US739882A - Sparking mechanism for electric igniters. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED SEPT. 29, 1903.

4 0. B. KING. SPARKING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC IGNITERS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1902.

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PATENTED SEPT. 29

C. BzKING. SPARKING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC IGNITERS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1902.

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PATENT OFFICE.

SPARKING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRlC IGNITERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 739,882, dated September 29, 1903.

Application filed July 16, 1902. Serial No. 115,660. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES l3. KING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sparking Mechanism for Electric Igniters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to sparking mechanism for electric igniters, being specially designed for use in connection with explosionengines.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the mechanism within a housing having a transparent face; further, in the construction and arrangement of a governor by which the lead or point of ignition is automatically varied to correspond to changes in speed of the engine, and, further, in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a central longitudinal section, partly in elevation; and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section in the plane of the shaft. Fig. 4 is a diagram of the electric connections.

A is a rotary shaft adapted to be driven by the engine. (Not shown.) Bis a head mounted upon said shaft and preferably formed of insulating material. This head carries a circular series of spaced contacts a, preferably arranged upon the periphery thereof, and also an end contact or electrode 0. The latter constitutes the movable member of a commutator and is preferably of segmental form.

D is a casing surrounding the head 13 and provided with a hub E, which constitutes a bearing for the shaftA. The casing D is preferably of cylindrical form, having an open end across which is placed a transparent panel F, secured in position by a clampingcollar G. v

H represents a series of electrodes arranged around the cylindrical wall of the casing D and passing outward through apertures therein. Each of these electrodes preferably comprises a rod 7), having a pair of insulatingcollars c sleeved thereon, said collars being ner end of the rod 1) has a transverse slot therein adapted to receive the shank of the rod d. The latter is bent into an L-shaped form, its opposite end terminatingin a point. The outer end of the rod b is threaded to engage clamping-nuts c and f, which serve both to clamp the collars cin position and also constitute a binding-post for securing the electric connections. Between the shank of the rod and the collar 0 is a washer g.

It will be understood from the description above given that the tightening of the nut 6 will draw upon the rod 19, while the shank of the rod d will act as a key for holding the washer g and cause it to clamp the collars c in position. At the same time the tightening of the nut e will clamp the shank d, so as to hold the same in position.

Intermediate the electrodes H and upon opposite sides of the casing are two apertures, in the wall thereof, corresponding to the aperturesihrough which the electrodes pass. Passing through one of these apertures is a rod 1, similar in construction to the rod 1) and provided with corresponding insulatingwashers and clamping-nuts. The inner end of said rod engages the shank of a rod 1, which also has an L shape, but has the inwardly extending arm thereof of greater length than the rod d, so as to extend to the center of the rotary head B. At its inner end it is provided with a point extending into proximity to the face of the electrode 0.

K is a rod or shank extending through the other aperture referred to,bein g provided with similar clamping-nuts andinsulating-washers and having a head at its inner end for clamping in position the contact-arm L. This arm is preferably made of spring metal and ex-. tends into proximity to the peripheral contacts on the head B, forming a brush for's uccessively closing the circuit with said contacts.

The parts thus far described are so constructed and arranged that the rotation of the shaft A will cause the head B to carry the electrode 0 successively into registration with the rod d of the electrodes H. These rods, as stated, terminate in points and are arranged to extend in close proximity to the segmental face of the electrode C. The rotation of the head B will also cause the contacts ICC a on the periphery thereof to successively contact with the brush L, and as all of the contacts a are connected together they Will constitute, in connection with the brush L, a periodic circuit-closer. arranged to control the primary circuit of the induction or sparking coil M, as indicated in the diagram Fig. 4. The secondary circuit and the coil M pass through the rod J to the rotary electrode G, which successively closes the circuit through a plurality of branches respectively connected to the electrodes H and each including the sparking electrodes and the igniter. These sparking electrodes,it will be understood, are for use in the separate cylinders of explosion-chambers of a multicylinder engine.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide means for automatically changing the lead or point of ignition in the various explosion-chambers of the engine. This is accomplished by arranging a centrifugal governor adapted when the speed of the engine, and consequently of the shaft A, exceeds normal to cause the rotary adjustment of the head B thereon, thereby varying the time of closing the primary circuit. As illustrated in the drawings, this governor comprises a head N, fixedly secured to the shaft Aand within the casing D. O is a weighted arm eccentrically pivoted at P to the hub N and having its free end connected by a spring Q with the post R on said head. The arm 0 is connected to a segmental gear S, which meshes with a corresponding segmental gear T upon the head B. In operation the outward swinging of the arm 0 is resisted by the spring Q; but whenever the speed of the engine exceeds normal the increased centrifugal force Will cause the arm 0 to move outward, and through the medium of the intermeshing segmental racks S and T the head B will be rotatively adjusted.

This circuit-closer is It Will be observed that the whole of the mechanism is inclosed within a casing D, and as the latter has a transparent face F the engineer can at any time observe the operation of the parts.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In an electric igniter, the combination with a casing, of a combined periodic circuitcloser and commutator for the primary and secondary circuits respectively and a centrifugal governor for varyingthe period of closure, all contained within the casing.

2. In an electric igniter, the combination with a shaft, of a rotary head thereon constituting the movable member of a circuit-closer and a commutator, and a centrifugal governor for rotatively adjusting said head upon said shaft.

3. In an electric igniter, the combination with a casing of a shaft extending therein, a head on said shaft Within said casing constituting the movable member of a circuit-closer and a commutator, a centrifugal governor mounted upon said shaft adjacent to said head and connections between said governor and head whereby the latter is rotatively adjusted by variation in the speed of said shaft. 7 4. In an electric igniter, the combination witha shaft, of a head mounted thereon constituting the movable member of a combined circuit-closer and commutator, a weighted arm eccentrically pivotally connected to said shaft adjacent to said head, intermeshing gear-segments connecting said arm and head and a counter-tension device for resisting the outward movement of said arm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES B. KING.

Witnesses:

M. B. ODoennarv, H. 0. SMITH.

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