US2402050A

US2402050A - Coupling means for radio shielded ignition harness

Info

Publication number: US2402050A
Application number: US523836A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ingalls David
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-02-25
Filing date: 1944-02-25
Publication date: 1946-06-11
Anticipated expiration: 1963-06-11
Also published as: GB593811A

Description

June 11, 1946. I D, INGALLS 2,402,050

COUPLING MEANS-FOR RADIO SHIELDED IGNITION HARNESS Filed Feb. 25, 1944 INVENTOR Patented June 11, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COUPLING MEANS FOR RADIO SHIELDED IGNITION HARNESS David Ingalls, Westfleld, N. J. Application February 25,1944. Serial No. 523,836

6 Claim.

, tus is usually enclosed in-a radio shield which prevents the emanation of such waves. To provide such shield the spark plugs are each enclosed in a metal casing and the magneto, distributor, etc. are enclosed in a metal radio shielding casing. The conductors from the magneto and distributor are led through a metal radioshielding conduit to the manifold. The manifold is a metal radio-shielding conduit which may be of any desired shape to accord with the engine to which it is afllxed, being usually straight where the engine cylinders are arranged in straight lines and curved or arc-shaped so as to embrace the engine shaft when the engine is of the radial type as is usually employed in aeroplanes. From the manifold individual metal radio-shielding conduits for the ignition wires lead to the radioshielding casings of the spark plugs respectively. This construction is well known and the radioshielding conduits between the distributor and the spark plugs, including the manifold, with the ignition conductors within, are commonly referred to as a radio-shielding harness.

The ignition conductors passing from the magneto through the manifold and spark plug leadsto the spark plugs, are the usual insulated conducting cables, that is conductors with insulation molded thereon, as produced by the cable manufacturers.

It has been found in practice that deleterious moisture, condensate, etc. is liable to be formed especially in the spark plug lead conduits and in order to prevent such deleterious matters from entering the manifold it has been found desirable, if not essential, that the spark plug lead conduits should be sealed from the manifold. It is an important object of the invention to provide an improved means for effectin such sealing.

It is further desirable, if not essential, in order that the harness may function most efficiently as a radio-shield, that each spark plug lead radioshielding conduit and the manifold be electrically connected, and it is desirable that this connection should be of as low resistance as possible.

It is therefore, a'further object of the invention to provide improved means whereby good electrical connection of the character as specified shall be secured.

The conduit of a spark plug lead is usually secured to the outlet Of the manifold by a nut. If such nut, under the vibration incident to its use on the engine, or for any other reason, should become loose, the result might be detachment and dislocation of the conduit from "the manifold with obvious disastrous results, and even the mere loosening of the parts, would detract from the efficiency of the shielding and afford an op portunity for deleterious moisture to enter the harness.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for locking the parts against looseningas referred to. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a unitary structure whereby the sealing; locking I and electrical connecting as referred to may be eiilciently and simply accomplished.

Other and ancillary objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the invention- Figure 1 is a side elevation of sufficient of a manifold and a spark plug lead of a radio-shielding ignition harness to show the application of the invention thereto, certain parts being omitted and certain parts broken away, the manifold outlet and the adjacent endof the spark plug lead together with the connecting and sealing means therefor being shown in axial section;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a gasket employed in the assembly of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the gasket of Figure 3 viewed from the left of the latter figure;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing modified type of construction; I

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the gasket in Figure 5 viewed from the left side;

Figure 7 is a partial side elevation with some portions in section showing a modified applicathe outlet 2 which may be a separate structure secured to the manifold or may be an integral part of the manifold. At its outer end the outlet 2 has the screw-threads 3. These parts are of metal so as to form a radio-shield. The spark 3 plug lead is flexible, comprising the flexible, radio-shielding conduit including the flexible tube 4 which may be a strip-formed corrugated tube as shown in the patent to Louis H. Brinkman No. 1,198,392 upon which is the covering 5 of braided, flat, metal strips. Within the conduit is the ignition cable comprising the stranded flexible conductor 6 covered with insulation 1. This conductor extends outwardly to the vicinity of the spark plug and is connected therewith, while the metal conduit comprising the tube 4 and braided on covering 5 is connected at its outer end to a spark plug elbow or a spark plug shield in a well known manner.

The conductor cable extends inwardly through the outlet 2 and the manifold l and from the manifold I through a radio shielding conduit (not shown) to the distributor (not shown) in a well known manner. Soldered to the tube 4 and its braided covering 5 is a ferrule 8 having a radial flange 9. One portion of the flange 9 extends inwardly so as to substantially cover the end of the tube 4 and braided covering 5. Another portion of the flange extends outwardly and is engaged by a flange ill on a nut I l swiveling on the ferrule 8 and having screw-threads cooperating with the screw-threads 3 upon the manifold outlet.

Referring now'to Figures 3' and 4, the gasket therein shown comprises the circular resilient insulating body I! which may be of rubber, compounds thereof or synthetic imitations thereof, v

such as Neoprene. This body has a small taper or draw, growing smaller proceeding toward the right of Figure 3 whereby the body may be wedged into a circular member in a manner similar to inserting a cork in the neck of a bottle.

This body has a central hole l3 through which the ignition cable in the assembled structure may pass. Surrounding the body I2 is a metal band i4 having the outwardly extending flange l5, and the inwardly extending flange Hi. In the body i2 is a circumferential groove Il within which the flange i6 enters. It will be seen that the resilient, insulating material of the body l2 projects at l8 upon one side of the band and that such body also projects beyond the other edge of the band M. It will be seen that the flange i5 is slitted inwardly from its edge and the tongues thus formed are twisted so that their edges form teeth upon both sides of the flange. The teeth at the flange sides may be formed in any other suitable manner.

