US1313319A - Jttlitis j - Google Patents

Description

J. J. MILLER. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE IGNITION INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED Auc. 21. 1917.

1, 3 l 3, 3 l 9 Patented Aug. 19, 191.).

v JULIUS J. MILLER, on ST. JOSEPE 'mmeen.

INTERNALCOMBUSTION-ENGINE IGNfiION-INDICATOR Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

Application filed August 27, 1917. Serial No. 188,294.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS J. MILLER, a

citizen of the United States of America, and resident of St. Joseph, Michigan, have 111- vented a certain new and useful Improvement in Internal-(lombustion-Engine Ignition-Indicators, of which the'following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for use in connection with the ignition systems of internal combustion engines, such as those used on automobiles, and more particularly to those for use in connection with internal combustion engines having a plurality of cylinders.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved indicator which will show whether the spark plugs of the different cylinders are properly receiving current, or whether some particular spark plug is receiving no current, thus indicating which engine cylinder is out of use.

Another object is to provide an improved indicator of this character which will serve also as a spark intensifier for the spark plugs of the ignition system.

Another object is to provide an improved indicator connected with the ignition system and provided with means for at will controlling the supply of current to the diiferent spark plugs, so that the current can be cut off from any spark plug at will, thereby to determine which cylinder is out of use or running without explosion of the fuel therein.

It is also an object to provide certain de tails and features of construction and combinations tending to increase the general efficiency and desirability of an ignition indicator of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figmc 1 is a' diagram showing the application of an indicator embodying the principles of my invention to the ignition system of an automobile.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said indi- Fig. 6 is a detail section on line 6-6 in Fig.4.

As thus illustrated, the engine A of the automobile may be of any suitable character,

and in this case is shown as having four cylinders. The ordinary ignition system, whereby electric current is supplied to the spark plugs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of said engine, involves the usual distributer B, having binding posts 5, ,6, 7 and 8, which correspond to said spark plugs, in the usual and wellknown manner. The four connections 9, however, which lead from the spark plugs, instead of being connected to said distributer. in the ordinary manner, are connected in proper order to the four screws 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the indicator C, which-latter is mounted on the dash of the automobile.

The four connections 14 leading from the the circuits of the spark plugs, so that thecurrent for each plug must jump a gap in the indicator, whereby the current or sparking action is made visible to the driver or occupant of the automobile. The front portion of the indicator body is provided with four holes 19,20, 21 and 22, and a glass plate 23 is arranged over these holes, whereby windows are provided for exposing to view the spark gaps, so that the sparking action is in plain view. A longitudinal slide 24, of insulating material, is provided at its end with a handle 25,'and thisslide is provided with metal inserts 26 and with notches 27, whereby the spark gaps are each operative to produce a visible sparking action when notches 27 are opposite their respective spark, gaps, and whereby this electrical sparking action will stop as soon as the slide 24 is this purpose, The screws 10, 11, 12 and 13 tloivn, obviously, to

Furthemi re, a I 1'1 H ross t ne iront of c e electrodes 15, 16,

he l an 2 16 and is provided with metal he operated by push buttons 30,

one of these springs can he mished into contact, With any one of the a land l W w; bpl. High 250 to whereby any corresponding thereto is grounded or shortcircuitetl, and no current will he supplied to this plug. it happens, sometimes, although I the soarlrinv action on the inclicator a'ooesrs l C} 1 .L

to be normal, in looting that all the plrgs are receiving current, that fuel in one of the cylinders is not being ignited and is not exploded. This may be for the reason that the ark gzlu has become foul and While it receives current, the sparking action is so interfered. with that the fuel does not ignite in this particular cylinrler. Of course,

when one cylinder is thus out of ortler', and is not contributing to the power of the engins, th sonntl of the engine has a distinct character, and sound will be changed if the s arlz'nlu of mother ovliuc is cut out i w I U l) .ms the different buttons can he L one is found which not change the sound the engine iilfl which,

erofore, responds to the cylinder Wll'iftll' 11s out of oroer, and thus the chauffeur or mechanic can readily determine which cylincler is out f commission. In this way, the ignition s3 tern isnot only provided with means to indicate on the of the automobile the condition of each spark plug cir cult, by making the current or spark visible, but are also provided for at will con trolling the supply of current the dilierent -spark plugs, whereby any plug i'eceii ing current but at the s e time not pro-- clucing the proper igni on can he iounxi, .Furthermore, the spark gaps can he of a charac er to intensi y 51 at the spark plugs, in net, by using; the metals known and Well untlerst-oocl for this purpo in the construction of the screws 11,

and 13 l and 118, in a manuer'that will be readily on clerstoocl. For example, steel used the electrodes of ommon or ordinary spark intensifiers, out 3* other which will produce JlQfiiLilLfil eii ect, an i w ich kiwi-7Z1 oui'pose, can he rat,

and the upper eleotrocles 15-, .6, 1?

