US1361688A - Spakk-plttg - Google Patents

Description

H. E. COURSON.

SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FlLEn MAY 19. |919.

1,361,688, Patent@ Dee. 7,1920.

gwuamtoz HARRY E. COUBS'DN', 0F DEWAR, OKLAHOMA.

SPARK-PLUG.

Application filed May 19, 1919.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known'that I, HARRY E. CoUnsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dewar, in the county 0f Okmulgee and State of klahoma, have invented new and useful improvements in Spark-Plugs, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to spaik plugs particularly designed for igniting explosive gases or charges in internal cumbustion engines, and one object of the same is to provide a novel form of divided electrode adapted to produce multiple spark gaps, and also to reduce the tendency of carbon to accumulate and be retained on the electrode to a minimum by'agitating and intensifying the electric current traversing parts of the divided electrode and thereby forming vicious sparks that will burnout the car bon adjacent to and in the gaps and whereby the electrode will be maintained in good working Order with obvious advantages in the explosion of the gases within a cylinder of a combustion engine. A further object of the invention is to provide a divided electrode of such form and disposition of parts that the electric current will regularly follow the components thereof as the course of least resistance and be prevented from being deflected to an adjacent conducting part of the spark plug and thereby effect a succession or multiplicity of sparks of gradually increasing intensity with material advantages in the general operation of the spark plug and the automatic maintenance thereof in a comparatively cleanly condition.

A further object of the invention is to generally improve the construction of spark plugs and avoid therein the formation of cavities or recesses as far as practicable in the parts thereof exposed t0 the interior of a combustion cylinder or chamber and also to render devices of this class more efficient and certain in their service as ignition means relatively to confined gas charges.

lWith these and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed, and capable of modification in the proportions, dimensions and details of construction within the scope of the claims.

ln the drawing- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a spark Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. '7, 1920.

Serial No. 298,124.

plug embodying the features of the invenion.

F ig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the plug. t

vl" ig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the plug.

rl`he numeral 5 designates the core of the plug which is preferably formed of porcelain and has a bore 6 extending centrally therethrough and, as usual, is provided with a lower and enlarged end 7 formed with a shoulder as at 8 where it intersects the main body of the core. rllhe lower enlarged end 7 is formed with a central recess or socket 9 into which opens the bore 6, the upper extremity of the core 5 being tapered as at 10. Fitted over the core 5 is a steel hexagonal body or attaching base 11 of tubular form for easy application over the said core, and formed with a lower reduced exteriorly scrcw-threadedV extremity 12 having an inwardly and upwardly beveled edge 13, the upper end of the body or base 11 being formed with an annular recess 141. The lower beveled edge 13 of the body or base 11 is normally adjacent to and alines with the shoulder 8 provided by the lower enlarged extremity 7 and the core 5, a copper and asbestos gasket 15 being introduced be tween the said lower end of the body or base and the shoulder 8. On the upper tapered extremity 10 of the core 5 a frusto-conical porcelain sleeve 16 is applied and has its lower end fitted in the annular recess 14C at the upper end of the body or base 11, and when the parts are assembled the upper end of the sleeve 16 practically coincides with the upper end of the core. Inserted through the core 5 is an electrode 17 having a lower flange 18 to fit against the upper annular end wall of the recess, 9, and from the center of the said electrode a pin 19 projects and provides a spark terminal. The upper extremity of the electrode 17 is screw threaded a suitable distance as at 20 and after this electrode has been inserted through the core 5, a washer 21 having a peripheral tial/ige 22 is applied thereover so that the flange surrounds and fully embraces the upper end of the sleeve 16, a spring washer 23 and nuts 24: and 25 being applied to the upper portion of the electrode to tightly assemble the parts and to provide means for attaching an electric wire which is held in place by the usual form of binding screw 26.

One of the most essential features of the improved structure is the provision of a plurality of conductors 27,2S,2'9 and 30,practi cally of T-shape form or each having a shank 81 fixed within the enlargement 7 at the lower end of the porcelain core 5, and also all provided with T-heads, the head cli the conductor 27 being longer than the remain'- ing heads and having its outer end adjacent to a :groiinding pin or conductor 32 partially embedded in the enlargement 7 and engaging the lower screw threaded extremity 12 of the body or base 11. The heads 'of all `of the conductors 27, 28, 29 and 3() are bent in arcuate form :and disposed in volute arrangement, the conductor 3.0 having its head bent into an abrupt curved form so that one end thereofrwill be adjacent to for yform a gap in relation to the pin 19 at the lower end of the Ielectrode 17. Between the 'ends of the heads of the conductors 27 to 30, inclusive, spark gaps 33 are formed land by means of the volute arrangement or disposition of the heads o these conductors they provide a means of least resistance to Iencourage the current to traverse the same without liability of jumping from the conductors to an adjacent conducting member. In fact, the intel-position 'of Athe enlargement 7 which is of non-conducting material, between these conductors 27 to 30, inclusive, and the nearest con-ducting metal component oi? the spark plug will insure a 'traverse fof the -current relative to the said conductors land the production of a multiplicity lof sparks by means of the successive gaps and thereby the sparks are regularly intensiied from the first conductor 27 to the last conductor 30 of the series, on account of the resistance caused to the free course of t-l'ie current by the added spark gaps Land between the conductor 30 and the pin 19 will be the greatest in its strength or explosive eiiiciency. The ends 34 of the conductors 27 to 30 are also bent outwardly at right angles to produce large or broad sparking surtaces at the gaps `and thus yincrease the size of the sparks. having the plurality of gaps and a certainty in .the traverse of the current through the several conductors, the carbon cr other deposits on the endof the spark plug or the enlargement 7 adjacent to the gaps between these conductors and in the gaps will be burned out and as a consequence the active end of the spark plug within 1'the combustion cylinder or chamber will be automatically maintained in a comparatively cleanly condition and require less attention and repair than is the case in ordinary forms of spark plugs.