In assembling the gasket of Figures 3 and 4 into the apparatus as shown in Figure 1, the ignition cable is drawn through the central hole 13,

the hole being of such diameter with relation to the cable that the resilient body will press tightly against the cable.

The gasket is then inserted into the manifold outlet 2 in which it tightly fits after the manner of a cork in the neck of a bottle.

The toothed flange I! will enter between the ferrule flange 9 constituting the end of the spark plug lead conduit and the end of the outlet 2. On drawing the conduit and manifold outlet together by screwing up the nut ii, the flange I! will be gripped between the ferrule flange 9 and the end of the outlet. With the parts thus assembled, the manifold will be sealed from the spark plug lead conduit by the resilient body and such body will be held in position by the flange l5 gripped between the ferrule 9 and the end of the manifold outlet, the body being securely held against longitudinal movement with relation to the band II and flange ill by the flange I. Also the teeth of the flange l5 will abrade and bite into the end of the outlet and its opposing ferrule thereby forming a good electrical connection between the manifold and the spark plug lead conduit. Also the biting of the teeth into the outlet end and ferrule will lock them against relative rotative movement and thereby prevent unscrewing and loosening of the nut which otherwise might be caused by such movement.

It will be observed that the end of the body I! bears against the ferrule flange 8 whereby there is a seal against seepage from the atmosphere through the nut threads into the spark plug lead conduit. The taper IS in the body at the end where it bears against the ferrule renders the end of the body bearing against the ferrule more flexible whereby it can spread out and be more thoroughly sealed against the ferrule; also such taper provides for greater radii of curvature of the cable as the spark plug lead flexes, and avoids sharp bends of the cable as might occur if the cable abruptly left the body as would be the case if the cable were tightly gripped by the body to the end of the latter.

As an alternative to the gasket shown in Figure 3 an assembly is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 wherein the metal band 14' has a rubber or similar substitute moulded to form a continuous outturned flange with the projections IE. it will be noted that projections iii are imbedded in themoulded plastic so that they form a continuous planar surface on both sides of the flange.

Utilizing this type of construction in an assembly such as is shown in Figure 1, a moisture-proof seal is effected between the ferrule 9 fastened to the flexible conduit and to outlet 2 attached to the radio shielding manifold in addition to performing the function of a locking device between the mating parts and providing good low resistance electrical contact between the joining parts.

Figure '7 illustrates a modifled type of gasket adaptable to fitting utilizing tapered conical seat rather than a barrel type of fitting as shown in Figure 1. The gasket shown in the assembly Figure '7 has a tapered insulated flexible body I! to which is assembled the metal disk 14 in a moulded angular circumferential groove H. The disk I! may also have a continuous outturned flange serving identical functions as that outturned flange previously described and including web portions of moulded rubber or similar material between the metal projections l5" integral with the disk H.

Because of the resiliency of the web between the projections I5, Figure 6, and I5", Figure 8, it will be noted that it is possible for the projections to twist slightly to effect a locking condition; whereupon the resilient material from the web is displaced to clearances provided outside of the web. In any case, this twisting action does not affect the moisture seal of the web, nor does it affect the electrical contact between mating parts of the assembly.

While the invention has been illustrated in what is considered its best application, it may have other embodiments without departing from its spirit and is not therefor limited to the structure shown in the drawing.

What I claim is:

1. In a, radio shielded ignition harness for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a manifold having an outlet, of a radio shielding conduit of a spark plug lead, a cable extending from said manifold through said outlet and into said conduit, a. resilient insulating body through which said cable passes, said body having an opening for the passage said cable and tightly fitting thereagainst and also tightly fitting within said outlet, 3. metal band surrounding said body and having a flange extending outwardly, means for drawing said outlet and conduit together, said flange extending between and gripped by said conduit and outlet when drawn together, said body being pressed against said conduit and said outlet, said flange having teeth at its sides engaging with said conduit and said outlet and a web of resilient insulating material between the teeth and integral with the resilient insulating body.

2. In a radio shielded ignition harness for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a manifold having an outlet, of a radio shielding conduit of a spark plug lead, a cable extending from said manifold through said outlet and into said conduit, a resilient insulating body having conduit and said outlet, and said body having a circumferential groove into which said inwardly extending flange enters.

3. A gasket comprising in combination a resilient insulating body having a central hole, a metal band surrounding said body and having a flange extending outwardly, said body extending upon both sides of said band, said flange being toothed and including a web of resilient insulating material between the teeth which is integral with the resilient insulating body.

4. A gasket comprising in combination a resilient insulating body' having a metal band surrounding said body and having two flanges one extendingoutwardly and the other extending inwardly, said outwardly extending flange being toothed and having a web of resilient insulating material extending between the teeth which is integral with the insulating material of said body and said body having a circumferential groove into which said inwardly extending flange enters,

said body extending upon both sides of said band.

5. In a radio shielded ignition harness for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a manifold having an outlet, of a radio shielding conduit of a spark plug lead, a cable extending from said manifold through said outlet and intosaid conduit, a resilient insulating body through which said cable passes, said body having an opening for the passage of said cable and tightly fitting thereagainst and also tightly fitting within said outlet, a metal band surrounding said body and having a, flange extending outwardly, means for drawing said outlet and conduit together, said flange extending between and gripped by said conduit and outlet when drawn together, said flange having teeth at its sides engaging with said conduit and said outlet and a web of resilient insulating material-between the teeth and integral with the resilient insulating body.

6. A gasket comprising in combination a resilient insulating body having a centralhole, a metal band surrounding said body and having a flange extending outwardly, said flange being toothed and having a web of resilient insulating material between the teeth which is integral with the resilient insulating body.

- DAVID INGAILS.