An Electric igniter for
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 6th June, 1898-Accepted, 23rd July, 1898
An Electric igniter for
I, PETER JENSEN, of 77, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad
by Charles White and Arthur White, both of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland,
United States of America, Manufacturers, to be as follows:-
This invention consists broadly of a movable and a stationary electrode, with
operating means for the movable electrode, and a spring extension interposed
between the electrode and the operating means, said spring being distended in the
closing of the circuit and when released its retractile force instantly separates the
electrodes with the result that the arc formed between the points of contact is very
large and effective and at the same time the separation of the points is so instan-
taneous as to cause the arc to be formed between the electrodes and thus there is
very little of the destructive action on the electrodes ordinarily caused when the
separation is not so quick.
The invention further consists in the particular arrangement and construction of
the parts and also includes the construction and arrangement of the stationary
electrode by means of which the electrode is easily removable and capable of ready
adjustment without the removal of or interference with the insulation which
ordinarily surrounds the electrode. Other details will be described.
I will describe it as applied to a White & Middleton Gas Engine such as
described in the Patent Specification No. 16301 of 1890 but it may be adapted for
use with any other known or improved form of engine.
The casing for the igniter communicates with the cylinder by a passage; a screw
cap closes an opening in one end of the casing and serves to inspect adjust or
remove the electrodes; another cap forms the wall of the casing and forms bearings
for the electrodes. The stationary electrode has a stem with shoulder and head
which is composed of a platinum ring. The stem fits in a sleeve and is held by a
nut which when removed admits of the removal of the electrode. The sleeve has a
flanged end and is held by a nut. Insulation is placed between the sleeve and the
casing, beneath the head, and beneath the nut. The electrode with the sleeve can
thus be readily removed without disturbing the insulation which is very important.
The movable electrode has a stem with an arm secured thereon and carrying a
contact piece by preference of platinum, to form contact with the ring of the
stationary electrode. The oscillation of the stem of the movable electrode makes
and breaks the circuit with a battery. The stem projects through a bracket on
the secondly named cap and carries a split block with screw for clamping the split
parts together; the same screw also secures a flat spring extension to the block.
The bracket is forked at the other end and its parallel faces are inclined to the
vertical line of the casing. The spring extension lies against the inclined face of
the bracket and its outer end projects into line with the fork opening of the bracket.
To the rear face of the latter is fixed a spring plate by a set screw, the free end of
the spring extending down behind the block which a little free movement because

page_text: of the space between it and the spring before the latter is acted on in the
movement of the block. Pressure being applied to the upper end of the spring
extension which by a slight movement of the block turns the stem of the movable
electrode the point on the end of the arm on same is brought in contact with the
stationary electrode, and the further action is to distend or compress the spring
extension to a determined extent when the operating device is tripped to release
the spring extension, and the retractile power of the spring instantly separates
the electrodes and forms the are and this instantaneous action causes an increase
in the size of the arc while diminishing the wear on the contact points because the
arc is not in immediate contact with the points. The retractile action of the
spring extension is aided by the tension of the other spring which bears on
the opposite side of the block and moreover prevents any tendency of the block to
oscillate by reason of jarring.
Between the fork ends of the bracket is fitted a roller as a bearing and guide for
a slide which by a rod is operated from some part of the engine. The slide has at
one end a thin central tongue at the root of which there are shoulders of different
height the slide sloping from these shoulders to the upper and lower faces thereof.
The tongue bears on the roller and is adapted to come in contact with the end of
the spring extension and when this latter has been sufficiently distended or
compressed the shoulder incline rides up on the roller releasing the end of the
spring extension from the tongue which permits the retractile action of the spring.
The slide is swivelled to its operating rod so that it might be turned to present
one of its faces in starting the engine and to present the opposite face while the
engine is running thus giving a later or earlier explosion as desired.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent.
An Electric Igniter for Internal Combustion Engines.
I, PETER JENSEN, of 77, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by
Charles White and Arthur White, both of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland,
United States of America, Manufacturers, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention consists broadly of a movable and a stationary electrode, with
operating means for the movable electrode, and a spring extension interposed
between the electrode and the operating means, said spring being distended in the
closing of the circuit whereby the electrodes are pressed hard against each other
and when released its retractile force causes considerable momentum which instantly
separates the electrodes with the result that the arc formed between the points of
contact is very large and effective and at the same time the separation of the points
is so instantaneous as to cause the arc to be formed between the electrodes and
thus there is very little of the destructive action on the electrodes ordinarily caused
when the separation is not so quick.
