US1955394A

US1955394A - Adapter

Info

Publication number: US1955394A
Application number: US647919A
Authority: US
Inventors: Emil A Stromberg
Original assignee: STROMBERG MOTOSCOPE CORP
Current assignee: STROMBERG MOTOSCOPE Corp
Priority date: 1932-12-19
Filing date: 1932-12-19
Publication date: 1934-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 1951-04-17

Description

April 17, 1934. E. A. sTRoMBERG ADAPTER Filed Dec. 19, 1932 Patented Apr. 17, 1934.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Stromberg Motoscope Corporation,

Chicago,

Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 19, 1932, Serial No. 647,919

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ignition testing devices for internal combustion engines, and refers specically to the provision of means for testing portions of the ignition system,

5 of a well known type of distributor, while the engine is in operation.

The utility, objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawing and following detail description.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, parts being broken away, of a type of distributor and spark coil utilized with the internal combustion engine of a well known automobile, in conjunction with which an embodiment of my invention is used.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the distributor, showing the adapter, comprising my invention, mounted thereon.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3--3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the adapter.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 1 indicates a spark coil housing contained within which is the usual spark or ignition coil utilized in conjunction with internal combustion engines. A coil spring terminal 2 positioned at the lower portion of the housing 1 is connected to one side of the primary coil of the spark coil, the other side of said coil, of course, being grounded in the conventional manner, as shown diagrammatically at 2. A frustro conical projection 3 may extend downwardly from the bottom of the housing 1 and may carry spring impelled carbon brush 4 which is connected to one side of the secondary or high tension coil.

The ignition coil shown and described is utilize with the internal combustion engine of a well known make of automobile, the ignition unit being so constructed that housing 1 is adapted to be mounted upon flange 5 of the distributor housing 6, screws not shown being adapted to connect ange '7 of the spark coil housing l and 45 flange 5 of the distributor housing 6.

The distributor unit utilized in conjunction with the automobile above mentioned carries a rotor 7 which may be mounted upon shaft 8 which, in turn, is the cam shaft which carries 50 the timing gears, not shown. It can readily be seen that when the internal combustion engine is in operation, shaft 8 will be rotated thereby rotating rotor '7. Openings 8 may be provided in each side of the housing 6 and conventional 55 distributor caps, not shown, are adapted to be mounted over said openings. The rotor 7 is provided with two spaced annular iianges 9 and 9', the body of the rotor and the flanges beingconstructed of a material such as bakelite fibre or other material having a relatively high dielectric strength. A metal ring 10 may be positioned between flanges 9 and 9 and makes electrical-connection with contacts 11 positioned at the peripheral surfaces of each of the llanges 9 and 9. Contacts 11, when the rotor is rotated, makes periodic electrical connection with the cooperating contacts mounted upon the distributor caps, said contacts in turn being connected to the spark plug conductors.

A cam 12 may be mounted upon shaft 8 and is adapted to actuate followers 13 and 14, to open or close contacts l5 or 16 respectively, to open or close the primary circuit. This construction is conventional and is believed to necessitate no further detailed description. l

A contact member 1'7 may be positioned within the housing 6 and may carry spring members 18 and 19 which serve the dual purpose of springs to maintain followers 13 and 14 respectively in contact with the periphery of cam 12 constructed of insulating material and also of conductors which forms a portion of the primary coil circuit. The entire make and break mechanism, of course is insulated from the ground. y

Normally when coil casing l is mounted upon the distributor housing 6, the end of coil spring 2 contacts member 17 thereby placing the circuit breakers 15 and 16 in series with the primary coil. When the coil is so mounted, the downwardly extending member 3 projects between flanges 9 and 9', and brush 4 rides upon ringV 10 thereby completing the secondary or high tension circuit from the secondary of the spark plug to contact 11 which, as has been hereinbefore described, makes Contact with the terminals of the spark plug conductors.

Heretofore, if the spark coil was to be tested or if it was desired to determine whether or not leakage of current was taking place from rotor 7, it was necessary to remove said spark coil and test the same separately or to remove rotor 7 which involves dismantling the entire distributor unit. By utilizing my invention, the necessity for the removal of the rotor 7 is obviated and the spark coil may be tested under operating conditions.

To accomplish this object I may provide a bifurcated member 20 which may be constructed of fibre, hard rubber, bakelite or other similar material having a dielectric strength. The member 20 may comprise an arm 21 carried upon which may be coil spring contacting member 22 similar to the coil spring contacting member 2, mounted upon the spark coil casing 1. The opposite arm 23 of the member 20 may carry tubular member 24 extending through which is a pin 25. A brush 26 may be carried at the lower end of pin 25 and may protrude from the en d of the tubular member 24 and a coil spring 27 may encircle pin 25 and be positioned above brush 26 thereby resiliently impelling said brush outwardly. A cap 27 may be mounted upon the upper end of pin 25 and may encompass the upper portion of tubular member 24.

