US3515834A - Contact breaker assemblies - Google Patents

Contact breaker assemblies Download PDF

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Publication number
US3515834A
US3515834A US750536A US3515834DA US3515834A US 3515834 A US3515834 A US 3515834A US 750536 A US750536 A US 750536A US 3515834D A US3515834D A US 3515834DA US 3515834 A US3515834 A US 3515834A
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Prior art keywords
shell
spring
contact
plate
heel member
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Expired - Lifetime
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US750536A
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William Lawrence Fry
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ZF International UK Ltd
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Lucas Industries Ltd
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02P—IGNITION, OTHER THAN COMPRESSION IGNITION, FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; TESTING OF IGNITION TIMING IN COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES
    • F02P7/00—Arrangements of distributors, circuit-makers or -breakers, e.g. of distributor and circuit-breaker combinations or pick-up devices
    • F02P7/06—Arrangements of distributors, circuit-makers or -breakers, e.g. of distributor and circuit-breaker combinations or pick-up devices of circuit-makers or -breakers, or pick-up devices adapted to sense particular points of the timing cycle
    • F02P7/063—Mechanical pick-up devices, circuit-makers or -breakers, e.g. contact-breakers
    • F02P7/0634—Details of cams or cam-followers
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02P—IGNITION, OTHER THAN COMPRESSION IGNITION, FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; TESTING OF IGNITION TIMING IN COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES
    • F02P7/00—Arrangements of distributors, circuit-makers or -breakers, e.g. of distributor and circuit-breaker combinations or pick-up devices
    • F02P7/06—Arrangements of distributors, circuit-makers or -breakers, e.g. of distributor and circuit-breaker combinations or pick-up devices of circuit-makers or -breakers, or pick-up devices adapted to sense particular points of the timing cycle
    • F02P7/063—Mechanical pick-up devices, circuit-makers or -breakers, e.g. contact-breakers
    • F02P7/0631—Constructional details of contacts

