US984368A

US984368A - Magneto-machine for use in connection with the ignition systems of internal-combustion engines.

Info

Publication number: US984368A
Application number: US44985408A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert Frederick Hall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1908-08-22
Filing date: 1908-08-22
Publication date: 1911-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 1928-02-14

Description

R. F. HALL. HAGNBTO MACHINE FOR USE IN GONNECTIUN WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

I APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1908.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

u Q E WITNESSES I INVENTOB Z WaZWfflGt/Z R. FLHALL. MAGNETO MACHINE FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES;

APPLIOATIOK FILED we. 22, 1908;

984,368. Patented Feb. 141911.

8 SHEET$-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR RoZerfZJYwZZ.

R. F. HALL.

MAGNETO MAGHINE FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES, APPLICATION FILED AUG.2Z, 1908.

984,368. Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

8 BHEETS-SHEET 3.

wrmssszs N. v INVENTOR Q? -EOZQWZZZFikZJ I .2 KA %%M% 1 d v R. PQHALL.

MAGNBTO MACHINE. FOR USE IN UONNEGTION WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1908.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

8 SHEETSSHEET 1.

wn'nzssts mvsuron R F. HALL. MAGNETO MACHINE FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL GOM BUSTIGN ENGINES.

7 urmommx mum AUG. 22, 190s. 7 984,368 Patented Feb. 14-, 1911.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

i) WITNESSES INVENY'QR W; g g 7, FOZQY'ZQZJ R. F. HALL. HAGNETO MACHINE FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

'APPLIOATION I'ILED we. 22, 1908.

. 984,368; Patented Feb. 14. 1911.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

R. F. HALL. MAGNETO MACHINE FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1908.

Patented Feb.14,1911.

8 SHEETEr-SHEBT 7.

WITNESSES ww INVENTOR oZerfIIabZl 5 M R. F. HALL. MAGNETO MACHINE FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 22, 1908.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

8 SHEETS -SEEET 8.

- INVENTOR job'erff fazl. I

WITNESSES UNITED STATE PATENT OFFIQE' ROBERT FREDERICK HALL, OF MOSELEY, NEAR BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

NMEEZETO MACHINE FOR USE IN CONNEGTION WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEMS ()F I INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Feb. tel, 191 1.

Application filed August 22, 1908. Serial No. 449,854.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l-toninrr Fnsnnmor; Hahn, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at l erndale, Church Road, Moseley. near Birmingham, England, have invented certain new and use'tul- Improvements in MagnetoMachines for in Connection with the ignition Systems of Internal-tombustion l ine incs, of which the tolloiving is a s1. eciiiration.

This invention has reference to magneto machines for use in connection with thehigh-- tension ignition systems of internal co1nbastion engines, and has tor its principal object, to provide a self-contained magneto machine, or a self-contained and combined apparatus 'iior geiusrating and distributing high tension current, which is designed and adapted to greatly facilitate and simplify the application and use of what is commonly known as dual or mixed high-tension ignition systems in which provision is made for tiring); the charges in the cylinders-of an en gine through the medium of a single set oi? sparking plugs which are supplied in succession with high tension current that is generated either by the maajneto or by a battery and induction coil which may be used in place of the said magneto under certain comlitions. The advantages ot'this dual or mixed ignition system, as is well known, are tihat the battery and coil are/available for stealing up the engine, which cannot be coi'ivenicntly done with the magneto, that by the use oi. a trembler coil and means for actuating same it is frequently possible to start up the engine from the switch without any manual etlortwhatever; and that the magneto is available when running at high sl'iccds under which conditions it is niuch more eliective than a coil. Further, with such mixed system the coil and battery are available, as a stand-by for effective use in firing the engine in the event of any brealcdown of the magneto, although, on the other hand, the'engines can always be run with the magneto alone should the battery and coil be thrown out of action. When the magneto is used as part of a dual or mixed ignition it is usually combined with a change-over switch whereby, when the coil and liattcr v' are placed in serviee, the man'- nei'o is cut out of circuit. and vice-vcrszi. and further, in the known arrani emei'its for working with the double system, the lowtension contact breaker in the battery and coil circuit is altogether separate from the magneto and distributer, and no effective provision is made for moving; the said dis tributer in synchronisni with the contact breaker of the low tension magneto circuit for advancing or retarding the ignition when tiring with magneto ignition, or tor moving said distributor in synchronism with the contact breaker of the battery circuit when coil ignition is being used.

