US1255846A - Circuit-make-and-break device. - Google Patents

Description

W. DI'APPEL.

CIRCUIT MAKE AND BREAK DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-I11, I910.

1,255,846. Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

IZZTTV UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KENT, 0F ROSEMONT, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCUIT-MAKE-AND-BREAK DEVICE.

Application filed February 11, 1916.

To all whom. may concern:

Be is known that T. lVAL'ri-in D. Arrnn, a

I the electric ignition circuits of internal combustion engines. My device is adapted to momentarily close the circuit and immediately open it, and this operation may be reposted in rapid'succession in cooperation with the usual. distributors employed with engines havin a plurality of cylinders.

More specili: objects are to so arrange my make-and-break device that the contacts closing the,circuit are normally apart and are always instantly separated after each contact, regardless of the position of. the actuating parts, whereby the circuit cannot be left closed and thus waste the battery. Another object is to so construct the device that it may be very uniform and positive in operation throughout a very wide range of speeds, and will not lag at high speed. Sti 1 another object is the provision of means for preventing injury to the de vice consequent upon the reverse movement of the actuatin means, such for example, as may occur rom back firing of the enine-v Features of my invention are, that It is durable, may be cheaply manufactured and readily applied to existing engines .of

various types.

My invention i hereinafter more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the essential characteristics are set forth in the claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device, showin the same associated with distributer mec anism which. is indicated in dot and dash lines; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the parts shown in Fig. 1 below the distributer with an accompanying wiring die- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

Serial No. 77,737.

gram illustrating circuits which my makeand-break device controls; Fig. 3 is a. side elevation of the same; and ,Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing the means for preventing injury to the device, due to back firing of the engine.

M device is convenientl associated with l the mechanism for actuating the distributer directing current to the cylinders. In the particular embodiment shown, 5 indicates a vertical shaft carrying a laterally extendin 7 contact arm 6 adapted to (,OilPelfitGWltfi contacts at the ends of the Wires 7, leading to respective cylinders. The wire 8 is shown as a common return, leading current to the 1 contact arm 6. Beneath the distributor is shown a disk like plate 10, through which the shaft 5 rotatably extends, and which is shown as havinga downwardly extending boss 12, which may form a suitable bearing for the shaft 5. Above the disk 10 is mounted a cam disk 15 having a plurality of ratchet-shaped teeth, separated by outwardly extending cam surfaces 16. This disk is rotatable with the shaft 5 and is held in position by any s itable means, as for example, lock nuts 15. This disk is adapted to be driven in the direction of the arrow in'Fig. 2, and preferably has the same number of actuating teeth as there are points in the distributer or spark plugs in the motor.

In the same plane with the disk 15 and extending past one side thereof, is a contact lever arm 20, suitably pivoted at 21 to a boss rising from the plate 10. This arm is provided with a laterally projecting lug 22, adapted to cooperate with the cam disk 15 whereby the rotation of this disk may press the lug and lever away from the same until the high portion of each cam is reached, whereupon the lever is returned to- Ward the disk by a leaf-sprin member 24, shown as having one end rigidly carried in an upward promotion 25'mounted on the plate 10 and having its free end bearing against the lever 20. An adjustable stop is provided to limit the return movement of the lever. This stop is sh own as comprising a screw 27, extending through a lug 28, ris- D. APPEL, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS VILLAGE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 ARTHUR A.

ing from the plate 10. At the free. end of the lever 20 carried a suitable contact point. 29 adapted to cooperate with a contact point 30 carried on an inwardly curved arm of a cooperating lever 32.

The lever 32 i shown as pivoted at 3% to the plate 10, the pivot member extending into a suitable insulatin washer 35 adapted to prevent current p g from the lever 32 t0 the disk 10. T lever f'l carries an abutment 36 of suitable insulating material adapted to engage the r side of the lever 20, preferably opposih contact. and so positioning the lever 3: with relation to the lever 20 that the contact points proper are, normally separated. as shown. The lever 32 is pressed toward the lever 20 by a leaf spring 38 carried in a projection 39, mounted on the plate 10,and insulated therefrom, the spring itself being slightly above the disk, prevents current passing from the lever through the. spring to the disk.

t will be noted that the lever 20 is shown as much thinner and lighter in weight than the lever 32 and the spring 24 actuating the lever 20 is materially heavier and stronger than the spring 38. Thus, when the shaft 5 is rotated, rotating the disk 15, the projection 22 rides outwardly from the shaft on the cam surfaces, compressing the spring 24, which instantly returns the lever against the stop 22 when the projection 22 ridesofi' from the high point of the cam. \Vhen the lever 20 moves outwardly it moves the lever 32 outwardly correspondingly, through the abutment 36, and immediately upon the release of the lever 20, the spring 38 moves the lever toward the position shown in Fig. 2. This movement, however, is comparatively slower than the movement of the lever 20, thus the lever 32 overtakes the levcr 20, bringing the contacts 29 and 30 together for an instant until the lever 22 is stopped in its innermost position (by engaging the screw 27 whereupon the farther movement of the lever immediately separates the contact points.