Definitions

  • a contact breaker assembly for use in an ignition distributor includes a plate carrying a fixed contact.
  • An insulating heel member is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the plate and a conductive shell is engaged with the heel member.
  • the conductive shell carries the movable contact of the assembly and a spring urges the heel member to pivot relative to the plate in a direction to engage the movable contact with the fixed contact.
  • This invenion relates to contact breaker assemblies, for use in ignition distributors, of the kind comprising a plate, a fixed contact carried by the plate, an insulating heel member mounted for pivotal movement relative to said plate, a movable contact carried by said heel member and movable into and out of engagement with the fixed contact, and a spring urging said heel member to pivot in a direction to engage the movable contact with the fixed contact.
  • the movable contact is secured to a conductive shell which is engaged as a snap fit with the insulating heel member.
  • FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the movable contact arrangement of a contact breaker assembly
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view, not to scale, on the line 22 in FIG. 1,
  • FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of part of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1,
  • FIG. 4 is a part sectional plan view of an ignition distributor utilizing the contact breaker assembly shown in part in FIG. 1,
  • FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the shell shown in FIG. 1, and,
  • FIG.6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a modification.
  • the contact breaker assem bly includes an arcuate plate (FIG. 4) having at one end thereof a hole.
  • the plate 10 is engaged in use with the timing plate 31 of a distributor and a post 32 extends upwardly from the timing plate 31 through said hole so as to pivotally interconnect the plate 10 and the timing plate 31.
  • the plate 10 is formed intermediate its ends with an integral upstanding tab 10a on which is mounted the fixed contact 10b of the assembly.
  • a moulded insulating heel member 11 Pivotally engaged with the post 32 and spaced from the arcuate plate 10 by an insulating washer is a moulded insulating heel member 11.
  • the member 11 includes a body part 12 of generally rectangular cross section and at one end of the body part 12 is an integral cam follower 13 which extends generally at right angles to the body portion 12. At its end remote from the cam follower 13 the body portion is formed integrally with a pair of part circular resilient arms 15 which define a passage 16 through which said post extends.
  • the body portion 12 of the member 11 carries a .resilient metal shell 17 of generally inverted U-shaped configuration, the limbs 18, 19 of the shell being at right angles to the base 21 of the shell.
  • the limb 18 of the shell 17 is extended to form an arm 22 and the movable contact 23 of the assembly is mounted at the free end of the arm 22.
  • Trapped between the limb 19 of the shell 17 and the body portion 12 of the member 11 is one end of a leaf spring 24, the other end of which is anchored to the plate 10, the spring 24 being arranged to urge the member 11 to pivot in a direction to engage the movable contact 23 with the fixed contact 10b.
  • the lower surface of the body portion 12 of the member 11 adjacent the arms 15 is cut away to define a shoulder 26 and the upper edge of the portion 12 above the shoulder 26 is chamfered to define a ramp surface 27.
  • the shell 17 includes an inwardly directed tag 28 which extends parallel with the base 21 of the shell 17.
  • Said one end of the leaf spring 24 is bent to define a tag 24a which extends generally at right angles to the remainder of said one end of the spring 24, and the end of the limb 19 of the shell 18 adjacent the cam follower 13 in use, is formed with an open ended slot 19a equal in width to the width of the spring 24 and of depth slightly less than the thickness of the spring 24.
  • said one end of the spring 24 is engaged with the surface of the body portion 12 of the member 11 remote from the shoulder 26 and ramp surface 27 with the tag 24a extending in contact with the cam follower 13, and the shell 18 is then engaged with the body portion 12, with its limb 19 in facial contact with said one end of the spring 24 and its tag 28 engaged with the ramp surface 27.
  • the shell is then urged downwardly in a direction to engage the base 21 of the shell 17 with the upper surface of the body portion 12.
  • the tag 28 rides on the ramp surface 27 and the limbs 18, 19, of the shell 17 are flexed apart.
  • the shell 17 is engaged as a snap fit with the member 11 and said one end of the spring 24 is trapped in position by the shell 17.
  • the shell 17 is held firmly in position in a vertical plane by engagement of the tag 28 with the shoulder 26 while the base 21 of the shell 17 engages the upper surface of the body portion 12, the shell 17 being located in a horizontal plane by engagement of one edge of the limb 19 with the tag 24a of the spring 24 which bears against the cam follower 13 while the opposite edge of the limb 18 engages a shoulder defined between the body portion 12 and one of the arms 15.
  • the tag 24a is trapped against the cam. follower 13 by the shell 17 and thereby prevents movement of the spring 24 longitudinally relative to the heel 11, engagement of the tag 24a in the slot 19a serving to prevent movement of the spring 24 in a vertical plane relative to the shell.
  • the fixed contact 10b is earthed through the plate 10 and the casing of the distributor, and the movable contact 23 is connected through the shell 17, the spring 24, and the primary winding of an ignition coil to one pole of a D.C. source, the other pole of which is earthed.
  • the circuit through the primary winding of the ignition coil is made and broken as the movable contact 23 is moved into and out of engagement with the fixed contact 10b.
  • the shoulder 26 of the body portion 12 of the member 11 need not necessarily be formed in the lower surface of the portion 12 adjacent the cam follower 13, but could be formed intermediate the ends of the portion 12, in which case the ramp sur- 3 face 27 and the tag 29 of the shell 17 would have to be positioned accordingly.
  • the shoulders 26 and the surface 27 are formed at the end of the body portion 12 of the member 11 adjacent the cam follower 13, and the shell 17 is altered accordingly.
  • the tag 24a of the spring 24 is dispensed with and said one end of the spring 24 is formed with a square hole 33.
  • the limb 19 of the shell is formed with an inwardly direeted square projection 29 by half shearing the limb 19. When the shell 17 and member 11 are assembled the projection 29 engages in the hole 33 to maintain the spring 24 in position.
  • One edge of the limb 19 engages the cam follower 13 while the opposite edge of the limb 18 engages said shoulder defined between the portion 12 and an arm 15 to locate the shell 17 in horizontal plane.
  • a contact breaker assembly for use in an ignition distributor, comprising,