In utilizing my invention in conjunction with the coil and distributor shown in Fig. 1, the coil housing 1 may be removed from its position upon the distributor housing 6 and the member 20 may be mounted upon a portion of ange 5, said member being provided with aperture 28 through which screw 29 may extend which, in turn, may serve to fasten member 20 upon flange 5,. The member 20 may be so positioned with respect to the elements Within distributor housing 6, that brush 26 may ride upon ring 10 and that the end of coil spring 22 may contact member 1'7. A binding post 30 may comprise an electrical continuation of coil spring 22 and spring 2 positioned upon housing 1 may be connected to binding post 30 by means of conductor 3l. In this manner, although coil housing 1 may be removed from its normal seat upon housing 6, circuit breaker gaps 15 and 16 will still be connected in series with the primary coil. A conductor 32 may connect the cap 27 to movable electrode 33, shown diagrammatioaly in Fig. 1. A conductor 34 may connect brush 4 to stationary electrode `35. It is to be understood, of course, that movable electrode 33 and stationary electrode 35 are intended to diagrammatically illustrate any type of ignition testing instrument, and, for the sake of simplicity, a simple adjustable spark gap is shown, the length of the gap being ascertainable by suitable calibrated indicia 36.

It can readily be seen that by provision of the member 20 in conjunction with the appropriately disposed

contacts

22 and 26, the coil contained Within housing 1 may be tested while the internal combustion engine u pon which the housing 6 and coil housing 1 may be mounted may be in operation, in other words, by the provision of my invention information may be ascertained which would not possibly be available in testing the spark coil independently of Ythe remaining instrumentalities comprising the ignition distributing system.

In addition, by constructing the member 2O in the form shown la maximum area of visibility may be obtained of `the interior of vhousing 6. It frequently happens, when ,utilizing the type of distributor shown, that the peripheral surfaces of the flanges 9 and 9 become coated with carbon. When this occurs, of course, leakage currents exist which can readily be seen. Heretofore, in order to ascertain whether such leal;- age currents existed, in other words, to ascertain whether the peripheral surfaces of flanges 9 and 9 carried sufcient carbon to provide a leakage path for the high tension current, the entire rotor 7 had to be removed from the distributor housing 6, said rotor being subsequently subjected to the usual high tension current test. However, by the provision of my invention, the spark coil housing 1 may be removed from the distributor housing 6, and the member 20 may be positioned as shown permitting the spark coil to be utilized with the distributor and rotor 'I may be examined for the presence of leakage currents which can readily be observed or detected while the rotor is in actual operation.

I claim as my invention:

l. lAn nadapter for connecting an ignition testing device to the ignition system or" an internal combustion engine which comprises, a relatively iiat body member constructed of non-conducting material, said body being provided with a recess, juxtaposed arms dening opposite sides of said recess, a coil spring contact carried by one arm, and a resiliently impelled brush contact carried by the opposite arm.

2. An adapter for connecting an ignition testing device to the ignition system of an internal combustion engine which comprises, a relatively Hat body member constructed of nonconducting material, electric terminals mounted upon said body in spaced relationship, a coil spring contact carried by one o'f said terminals, and a resiliently impelled brush contact carried by the other kof said terminals.

3. An adapter for connecting an ignition testing device to the ignition system of an internal combustion engine which comprises, a body member constructed of non-conducting material, said body being provided with a recess, juxtaposed arms defining opposite sides of said recess, a coil spring contact carried by one arm, and a resiliently impelled brush contact' carried by the opposite arm.

4. An adapter for connecting an ignition testing device to the ignition system of an internal combustion engine which comprises, a relatively flat body member constructed of non-conducting material, electrical terminals mounted upon said body member and extending upwardly from one face thereof, a resilient contact carried by one of said terminals and extending from the opposite face of said body member, and a resiliently impelled brush contact carried by the other terminal and extending from the face of the body member.

5. An adapter for connecting an ignition testing device to the ignition system of an internal combustion engine which comprises, a relatively at body member constructed of non-conducting material, said body being provided with a recess, juxtaposed arms defining opposite sides of said recess, a coil spring contact carried by one arm, a resiliently impelled brush contact carried by the opposite arm, and means for mounting said body member upon an automobile ignition distributor.

' EMIL A. STROMBERG.