US2303464A

US2303464A - Distributor for internal combus

Info

Publication number: US2303464A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1942-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 1959-12-01

Description

- Dec. 1. 1942.

DISTRIBUTOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug. 14, 1941 IIIIIIIJIl-V Leland Horatio Hove Patented 1, 1942 DISTRIBUTOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUS- I TION ENGINES Leland Horatio Hove, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application August 14, 1941, Serial No. 408,858 1 Claims. (01. 200-19) My invention relates to distributors for internal combustion engines and has for an object to provide a device by means of which the supporting plate for the circuit breaker of the distributor may be rigidly and securely mounted for oscillatory movement to permit of accurately advancing and retarding ignition in the cylinders.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a construction by means of which existing distributors may be easily and rapidly re paired or reconditioned when wear occurs.

A feature of the invention resides in providing a method by means of which worn distributors may be reconditioned. I

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a liner in the form of a ring adapted to fit within a groove in the housing, said ring having a groove following the groove in the housing and receiving balls carried by ball holdersmounted on the supporting plate.

A feature of .the invention resides in constructing the liner in the form of an open ring convides a construction and a method by means of which this wear may be taken up and-also by means of which new installations may be constructed soas to practically eliminate such wear.

In the drawing, 1 have illustrated a distributor having a housing 10 constructed of cast iron or any other suitable material. This housing has a cylindrical wall II and a radial wall l2 connected thereto forming a compartment it within the same. At the center of the housing is pro vided a boss l3 which is connected to the radial wall I 2 and which is provided with a bearing H. The bearing I4 has rotatably mounted in it a cam shaft l5 which projects into the compartment IS. The housing I0 is open at the top, being nor- The shaft [5 has secured to it a cam I] which structed of resilient material and of a diameter greater than the diameter of the wall of the distributor housing at the groove therein and adapted to be sprung into the groove in said housing and held through its resiliency in position therein.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a distributor for a 6- 'cylinder internal combustion engine with the cap removed.

-.Fig. 2 is an elevational view partly in sectionand taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the liner used with the invention.

For the purpose of supporting the circuit breaker supporting plate of a distributor for oslooseness and play. The present invention proalso supports the distributor arm of the distributor, said distributor arm not being shown in the drawing.

Within the compartment IS in housing I0 is disposed a supporting plate II! on which the circuit breaker ill of the distributor is mounted. This circuit breaker comprises a mounting 2| pivoted to the plate ill on a pintle 22 and adjustably held attached to said plate by means of a screw 23 passing through a slot 24 in said plate and an eccentric 25 operating in a slot 26 in said plate. The mounting 2| carries a fixed contact 21 which cooperates with a movable contact '23 mounted on the-circuit breaker arm 23. This arm is provided with an insulating bushing 3| pivoted on the pintle 22 and is urged toward the contact 21 by means of a spring 32 engaging an insulating lug 33 attached to mounting 2|. A cam follower 34 engages the cam l1 and makes and breaks the circuit through the

contacts

21 and 23.

The plate I8 is supported for oscillatory movement about the axis of the shaft l8 in the following manner: Extending about the inner suris constructed in much the same manner as the ball holders 3! and 38 excepting that the same is formed from resilient spring material and is attached to the plate I8 by a device to be presently described in detail. When the distributor is first used, balls are provided which act between the grooves in the

ball holders

36, 31 and 38 and the groove 35 in the wall ll of housing l0. These balls serve to guide the support |8 for oscillatory movement about the axis of the shaft l5. The plate l8 has a hole 4| of considerably greater dimension than the cam I1 and through which said cam and the shaft l5 extend, whereby the said plate may be mounted for oscillation independently of the shaft I5, its bearings or any parts attached thereto.

For the purpose of oscillating the plate l8 to advance and retard the ignition of the fuel in the cylinders of the engine linkage is employed which includes a link 42 operable through .a slot 43 in the wall ll of housing It). This link is pivoted on a bushing 44 which is riveted to the plate l8. This bushing also extends through a flange 45 formed on the ball holder 36 and thus secures the said ball holder in position upon the supporting plate. A screw 45 threaded into the bushing 44 holds the link 42 in position. If desired, the condenser 41 of the distributor may also be mounted upon the supporting plate l8.

