US1484335A - kerrigan - Google Patents

Description

Feb. a

INVE TOR ZWZ/c'an'? P ARK PLUG W. P. KERRIGAN Filed July 15 1922 RY W Patented Feb. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SPARK PLUG.

Application filed July 15, 1922.

To all whom it may concem.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. Kenm- GAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Astoria, Queens County,

State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark Plugs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in spark plugs, which form part of the ignition mechanism of motor vehicles. One of the objects of my invention is to improve spark plugs having in combination with the usual electrodes a spark intensifying device. One of the objections to plugs of this nature is that the starting of a motor by hand cranking is laborious,'owing to the fact that the motor has to be spun at a relatively high speed in order that sufii-' cient electric current can be generated to jump both gaps of the plug. The above pertains to motors having magneto ignition. Another objection to these plugs is that they impose additional strain upon spark coils.

2a or coil, in a battery ignition device, as current has to be piled drain the condenser before the spark intensifying gap can be jumped, and the greater the gpp the more the strain upon thecoi], there ing the coil by causing it to become overheate' One of the ob ects of my invention is to provide means whereby the spark intensifying gap will be bridged until the motor has started, the gap will be discontinued until the motor is again stopped. When thesparkintensifying gap is bridged, the plugrwill function as an ordinary spark plug. o accomplish the above mentioned result, I employ a thermostatic bridge for the spark intensifying gap, said bridge being operated to break the metallic circuit between the electrodes of the lug by the heat of the plug which will become heated after operated a few minutes.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more in detail, the novel features of which I will point out in the appended claims, reference bein had to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a sectional view of a spark-plug of the spark intensifying type having my improvement applied thereto.

The plug herein illustrated is comprised of the separably connected metal body memy endanger-' after which the bridging of usual well known manner detailed structure of.

the motor has been Serial No. 575,247.

bers 1 and 2, the member 2 being threaded a 3 to engage threads in an opening in a cylinder-head, a portion of which is indicated by 4. The body member 1 is threaded at 5 to engage threads in a counterbore in the body member 2. The body member 1 carries a casing 6 of insulating material which at its upper end carries an adjustable electrode 7, which is connected by a wire 8 to a distributor (not shown) or in the case of a one cylinder motor to a make-and-break device. A distributor make-and-break device, magneto or spark coil have not been illustrated, for the reason that they are well known, as well as the circuits therefor. The body of the plug carries the usual porcelain insert 8 which supports an electrode 9 to cooperate with an electrode 10 carried by the body member 2. 11 indicates va glass bushing within the casing 6. The numeral 12 indicates the gap for intensifying the spark at gap 13. The electrode 7 is made adjustable so that gap 12- can be varied to adjust the spark. he electrode 7 is adjusted by screwingsame in or out to increase or decrease thefgap'12. My improvement comprises a device to bridge the gap 12 so that a metallic circuit between the electrodes 7 and 9 can be established. The bridge member 14 is connected at one end to the electrode 9 (in this instance), 'n any manner to produce an electrical connection. I have herein illustrated a cap 15 to which the bridge 14 is secured at 16, said cap engaging the threaded end of the electrode 9. The bridge 14 is made up in the form of a thermostat in the by strips of metal having different coeflicients of expansion, the the bridge not being illustrated. When the motor is cold, the bridge 14 will, at its free end, rest against electrode'Z; hence, there will be a metallic circuit connection between, the electrodes '7 and 9, at which time the plug will be similar to the usual spark-plug. When the gap 12 is bridged, in manner described, the spark can be generated by hand cranking. After the motor has been in operation for a while, the plug will become heated, causing the bridge 14 to straighten and break contact with electrode 7 after which the spark gap 12 will function. When the bidge 14 straightens, it will contact with an adjustable threaded stop 17, held in adjusted positions by a nut 18. The gap 19, between electrode intensifying ap,

17 and bridge 14, when the contact between said bridge and electrode 7 is broken, will be the inaxirnurn gap. Shoul'd'the e'lectr'ode '7 be adjusted to produce a gap at 12, too wide for the safety of the coil, the gap 19 will become the spark intensifying gap; hence, gap 19 is a safety gap to prevent the burning out of a coil, should gap 12 be too great. The adjustable stop screw 17 enables one to obtain a desired safety gap 19., Wl1en the inotor cools off after havingbee'n stopped,"

thebridge 14 will again contactrwith the electrode 7 to establish a metallic circuit between electrodes 7 and '9.

lVhat'I desire to secure by Letters Pateiit is:

LIA spark I g y with its spark gapga' supplementarspa'rkintensifying gap, andelectrical cohducti'ng thermostatically operated means arranged to bridge said gap.

