US1641370A - Timer distributor mechanism for internal-combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

1,641,370 C. E. BERKDOLL TIMER DISTRIBUTOR MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 1l, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 6, 1927.

Se t. 6 1927.

p c. E. BERKDOLL TIMER DISTRIBUTOR MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL'COMBUSTION ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July l1, 1924 Patented Sept. 6, 1927.`

UNITED STATES PATENTl OFFICE.

CHARLES E. BERKDOLL, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR,BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO DELCO-REMY CORPORATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

TIMER DISTRIBUTOR 'MECHANISM Fon INTERNAL-COMBUSTION mismas.

Application led July 11,

This invention relates to the timer distrib- L advance mechanism is its overlapping rela tion with the supporting bearing for the drive shaft which drives the timer cam. This design permits the timer cam to be mounted upon the drive shaft quite close to the supporting bearing. By thus reducing the amount of overhang between the bearing and cam the tendency toward lateral vibration or wobble of the cam is overcome. Of course for uniform operation of the primary circuit interrupter at all speeds it is necessary that there be no vibration in the timer cam. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide anl improved means for assemblinuI and clamping the vmanual lever to the timer ousing in any desired position. Y

Another ob'ect is to provide improved quickly releasa le mounting means for mounting the condenser .within the timer housing.,

Another object is to'fprovideV improved and simplified means for anchoring in place the lower end of the spring clips used for detachably holding the distributor head on the timer housing.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a referred form of embodiment ofthe invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a timer distributor mechanism built according to this invenpresent tion but with the distributor head and rotor.v

removed. f

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but 'with 1924 Serial No. 725,513.

spark advance mechanism for advancin the position of the timer cam relative to its l 've shaft according to the engine speed.

Fig. 4 is ay view similar to Fig. 3, but shows a modification wherein the automatic spark advance mechanism is omitted. A comparison of lFigs. 3 and 4 shows the slight increase in the amount of overhang between the top drive shaft bearing and the timer cam due to the addition of the automatic advance mechanism.

Y Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the simplified means for anchoring in placethe'lower end of the spring clips for holdin'g the distributor head in place.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 1 and showsv in particular the means for clamping the condenser in place in' the timer housing.

v Fig. 7- is' a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 3

.and shows the means for adjusting the de gree of spark advance fora predetermined engine speed.

ig.`8 is a, detail view of the timer cam unit having rigidlyl secured thereto the depending advance cam member which coacts with the centrifugal ring to advance the timer cam.

Figs..9, 10 and 11 are views showing the manual advancel lever and means for assembling itY upon the timer'housing and clamping it rigidly thereto in any desired position.

Fig. 9 shows how the enlarged aperture in the -manual lever maybe slipped over the lower end of the housing to its proper place -at the annular groove in the housing; Fig. 10 illustrates thevman-ual lever moved laterally in the annular groove in the housing so that the serrations on one side of the aperture in 'the lever engage the housing; and Fi -11 is a detail of the clam ing member w ich is screwed to the manna lever as clearly shown ,in Fig. 3 to hold the serrated portion of said levery in ti ht engagement -with the housing.

Inlthe ravvingssimilar reference characters refer tojsimilarparts-throughout the several views.

Numeral 10 designates a stationary part of the engine which serve'sas a rigid su port and bearing for the entire timer distributor unit. This unit is divided in three parts, namely, the automatic advance mechanism unit, the timer unit, and the distributor unit. The housing 11 houses the automatic advance unit and is provided at lts lower portion with a journal 12 which isguided and supported by the bearing 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. This journal 12 is provided with a central bore within which the drive shaft 15 is mounted upon the upper and lower bearings 16 and 17 respectively. The upper bearing 17 is formed on a boss 13 projecting within the housing 11, the upper end surface of said boss 13 forming a step bearing 18 for supporting the shaft 15 and theA parts attached thereto. A collar 19 rigidly secured to shaft 15 by pin 20 coacts with the step bearing 18 to support shaft 15. The lower end of the journal 12 engages a collar 21 rigidly secured to shaft 15 by a pin 22 'to hold shaft 15 against vertical movement 1n bearings 16 and 17.

