Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-28
IGNITION SUBJECT
OF GREAT IMPORT
Is One of the Legs Upon Which
Gas Engine Running
Depends.
THREE METHODS NOW
IN USE IN MOTORS
Electric Plan, However, Is More
Generally Used
Today.

ne SUBJECT OF ignition IS always one
OF great Importance and especially to
beginners said a prominent motorist
the other day. 1T is SO very interesting
because it is one of the legs upon which
the running of the gas engine depends.
Cut this leg off and the engine can't run
You may as well try to run the engine
without fuel, which is the other leg The
gas engine may pe called a biped a two
legged creature Or machine, depending
for its movement on two legs called fuel
and ignition. The fuel leg is not always
the same in form or condition. 1t some
times is known as gas, natural or arti-
fetal; sometimes gasoline, kerosene or
alcohol. Neither is the ignition leg al
ways of the same shape, but it has pretty
generally resolved Itself into the use of
an electric current with which to accom-
plish its purpose
Many devices have been designed for
the purpose Of setting on ire-ignition-
the charge of fuel after it has once en-
tered the cylinder of the engine. Three
methods Of ignition are in use now cleo
trio. tube and what is called catalytic
ignition. The last depends on high COM
preston to ignite the charge. The piston
must compress the charge to such an eX-
tent as to raise the heat of it to point
~
called auto-ignition o: se.f-ignition. 1t
may not seem possible to compress or
squeeze UP a charge closely as to cause
its ignition, but such is the fact. We
need not go further into detail concern
ing this method. because it is SO rarely
adopted by the gas-engine builder.
Chimney Is Necessary.
'The tube igniter depends on a tube
bpa faI nv Iap ifS he
tube is closed at one end and open at the
other, which is threaded and screwed into
a port III the walls Of the combustion
chamber. Therefore the hollow in this
tube clear up to the closed end is a
direct continuation Of the space in the
cylinder behind the piston, and when the
gas i'll the cylinder is compressed by the
piston part Of it IS squeezed or forced
UP into the hollow OF the tube, and if
the tube is RED hot as soon as the gas
mixture reaches the red hot part It is
set on fire, ignited and the flame spreads
quickly to the mixture in all parts of the
interior OF the cylinder. 4 little gas or
gasoline jet. such as tinsmiths and
plumbers use for heating their soldering
irons. is constantly directed against the
tube to keep it red hot The tube is
With al AiO1 chimney NDlE.l
confines the heat ftonl the jet directly
around the tube. This chimney is very
necessary, as without t the tube could
not be kept heated to the ig1itin@ point
THE electric method OF ignition is
more generally Used. In fact. 10 Pc cent
OF manufacturers OF gas engines have
adopted il and. consequently, it is the
method that all persons who have to ham
die Sas engine should be familiar with.
1t has for its principle Of action the
Inaking Of an electric spark light in the
midst of the compressed charge Of gas
within the cylinder. From this spark the
mixture takes fire and the entire charge
Is soon in flames. The mechanism necas-
sary 10 produce this IS considered by
many beginners complicated and hard 70
understand. Dut really this s not the
CAGE. Indeed. it IS quite simple when q
little caresul thought and attention are
given TO il.
1T is necessary FIRST to have some
source Of an electric current, such as a
battery. dynamo or magnetic The cur
rent is conducted from its source to the
engine by means of insulated wire. There
is on the engine an Arrangement which
makes q contact of two terminal points.
TO which the wires from the battery are
attached. When these points are brought
liz contact an unbroken path, track or
circuit IS made for the electric current to
run over from the battery TO the engine.
over Inc terminal points and back aeai,
to the batter. And a good job of run
ming il does too. as soon as the terminal
roin.s are brought in contact and the cir
cult or track IS continuous. AS quick as
q fash ii Is over the circuit and continues
in Il steady stream until the terminal
points are separated and the tracz Or
circuit is broken. Even then ii tries to
keep up its running with such energy
that it sometimes leaps over the air space
at the broken point and, in its vigorous
effort to get across the gap. it tumbles