The invention includes a liner 48 which is constructed of a tempered spring steel having suitable wearing qualities. This liner is preferably made of strip material which is rolled transversely and longitudinally to form an open ring arcuate in cross section. By means of this construction, the outer surface 49 of the liner 48 becomes convex and is of such curvature as to snugly fit within the groove 35 of wall I of housing It). At the same time a concave groove 5| is formed upon the inner surface of the liner 48 which follows along the groove 35 and which is adapted to receive the balls carried by the

ball holders

36, 31 and 38. Th length of the liner 48 is equal to or slightly less than the circumference of the groove 31. while the diameter of the liner 48 is somewhat greater than the diameter of the wall H at the groove 35. In inserting the liner 48 within the groove 35, the same is sprung into position and thie resilience of the metal of which the liner 48 is constructed holds the liner firmly in position within the groove 35.

Acting between the grooves 39 of the

holders

38, 31 and 38 and the groove 5| of liner 48 are a number of balls 53. These balls are of such size as to fit snugly within said grooves sothat av minimum amount of play exists whereby the supporting plate I8 is properly supported for oscillatory movement when the link 42 is shifted in a longitudinal direction. To permit of as-- sembly,.three vertical grooves 52 are formed in the uppermost portion of the liner 48 which intersectthe groove 5|. The balls 53 are inserted into the grooves 5| and between the liner 48 and the

ball holders

35, 31 and 38 through these grooves. The liner is inserted into the groove 35 in such a manner that the grooves 52 are out of the range of movement of the balls when the distributor is in operation.

When the invention is to be used for reconditioning worn distributors, the method of procedure is as follows: The balls originally acting between the ball holders and the groove 35 are first removed to permit of the removal of the plate l8 from the distributor. The liner 48 is then sprimg into position with the grooves 52 at the locality of the corresponding vertical grooves formed in the wall ll of housing II. The plate I8 is then reassembled and new balls used which are of a diameter equal to the diameter of the original balls less the thickness of the liner 48 and plus the amount of wear. When these balls ar inserted between the ball holders and the liner 48, the supporting plate I8 is again properly mounted for oscillatory movement and in this case the balls ride within the groove 5| of the liner instead of in the groove 35 of the housing. Where the device is to be used with new distributors, balls of proper diameter are furnished and the procedure is otherwise the same.

The advantages of my invention are manifest. An extremely simple and practical construction is provided whereby worn distributors may be easily and quickly reconditioned. With my invention, the supporting plate is accurately mounted for oscillation so that accurate timing of the ignition results. The liner can be constructed at a nominal expense and when installed prolongs the life of the distributor supporting plate indefinitely. By the provision of balls of various diameters the liners may be used in distributors regardless of the amount of wear present. In the use of my invention, practically all play is eliminated so that the timer functions in the intended manner.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a distributor for internal combustion engines, including a housing having a cylindrical wall and a circuit breaker supporting plate mounted therein and provided with ball holders having ciroumferentially disposed balls therein arranged in a common plane, said cylindrical wall having a groove on the inner surface thereof arcuate in cross section and symmetrically disposed with reference to the common medial plane of the balls and concentric with said balls, a metal liner in the form of an open ring having a curved outer surface adapted to fit the arcuate surface of said groove in the wall of the housing and an arcuate groove following along the groove in said wall and symmetrically disposed with reference to the common medial plane of the balls, said liner being constructed of resilient material and having a diameter greater than the diameter of said wall at the groove, said liner being sprung into position within the groove in said wall and being held in place therein by the resiliency of said liner, said balls being disposed in the groove in said liner and traveling along separate spaced paths, the ends of said liner being disposed between the paths of movement of two adjacent balls.

.curved outer surface adapted to fit the arcuate surface of said groove in the wall of the housing and an arcuate groove following along the groove in said wall and symmetrically disposed with reference to the common medial plane of the balls, said liner being constructed of resilient material and having a diameter greater than the diameter of said wall at the groove, said liner being sprung into position within the groove in said wall and being held in place therein by the resiliency of said liner, said balls being disposed in the groove in said liner and traveling along separate spaced paths, the ends of said liner being disposed between the paths of movement of two adjacent balls.