vThe timer cam 25 is rotatably mounted upon the upper reduced portion of shaft 15 and has rigidly fixed thereto a depending cam member 26 (see Figs. 3 and 8), the

urpose of which will appear hereinbelow.

he collar 19 is provided with a depending portiony 30 which telescopes or overlaps the boss 13. The centrifugal ring 31 is pivotally mounted upon thedepending portion 30 on the pivot screws 32 (see Fig. 7). It is thus seen that the centrifugal ring 31 is driven by the drive shaft l5 but is pivotally mounted upon an axis located below the top edge of boss 13. The ring 31 has itsinternal aperture so sha ed that the boss 13 does not interfere wit its swinging motion about pivots 32. A coil spring 35 has one end attached to the projecting end'36 of pin 20 and the other end thereof attached to the lug 37 on the small cup 38 which is rigidly secured to the centrifugal ring 31 by the pivot screw 32 (see Fig. 7) This coil spring 35 is tensioned to normally hold ring 31 inclined to the axis of shaft 15 as shown in Fig. 3 and to yieldably resist the tendency of rin 31 to take a position perpendicular to sha t 15 dueto centrifugal force when the shaft 15 is rotated. By adjusting the tension on coil spring 35 the ring 31 may be made to assume any desired position for an given speed of rotation of shaft l5. `Suc an adjustment is easily accomplished with this invention simply by looseningthe pivot screw 32 and rotating the cup 38inthe desired direction and again tightenin Iscrew ,32. The teeth or serrations 39 on 'tjeedge of cup 38 are adapted to tightly'ei age the ring 31 and thus aid in firmly hol ing cup 38'ri idly clamped to the ring 31. The cam member 26 rigidly attached to the timer cam 25 is pre erably arcuate in form with the pivot axis of ring 31 at its center. This member 26 is provided with "a spiral cam slot 27 within which/the reduced end portion of screw 28 engages. This cam slot 27 is long enough topermit the full swinging movement of ring 31. It will be obviousV that as the ring 31 swings to different angles according to the speed of rotation of shaft- 15 the pin 28 coacting with the cam slot 27 will cause the timer cam 25 to rotate relative to the shaft 15. The shape of the cam slot 27 is such that the position of cam 25 relative to the shaft 15 is advanced or retarded according to the desired degree of advance or retard for the `ignition spark. The distributor rotor 40 is fixed relative to the timer cam 25 and is of course advanced or retarded therewith in a manner well known in the art.

The housing 41 contains the various parts of the timer unit and fits upon the top of the lower housing 11 and is secured thereto by the two screws 42 and 43 which pass through suitable ears provided therefor in the metal of the two housings 11 and 41. This timer unit contains a stationary insulated contact point 44, and a movable contact point 45 mounted upon the arm 46 pivoted upon pin 47. The caln follower 48 rubbing upon the timer cam 45v operates the movable contact 45 in a manner well known and which forms no part of the present invention. The movable contact 45 is grounded to the housing 41 by the spring 49 or by any other suitable mea-ns. The cylindrical condenser unit 50 is held clamped in place between the upper arcuate flange 51 integral with the housing 41 and the lower leaf spring 52 whichis riveted to the under side of the bottom wall of housing 41 as clearly shown in Fig. 6. These clamping connections ground the cylindrical casing which serves as one terminal of the condenser 5,0. The insulated terminal of the condenser is-connected to the insulated terminal post 55 by means of the' metal strap 56. This metal strap also aids in supporting and holding in place one end of condenser 50. It will be obvious that when the end of strap 56 is disconnected from the terminal post 55 the condenser 50 may be readily slipped from under the arcuate lug 51 and thus removed, or it may be easily replaced in its proper position and securely eld theresimply by' pressing it downward upon the le'af spring 52 until it passes under the overhanging pomt of the arcuate lu 51.

