Improvements in Igniting Devices for Explosion Motors.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Igniting Devices for Explosion Motors.
I, ARMAND DASSE, of Kaiser Strasse 107, München Gladbach, Germany,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In
This invention relates to electrical igniting devices for explosion motors such
as will act with certainty, while in comparison with known devices they are con-
siderably more simple in construction. The general arrangement of a device
according to this invention is as follows:-On a controlling shaft, which in four
cycle motors, rotates at half the speed of the main shaft, there is mounted a disc,
the periphery of which is provided with two or more projections, according to
the number of cylinders, by means of which the spring contact lever is acted upon
so that when one of the projections passes the spring contact there occurs a
closing of the circuit between a platinum point on the said lever and a contact
piece suitably arranged in juxtaposition to such platinum point. My this means
the primary circuit of an induction apparatus is closed in the usual manner.
lieu of the projections on the disc, depressions thereon might serve for effecting
the closing of the circuit with some other suitable arrangement of the circuit
closing points. As one projection has to effect the ignition in one cylinder and
the other projection in the second the secondary circuit must be also correspond-
ingly closed. For this purpose there is mounted on the controlling shaft a
current closing piece which is permanently in connection with one end of the
secondary bobbin. The said circuit closing piece rotates within a ring of non-
conducting material which is provided with two circuit closing pieces each of
which is connected with a pole of the electrical igniters of the two cylinders.
The second end of the secondary winding is connected in the usual manner
through the metallic body of the motor with the other poles of the electric igniter.
In this manner when one of the projections on the disc passes the spring contact
lever current is only sent to the igniting apparatus of one cylinder by means of
one of the circuit closing pieces, whilst when the other projection acts on the lever
the other igniter comes into operation by means of the other circuit closing
piece.
To cause preliminary ignition at different times the spring circuit closing lever
is not only fixed to an adjustable lever mounted to rotate about the shaft as usual,
but this lever carries also simultaneously the non-conducting ring. To ensure
the action this ring may advantageously be formed as a closed cap. The trans-
mission of the current can either be effected by brushes or more advantageously
by the formation of sparks, as the movable parts in the secondary circuit move
past one another so closely that their distance apart remains considerably under
the spark length of the secondary circuit. In this manner a reliable current trans-

page_text: mission is effected, and on the other hand the formation of short circuiting or
premature ignition is obviated.
The practical construction of such an igniting device may be as follows:-The
circuit closing spring is fixed to a lever which is rotatable about the shaft. The
terminals for the primary circuit are arranged respectively on the said lever and
on the piece which carries the contact piece opposite the platinum-point on the
spring contact lever. The non-conducting ring is in this case formed as before
mentioned as a closed cap which forms one piece with the rotatable lever. Within
the cap a metallic ring is fixed which is connected with one end of the secondary
winding of the induction apparatus by a suitable terminal. With the shaft, but
insulated therefrom, there is connected a metallic arm which passes close to the
inner surface of the metallic ring above referred to. In a similar manner the free
end of this metallic arm moves past the insulated metallic circuit closing pieces
fixed in the interior of the said cap ring and which are connected by the terminals
with the igniters of the two cylinders. If the primary circuit be closed the
induction apparatus comes into operation and the secondary current passes in the
form of sparks between the metallic ring and metallic arm on one hand and the
metallic arm and one or other of the metallic circuit closing pieces fixed in the
interior of the non-conducting ring on the other hand.
As all circuit closing pieces at which the current is broken are located in the
interior of the cap, they are protected from accidents of all kinds.
Dated this 20th day of Varambon 1800
improvements in igniting Devices for Explosion Motors.
I, ARMAND DASSE, of Kaiser Strasse 107, München Gladbach, Germany,
Engineer, 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 electrical igniting devices for explosion motors such
as will act with certainty, while in comparison with known devices they are
considerably more simple in construction. The general arrangement of a device
according to this invention is shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings..
On a controlling shaft «, which, in four-stroke cycle motors, rotates at half the
speed of the main shaft, there is mounted a disc b the periphery of which is
provided, according to the number of cylinders, with two or more projections c¹, c²
by means of which a spring contact lever d is acted upon so that when one
of the projections passes a corresponding portion of the spring contact lever there
occurs a closing of a circuit by the making of contact between a platinum point e
on the lever and a contact piece f suitably arranged in juxtaposition to the
platinum point e. By this means the primary circuit of an induction apparatus g
is closed in the usual manner. In lieu of the projections c',
on the disc,
depressions thereon might serve for effecting the closing of the circuit if the
circuit-closing points e f were otherwise suitably arranged. As one projection c¹
has to effect the ignition in one cylinder and the other projection that in the
second cylinder, the secondary circuit must be also correspondingly closed. For
this purpose there is mounted on the controlling shaft a a metallic arm h which
is permanently in connexion with one end of the secondary winding. The