the construction of the points or Elffl'lllbi which form the snarl, of the inaliuzt The indicator can be suitably mount 1;, and can used on automobiles motor boats, 01? any other place where it is (lesirablc to intlic'ate the condition of the ignition system of an internal combustion englue I iWhat I claim as my invention is:

1,. In combination with an internal combustion ermine, and the ignition system thereof, a plurality 01"- spark gaps arranged close together in slow, one for each cylincler of the engine, comprising metal elements spaced apart to form the gaps, a spring strip disposed adjacentto one element of each gap, means by which the strips all grounded, a structure to support and close together in a row, one for each cylin tier of the engine, comprising metal elements spaced apart to form the gaps, a reciprocating member arranged parallel With said row of gaps, metal means carried by said memher and adapted for lllSBllZlOPflD'Stlld gaps by the shifting of the member" to stop the sparking, a handle to operate said member, and a structure tosupport said metal ele ments an l member in operative relation.

' 3, in combination with an internal combustion. engine, and the ignition system thereof, a pair of spaced metal elements forminga spark gap, metal means for insertion in the gap to stop the sparking, a single handle for operating said'means, a device for engaging one of said elements to I The invention is not limited to the exact construction shown and described.

ground the circuit of the gap, said (lei-ice,

being operable independently of said metal means, and a separate handle to operate said (JlGVlCB.

4 A structure as specified in cla m 3, in combinat on with one or more similar spark gaps, one for each cylincler of the engine,

havingsimilar metal. means for insertion in each." gap, all controllezl and 'operatetl by said single handle, and a similar device and.

separate handle for each aclditional spark:

5, A structure as specified in claim member consisting of a strip of insulation,

v and Slllii meta-l means consisting of small portions of metal which are clisposerl in a row in plane of saiol gaps and insulated 1 other by saiol member, 7

acture as snecil'iecl in seitl strip being adapted to member being movable longitudinally and parallel with said row of gaps, and said metal means being disposed in the line of said row.

7. In combination with an internal com bustlon engine,

and the ignition system thereof, a spark gap, another spark gap, and reciprocating mechanism having means for insertion in each gap to stop the spark ing action, said means having an inoperative position at one side of each spark gap, said engine having a spark plug corresponding to each spark gap, said mechanism includ'ng a plate of insulation having an opening therein for each spark gap, a metal inset in said plate for each gap, forming said means to prevent the sparking, and a handle for shifting said plate to bring the openings thereof out of alinement with the spark gaps, so that each gap will be occupied by itsallotted metal inset.

8. In combination with an internal com bustion engine, and the ignition system thereof, a plurality of spark gaps corresponding to the diiierent cylinders of the engine, a push button for each spark gap, a spring strip for each push button, each be pushed against one side of the spark gap of its allotted push button, means to electrically connect said spring strips together, means to ground said spring strips, insulating means to support the spark gaps, a reciprocating plate in said insulating means, said plate having an opening for each spark gap, a handle for shiftin said plate to bring the openings thereo out of alinement with the spark gaps, means on said late forinsertion in the spark gaps, there y to stop the sparktil ing action, and means to mount the structure in the desired position.

9. A; structure as specified in claim 2, in combination with means whereby one element of each spark gap is ward and away from the other element ofthe gap,thereb'y to insure oorrect'space be tween the elements for the reception of said metal means. 1"

10. In an' automobile internal combustion engine ignition system, tion of the following eight instrumentalities, to wit :(1) a pair of oppositely arranged metal elements to form a spark gap in the circuit of each spark plug of the ignltion system, (2) individual means for grounding one side of each spark gap, having a separate handle for each gap, so that each spark plug circuit can be grounded independently of the others, for insertion in said spark gaps to stop the sparking without interrupting the flow of currentin the different spark plug circuits, (a) a single operating handle for saidmetal means, common to all of said gaps, whereby said metal means are opera le' independ ently of said grounding means, (5) a struc' ture of insulation forming a support for said metal elements, (6-) means to support the general comb1- jsaid structure in position on the dash of the automobile,

(7) a grounding connection leading from saidindividual means, and (8) circuit connections leading from said metal elements to. the spark plugs and the distributer of the ignition system.

Sig'rifiby me at Chicago, Illinois, 25th day of August, 1917.

JULIUS J. MILLER.

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