The distributor head 60 is molded from some suitable insulating material, as bake.-

lite, and preferably has tliedistributor segments 61 molded in'place 4and freely projecting a suitable distance beyond the interior surface of the wall. lThe high tension current jumps the small air gap between the distributor arm 62 and the segments 61 in a manner now well known. Heretofore the sides of the segments 61 have been covered with insulating material, leaving only the surface adjacent the distributor arm 62 free. The high tension spark may then pass over a small part of the insulation immediately ils burn. away the insulating material.

adjacent the segment'61 and thus begi'hto is burnin when once started progresses continuous y over quite a distance and may even burn a conducting pathway from one segment 61 to another and thus obviously desti-oy the proper operation of the distributor. This conduct-ing pathway is apparently caused by va carbon deposit left when the insulating material vis decomposed by the high tension spark. According to this invention the insulating material at thesides of seg# ments 61 is omitted (as clearly shown in Fig. 3) and thusthe above described ditiiculties are prevented.

The distributor head 60 is designed to nest upon the to -periphery ofthe timer housing 41'. and is oeated in its .proper vposition thereon' b two small depending lugs (not shown) w iich fit within the recesses 65 (see Fig. 1). -Two spring clips 66 engage in suitable lnotches 67 on top of thev head 60 to hold the same down upon the timer housing 1 (see Fig..` 5). The bottom end of the vspring clip 66 is rolled up to form an en`- larged 'rounded end 68`as clearly shown in i Fig.5. The timer housing 41 is provided with a suitable recess 69 to receive the enlarged end 68, the bottom side of `the recess Yslight distance from the housing 11, as will be obvious from the structure shown .in Fig. 5.

' The manual lever 70 for the manual adjustment of the spark is rigidly attached to the housing member 1l `for rotating the same and thereby rotate all theparts of the break-v er mechanism relative to the timer cam-25.

A feature ofl this invention is the simplified means for assemblin the lever 70 upon the.

housing l1 and rigi ly clamping it thereto This lever 70- isl in any desired position. i provided with an aperture 71 large enough to permit the lower end 12 of housingll to pass therethrough (see 9). An annular groove '72 is provided in the member 11 `of a width substantially equal to the thickness of the lever 70 .(see Fig. 3). Intercepting theA larve aperture is a semi-circular aperture .73 of a'fradius substantially ual to that of the annular groove- 72. It wi l now be clear that the lever 70 -may be. moved to `the position shownl in V1I) whereinY the semi-circular aperture 73 is in engagement l` /with the. housing 11y vat the annular groove 72. rThe parts ybeing inthis position, the

sli htly arched 'clamping member 75 is attac edv to lever`70 by the screw 76 (see Fig. 3). It is obvious that the clamp 75 will hold the lever 70' in tight engagement with'the member 11 and thus permit the turning thereof by lever 70. Preferably the periphery ofaperture 73 is provided with teethl or serrations, as shown in Fig. 10, to give a better driving engagement between the lever 70 and housing 11. The lever 70 is held down and its range of movement determined by the screw moving in theV arcuate slot 81, as will beI obvious from Figs. 3 and 10. An advantage of this adjustable means; for

securing lever 70 to housing 1'1 -lies inthefact that the entire non-rotating 'mechanism' of the timer distributor unitVmay--beset'in any one of six different positions in the case lof a six cylinder engine distributor (in.

order to place the primary circuit terminal 55 and the oiling hole 85, in the mostA convenient posit-ions) and then the lever 7 0 may be rigidly secured theretoin the above de-v.

scribed-manner. Also this adjustable means ,permits the accurate location of the segments 61 relative tothe-position of the distributor arm 62 both at the time of first assembly'and j .i

at any later .time when the'parts mayl get out of accurate locationk due to wear in the:l

l driving .mechanism of the'l distributor arm 62.

