 13 has its inner end attached to a binding post or terminal 14 and its outer end is connected to a clip 15 of appropriate type which, in the present embodiment of the invention, is of conventional type, capable of being clamped to an electrode of a spark plug. The inventor does not wish to be limited with respect to the type of clip employed and therefore a description of the details of construction of the clip is omitted. It has been found desirable to provide insulating nipples 16 for the clips, the said nipples, in the present embodiment of the. invention, being flexible in order that when they are pressed they will operate the clip for opening its jaws to embrace an electrode.

Each binding post or terminal, in the present embodiment of the invention, is formed by employing a strip of conductive metal, such as copper, and shaping it between its ends to form a seat for a knife switch 17. In forming the said seat, the strip is doubled on itself at locations 18 and 19, the doubled v I such spaced relation to each other that the blade will wipe the sides thereof in entering the seat so thatthere will be electrical contact between the blade and the parts forming the seat. Each'strip may be secured to the under side of the cover by a screw. 19*- to which an end of a conductor 13 is attached. The end 20 of the strip remote from the binding post is shaped to partially embrace the ca or terminal 21 of a vacuum lamp 22, the said lamp being supplied with a cap or terminal'23 at its opposite end located in certain relation to a ground connection, as will presently appear.

The cover 24 of the casing'has a plurality of windows therein, formed in the resent instance, by providing slots 25 which are elongated transversely of the cover and each slot merges with a transversely disposed rethe cover.

ccss 26 in the inner surface of the cover, each recess constituting a seat for a lamp.

The cover 24 is also provided with a plu-' ra-lity of apertures 27 which merge with transversely disposed recesses 28 in the inner surface of the cover, one such aperture and recess being formed for each window in Each aperture and recess last mentioned contains a switch operating member which, in the present embodiment of the invention, comprises an insulating body 29 with a finger piece extension 30. The contour of the body 29 is such that it fits in the recess 28 and the extension 30 projects through the aperture of the top where it is accessible for manipulation. The body 29 has a slot 31 in which a blade 32 is seated, the said blade extending practically through the body and with the body, has an aperture to receive a rod 33 that extends longitudinally of the housing. The body 29 and blade 32 are oscillatable on the rod 33 and the blade is arranged to be in electrical contactwith the said rod. When the parts are assembled, the rod is engaged by resilient clips 34, the free ends of which extend across and in engagement with the said rod, whereas the 'oppositeend of each clip is secured to the under surface of the cover by fastenings such as screws or the like. The rod 33 constitutes a connection for a ground conductor 36, which conductor is supplied with a clip and insulator, as disclosed in Figure 2 and described in connection therewith.

In the diagrammatic view, Figure 5, the lamps 22 are numbered from 1 to 8 to indicate the cylinders, and the spark plugs included in the high tension circuit are likewisenumberedfrom 1 to 8. The other connections of the diagram are numbered in accordance with the mechanicalparts of the tester, to which reference has been made in intermittently short circuiting a normal circuit of the high tension system. When the circuit is changed the lamps will exhibit visual signals proportional to the intensity of the current passing through them, it being understood that the terminals 23 of the several lamps are in such proximity to the rod 33 as to permit a circuit which will illuminate the lamps.

The tubes are held in place in the casing by strips 37 and the said strips are secured by fastenings 38 such as screws or the like.

I claim:

L In a-tester 'for internal combustion engines, a housing having windows, a lamp disposed in the housing for each window, contact strips disposed in the housing, each of which engages a lamp and conducts current thereto, a rod extending longitudinally of the housing in position to receive current from the lamps, a switch blade for each contact strip electrically connected to the rod, means oscillatable on the rod and extending externally of the housing for operating each switch blade, a grounding conductor connected to the rod, and conductors connected to the contact strips and adapted to be anchored to spark plugs of internal combustion engines.

2. In a tester for internal combustion engines, a housing, a cover therefor having windows, lamps disposed in the housing under each window, a contact strip secured to the under side of the cover for each lamp and operative to conduct current thereto, a rod extending longitudinally of the cover, a switch blade for each contact strip oscillatably mounted on the rod and electrically connected thereto, means oscillatable on the rod and extending through the cover for operating each switch blade, a grounding conductor connected to the rod and adapted to be anchored to a grounding part of the engine, and conductors connected to the contact strips and adapted to be anchored to spark plugs of the engine.

3. In a tester for internal combustion engines, a housing, a cover therefor having windows, lamps attached to the cover under each window, a contact strip secured to the under side of the cover for each lamp and operative to conduct current thereto, a rod extending longitudinally of the cover, a switch blade for each contact strip oscillatably mounted on the rodand electrically connected thereto, members oscillatable on the rod'to which the switch bladesare connected, parts of the said members extending through the cover for manipulation in rocking the members on the rod, a grounding conductor connected to the rod, and conductors connected to the contact strips and adapted to be connected to spark plugs of the engine.

4. In a tester for internal combustion engines, a housing, a cover therefor 'having windows, the said cover having recesses on its inner surface in line with the windows, lamps located in said recesses, means for holding the lamps in place, the said cover having transversely disposed recesses mergmg wlth an aperture, a rod 1n the housmg extending transversely of the said recesses, eletact with the aforesaid lamps, conductors connected to the contact strips and adapted to be connected to spark plugs of int'ern'a'l' combustion engines, and a grounding con ductor connected to the rod and having means for attaching it to a metal part of the said engine.

THOMAS WISEMAN.