The rombined and self-contained mag-- neto arrangement although capable of being used alone as the generator of a simple hightension ignition system, is mainly adapted to tacilitatc'tho employment of the dual high-tension system, and its control by a single changebver switch, and comprises, in the said self-contained combination, a high-tension magneto generator whose armature carries both the primary and second ary windings of the niagneto circuits, a hightension current distributor which serves in common for both the magneto and the coil, a contaet-breaker for the low-ten sion magneto circuit and a separate or electrically-distinct cont'act-lneaker for the bat.- tery circuit; the said distributor and the two contact-brcahers being, however, mechanically connected so as to admit of their synchronic movement for advancing: and retarding the ignition irrespective of whether the high-tension current is being supplied by the magneto or by the coil and battery.

My invention also-has several additional or secondary objects, one of which is to permanently and etlectually combine all the ttbtH'Q-lilfllitlfilltti esential parts 01' the dual magneto and battery ignitionsystem in a single self-contained machine or apparatus which is capable oi being readily applied to existing engines or cars. or may be adapted thereto without involi'ing any ma tcrial alteration in the dynamo, irrespective "of the number of cylinders to be tired or whether the engine is suitable for driving-if the armature oi the dynamo in the clockwise or counter clock-wise directions,

Another object is to provide for the arrangement of a eai driven high-tension distributer (a conibiinn'l gear driven dis tribuler and auxiliary contact. l'n'ealcer for a coil bur-terxsion circuit) in either n verti rail or an inclined position with respect to themagneto, and in such a manner t rat the .visully checkingsaid distributor can be easily detached and replaced when required.

it. further object is to provide improved means for advancing or retarding the ignition. such means being adapted to simultaneously act upon both the low-tension contact breaker of the magneto and .npon the high tension distributer, in addition to whichit is also operative with regard to the battery low-tension contact-breaker that is combined with the said distribnter so that the same advance and retard mechanism is available for use when the engine is being tired from the coil and battery elements of the group, as when it is'being fired from the magneto. And a still further object is to make provision for checking or adjusting the timing and setting of the magneto armature relative to the engine crank shaft without involving the dis.

mantling of any of the parts of the said magneto, as is usually necessary.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents a. combined machine constructed in accordance with my invention, and showing how the said invention is applied Where the distributor and the coil contact-breaker are arranged in a vertical positionor have their movable elements driven by a shaft which is disposed vertically with reference to the armature shaft. Fig. 2 is a section of the machine showing the arrangement of the magneto contact breaker, the distributer and the coil contact-breaker; also. the me ehanical connections between these parts and the means which provide for the advance and retard of the ignition. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine, showing how the angularlvadjustable casing of the magneto contact-breaker is linked up with the actuating mechanism of the ignition advance and retard system. Fig. t is a back elevation of the. machine, partly in section, and showing how the-distributor and the cam of the coil contact-breaker are driven by gear from the armature shaft. F ig. 5 is a horizontal section taken through the dis tributcr upon the dotted line a; of Fig. 2, and showing the arrangement of the coilcontact-hreaher and its actuating cam. F 6 is a view illustrating the complete dctachability of the distributor and contactbrealter unit from the body of the machine and from the driving mechanism. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 0; of Fig. 1 showing the gear connections between the spindle of the arma are and the distributing shaft for driving the latter from the former. Fig. 7 is a diagram of the connections, and Figs. S, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic views illustrating the method and means provided for and adjusting (when necessary) the setting of the magneto armature. l" 11 and 12 show an elevation and a section or a modified or alternative form in which the distributor is arranged in a inclined position.