I have found in practice that this operation takes place almost instantaneously and while the contacts are tightly pressed together long enough to accomplish the de between the contacts and the relative t" of contacting may be changed for purpt. of adjustment to conditions, in order to avoid injury to the parts of my make-and break device. resulting from a rev arse movt ment of the shaft 5 which ma 'eduentiy cur. due to a back tiring of the engine. 1 provide a ratchet mechanism for driving the disk iii. This mechanism is sh wn ticularly in Fig. i. 5*. pin it) mom in the shaft 5 and is pressed radially Cllt. wardlv. by a spring 42, into engagement with a shoulder 44, formed in the .d' i 1:). Upon a reverse movement of the shaft the pin is pressed inwardly by a cam surface 46, (the disk being held against; rotation at) in the reverse direction by engagement with the projection 2 permittin a comparatively free rotation of the shaft with relation to the disk. Vixen the shaft again resumes the forward movement, the disk is at held against rotation by engagement with the projection until the pin 40 again engages its cooperating shoulder. again drii ing the cam disk in the normal direction.

In Fig. 2 is indicated a wiring diagram 9 illustrating a convenient manner of arranging circuits for ignition purposes in an internal combustion engine. As shown, the levers 20 and 32 with their contacts 29 and 30 are the makc-and-brcak members in a a primary circuit, comprising a battery 50. a wire 51 leading to the lever 32, the contacts and lever 20. wire 54 and a primary coil 56 connected with the battery. 5:) indicates a suitable condenser arranged in the primary circuit in parallel with the battery. Current through this primary circuit. including the primary winding 56. induc a cur rent through a secondary winding Lnlicatcd at (50. connected with the distribu' ier and cylinders of the engine in the following manner; a wire 61, leads from the coil to the common wire 8 of the distributer from which current may pass through a suitable connection, such as the arm 6 heretofore de scribed, to any of the wires 7 leading to the usual spark plug (35, mounted in an engine indicated at 70. From the spark plugs the current may pass through the engine frame to a wire (56 leading to the other terminal of the winding 60. Thus, by synchronizing the closing of the circuit at. the contacts 29 and 30 in the primary circuit with the closing of the circuit through the successive spark plugs in the secondary circuits, the desired cot'ipcration between the usual .distributer and my make-and-break device may be obtained.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by the use of the relatively light 1 lever actuated by the heavy-spring to overtake-a con'iparatively heavy lcvcr actuated by a light spring, thereby making a contact,

. tacts, one of said members being materially Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of contacts, a

movable member carrying each. of said conlighter than the other, a comparatively heavy yielding means acting on the light fmember', a comparatively light yielding means acting on the heavy member, an abutment against which the yielding means presses one of said members, an abutment between said members so arranged as to hold the contacts separated, and means for moving said members out of their normal position and permitting a sudden return, whereby the lighter member with its heavier yielding means may return more quickly than the heavier member with its lighter yieldingmeans, thereby bringing the contacts together on the return movement.

:2. The combination of a pair of movable members carrying contacts adapted to coact but normally out of contact, an operating device adapted to act on one of the members and thereby move them both While the contacts remain apart and then release said members, and springs of different power acting on thetvio members and causing one to overtake the other on the return movement, there being means for retarding such return movement of the overtaking member.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of movable members having contacts normally separated but adapted to coact, an operating device adapted to move said members while maintaining their contacts separated and to release the members allowing them to return to normal position, and means for causing one of said members to overtake the other on the return movement and make a temporary contact stituting another terminal and extending onto both sides of the lever first mentioned, said second lever, carrying a contact point coiiperating with the lever first mentioned. a spring acting on the second lever and tending to separate its contact from the con tact of the first lever, and an insulated dis tance member between said levers.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotary wiper cam, a pivoted lever adapted to be engaged by said cam and periodically swung away from the center of rotation, a spring pressing said -lever toward the cam a second lever having a. hooked portion extending onto opposite sides of the lever first mentioned, contact points carried by the first lever and the hooked portion of the second lever, an insulated distance piece between the two levers, the second lever being heavier than the first lever.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotary wiper cam, a pivoted lever adapted to be engaged by said cam and periodically swung away from the center of rotation, a spring pressing said lever toward the cam, a second lever having a hooked portion extending onto opposite sides of the lever first mentioned, contact points carried by the first lever and the hooked portion of the second lever, an insulated distance piece between the two levers, and aspring acting onthe second lever which is lighter than the spring acting on the first lever.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pivoted lever carrying a contact point, a second pivoted lever ex tending onto opposite sides of the lever first mentioned, a cotiperating contact point car ried by said second lever, an adjustable insulated abutment stop carried by the second lever on the other side of the first mentioned lever from its contact point, springs acting on the two levers, and a means for periodically swinging the first lever.

8. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a rotary wiper cam, a

pivotedlever adapted to be engaged by the cam between its pivot and its free end, a comparatively heavy spring pressing said lever toward the earn, an adjustable abutment stop for the lever when pressed toward the cam, a second lever pivoted independently of the first lever and hooked around the end of the first lever, a comparatively light spring pressing said second lever toward the first lever, and an adjustably posi tioned insulated distance piece between said le ers.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotary wiper earn, a pivoted lever adapted to be engaged by said, cam between its pivot and free'end, said ried by the heavy lever and the lever firsi mentioned on the side of the first lever adjacent t0 khe cam, an mljustable insulated distance piece carried by heavy lever 10 and adapted to be abutl ecl by the first lever on its side away from the eem, and, a. 00mparatively light spring pressing said heavy lever toward the cam.

In testimony whereof. l hereunto afilx'my 15 signature.

WAL D. A'EPEL.

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