3. A guide for an internal combustion engine distributor including a housing provided with a cylindrical wall having a groove on the inner surface'thereof arcuate in cross section and a support within the housing provided with ball holders for carrying balls for engagement with the wall of the housing at the groove, said guide comprising a metal liner inthe form of an open ring having a transversely curved outer surface adapted to be received within the groove in the wall of the housing and having an inner transversely curved groove following lengthwise along the groove in said wall and symmetrically disposed with reference to the medial plane of the groov in the wall, said liner being constructed of resilient material and having an outside diameter greater than the diameter of the wall at the groove, said liner being adapted to spring into position within the groove in said wall and to be held in place therein by the resiliency of said liner, and replacement balls applicable to said ball holders and of a diameter less than that of the balls of said distributor housing and of substantially the same curvature as the trans- Verse curvature of the groove in the liner, said replacement balls being receivable within the groove in the liner and being adapted to guide the support for rotary movement.

4. A guide for an internal combustion engine distributor including a housing provided with a cylindrical wall having a groove on the inner surface thereof arcuate in cross section and a rockable support within the housing provided with spaced ball holders each carrying a ball for engagement with the wall of the housing at the groove and' movable to and fro along a separatepath spaced from the. path of movement of each of the other balls, said guide comprising a metal liner in the form of an open ring .having a transversely curved outer surface adapted to be received within the groove in the wall of the housing and having an inner transversely curved groove following lengthwise along the groove in saidwall and symmetrically disposed with reference to the medial plane of the groove in the wall, and replacement balls applicable to said ball holders of substantially the a same curvature as the transverse curvature of the groove in the liner, said replacement balls being receivable within the groove in the liner and adapted rotatably to guide the support for rocking movement, the ends of the liner being disposed between the paths of movement of two ad- Jacent balls.

5. a guide for the rotary ball-guided support a metal liner in the form of an open ring having a transversely curved outer surface adapted to be received within the groove in the wall of the housing and having an inner transversely curved groove following lengthwise along the groove in said wall and symmetrically disposed with reference to the medial plane-of the groove in the wall, said liner being constructed of resilient material and having a diameter greater than thediameter of the wall at the groove, said liner being adapted to spring into position within the groove in said wall and to be held in place therein by the resiliency of said liner, the balls of said support being adapted to be received within the groove in said liner and to guide the support for rotary movement within the housing.

6. In a distributor for internal combustion engines including a housing having a cylindrical wall and a circuit breaker supporting plate mounted therein and provided with ball holders having circumferentially disposed balls therein arranged in a common plane, said cylindrical wall having a groove on the inner surface thereof arcuate in cross section and symmetrically disposed with reference to the common medial plane of the balls and concentric with said balls, 91 metal liner in the form of an open ring having a curved outer surface adapted to fit the arcuate surface of said groove in the wall of the housing and an arcuate groove following along the groove in said wall and symmetrically dis posed with reference to the common medial plane of the balls, said liner being constructed of resilient material and'having a diameter greater than the diameter of said wall at the groove and a length less than the circumference of the wall of said housing adjacent said groove, said liner being sprung into position within the groove in said wall and being held in place therein by the resiliency of said liner.

'7. In a distributor for internal combustion engines including a housing having a cylindrical wall and a revoluble support positioned within said housing and provided with ball holders having circumferentially disposed balls therein arranged in a common plane, said cylindrical wall having a groove on the inner surface thereof arcuate in cross section and symmetrically disposed with reference to the common medial plane of the balls and concentric with said balls, a metal liner in the form of an open ring having a curved outer surface'adapted to fit the arcuate surface of said groove in the wall of the housing and an arcuate groov following along the groove in said wall and symmetrically disposed with reference to thecommon rnedial'plane of the balls, said liner being constructed of resilient material and having a diameter greater than the diameter of said wall at the groove and a length less than the