2. A spark with its'spark gap a supplemental spa k and thermtet 'tic to short circuit the s parleinteiisify'iug ga 3. Aspark plug, with its spark gap a tensi fying gap and thermostatic m'aiislto control the operation of'tlie spark intensifygg p M 4. A spark plug, plin-ality'j'ojf spaced apart electrodes l:o',p'1'o'dii :e sparlc gaps, one of said gaps,Bei gJa -spai-kiintensifying gap, eend ccm means connect ing said electrodes gap when the Iugis cold, nd air if; break said confide-" across the spark i'fi'te'n'- sifying ranged to autoniaticaf tion when the plug 'b camesheafieii.

5. A spark plug having a plurality of spaced apart fixed electrodes, an adjustable electrode adjacent one of said fixed electrodes also spaced therefrom to provide a spark intensifying gap, and a thermostatic conductor carried by one of the fixed electrodes arranged to bear upon .the adjustable contact.

'6. A spark plug having a plurality of spaced apart fixed electrodes, an adjustable electrode adjacent one of said'fixed electrodes also spaced therefrom to provide a spark intensifying gap, a thermostatic conductor carried by one of the fixed electrodes arranged to bear upon the adjustable electrode and to breakthe circuit between the fixed electrode and the adjustable electrode.

when the plug becomes heated.

7. A spark plug having a plurality of spaced apart fixed electrodes, an adjustable electrode adjacent one of said fixed electrodes also spaced therefrom to provide a limit the movement plug having "in combination plug having mathematics having in combination; su ieme'ntal sparkinareas may spark intensifying gap, 0. thermostatic conductoi: carried by the fixed electrode arranged to bear upon the adjustable electrode, to break the circuit between the fixed electrode anduthe adjustable electrode when the plug becomes heated, and means to of the thermostatic conductor; away from the adjustable electrode to pi'o irlea safety spark gap there between of predetermined Width.

A Spflrl p lug,having plurality of spaced 'apirt fike cl 'e'lectro'des, an adjustable electrode adjacent oneof said fixed electrodes la'lso spacedftherefrcin to provide a intensi lyin gap, a thermostatic concai'rijd "bythe fixed electrode arran'ge 'tobea'r uponthe adj ustable electrode, to.-br eak,the circuit between the fixed electrodlindfthe adjustable electrode when the becijifieshea ted, and an adjustable sto p to lifmit t'lie Ii1'ovei nent of the thermostatic pen uctora vayfiom the adjustable eleiitrdtleip pi'bvide'a safety spark gap.

:{91 A"'pi ;k plug'having "a plurality of spaceda 'art electrodes, and an adjustable siembd adjaceht 'one of the fixed electrbdesahfd spaced-therefrom to provide an int'eriSi'fyiii arkgap, i11eans adjacent the adjustable electrodejarra ged to be s aced afsafcty gap, should the a betwee thjfixed electrode and the adjustaifil electrode be too great.

,10, haying a plurality of an electrode adjustable relativ'e tanner; electrodes to provide a 'theiebetivee'n, and means adjustab e relative'to the adjustable electrode 7 spark gap, said means actifig'as" feo jfliiet'drtb jc nnecc the fixed electrodeiefnd the last named adjustable eleccrode. i

11. ,A.s:pa'rk plug, electrodes spaced apart to revide an intensifying spark gap, meaii'sfto bridge the gap when the plug is cold and arran ed to -auto.-'naticall break contact When'the'plug becomes heated, and an zidjii's'tble stop to limit the movement of the 'gap'bridging device.

Ina spark plug, a plurality of fixed contacts'spacd apart to provide a spark gap, an adjustable electrode adjacent one of'the fixed'contacts, arranged for moven'in't towardor away from the fixed contact to provide :1 variable spark intensifying. device, and conducting means connected with 'the fixed contact but spaced from the adjustable contact to provide a safety spark WILLIAM P. KERRIGAN.

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