The improved machine or combined a paratns is, as already stated capable of be-- ing constructed in one or other of two dil ferent forms, diti'ering only in the position and arrangement of the distributor relati v to the magneto proper and in the nat of the gearing which provided for than ing the distributer shaft from the main or armature shaft. tributer may either be arranged in a Verti cal position atthe rear or drive end at the magneto as shown'in Figs. 1 to 6, and hebe arranged in an inclined position as shown'in Figs. 11 and 12, in which case its shaft is driven from the armature shaft by bevel gears. The two different or flll'tl'fl;.-

usual way, being provided with primary low-tension and secondary higlrtensimi windings, so that. when the machine is in use as part of a dual ignition system, it may be'applied as indicated in the diagram ct connections, Fig. 7, in which the high-tern sion winding 0. of the magneto armature (z and the high-tension winding of the coil 0, terminate in a change-over switch 7) whereby either the magneto or the coil may be connected up with the high-tension feeder ofthe distributer (Z. In like manner, the low-tension or primary windings c 5- of the magneto and coil also terminate at the switch 6, which is adapted when the engin is being fired oil' the magneto to cut out the coil and battery elements of the J an altogether and, to connect up the low tenreturn through the frame 0, c whereas when it is desired to fire the engine from the coil, the actuation of the said switch changes over the connections so as to connect up the coil high-tension circuit with the distributer J close the-Trail low-tension circuit and simultaneously to'shorhcircuit the primary armature winding and thus render the magneto ,contact-brealnn: inoperative andv prevent the induction of an liighlcnsion current by the armature which is, of course, still driven by the engine. As will be seen from the said diagram, the hightension feeder (Z of the single distributor d That is to say, the at;

driven by Worm or skew gearing, or it may tive forms do not involve alterations other a:

The armature a isconstructed in the the 51011 magneto winding a with an earth stood in view of the followingeiplana- .tion. The switch bis of the three-position typc ,-'an;d includes two pairs of contact members, thefirs't pair, I) and b establishing .the various conditions of the high tension circuits and the second pair 7) and 6* establishing the various conditions of the low tension circuits- The switch I) is moved with relation to the following terminals, viz. a high tension magneto terminal I), a terminal Z) of the high tension feed wire of the distributer, a high tension battery and coil terminal 7), a magneto .low tension terminal 72 a low tension ground (frame) terminal/b and a battery terminal I). The

off position of the switch is at ,the left liand'limit of its movement as shown, when the drawings only are considered. In the central position of the switch the member 7/ connects the terminals If; and b and-the member I) eonnects the terminals b and b". In this case'the firing is effected from the high tension circuit of the magneto; the low tension magneto circuit is grounded through the frame parts 6 and e and the battery and coil high and low tension circuits are open. In the third position of the switch, themember 71 connects the terminals 7) and 7) and the member b connects the terminals b and b, and i and b In this case, the engine is fired from the high tension circuit of the battery and coil system, the low tension circuit of the battery and coil system is closed, the high tension circuit of the magneto system is open and the low tension circuit of the magneto system remains as in the second position of the switch. The armature is entirely inclosed and is keyed to a spindle which is supported on ball bearings, as shown in Fig. 2 and is adapted to be connected with the engine at the rear or drive end while to provide for the driving of the distributor, the said drive end of the, shaft titted with a skew or worm gear 9 that arranged to mesh with a similar gear 7 on the low'er part of the distributer shaft, g which is disposed in a vertical position at the drive end of the machine, so that its lower extremity may extend into'and be inclosed by a gear and bearing box on the armature casing and be supported by foot step ball bearings g which are also inclosed in the same box, as shown in detail in Fig. 6. The skew gear is arranged to drive the distributor shaft at a reduced speed relative to the armature shaft, according to the number of cylinders to be tired, while one (or both) of the gears is made detachable and interchangeable with another gear or gears of differentsize so to enable the machine to bQ readily adapted foruse with an ignition system. for four or sixor other number of cylinders.

