Improvements in Igniting Devices for Gas and Petroleum. Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1896-Accepted, 27th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Igniting Devices for Gas and Petroleum.
Engines.
I, ARTHUR ARTON HAMERSCHLAG, of 26, Liberty Street, City and State of
New York, United States of America, 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:-
The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective means for
supplying electric impulses of equal intensity to two or more igniting devices
simultaneously from a single source or generator, in order to accomplish the
simultaneous explosion in two or more cylinders of a gas or petroleum engine or
similar device.
I cau accomplish this object by passing a current through the divided sections
of a sparking coil, the igniting devices being in circuit with the divided sections
of said coil, or I may obtain the impulses from divided sections of the secondary
coil of an ordinary induction coil, or I can obtain the desired result by connecting
the electric igniting devices in the secondary circuit to a common return connected
to the primary coil.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I have illustrated several
modifications of the same together with their applications in the accompanying
drawings. I will first describe the invention with particular reference to the
drawings and will afterwards point out the novelty with more particularity in the
accompanying claims.
In said drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle provided with a gas or petroleum engine
having my improved igniting device applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of an improved gas or petroleum engine provided
with one of the preferred forms of my improved igniting device, part of the casing
being broken away.
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation of operative parts of the engine shown
in Figure 3.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic representations of modified forms of my
improved igniting devices.
The essential features of the invention will first be described in connection with
Figures 5, 6 and 7.
In Figure 5 A and A¹ represent engine cylinders, and B and B pistons working
in said cylinders. Cand C are electrical contact or sparking points supported in
the ends of the cylinders A aud A' and insulated therefrom. D and D₁ are
resiliently supported sparking points or contacts mounted upon the pistous B and B'.
The pistons B and B are grounded electrically through the engine cylinders and
frames.
E is a battery and E¹ is a circuit wire leading from said battery and com-
municating with the primary circuit F of the induction coil. G is a vibrator or
automatic circuit breaker interposed in the primary circuit of the battery and coil.
H is a soft iron core. I is the secondary coil of the induction coil having its ends
connected through wires l' and 1" with the sparking contacts C and C respectively
supported in the ends of the cylinders. J is a wire connecting one of the central
convolutions of the secondary coil with the ground, forming two circuits through
the sections of the secondary coil and sparking points of the engines.

page_text: The pistons B and 131 are adapted to operate simultaneously toward and from
the cylinder heads. It will therefore be observed that the contacts C, D and D',
C will simultaneously touch and close or almost touch and close the circuits
through the sections of the secondary coil I, and thereby produce sparks in the
cylinders A and A' simultaneously and of the same intensity.
In Figure 6 I have shown the primary coil F outside of the secondary coil I, and
have interposed a condenser K in the ground wire J, connected to the center of the
primary coil and forming the common return for the igniting devices in the
secondary circuit. With this exception the parts are the same as shown in Figure 5
and are similarly indicated.
In Figure 7 have shown the application of my improvement to a circuit
containing an ordinary sparking coil. The cylinders, pistons and contacts are
indicated by the same reference letters. In this arrangement the battery Lis
grounded at M and connects at N with a central convolution of a sparking coil O,
which is coiled around a soft iron bar P. The opposite ends O₁ and O₁ of the
coil connect with the contacts C and C¹ respectively. It will therefore be observed
that when the contacts C, D and D', C¹ engage, impulses will simultaneously pass
through the divided circuit and cause sparks of equal intensity between the
contact points.
Referring now to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 I will describe two applications of my
invention.
In Figures 1 and 2, 1 is a bicycle frame mounted upon the wheels 2. A, A' are
the cylinders and B, B are the reciprocating pistons connected by pitmen 3
and 4 to the cranks 5 and 6. C, C¹ are the insulated contact points in the cylinder
heads and D, D₁ are the other contact points carried by the pistons and in
electrical connection with the bicycle frame. I and are the circuit wires
leading from contacts C, C¹ to the opposite ends of the secondary of the induction
coil, and J is the wire connected with the bicycle frame and united to the central
convolution of the secondary coil. X is a box secured to bicycle frame by straps x,
and adapted to carry the induction coil and battery. Y is the petroleum or gas
reservoir, and Z is the valve chest of the engine. It will be observed that the
pistons are adapted to reciprocate together, the sparking being accomplished in the
manner already explained.
In Figures 3 and 4 I have represented a small double cylinder explosive engine,
in which 10 are cylinders, 11 pistons working therein, 12 the crank shaft, 13 the
cranks and 14 the pitmen uniting the cranks 13 to the piston rods 15. 16 is the
fly-wheel keyed to the projecting end of shaft 12.
Supported in the lower heads of the cylinders 10 are the insulated contact or
sparking points 20 and mounted upon the pistons 11 are the resiliently supported
contacts 21.
25 is a small dynamo mounted upon the base of the engine frame and having its
⚫ armature shaft 26 projecting inwardly and provided with a pulley 27 over which
runs a driving belt 28 which is driven from the pulley 29 mounted upon a short
shaft 30 which receives its motion by reason of the contact of the pulley 31 with
the inner rim of the fly-wheel 16, or it can be directly driven from the shaft.
35 and 36 are the circuit wires leading to and from the dynamo. 37 is the
primary of an induction coil surrounding the soft iron core 38. 39 is an automatic
circuit maker and breaker or vibrator. The circuit wires 35 and 36 connect with
the primary coil 37. 40 is the secondary coil having the ground circuit wire 41
leading from one of its central convolutious to the insulated contact 20 and having
its opposite ends 40 and 40° leading to the grounded contacts 21 carried by the
pistons. 45 is a battery which may be a primary battery or a storage battery,
preferably the latter. 46 and 47 are the battery wires connected with the dynamo
circuit wires 35 and 36, a switch 48 being interposed between the wires 35 and 46 for
throwing the battery 45 into or out of circuit with the primary coil 37 of the
sparking coil.
The operation of the engine shown in Figures 3 and 4 will be clear with but a