It is to be understood that in applying the improved plug "to a cylinder, the screwthreaded extremity 12 is secured, as usual, in the cylinder head and the conductors "forming the divided electrode and the pin 19 of the main electrode 17 will be exposed within the cylinder.

The core 5 of porcelain or other analogous non-conducting material is fully inclosed by the sleeve 16 and attaching base 11 and is consequently shielded or protected against breakage by being struck by a wrench or other tool during removal of adjacently located plugs, it being apparent that the said sleeve might be broken or fractured without injury to the core and the perfect working order of the plug.

The improved plug will be 'found partic ular-ly advantageous in creating more power in the explosion of the gas in the cylinder for the reason of the intensifying lof the sparks and the virtual formation oi a ball of lire on the pin i9 at the end of the electrode 17.

l claim- 1. ln a spark plug, a. central electrode having a termina-l pin, an insulating element in which the said electrode mounted and at the lower end or which the said pin is exposed, and a uhirality ci' conductors arranged in volute iorin in the lower end of the insulating element and trending inwardly from the `outer portion of the 'lace of the said element and the conductor closest to the center of the element having a decided vinward bend radially with relation to the pin, andproviding a divided electrode with 'a 'multiplicity of spark gaps, the one conductor having its one end directed inwardly 'to form a spark gapwith the said pin, a l'grounding device forming a spar-k gap with the outermost of the said conductors.

2. Aspark plug having a central electrode with a pin, having `a vertically straight termin'al, 'and a plurality of conductors arranged 'in volute form around the pin, the innermost conductor having one extremity inwardly deflected toward 'the pin, the conductors forming a multiplicity oit spark gaps, the 'conductors being insulated from the electrode and its pin. y3. A spark plug comprising a plug with a bore therethrough and having a lower enlarged extremity, an electrode extending through the plug and having a pin at its lower f'end with an exposed straight terminal at the center of the lower enlarged extremity Vof the plug, a plurality of conductors mounted in the lower enlarged 'extremity of the plug and Varranged to trend inwardly from a point adjacent to the periphery of the face of the plug in volute form toward the central pin of the electrode, the conductor closest to the pin having an inner bent extremity directed toward the pin, the conductors provid-ing a divided electrode with a multiplicity of spark gaps, a ground connecting device being provided to form a spark gap with the outermost of the said conductors.

4. A spark plug comprising an insulating plug` member having a bore therethrough and a lower enlarged end and upper tapered extremity, a connecting base of metal litted over the lower portion of the plug and having a lower screw threaded extremity for attaching purposes, a copper and asbestos washer inserted between the lower end of the said base and the enlargement of the plug, an electrode extending through the center of the plug member and having a lower pin with an exposed straight terminal at the lower portion of the enlargement of said member, a plurality of conductors held within the enlargement oi the plug member and arranged in volute form to extend from the outer portion of the face of said member inwardly toward the Center so that the last conductor will provide a spark gap with the said pin, the conductors providing a plurality of spark gaps, a ground connection cooperating with the outermost of the oonduetors, an insulating sleeve fitted over the upper tapered extremity of the plu member and extending into the upper en of' the connecting base, and means for securing the sleeve and base in position and connecting all of the parts of the plug in operative relation.

5. A spark plug having a Central electrode pin and a plurality of conductors insulated from and arranged in volute form around the pin and provided with outwardly projeeting angular ends exposed to form a multiplicity of extended spark gap surfaces.

6. A spark plug having a central electrode with an exposed insulated pin having a straight terminal, and a plurality of oonduetors insulated from and arranged in volute form around the pin from an outer terminal conductor separated a maximum distance from the pin inwardly toward the latter.

7. A spark plug having a central electrode with an insulated exposed central pin, and a plurality of conductors insulated from and arranged in volute form around the -pin from an outer terminal conductor separated a maximum distance Jfrom the pin inwardly toward the latter.

ln testimony whereof i have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY E. COURSON. Witnesses W. C. BRATY, S. A., HAMIL.

Images