The distributer shaft (as well as certain parts of the spark-advance and retard mechanism hereinafter describ d) is inclosed in a stationary sleeve g which is detachably mounted upon the gear and bearing box and serves as a support or pedestal for the dis tributer as well as for a second contact breaker h, which is inclosed within the glasswalled distributer casing (Z and is adapted to be connected up in the primary otzlowtension circuit of the coil part of a dual system, as shown in the diagram, and to be operated or controlled by a cam h that is mounted on and rotates with the said distributer shaft. The parts that are inclosed within the glass cylinder. and are consequently visible when in action, include the hightension feed brush (Z that brings in higlntension current either from magneto or the coil, as the case may be, the distributor brushes (.Z that are connected up respectively with the sparking plugs of the engine cylin; ders, the rotary contact plate (Z of the distributor, the coil-contact breaker is. and its operatingcam h The whole of these inclosed parts are visiblewhen in operation through the glass walls ofthe casing, and further, they may be bodily detached from the machine by providing the base (F of said casing with a tubular extension (Z which sockets into the upper end of the stationary sleeve or support 5 and secured therein by a clip that is formed at the upper end of said support; also by construct ing the distributor shaft in two feathered parts, or by providing the; rotary distrilmter plate and contact-breaker cam with a sleevelike extension (Z which is adapted to socket over the upper end of the distributer shaft, preferably by means of a system of washers or rings a? whose inner edges are formed with tongues or key=pieces (F that are adapted to extend through a suitable slot in the extension (Z of the distributer plate and to engage with a groove or featherway (Z in the shaft. These keying washers are preferably secured on the extension by a split ring (Z or like device. Fig. 6 illus trates how the parts may be separated when the clip g is unfastened.

The distributer plate consists of a disk'd of, vulcanite or like non-eonducting material which is fitted with a metallic sector or contact-piece d which is in permanent connection, through the spring-mtluomred carbonfeed brush'rl with the high tension circuit, (either ofthe magneto or of the battery coil) and which is also adapted to pass in succession under, the other brushes which are respectively connected with the engine plugs.

of the casing, and the said top-plate is de- The whole of the carbon brushes are ,7

mountedin the ebonite top-plate or cover (1 5 for any type of engine by the application 01;

a cover carrying 'four, six or other number of brushes. The contact piece on the dis tributer plate (Z is also detachable to admit of the substitution or application of a pieie of greater or less width to suit the number of distributing brushes and to make it impossible for the said contact to be in simultaneous circuit with two brushes while providing the necessary range of relative move- 5 ment that is required in order to advance or retard the ignition. This combination with the high tension distributor which is common to both magneto and coil ignitions of a separate or independent contact-breaker that 0 forms part of the coil system, and is additional to the lowtension contact-breaker 2' on the magneto, constitutes the principal feature of my invention, as it greatly facilitates and simplifies the application and use ot the dual ormixed ignition system in connection with automobiles and the like, and in, addition to reducing the number of parts and enabling all the mechanical elements of the system to be grouped in a p actical and cti'ective manner in a single 1na'Chih0,'it; en-

ables the contact breaker and its cam to be ettectively incloscd and protected while still being visible when in action, and further it admits of the two contact breakers, orcither of them, and the distributor being moved in 'synchronism for advancingor retarding the ignition, although both contact breakers are nevertheless completely independent so that, as already stated, no failure or defect in the 40 one can in any wayinfluence the working of the other, while in advancing or retarding the ignition, the glass-walled using and the whole of the high tension cables remain stationary so that the rotatory distributcr or feeder plate (Z and the camh are the only parts that are moved when the ignition'time is altered.

