Improvements in or relating to Electric Ignition Devices for Internal Combustion Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1898
Improvements in or relating to Electric Ignition Devices for
Internal Combustion Engines.
A communication from the SOCIÉTÉ NOUVELLE DES ÉTABLISSEMENTS DECAUVILLE AINÉ,
of Engineering Works, 13, Boulevard Malesherbes, Paris, in the Republic of
France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described- and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to electric ignition devices for internal combustion engines,
and consists chiefly of a platinum wire maintained in an incandescent state by
means of an electric current, and arranged so that its position relatively to the
explosion chamber can be adjusted as desired, for the purpose of enabling the,
working of the motor to be regulated by advancing or retarding the period of
ignition.
An ignition device according to the present invention is illustrated, by way of
example, in the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation.
Figure 2 a front elevation in vertical section.
The device according, to the present invention is mainly constituted by a rod A
consisting of an insulating core or filling B surrounded by a copper sheath C level
with its lower end, but stopping a little below its upper end. The core B is
covered by a cap D provided with a terminal F. A conductor G passes through the
whole length of the core B and terminates at the terminal F and projects at the
lower end to a sufficient extent below said core. Another conductor H connected
at the bottom to the copper-sheath C forms its continuation to the same length as
the end of the wire G. The corresponding ends of the wires G and H are connected
by a platinum wire I, destined to be rendered incandescent.
Thus constituted, the ignition device A is arranged on the cap J or end of the
cylinder in which it is to ignite the explosive mixture. To this end it is mounted
in a stuffing box on the cap J and having its passage L forming a continuation of
the passage M of said cap J communicating with the explosion chamber N, with
which also communicate tubes O P of the inlet and exhaust valves respectively.
The rod A passes through the stuffing box K so that it can freely slide up and
down in the latter whilst the joint is maintained air-tight. In this way the
position of the incandescent wire I relatively to the explosion chamber can be
regulated.
The movement of the rod A is effected by hand by means of a lever Q the pin
of which is operated by a handle arranged in a suitable position within reach of the
operator or attendant through a system of levers R S the lever S being pivotted
about a fixed point T its bifurcated portion U being connected by means of hinged
rods V, to a ring W with trunnions or pins X, secured to the upper end of the
sheath C.
c

page_text: The manner of operating the ignition device described is as follows:-The circuit
of an electric current, supplied say by an accumulator, having been formed by the
contact F to which one of the wires is connected and by the sheath C and motor to
which the other wire of the circuit is connected, the platinum wire I is rendered
and maintained incandescent. According to whether it is desired to produce the
explosion sooner or later relatively to the admission and compression of the charge
the wire I is moved relatively to the explosion chamber, by moving the rod A so as
to effect when brought nearer an earlier ignition, and when moved away a later
ignition of the charge.
It will be understood that instead of being regulated by hand, the position of the
rod A could be regulated automatically by the action of any suitable regulating
device combined so as to ensure the speed of the motor being regulated under
the most favourable conditions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An electricignition device for internal combustion engines comprising a movable
rod guided in a stuffing box on the cylinder said.rod consisting of a conducting
wire and insulating core surrounded by a metallic sheath the sheath having a wire
attached to its lower end, the two wires being connected together at their ends
below the stuffing box by a platinum wire the platinum wire being adapted, owing
to the adjustability of the movable rod to be moved nearer to or farther from
the explosion chamber for the purpose of altering the time of ignition of the
explosive mixture substantially as described.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete electric
ignition device for internal combustion engines substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of February 1898.