Transistorized ignition system utilizing a magnetically actuated reed switch

Claim 1

IN AN IGNITION SYSTEM HAVING AN IGNITION COIL FOR PROVIDING FIRING PULSES FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, APPARATUS FOR INTERRUPTING CURRENT THROUGH THE COIL TO PRODUCE FIRING PULSES THEREIN INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, TRANSISTOR SWITCHING MEANS HAVING INPUT, OUTPUT AND CONTROL PORTIONS, MEANS ADAPTED TO CONNECT SAID INPUT AND OUTPUT PORTIONS OF SAID TRANSISTOR SWITCHING MEANS IN SERIES WITH AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE IGNITION COIL ACROSS A SOURCE OF POTENTIAL, AND A CONTROL CIRCUIT CONNECTED TO SAID CONTROL PORTION OF SAID TRANSISTOR SWITCHING MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE CONDUCTION THEREOF, SAID CONTROL CIRCUIT INCLUDING AN ENCAPSULATED MAGNETIC REED SWITCH AND A DISC-LIKE ANNULAR ROTARY MAGNETIC MEMBER FOR OPERATING SAID MAGNETIC SWITCH, MEANS COUPLING SAID MAGNETIC MEMBER TO THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE FOR ROTATING SAID MEMBER IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE ENGINE, SAID MAGNETIC MEMBER HAVING NORTH AND SOUTH POLES ALTERNATELY POSITIONED AT REGULAR INTERVALS ON THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, SAID MAGNETIC REED SWITCH HAVING TWO MAGNETIC REED MEMBERS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE EACH OTHER TO CLOSE CIRCUIT MEANS THROUGH SAID REED SWITCH, SAID REED MEMBERS BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID ANNULAR MAGNETIC MEMBER, TANGENT THERETO AND IN THE SAME PLANE THEREWITH, SO THAT DURING ROTATION OF SAID ANNULAR MAGNETIC MEMBER OPPOSITE MAGNETIC POLES THEREOF ARE ALIGNED WITH SAID REED MEMBERS AND POLARIZE THE SAME TO OPPOSITE POLARITIES SO THAT SAID REED MEMBERS ATTRACT EACH OTHER AND ENGAGE TO CLOSE THE CIRCUIT THERETHROUGH, AND THEN LIKE MAGNETIC POLES OF SAID MAGNETIC MEMBERS ARE ALIGNED WITH SAID REED MEMBERS AND POLARIZE SAID REED MEMBERS TO THE SAME POLARITY SO THAT SAID REED MEMBERS REPEL EACH OTHER AND SEPARATE TO OPEN THE CIRCUIT THERETHROUGH, SAID MAGNETIC REED SWITCH ALTERNATELY CLOSING AND OPENING SAID CIRCUIT MEANS THERETHROUGH AS SAID MAGNETIC MEMBER ROTATES, SAID CIRCUIT MEANS OPERATING TO ALTERNATELY CHANGE THE CONDUCTION OF SAID CONTROL CIRCUIT MEANS, SAID CONTROL CIRCUIT MEANS CAUSING INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF SAID TRANSISTOR SWITCHING MEANS TO INTERRUPT CURRENT IN SAID IGNITION COIL AND PRODUCING FIRING PULSES.