US1442423A - Spark plug - Google Patents

Description

Jan., 16, 1923.. 4,442,423.

C. H. GASPAR.

SPARK PLUG.

FILED APR.15,1920.

Eg. f. Egg. a

Patented dan. 16, 1923.,

entre@ stares CHARLES H. GASPAR, OF PHILADELPHA, PENNSYLVANA.

SPARK PLUG'.

Application led April 1.5, 1920. Serial No. 374,065.

Toall whom z't may concern.'

' ments in Spark Plugs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming av part hereof.v

My invention relates to a novel and useful spark plug adapted for use in internal combustion motors and among its objects is to provide such plug with means for adjusting the ignition spark gap within the cylinder from the exterior of the spark plug without removing the spark plug from the engine cylinder; to`provide an external spark gap adjustable simultaneously with the internal ignition spark gap and to the same extent whereby the external spark gap serves as a means for determining the amount of adjustment of the internal or ignition spark gap; to provide means whereby guess-work in the matter of adjusting the ignition spark gap will be eliminated; to provide means whereby the maximum spark gap obtainable may be readily ascertained; to provide a visible indicator of the condition of the ignition spark gap; to provide a spark plug structure which may be cleaned without the removal ,of the plug cleaning out of carbon.

as a whole, from the engine cylinder and to provide for an exceptionally large space adjacent the ignition spark gap for the facile Other objects` and advantages of my invention will more flilly appear in the following specication.

Referring to the drawing Thave shown a spark plug, constructed in accordance with my invention in elevation in Fig. 1 and in vertical section in Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, in which the same reference charac; ters are used to designate corresponding parts in the views illustrated, the spark plug comprises a body 1 provided with suitable threads 2 for connecting the same, in the' lating material may be utilized. 'llhe member may be provided with a cone shaped portion 4 at one end and an axial extension 5 preferably of cylindrical form at the other end. The insulating member 43 is held within the body 1 against the shoulders 6 by packing means comprising a packing gland or ring 7, threaded to the body 1, which compresses the packing' 8, the latter bearing against the shoulder 9 on the,insu lating member 8. The packing ring or gland 7 may be provided with radially disposed apertures 10 which are adapted to receive' any suitable tool, such as a spanner Wrench, for binding the parts together, as is clearly shown upon the drawing.

The extension or outwardly extending end 5 of the insulating member 3 may be providedwith a stufling box 11 secured, in any suitable manner, to the end 5, as by a crimped rib 12 pressed into a groove 13 formed in the member 5. The stuffing box is suitably bored to receive a gland 14: adapted to bear against a packing 15 located within the stuing box. The gland lll also may be provided with radially disposed apertures 16, which are adapted to receive any` suitablev tool, such as spanner wrench, to adjust the gland into place to properly compress the packing 15.

The insulating member 3 is provided with a central or axial bore in which is located a preferably cylindrical electrode 17, suitably formed with threads adapted to cooperate with the internal threads of the gland 14. The electrode projects beyond the cone formation 4 and is` provided at its extreme end with a terminal of any suitable form,

preferably substantially in the form of a sphere 18, the latter forming one of the electrical terminals of the internal or ignition spark gap. A. second terminal of any appropriate shape, preferably substantially in the form of a sphere 19, the latter being normally in axial alignment with the terminal 18 and spaced therefrom to provide an ignition gap therebetween may be supported upon a substantially U-shaped wire or rod 2O located at the inner end of the spark plug body, with the ends of the member 20 secured to the body l in suitable sockets 21.

rlhe electrode 17 may be provided with threads 22 engaging in a nut 23 located at the end of the Cone 4: Said. nut 23 being pro- .1

i square, portion 27 adapted to receive a tool,

such as a wrench, by which the electrode may be rotated and caused to move longitudinally by means of the threads 25, operating in the gland 14, whereby the extent of the gap between the terminals 18 and 19 may be varied. y

The free end of the electrode 17 may be made smooth lto rotatably receive an insulated cap 29, the latter being provided with a laterally extending, referab'ly integral, arm 30 at the 'free end of which is supported, in any appropriate manner, an auX- iliary electrode 31. The latter comprises .a terminal 32 of any suitable shape, preferably substantially spherical and a binding post 33 suitably threaded to receive a binding nut 34, the latter adapted to secure the electrode 31 to the extension or arm 30. The threaded post 33 is also adapted to receive a binding nut 35, between which and the nut 34 may be secured the terminal of the ignition circuit lead.l

The body ofl the spark plug 1 also may have connected thereto a terminal supportV 36, preferably in the form of a rod one end of which is suitably secured in a socket 37 provided in the body 1, and the other end of which is located adjacent the terminal 32 and provided with a terminal 38, of any suitable form, but preferably substantially spherical. The- terminals 32 and 38 are so spaced or located that the gap therebetween will be exactly the same as that existing between the terminals 18 and 19.