The contact breaker i for mechanically making and breaking the primary or lowtension circuit of the magneto system, is op erated by a cam i on the armature spindle while all the other parts ofthe device are carried upon the inside of, and incloscd within, a circular casing 2 that is rotatably mounted on the front end of the armature casing as shown in Fig. 2.

The primary windingjrom the armature terminates in a suita'bb-irfiulated contact plate i from which the low tension current is collected by an i'nsulated brushi that is mounted in the front of the contact-breaker case and is in electrical connection with the contact-hreaker as well as with the condenser of the system.

A metallic arm i having connection with the low-tension armature \vindingdhrougb the brush or contact i is mounted on the inner face of the contact-breaker case s1) as to move with the latter when. the ignition is being advanced or retarded, and is also arran ed to carry a platinum tipped screw 2' or adjusting the distance between the points of the cam-operated'contact breaker. To provide for the adjustment oi the contact screw or for the inspection of the device when the magneto is running, the upper part of the case is cut/ away at iand a metallic cap or cojer i having a similar cutaway part or gap 1' is arranged to inclose the contact-breaker case so as to be both rotatable thereon and de tachable. Normally, the clearance 7'7 in the case is closed bv a solid part of the cap,

but by turning the latter so at. to bring both,

clearances into register, the interior ol the scaidcase is rendered accessible and the contact maker may be inspected or adjusted even when in action. Preferably the cap or cover is held in position by a spring arm i which can be turned aside when it is rcquired to remove said cap and may also be used as a circuit connection between the contact breaker and the condenser, in which case one end of the said spring is a ranged to b ar on an external-metallic stud having an electrical connection with the lowtension collector brush. The screw or fitting that connects the said spring arm with the condenser terminal may also be used for wiring the magneto low tension to the switch whereby said magneto may be short-circuited to earth when coil ignition is in use or when the engine is not running. It will be understood from the foregoing that, in the particular arrangement shown. the breaking of the magneto primarycircuit is timedor adarmed and retarded by turning the contact breaker covcr and parts mounted therein so as to alter thepositions of the contact breaker arm relative to the cam 21 on the armature spindle, whereas in the case of the coil contact breaker where the rocking arm is mounted on the stationary part of the distributor casing, the timing of the contact breaking action is effected by shifting the cam relative to the said arm. As the distributor plate (I and the cam 11 of the coil contact breaker, are connected with one anotherand are mounted on and driven by the distributor shaft, they must necessarily turn with one another on the cam being shifted for timing the ignition when the high tension current is being obtained by the use of the coil and accumnlatm', anitthe synchroniZing of the distrilmtion of the high-tension current is necessarily conse lit) queutial to the altering of the timing, but i 3 in order to provide for a similar synchronism when the magneto is in use and the contact-breaker k is inoperative, the distribatermust also be mechanically connected to the movable part of the magneto contact breaker so that any alteration in the timin of the action of the latter shallsimnltaneously set the distributer plate backward or forward, as the case may be. I may mechanically connect. these parts in any suit able manner that will insure their movement in unison relative to the driving gear an the armature, but prefer to arrange for their simultaneous movement by providing the armature casing with suitable-bearings y' to support an actuating rod j which extends under the magneto and is connected at its forward end,.by means of a lever and link 7'", 1', to the rotatable casing i of the magneto contact breaker as well as to the hand lever or other device by'which'the advancespark gear in controlled, while the other end carries another lever or arm 7" which extends through an opening in the sleeve or pedestal that incloses the distributershaft and is provided with a stud j to engage with or act cam-wise upona collar or groove that is formed upon'or in the said shaft, as shown in Fi I The lower end of the distributor shaft is conhected to the hub ofthe driven skew or worm gear by a stud j engaging with an inclined or helical slot or groove j of suitable pitch, while its upper end is: as basalready been described, slidably feathered to the contact-breaker cam and rotary distribquter plate, the whole arrangement being such as to insure that when the shaft is raised or lowered through the actuating rod and lever, both it and the cam and distributer plate are turned or rotated together through a corresponding angle relative to the gear wheel. This synchronizes the coil low-tension contact breaker and the high tension distributor, while by virtue of the linkage of-thc said actuating rod j to the magneto contact-breaker as well as to the distributor plate, the said contact breaker is also moved in unison with the distributor when the ignition timing gear is operated. By reason of the fact that the coil and accumulator system demands a further range of advance and retard movementthan the magneto as a consequence of the lag in the coil due to primary saturation and magnetic re-- luctance, it is necessary to provide for this increment being available when the coil is being used, and such provision can 'be made by modifying the length and pitch of the inclined slot in the'sleeve that drives the cam and distributor shaft.