page_text: slight exception. When it is desired to start the engine, the switch 48 is turned to
throw the battery 45 into the primary circuit of the induction coil. This will
energize the secondary coil 40 and produce the proper sparking in the ends of the
cylinders. As soon as the engine has gotten up sufficient speed to generate a
current with the dynamo 25 the switch 48 is thrown off and the primary circuit 37
is energized from the dynamo. The pistons 11 are adapted to move up and down
in the same intervals. Though I have shown my improvements applied to but two
forms of engines, it will be clear that the application of the invention is much
broader than this, as I am enabled to satisfactorily supply electrical impulses of
equal strength from the same source to two or more sparking devices simultaneously,
whether the sparking devices are in the cylinders of the same engine or of different
engines, or whether the engine has one or a dozen cylinders without any outside
mechanical contrivance which would cause a spark at the proper time, using as I do
the lateral motion of the piston heads.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of an explosive engine having two or more explosion
chambers and electrical igniting devices, located therein, an electric battery or
other generator, and an electric circuit energized by said battery and including the
igniting devices and having a separate branch for each igniting device and a
common return for all, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of an explosive engine having two or more explosion
chambers and electrical igniting devices located therein, an electric battery or
other generator, an electric circuit energized by said battery and including the
igniting devices, having a separate branch for each and a common return for all,
and a sparking coil included in said circuit and having its coil divided and a section
included in each brauch circuit, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of two or more sparking devices with a battery or other
electric generator, and a divided coil energized by said battery and having branches
including all the sparking devices and a common return for all, substantially as set
forth.
4. The combination of two or more sparking devices or igniters, with a divided
induction coil including said devices in the secondary circuit, and a battery or
other electric generator in the primary circuit, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of two or more sparking devices or igniters, a condenser, a
divided induction coil including said iguiters and condenser in its secondary
circuits, and a battery or generator included in the primary circuit, substantially as
set forth.
6. The combination of two or more sparking devices, or igniters, a sparking coil
having its secondary coil divided to include the separate igniters in separate
sections, and a battery or generator included in the primary circuit, as set
forth.
7. The combination of two sparking devices or igniters, an induction coil
having its secondary coil divided and including the sparking devices in different
sections of it having a common return, a battery included in the primary
circuit, and a vibrator also included in the primary circuit, substantially as set
forth.
8. The combination of two explosive engine cylinders, the pistons working
therein, the sparking devices carried on the cylinders and pistons, an induction coil
having its secondary coil divided in sections which are grounded and include the
sparking devices, and a battery or electric generator included in the primary
circuit of the sparking coil, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination of an explosive engine, an electric igniting device for said
engine, a dynamo run by the engine, a battery adapted to be included in the
dynamo circuit, and a divided sparking coil also included in said circuit and

page_text: including an igniting device in each one of its circuit divisions, substantially as set
forth.
10. The combination of an explosive engine, an igniting device comprising two
sparking points mounted on the cylinder and piston respectively, a dynamo driven
by the engine, a divided induction coil having its primary circuit included in the
dynamo circuit and its secondary divided coil including the sparking points of the
igniting device, and a battery adapted to be included in the dynamo circuit,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 27th day of May 1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.