US2032775A - Means for controlling starting motor and ignition circuits - Google Patents

Description

H. H. TRAIL March 3, 1936.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING STARTING MOTOR AND IGNITION CIRCUITS Filed. June 9, 1930 INJULHT'ION INJUL H770 HTTX F13 x Ysuu? WYJUL 877017 Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES TENT orrica MEANS FOR CONTROLLING STARTING MQTOR AND IGNITION CIRCUITS Application June 9, 1930, Serial No. 459,912

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in means for controlling starting motor and ignition circuits and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved means of this kind, which is so constructed as to simplify the manual manipulation thereof to obtain desired results.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means of this kind, which is so de-' signed to simplify the construction thereof.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an automatic means for controlling a starting motor circuit, and a simplified means for manually controlling said circuit should the automatic means fail.

These objects of my invention as well as others,. together with the many advantages thereof, will appear as I proceed'with my specification.

Referring to the drawing which will illustrate by way of'example, convenient forms of the invention:-

Fig. l is a view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a coil unit part of my improved means for controlling starting motor and ignition circuits.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the coil unit taken on the line A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical view through the coil unit as taken on the line B of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of some of the component parts of the coil unit.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of my improved means for controlling starting motor and ignition circuits.

Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are diagrammatic views of a manually operated switch shown in Fig. 5, illustrating the operated parts in their various relative positions.

Referring now to that embodiment of the in= vention illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 thereof, i indicates as a whole, an ignition coil and a manually operated switch adapted to control the coil circuit also a circuit arranged to control the starting motor circuit of an internal combustion engine. 2 is a cylindrical metal shell for enc1osing the ignition coil and circuit wires, 3 is a cap formed of insulating material supporting the terminals 2311, it, .25 and two not shown, and arranged to close one end of the cylinder shell 2. The other end of said shell is closed by the metallic disc t formed with the extension 5 for the rotary movement of the contact member 8.

suitable attachment to the instrument board 01' an automobile.

A lock plug 6 is mounted for rotary movement within the extension 5 and is manually operated by the key 22 and is prevented from unauthorized 5 operation by removal of the key. A fiber disc I is secured to the lock plug 6 by the screw ID for supporting and insulating a contact member 8. Recesses [B are formed in the periphery of the fiber disc 7 for receiving the arms I] of the con- 10 tact member 8 and are much wider than the width of the arms I! so as to permit of the disc I being partially rotated relative to the contact member 8 when said parts are in their relative assembled position as shown in Fig. l. A spring H is po'si- 15 tioned between the disc 1 and the contact member 8, and one end of the spring fits in a hole in the. disc and the other end fits in a hole in the contact member. This spring permits biasing the'contact member 8 at one end of its limited rotary 0 movement within the recesses l8 of the disc, and

.permits biasing the contact member away from the disc I and towards the insulating disc I 2 which is supported from the metal shell 2. The contact arm 9 is secured to the lock plug 6 by the screw ll! before mentioned thereby making a unit component of the lock plug 6, the fiber disc 7 and the contact arm 9. The insulating disc l2 supports the contacts I3, I 4, l5, and I6 which are arranged in circuit with the ignition coil and a circuit for controlling a starting motor circuit. The contacts 2! of the contact member 8 are arranged in the path of the stationary contacts l3, l4, and

i5 of the insulating disc l2, so as to engage therewith while the contact arm 9' is arranged in the 35 path of the stationary contact I 6 of the insulating disc [2 so as to engage therewith. The stop arm 26 is formed on the contact member 8 and is arranged to coact with the stop pins 28 to limit While the stop pins 28 limit the rotary movement of the contact member 8 they do not limit the movement of the contact arm 9 which can be moved a further distance, amounting to the difference between the width of the arms ll of the contact member Sand the width of the recesses i8 of the fiber disc 5. This further movement of r the contact arm 9 is indicated at It in Fig. 3 which shows the amount of movement of the contact arm 9 relative to the contact member 8.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawing, which shows diagrammatically, my improved means for controlling starting motor and ignition circuits. 29 and 30 represent the primary and secondary windings of the iggoing to the spark plugs of the engine.