Description

June 2, 1970 w. L. FRY
CONTACT BREAKER ASSEMBLIES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6. 1968 III:
. l E NTOR WM)! ma 9 ATTORNEYS June .1970 w. L. FRY 3,515,834
CONTACT BREAKER ASSEMBLIES I Filed Aug. 6, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE NTOR X wma .37 BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,515,834 Patented June 2, 1970 3,515,834 CONTACT BREAKER ASSEMBLIES William Lawrence Fry, Birmingham, England, assiguor to Joseph Lucas (Industries) Limited, Birmingham, England, a British company Filed Aug. 6, 1968, Ser. No. 750,536 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Aug. 29, 1967, 39,424/ 67 Int. Cl. H01h 1/00, 19/00 U.S. Cl. 200-466 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A contact breaker assembly for use in an ignition distributor includes a plate carrying a fixed contact. An insulating heel member is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the plate and a conductive shell is engaged with the heel member. The conductive shell carries the movable contact of the assembly and a spring urges the heel member to pivot relative to the plate in a direction to engage the movable contact with the fixed contact.
This invenion relates to contact breaker assemblies, for use in ignition distributors, of the kind comprising a plate, a fixed contact carried by the plate, an insulating heel member mounted for pivotal movement relative to said plate, a movable contact carried by said heel member and movable into and out of engagement with the fixed contact, and a spring urging said heel member to pivot in a direction to engage the movable contact with the fixed contact.
According to the invention in a contact breaker of the kind specified the movable contact is secured to a conductive shell which is engaged as a snap fit with the insulating heel member.
One example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the movable contact arrangement of a contact breaker assembly,
FIG. 2 is a sectional view, not to scale, on the line 22 in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of part of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 is a part sectional plan view of an ignition distributor utilizing the contact breaker assembly shown in part in FIG. 1,
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the shell shown in FIG. 1, and,
FIG.6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a modification.
Referring to the drawings the contact breaker assem bly includes an arcuate plate (FIG. 4) having at one end thereof a hole. The plate 10 is engaged in use with the timing plate 31 of a distributor and a post 32 extends upwardly from the timing plate 31 through said hole so as to pivotally interconnect the plate 10 and the timing plate 31. The plate 10 is formed intermediate its ends with an integral upstanding tab 10a on which is mounted the fixed contact 10b of the assembly.
Pivotally engaged with the post 32 and spaced from the arcuate plate 10 by an insulating washer is a moulded insulating heel member 11. The member 11 includes a body part 12 of generally rectangular cross section and at one end of the body part 12 is an integral cam follower 13 which extends generally at right angles to the body portion 12. At its end remote from the cam follower 13 the body portion is formed integrally with a pair of part circular resilient arms 15 which define a passage 16 through which said post extends.
The body portion 12 of the member 11 carries a .resilient metal shell 17 of generally inverted U-shaped configuration, the limbs 18, 19 of the shell being at right angles to the base 21 of the shell. The limb 18 of the shell 17 is extended to form an arm 22 and the movable contact 23 of the assembly is mounted at the free end of the arm 22. Trapped between the limb 19 of the shell 17 and the body portion 12 of the member 11 is one end of a leaf spring 24, the other end of which is anchored to the plate 10, the spring 24 being arranged to urge the member 11 to pivot in a direction to engage the movable contact 23 with the fixed contact 10b.
The lower surface of the body portion 12 of the member 11 adjacent the arms 15 is cut away to define a shoulder 26 and the upper edge of the portion 12 above the shoulder 26 is chamfered to define a ramp surface 27. Moreover at the end of the limb 18 remote from the arm 22 the shell 17 includes an inwardly directed tag 28 which extends parallel with the base 21 of the shell 17. Said one end of the leaf spring 24 is bent to define a tag 24a which extends generally at right angles to the remainder of said one end of the spring 24, and the end of the limb 19 of the shell 18 adjacent the cam follower 13 in use, is formed with an open ended slot 19a equal in width to the width of the spring 24 and of depth slightly less than the thickness of the spring 24.
In order to assemble the shell 17 to the member 11, said one end of the spring 24 is engaged with the surface of the body portion 12 of the member 11 remote from the shoulder 26 and ramp surface 27 with the tag 24a extending in contact with the cam follower 13, and the shell 18 is then engaged with the body portion 12, with its limb 19 in facial contact with said one end of the spring 24 and its tag 28 engaged with the ramp surface 27. The shell is then urged downwardly in a direction to engage the base 21 of the shell 17 with the upper surface of the body portion 12. As the shell is so urged the tag 28 rides on the ramp surface 27 and the limbs 18, 19, of the shell 17 are flexed apart. When the tag 28 reaches the shoulder 26 the limbs 18, 19 flex toward one another to engage the tag 28 with the shoulder 26 and the tag 24a of the spring 24 enters the slot 19a in the limb 19 of the shell 18. Thus the shell 17 is engaged as a snap fit with the member 11 and said one end of the spring 24 is trapped in position by the shell 17. The shell 17 is held firmly in position in a vertical plane by engagement of the tag 28 with the shoulder 26 while the base 21 of the shell 17 engages the upper surface of the body portion 12, the shell 17 being located in a horizontal plane by engagement of one edge of the limb 19 with the tag 24a of the spring 24 which bears against the cam follower 13 while the opposite edge of the limb 18 engages a shoulder defined between the body portion 12 and one of the arms 15. The tag 24a is trapped against the cam. follower 13 by the shell 17 and thereby prevents movement of the spring 24 longitudinally relative to the heel 11, engagement of the tag 24a in the slot 19a serving to prevent movement of the spring 24 in a vertical plane relative to the shell.
When the contact breaker assembly is utilized in an ignition distributor the fixed contact 10b is earthed through the plate 10 and the casing of the distributor, and the movable contact 23 is connected through the shell 17, the spring 24, and the primary winding of an ignition coil to one pole of a D.C. source, the other pole of which is earthed. Thus the circuit through the primary winding of the ignition coil is made and broken as the movable contact 23 is moved into and out of engagement with the fixed contact 10b.
It will be appreciated that the shoulder 26 of the body portion 12 of the member 11 need not necessarily be formed in the lower surface of the portion 12 adjacent the cam follower 13, but could be formed intermediate the ends of the portion 12, in which case the ramp sur- 3 face 27 and the tag 29 of the shell 17 would have to be positioned accordingly.
In a modification shown in FIG. 5 the shoulders 26 and the surface 27 are formed at the end of the body portion 12 of the member 11 adjacent the cam follower 13, and the shell 17 is altered accordingly. In addition the tag 24a of the spring 24 is dispensed with and said one end of the spring 24 is formed with a square hole 33. The limb 19 of the shell is formed with an inwardly direeted square projection 29 by half shearing the limb 19. When the shell 17 and member 11 are assembled the projection 29 engages in the hole 33 to maintain the spring 24 in position. One edge of the limb 19 engages the cam follower 13 while the opposite edge of the limb 18 engages said shoulder defined between the portion 12 and an arm 15 to locate the shell 17 in horizontal plane.
Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:
1. A contact breaker assembly, for use in an ignition distributor, comprising,
a plate,
a fixed contact,
means mounting said fixed contact on said plate,
an insulating heel member,
means pivotally mounting said insulating heel member for pivotal movement relative to said plate,
a movable contact,
means mounting said movable contact on said insulating heel member for movement into and out of engagement with the fixed contact by pivotal movement of the insulating heel member relative to the plate,
a spring,
means engaging one end of said spring with said insulating heel member, and,
means engaging the other end of said spring with said plate, so that said spring urges said insulating heel member to pivot in a direction, relative to said plate, to engage said movable contact with said fixed contact,
wherein the improvement comprises,
a conductive shell,
means mounting said mova ble contact on said conductive shell, and
means on said conductive shell retaining said conductive shell engaged as a snap fit with the insulating heel member.
2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein one end of said spring is secured to the insulating heel member by trapping said one end between the conductive shell and the insulating heel member.
3. An asembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said one end of the spring is bent to define a tag, and said conductive shell is formed with an open ended slot, said tag engaged in said slot when shell and said spring are engaged with said insulating heel member and thereby serving to locate said spring relative to said insulating heel member.
4. An assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said one end of said spring is formed with a noncircular hole, and said conductive shell is formed with a projection of correspondingly noncircular cross section, said projection engaged in said hole when said conductive shell and said spring are engaged with said insulating heel member, and thereby serving tolocate said spring relative to said insulating heel member.
5. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said insulating heel member and said conductive shell include mating surfaces which serve to locate said conductive shell in the desired position on the insulating heel member.
References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,863,011 12/1958 Mallory 200-19 X 3,003,043 10/1961 Meyer et a1. 200-19 X 3,033,947 5/1962 Johnson ZOO-19 X 3,037,096 5/1962 Clevenger n- 200--19 3,201,555 8/1965 Lacan et a1.
HERMAN O. JONES, Primary Examiner US. or. XR. 200-19
US750536A 1967-08-29 1968-08-06 Contact breaker assemblies Expired - Lifetime US3515834A (en)