page_text: metallic arm / rotates within a ring of non-conducting material which is provided
with two circuit-closing pieces m, m2 each of which is connected with a pole of
one of the electrical igniters n¹, 2 of the two cylinders. The second end of the
secondary winding is connected in the usual manner through the metallic body
of the motor with the other poles of the electric igniters. The arrangement is
such that when the projection c¹ passes the spring contact lever d so as to operate
it, current is sent only to the igniting apparatus of one cylinder by means of the
circuit-closing piece m', whilst when the other projection 2 acts on the lever d
the other igniter n³ is brought into operation by means of the other circuit closing
piece m².
To enable the time of ignition to be varied equally in the several cylinders, not
only is the spring contact lever d fixed to a lever mounted so as to be adjustable
about the axis of the shaft a as usual, but this adjustable lever carries also the
non-conducting ring k. To secure certainty of action the ring k may advan-
geously be formed as a closed cap. The transmission of the current can be
effected either by brushes, or, as is more advantageous, by the formation of sparks,
the movable part h in the secondary circuits then moving past the stationary
circuit-closing pieces m¹ and m² so closely that their distance apart remains con-
siderably under the spark length of the secondary circuits, in this manner a
reliable current transmission is effected and on the other hand short circuiting
and premature ignition are obviated.
Such an igniting device may be constructed as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The
spring contact lever d is fixed by means of an angle piece to a lever p. which can
be adjusted about the axis of the shaft a. The terminals o² and o¹ for the primary
circuit are fixed respectively on the said angle-piece and on a piece which is
insulated from but fixed to the angle piece and carries the contact piece f opposite
to the platinum point e on the spring contact lever. The non-conducting ring
is in this case formed as before mentioned as a closed cap which forms one piece
with the adjustable lever p. Within the cap a metallic ring s is fixed which is
connected with one end of the secondary winding of the induction apparatus by a
suitable terminal t. With the shaft a, but insulated therefrom, there is connected
a metallic arm h which passes closes to the inner surface of the metallic ring s.
In a similar manner the free end of the metallic arm h moves past the insulated
metallic circuit closing pieces m¹ and m² fixed in the interior of the cap k, which
are connected by means of the terminals 1 or 2 with the igniters of the two
cylinders. When the primary circuit is closed the induction apparatus comes
into operation and the secondary current passes in the form of sparks between the
metallic rings and metallic arm h on the one hand and the metallic arm h and
one or other of the metallic circuit closing pieces m¹ or m² fixed in the interior
of the non-conducting ring k on the other hand.
As all circuit closing pieces at which the current is broken are located in the
interior of the cap, they are protected from accidents of all kinds.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. An electrical igniting device for explosion motors having two or more
cylinders, comprising a disc (5), which is fixed on the controlling shaft (a) and
is provided with projections (c¹ (8.) or depressions equal in number to
cylinders, for operating the circuit-closing spring (d) for the primary circuit and
a circuit-closing piece (4) which rotates with the shaft (a) and closes the branches
of the secondary circuit by means of two or more stationary circuit closing
pieces (m¹ m² ...) leading to the igniters of the several cylinders.
2. An igniting device according to the preceding claim, wherein the circuit-
closing spring (7) and the stationary circuit-closing pieces (m¹ and m²) for the
secondary circuit are adjustable together around the controlling shaft (a) so as to
enable the time of ignition to be varied equally in the several cylinders.

page_text: 3. An igniting device according to the preceding claims, wherein the rotatable
circuit-closing piece (h) rotates within a closed cap carrying a metallic ring (s) and
the stationary circuit closing pieces (m³ m²).
4. An electrical igniting device for explosion engines constructed, arranged,
and operating as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in Figs. 2
and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of Jugust 1900
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.