In. addition to the above, the cap 29 may be provided with a`series of scale or graduation marks 39 with which is adapted to cooperate an index point 40 provided upon va portable indicator ,41, the latter belng provided at its lower end with al portion suitably Jformed 'to fit against the body 1 and intermediate its ends with a lateral projection 42 adapted to contact with the periphery of the gland 14, whereby the 'pointer 40 may be located against or opposite the graduation marks 39.

In operation the spark plug is secured into the threaded hole usually provided in the wall' of a cylinder of an internal combustion motor. The electrode 17 may-then be rotated so as to bring terminals 18V and 19 in contact with each other, the terminals 32 adj ust the body 1, the

bore to permit free access to the mand 38 also being similarly brought in contact with eachother. The electrode 17 may graduationmarksfto indicate the scaled or measured amount orthe magnitude of the ignition gap.

WVhen it is desired to determine the maxi- 'mum extent of spark gap that may be used and still operate, the circuit lead terminal normally located between theL nut 26 and gland 14, may be removed and placed between the nuts 34 and 35, whereby ing will occur between the terminals 32 and 38. The operator may then operate or electrodes to the amount desired, the spark formed between the external terminals 32 and 38 indicating the type of spark that will be obtained Vin the cylinder between the terminal 18 and 19, when the circuit lead terminal is replaced between the nut 26 and gland 14. The parts may then be heldin place bytightening of the gland 14 as desired. The Zero mark of the scale 39 indicates the position when the terminals ,are in contact with each other. As the gaps 'marks 39 may be graduated to any scale desired.-

When it isdesired to remove the electrode 17 it is merely necessary to remove the gland 14 and withdraw the electrode 17. By removing the packing ring 7 the insulating member may be removed from the latter being provided with' a large terior thereof for the cleaning out of carbon without it being necessary to remove the body 1 of the plug.

, While I have herein described and illustrated upon the accompanying drawing one embodiment of my invention it is'to be understood, however, that the latter is not limited to the particular details herein dethe spa-rk-A scribed and shown but that other forms and `parts are comprehended arrangement of de-p-arting .from the spirit thereby without of the invention and the scope of the ap body member adapted to be secured to the cylinder of an internal combustion motor, an insulating member in said body member, a longitudinally movable electrode in said insulating member, an ignition spark terminal on one end of said electrode, a second ignition spark terminal located in alignment with said iirst mentioned terminal and supported in stationary position relative to said body member, an auxiliary spark gap'terminal connected to the other end of said electrode, a second auxiliary spark lgap terminal located in alignment with said first mentioned auxiliary spark gap terminal and supported in stationary position relative to said body member, means for adjusting the position of said electrode and said rst and third mentioned terminals relative to said second and fourth mentioned terminal and means for securing an ignition circuit lead to said electrode. c 2. In a spark plug adapted for use in th cylinder of an internal combustion motor, the combination of co-axial electrically c'onducting and insulating' members, ignition spark gap terminals at one end of said plug and normally located within the cylinder of the motor, auxiliary spark gap terminals at the other end of said plug exteriorly of said motor, and means for adjusting the ext-ent of the gap between said terminals in like extent whereby said auxiliary gap visibly indicates the extent of the ignition gap within the cylinder of the internal combustion motor.

3. A spark plug having an adjustable ignition spark gap, the combination therewith of an adjustable auxiliary spark gapA connected to said ignition spark gap and located exteriorly of said plug said l auxiliary and ignition spark gaps being simultaneously adjustable to the same extent, and said 'spark gaps being simultaneously adjustable to the saine extent and said auxiliary spark gap visibly indicating the condition of the ignition spark gap, and means comprising graduation marks and an index pointer for indicating the size of the spark gaps.

5. In a spark plug, the combination of a body portion, an insulating member removably secured in said body portion, an electrode removably secured in said insulating member, means for longitudinally adjusting said electrode relative to said insulating member and rsaid body portion, ignition spark gap terminals respectively provided at the inner end of said electrode and said body portion, an insulating member`rotatably mounted on the outer end of said electrode, auxiliary spark gap terminals respectively mounted on said rotatably mounted insulating member and said body portion,

means on said last mentioned insulating member for securing the terminal of an ignition circuit lead with one of said auxiliary spark gap terminals, and means on Asaid electrode for securing said-terminal of said ignition circuit lead thereto.

In witness whereof, have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of April, 1920.

CHARLES H. GASPAR.

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