By virtue of the above described arrange-- ment, no alteration has to be made in any part of the timing gear in changing over from magneto to coil or vice-versa as all the connections are permanently made for en" abling the distributor to work etticiently with either method of ignition and for synchronizing the distributing action with the timing of the low-tension break of either the magneto or the coil, whichever may be in service.

Special provision is made to admit of the combined machine being readily adapted to any engines irrespective of whether the lat ter are designed to drive the magneto-arma-- ture in the clock-wise or counter clockwise direction, and also to facilitate the adjustment of thearmature to suit either direction oi. running, as well as to enable such setting to be subsequently. checked and adjusted (if necessary) without involving the opening up of the armature casing or the dismantling of any part of the appliance. So far as the coil contact breaker is concerned, this will operate effectively whichever way the cam and distributer shaft is run so that no al teration is required to be made in this part to adapt same to either direction of rum ning, but the cams for actuating the mag neto contact-breaker are set in certain dcii nite relationship to the armature so as to insure that the low-tension circuit shall be broken when the armature is in the maximum voltage postion. This relation, of

course, varies with the direction in which the armature and cam are run, and the camring 2' is therefore made detachable and re versible, which enables the same to be set with its cam-lifts at the correct angle forward or rearward of a line taken through the center ofthe armature and shaft. The cam ring is detachably held in position means of a shouldered retaining nut which is threaded. into the end of the armature spindle. The line above referred to, which is taken through the center of the armature and shaft and with respect to which.

the cam ring is set, is indicated by the let.

ter D in the diagrams Figs. 8, 9 and 10 which respectively indicate the beginning of the maximum voltage position of the armature and its relation to the distribute:- plate when the machine set. for running iii-the clockwise direction. (Fig. 8;) when the armature is at the neutral or zero position (Fig. 9); and the beginning of the maximum voltage position when the niachine is set for running in the anti-clockwise direction (Fig. 10). The setting of the reversible cam ring with the cams in the right relationship to the armature is the only alteratioi'i that is required in the contact breaker. but it is also necessarily essentialof the-armature in proper step 3 ngine, propose to fix the armato its shait'or to secure the said J- l that its vertical axis (indicated I I n D in the diagrams) has a fixed relationship to the center line I raft. I' also form on that part i which extends. outwardly be- -'\'e end of the machine, a slot or which bears the same relationship t n: center line does the vertical axis of inclosed or boxed -np armatrrr'e and I ich' is adapted to be engaged by a loose r I I iccc or detachable pointer '12 that is d to said shaft only when it is deto set, alter-or test the timing and 1 is, of course, held by the SlOt ln the position with respect to the engine shaft as the armature itself. Then I nde on the outside of the drive end of armature casing, a set of permanent intor markings (A, B and G in the diaun) which correspond respectively to the maximum position of armature for running, the zero position, and. the mun position of-the armature for antivise running. The index piece has an aperture with points at n which are alinable with the center of the shaft and armature, and when the said index pieceis attached to the shaft, as shown in the diagrams, the ion of the armature is at once indicated and by taking a reading from the relative itions of the center points n and one or JiilUl' of the mark' igs A, B and C, it can be I uncdiately ascertained Whether the armar: is in the correct in-step position that it she It have when the working piston is at of its stroke. This reading or k can lc taken without dismantling a cart or the machine or uncoupling it n !he er nc, but the making of any admcnt o the arm the "thafinay be nec- :nd also the firstiadapting or setting i i line to run in the desired direction, A n be r adily ciiected by the aid of the inmerely disconnecting the driving llOlll the engine and without disturbj-- A any part. of the magneto itself.

