Engine operation analysis apparatus

Claim 1

ENGINE OPERATION ANALYSIS APPARATUS FOR CHECKING IGNITION AND VALVE TIMING ON CYCLICALLY OPERABLE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES HAVING AT LEAST ONE CYLINDER WITH AN INTAKE VALVE AND AN EXHAUST VALVE, A PISTON RECIPROCALLY DRIVEN IN THE CYLINDER AND AN IGNITION SYSTEM HAVING MEANS OPERATIVE TO DELIVER PERIODIC ELECTRICAL IMPULSES, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A TUBULAR GAUGE COMPRISING, TELESCOPING HOLLOW MEMBERS, ONE OF WHICH IS ATTACHABLE TO THE CYLINDER AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR THEREOF, AND FLEXIBLE FEELER MEANS AXIALLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOLLOW MEMBERS, AND EXTENDING INTO THE CYLINDER WHEN THE GAUGE IS MOUNTED THEREON TO MECHANICALLY ENGAGE THE PISTON NORMAL THERETO, SAID FLEXIBLE FEELER MEANS FOR FOLLOWING AND SENSING THE TRUE DISTANCE OF PISTON TRAVEL, AND THE TOP AND BOTTOM DEAD CENTER POSITIONS OF THE PISTON; MEANS FOR SECURING SAID FLEXIBLE FEELER MEANS IN SAID HOLLOW MEMBERS; VISUAL INDICATING MEANS ON SAID GAUGE COOPERATIVE WITH SAID FLEXIBLE FEELER MEANS AND ACTUATED THEREBY, FOR INDICATING THE TRUE TRAVEL OF THE PISTON INCLUDING THE TOP AND BOTTOM DEAD CENTER POSITIONS THEREOF; A VALVE-TIMING INDICATING DEVICE COMPRISING A VALVE-TIMING LIGHT MOUNTED ON SAID GAUGE FOR VISUALLY INDICATING THE TIMES DURING WHICH THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES ARE COMPLETELY CLOSED FOR EASILY COMPARING WITH THE INDICATED POSITION OF THE PISTON DURING SAID TIMES; MEANS COOPERATIVE ALTERNATIVELY WITH SAID EXHAUST AND INTAKE VALVES FOR TURNING ON SAID LIGHT DURING SAID TIMES AND TURNING IT OFF DURING OTHER TIMES OF THE ENGINE OPERATIONAL CYCLE, AN IGNITION-TIMING INDICATING DEVICE COMPRISING MEANS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTABLE TO SAID IGNITION MEANS PROVIDING THE PERIODIC IMPULSES, INCLUDING A SECOND LIGHT FOR VISUALLY INDICATING THE TIME OF SAID IMPULSES RELATIVE TO THE POSITION OF SAID VALVES AS INDICATED BY SAID FIRST LIGHT AND THE PISTON AS INDICATED BY SAID VISUAL INDICATING MEANS.