Fio'. 4 illustrates a modified form of timer distributor unit similar to that shown lin Fig. 3 exce t that the automatic advance mechanism as been omitted. It will be clear from -a comparison of Figs., 3 and 4 that the -amount of overhang between the timer cam 25 and the to drive shaft bearing 17 has been increase by the addition of the automatic advance mechanism only a very slight amount. This construction eliminates the necessity of an additional bearing placed above .the automatic advance mechanism in order to holdftlie cam 25 in perfect alignment with the drive shaft. With the elimination of such 'a'bearing thev entire structure is greatly 'simplified and rendered more economical'to manufacture. v While the form of embodiment of the present inventionasherein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all com`v ing within the scope of theclaims which fol- What is claimed is` as follows:

1. An automatic spark .timing device for the ignition system --ofan v internal combustion engine, comprising inr combination, a housing having an 'inwardl extendnr bearing portion; a drive shaft joui'nal'led- '1n said bearing and extendin into the housing; a- A,breaker cam rotatab y mounted on said..

shaft; an arcuate memberprovided with a spiral vs lot, secured tothe breaker cam; a

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sleeve secured to the -drive shaft 'adjacent 18 jacent said bea the end of the bearing portion, said sleeve having depending ears, oppositely disposed, and extending over and partially surrounding the end of the bearing portion; and a centrifugal member pivotally secured to the ears of the sleeve and operatively connected to the spiral slot of the arcuate member; and a. spring connected between thev centrifugal member and the sleeve for holding the centrfugal member normally in spark retarding position.

2. In any automatic spark advance mechanism for an iv terpnalcombustion engine, in combinatiom-a le shaft rotatably mounta Weighted centrifugal ring piv'itallyv io nted upon said shaft adj g `nd yieldably restrained to lie atfa'n` acute ngle with said shaft whereby lsaid@'jing at;V`v least partly encompasses said bearingrafbreaker cam mounted upon" said drive Ashaftclosely adjacent said bearing and having a spiral cam member eX- tending outwardly adjacent said centrifugal ring,\and a lug rigid with :aid centrifugal ring and engaging said spiral cam for advancing or retarding the position of the breaker cam relative to the drive shaft.

3. In an automatic spark advance mechanism for an internal combustion engine, in combination, a drive shaft having a stationary bearing7 a vfitting' mounted upon said shaft adjacent said bearing and projecting downwardly about said bearing, a centrifugal ring pivotally mounted upon said fitting below the top edge of said bearing, a breaker y can? mounted .upon said shaft adjacent said fitting and having an advance cam member secured thereto and extending downwardly adjacent the centrifugal ring, and cam engaging means rigid with said ring for engag ing said advancing cam for advancing orfetarding the position of the breaker cam relaf tive to the drive shaft. j

4. In an automatic timer mechanism for the ignition system of an internal combus tion engine, a breaker cam for interrupting the primary ignition circuit, a drive shaft lfor driving said'breaker cam having a stationar bearing, said breaker cam being adjustab y mounted upon said drive shaft relatively close to said bearing, and automatic cam to adjust the position thereof accord- Ving to the speed of rotation of said drive shaft.

5. In an automatic advance mechanism for the ignition system of an internal combustion engine, a drive shaft having a centrifugal member pivotally mounted thereupon on a pivot substantially perpendicular thereto, a coil spring surrounding Said pivot for yieldably urging the centrifugal member toward alignment with the axis of said drive shaft, and means for adjusting the tension of said coil spring for varying the position of said centrifugal member at a predetermined speed of rotation of Said drive shaft, said mean; comprising an adjustableiitting for securing one end of said coil spring to said centrifugal member, said fitting being held in adjusted position by said pivot.` l

Ina timer mechanism for the ignition system of an internal combustion engine, a cup-shaped housing for said mechanism, a. condenser having quick detachable mounting upon raid housing, said mounting comprising 'a projection rigid with said housing extending about Said condenser and spring means secured to said housing and Iengaging the under side of said condenser to hold the same in firm engagement with said projcction.

7. In a timer distributor mechanism, a

timer housing, a supporting base therefor to which said timer housing is removably secured, a distributor head fitting upon the top of said timer housing, and a spring clip ,Y for holding said distributor head in placel upon said timer housing, said clip having its lower end pivotally anchored in place in a suitable recess in the wall of said timer housing, the lower side of said recess being sufliciently closed by said supporting base to prevent withdrawal of the lower end of said spring clip vfrom said recess.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.v

CHARLES E. BERKDOLL.

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