The starting motor 54 has attached to it a mechanical starting device including a pinion E53 which is caused to be moved axially into and out of engagement with the toothed ring gear 63. A contact ring 56 is secured to the pinion 67 and moves into and out of contact with the contact arm 59 in circuit with the electro-magnet 42 which is arranged to operate the contacts 63 of the starting motor circuit. 32 is an electric storage battery. S represents a manually operated switch having a stationary insulating disc l2 to which are secured the stationary contacts l3, l4,

l5, l6, and the rotating contact member 6, and

the rotating contact arm 9 which is manually actuated by the lock plug 6. The movement of the contact member 8 is limited bythe stop arm 26 coacting with the stops 28. The contact arm 9 is insulated from the contact member 8 and is caused to actuate the contact member 6 by an extension contacting with the projection 64a of the contact member 6 when moved in one direction, and by said extension coacting with the spring II and the projection 65 when moved in another direction. In this manner, manual op-= eration of the lock plug 6 can be caused to rotate both the contact member 8 and the contact arm 9 together and when the contact member 8 has been rotated the limit of its movement a further rotary movement can be imparted to the con-' tact arm 9 by compressing the spring H by a further movement of the lock plug 6. Figure '7 shows the switch components in their relative "off position. In Fig. 5 the switch is shown with its component parts in their normal on position. Fig. 6 shows the switch components in their relative position when the ignition circuit would be energized and a circuit controlling a starting motor circuit has been established.

Assuming that the engine is stationary, when the switch component parts would be in their relative positions as shown in Fig. '7, and it desirous of starting the engine; manual movement of the key 22, or the lock plug 6, in a clockwise directioncauses both the contact arm 9 and the contact member 8 to be rotated in'a similar direction until the stop arm 26 contacts with thestop 28. Rotary movement of the contact member 8 is then arrested and the parts are in their relative positions as shown in Fig. 5, when the projections 2! contact with the stationary contacts l3, l4, and

I5. Further manual movement of the key 22, or the lock plug 6 in a clockwise movement, causes the contact arm 9 to' contact with. the stationary contact I6, and in so doing the spring H is compressed.

The component parts of the switch are only maintained in their relative positions as shown in Fig. 6 just so long as the operator manually holds the key 22 or the lock plug 6 at the maximum limit of its clockwise travel, and immediately the operator releases the key the spring I 1 causes the contact arm 9 to be rotated in an anti-clockwise direction and out of contact with the stationary contact l6.

When the operator actuates the switch from its oil? to its "on position, the switch parts move from the position shown in Fig. '7 to the position shown in Fig. 6, and upon releasing the operating member such as the key. 22 or the lock plug 6, the switch parts automatically move to the relative positions as shown in Fig. 5. which would be the normal on position of the switch while the engine is running. It is thus seen that, when the switch is actuated in the usual manner to its on" position, the contact arm 9 only momentarily contacts with the stationary contact i 6, while the contact member 8 is moved into contact with the stationary contacts l3, l4, and i5 and is maintained in such a position until the switch is manually actuated in an anti-clockwise direction to its "oii' position.

Thus when the switch is actuated to its on" position, the contact member 8 is actuated into contact with the stationary contacts i3, 94, and I5 thereby energizing the ignition circuit of the engine by way of battery 32 lead 33 terminal 4? lead 34 stationary contact l5 contact member 6 contact l4 primary winding 29 lead 35 terminal 46 lead 31 timer 38 and to ground at 39 thereby causing secondary current to be transmitted to the engine by way of the secondary winding 39 terminal 49 lead 62 distributor 50 and the leads 5|. The contact arm 9 is also moved into'contact with the stationary contact l6, momentarily, thus energizing the electro-magnet 42 to energize starting motor circuit by way of battery 32 lead 3! lead 33 terminal 41 lead 34 stationary contact l5 contact member 8 stationary contact l3 lead 46 terminal 46 lead 4| electro-magnet 42 lead 43 terminal 44 lead 45 stationary contact l6 contact arm 9 and to ground at 6!. Upon the electromagnet 42 becoming momentarily energized it iscaused to close the contacts 63 thus energizing the starting motor circuit by way of battery 32 lead 3| lead 59 contacts63 and to ground by way of. lead 66.