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GB39424/67A GB1223566A (en) 1967-08-29 1967-08-29 Contact breaker assemblies

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GB (1) GB1223566A (en)

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2863011A (en) * 1957-08-28 1958-12-02 Mallory Res Co Dual point circuit breaker having simplified spark advance mechanism
US3003043A (en) * 1958-06-13 1961-10-03 Electric Auto Lite Co Contacts assembly
US3033947A (en) * 1958-12-30 1962-05-08 Holley Carburetor Co Ignition contact set
US3037096A (en) * 1958-10-24 1962-05-29 Gen Motors Corp Distributor breaker lever
US3201555A (en) * 1962-04-14 1965-08-17 Telemecanique Electrique Electric contact device having means for limiting contact pressure

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2863011A (en) * 1957-08-28 1958-12-02 Mallory Res Co Dual point circuit breaker having simplified spark advance mechanism
US3003043A (en) * 1958-06-13 1961-10-03 Electric Auto Lite Co Contacts assembly
US3037096A (en) * 1958-10-24 1962-05-29 Gen Motors Corp Distributor breaker lever
US3033947A (en) * 1958-12-30 1962-05-08 Holley Carburetor Co Ignition contact set
US3201555A (en) * 1962-04-14 1965-08-17 Telemecanique Electrique Electric contact device having means for limiting contact pressure

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GB1223566A (en) 1971-02-24
FR1576208A (en) 1969-07-25

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