The invention further consists in the particular arrangement and construction of
the parts and also includes the construction and arrangement of the stationary
electrode by means of which the electrode is easily removable and capable of ready
adjustment without the removal of or interference with the insulation which
ordinarily surrounds the electrode. Other details will be described.

page_text: in the Patent Specification No. 10 out it may be adapted for use WILL
any other known or improved form of engine.
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the igniter.
Fig. 2 a sectional view at right angles to Fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of the operating slide and
Fig. 5 detail views of the movable electrode.
The casing A for the igniter communicates with the combustion chamber of the
cylinder by a passage a, a screw cap B closes an opening in one end of the casing
and serves to inspect adjust or remove the electrodes; another cap C forms the
opposite wall of the casing and forms bearings for the stems of the electrodes. The
stationary electrode has a stem b with shoulder c and head d which is composed of
a platinum ring. The stem fits in a sleeve e and is held by a nut f which when
removed admits of the removal of the electrode. The sleeve e has a flanged end e¹
and is held by a nut e². Insulation g is placed between the sleeve e and the casing,
beneath the head e¹, and beneath the inner face of the nut e². The electrode b with
the sleeve e can thus be readily removed without disturbing the insulation which is
very important..
The movable electrode has a stem h with an arm h¹ secured thereon and carrying
a contact piece h³ by preference of platinum, to form contact with the ring d of the
stationary electrode b. The oscillation of the stem h of the movable electrode
makes and breaks the circuit with a battery. The stem h projects through a
bracket m on the cap C and carries a split block i with screw k for clamping the
split parts together; the same screw k also secures a flat spring extension / to the
block. The bracket m is forked at the other end at o and its parallel faces are
inclined to the vertical line of the casing. The spring extension lies against the
inclined face of the bracket m and its outer end projects into line with the fork
opening of the bracket. To the rear face of the latter is fixed a spring plate p by
a set screw p¹ the free end of the spring extending down behind the block i which
has a little free movement because of the space between it and the spring before
the latter is acted on in the movement of the block. Pressure being applied to the
upper end of the spring extension which by a slight movement of the block turns
the stem h of the movable electrode the point h³ on the end of the arm h¹ on same
is brought in contact with the stationary electrode, and the further action is to
distend or compress the spring extension to a determined extent and to press the
electrode contacts hard against each other when the operating device is tripped
to release the spring extension, and the retractile power of the spring instantly
separates the electrodes and forms the arc and this instantaneous action causes
an increase in the size of the arc while diminishing the wear on the contact
points because the arc is formed intermediate of the points and not in immediate
contact with the points. The retractile action of the spring extension is aided
by the tension of the spring p which bears on the opposite side of the block i
and moreover prevents any tendency of the block to oscillate by reason of
jarring.
Between the fork ends of the bracket m is fitted a roller 7 as a bearing and
guide for a slides which by a rod t is operated from some part of the engine. The
slide has at one end a thin central tongue at the root of which there are
shoulders 8283 of different height the slide sloping from these shoulders to the
upper and lower faces thereof. The tongue & bears on the roller r and is adapted
to come in contact with the end of the spring extension and when this latter has
been sufficiently distended or compressed the shoulder incline rides up on the
roller releasing the end of the spring extension from the tongues which
permits the retractile action of the spring. The slide is swivelled to its operating
rod t so that it might be turned to present one of its faces in starting the
engine and to present the opposite face 82 while the engine is running thus giving
a later or earlier explosion as desired.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as communicated to be by my foreign correspondents and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :—
1. An electric igniter comprising a stationary electrode with contact piece, a
movable electrode consisting of a spindle h with lever h¹ and contact h³, a lever i'm
with spring, roller r and supplementary spring p, and means for imparting
oscillating motion to the electrode so that it is pressed hard against the stationary
electrode and when tripped forms the arc, substantially as set forth.
2. In combination with a movable electrode as firstly claimed a swivelling
slide 8 with tongue s¹ having shoulders 82 83 of unequal height for the purpose of
altering the moment of ignition substantially as set forth.
3. The construction of electric ignition device shewn on the drawing.
נית
1
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.