a the application of the invention to a i -containcd combination in which the distrilmtcr and coil contact-breaker casing is arranged in an inclined position above the front of the armature as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 only very slight modifications are here v. The distributor shaft is inclined, as also is the casing or sleeve for inclosing same and it is n'ctcrably arranged above the i mt ll'flslilg and inside the magnets, in I r plane parallel Io that in which the actnat- I retard niecharod of the z'zdvancc and u is g wlacc-di The terminal sockets in the 1 cap or cover of the distributor casarc arrai'igcd vertically and stepped relato the Ircnt ol the said cover so as to facili'tate the leading 05 of the cables to the respective cylinder plugs while instead of using skew or worm gear to drive the shaft,

I use an arrangement of bevel toothed gears contained in a'casing of sullicient size to ad mit of the interchangeable application of different sets of gears in adapting the machine for a four or six cylinder or other enginc. In the said Figs. 11 and 12 the same letters are used to indicate thedifierent parts as are employed-for distinguishing the cor-' responding parts in Figs. 1 to 6. ,B the use of an inclined'and inclos'ed distri uter shaft, the whole arrangement is rendered more compact, as the distributor can be driven by smaller gears than would'be pos sible if the shaft was arranged horizontally and it is furthermore impossible for any 011 from the gear or bearingsto work along the shaft or its casing and upset the operations of the parts that are inclosed in the distributer casing.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and'secure by Letters Patout. is

1 In an ignition system for internal combustion engines the combination with a magneto machine aml its high and low tension circuits and a batte and coiL and their high and low tension circuits, of electrically distinct and structurally independent contact breakers in the two low tension circuits, means mechanically connecting the contact breakers to provide for synchronic differentiated adjustments thereof, and a high tension distributor for said high tension;circuits also connected with the said means, for adjustment thereby synchronously with the adjustment of the low tension contact breakers.

2. In an ignition system, the combination with a magneto machine and its high and low tension circuitsand aabattery and coil and their high and low tension circuits, of a rotary high tension current distributor for the said high tension circuits, the distributor being driven from the armature of the machine, a contact breaker combined with the distributor and connected up in the low tension circuit of the coil, an electrically dis tinct magneto circuit breaker, operated directly from the armature shaft and including an adgust-ing part, and mechanical conncctions or e ecting synchromc differentiated adjustments of the magneto contact breaker as one element and of the distributor and the battery and coil contact breaker combined therewith as another element.

The combination with the armature shaft of a magneto machine, a magneto low 12 tension contact breaker including a cam mounted on said shaft and operable for either a clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation of the armature, and an armature casing having indications thereon of the 3 maximum voltage positions of the armature .in' clockitise or counter-clockwise rnnnirw 3 relation to the armature to indicate the position of the latter with respect to one of the indications on the armature easing.

In an ignition system for internal coinhast ion engines, a magneto machine and its high and low tension circuits, a battery and coil and their high and low tension circuits, :1 high tension (listributer for the high ten sion circuits, electrically distinct contact breakers in the two low tension circuits, one of thecontact hrealters being associated with the (listribnter amtmechanical connections between the contact breakers for cll'ecting avnchronous tlitlerentiatetl adjustments thereof.

In testimony whereot I have hereunto set my hand in PIGHCEHO of two subscribing \vit messes.

R OB Eli? F111 Dl lltlOK HALL,

1 Wfitnesses:

IIENRY Noa'rox 'Smcann'rr, lly. Summary. 4