Upon the starting motor being energized the pinion 51 and the .contact ring 55move axially into driving engagement with the flywheel ring gear 53' which in turn rotates the engine. The axial movement of the pinion and contact ring 55 causes it to contact with the contact arm 58. By this time the circuit which primarily energized the electro-magnet 42 is opened by the contact arm 9 being actuated by the spring ll out of contact with the contact I6 and the electro-magnet 42 is maintained energized by way of battery 32 leads 3i and 33 terminal 41 lead 34 contact l5 contact member 8 contact l3 lead 40 terminal 46 lead 4| electro-magnet 42 lead 56 contact arm 58 contact ring 55 and to ground at 66. In this manner the electro-magnet is maintained. energized to keep the contacts 63 closed and the starting motor energized until such time as theengine runs under its own power. At this time the ring gear 53 causes the pinion 51' to overrun the speed of the starting motor whereupon the pinion moves axially out of driving engagement with the ring gear. This also moves the contact ring 55 out .of contact with the contact arm 58 thereby de-energizing the electro-magnet which causes the spring 69 to de-energize the starting motor ,by opening the contacts 63.

Should the engine stall while the switch is in its normal on position as shown in Fig. 5 manual actuation of the key 22 or the lock plug 6, slightly in a clockwise direction compresses the spring ll andj'moves the contact arm 9 into contactwith the stationary engagement I6 thereby causing the starting motor to be again energized in the manner heretofore described. When the operator releases the key 22 or the lock plug 6, the spring II is caused to bias and move the eneasement arm 9 out of contact with the stationary contact l6 to the position shown in Fig. 5. I

In the arrangement oi the invention heretofore described, the de-energizing oi the starting motor circuit is automatic in its action, excepting when the operator purposely actuates the switch from its on to its "011 position when iii the component parts are actuated to the position as shown in Fig. 7 which causes the deenergizing of both the ignition and starting motor circuits.

To simplify the construction and to eliminate the automatic de-energizing of the starting m0- tor circuit should it be so desired, the lead 56 and the contact arm 58 may be eliminated, in which case it would be necessary for the operator to overcome the resistance of the spring H to hold the contact arm 9 in contact with the stationary contact IE to maintain the starting motor energized till the engine runs under its own power. Upon the operator releasing the key 22 or the lock plug 6 the spring It would bias and actuate the contact arm 9 out of contact with the stationary contact l8 hereby deenergizing the starting motor circuit without any effort on the part of the operator.

By the construction described I am enabled to control by a single manual operation, both the starting motor circuit and the ignition circuit of an internal combustion engine, and should the engine stop of itself, it can again be started by merely applying a slight movement to the manually operated member in the same direction that is necessary to primarily energize the starting motor and ignition circuits.

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts employed, the same is to be considered merely as illustrative so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A switch embodying therein a plurality of i fixed contacts, a contactor turnable in one direction from its 0 to its on position and wherein it engages one of said fixed contacts, a second contactor turnable in said one direction from its oif to its on position wherein it engages the others of said contacts, yieldable means between said contactors operating when the first contactor is manually turned in said one direction into its on position, to cause the second contactor to turn in the same direction into its on position, said yieldable means operating when said first contactor is released, to turn it in the other direction partway toward its off position wherein it is disengaged from said one of said contacts, and means on said second contactor for stopping-the first contactor in its last mentioned position and positively connecting both contactors together for a joint return to the full cit position, when said first contactor is manually moved back to its full off position.

2. A switch embodying therein a plurality of fixed contacts, a contactor turnable in one direction from its 0 to its on position and wherein it engages one of said fixed contacts, a

second contactor turnable in said one direction from its off to its on position wherein it engages the others of said contacts, stops for determining the foif and "031 positions of said second contact-or, yielding means between said contactors operating when the first contactor is manually turned in said one direction to its on position to cause the second contactor to turn in the same direction into its on position, said yieldable means operating when first contactor is released, to turn it in the other direc- HERBERT H. TRAIL.

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