Rotary multiple contact periodic switch for internal combustion engine with improved distributor shaft contact collar

Claim 2

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine of the type including a series of cylinders, a spark plug for each cylinder, a spark coil, and distributor means including a rotor driven by a metallic distributor shaft for directing ignition sparks from such spark coil to conducting leads extending to such spark plugs and a contact supporting plate, comprising; an insulating collar having an exterior cylindrical surface surrounding said metallic distributor shaft; contact means in electrical contact with said metallic distributor shaft, extend through said insulating collar and terminate on said cylindrical surface; a series of brushes insulatingly mounted on said supporting plate; said brushes being circumferentially spaced around said distributor shaft at the same angle relative to each other and each having one end bearing against said exterior cylindrical surface in a plane so as to engage said termination of said contact means during its rotation; the angular spacing between successive ones of said brushes being equal to 360* divided by the number of engine cylinders; means urging each one of said brushes into engagement with said cylindrical surface; and conductor means for connecting each one of said brushes to a source of electrical current; the angular extent, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, of said contact means being less than the angular extend between the rearward and forward edges of successive ones of said brushes.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said contact means comprises a single contact member.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1 wherein the series of brushes and the urging means are mounted on an insulating plate which is attached to the contact supporting plate.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 1 wherein the insulating collar has an interior surface conforming to the primary circuit breaker cam of a regular automobile distributor.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 4 wherein the series of brushes and the urging means are mounted on said insulating plate which includes a central opening to be received over said insulating collar when said insulating plate is attached to the contact supporting plate.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 5 wherein the insulating plate includes arcuate slots for enabling adjustment of said insulating plate.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 5 wherein the urging means comprises an individual spring bearing against the base of each of said brushes.

Claim 9

Apparatus for making and breaking the primary circuit of an automobile engine ignition system including a distributor having a distributor shaft and a peak-and-dwell circuit breaker cam thereon adapted to open and close breaker points comprising a series of stationary equiangularly spaced brushes adapted to be mounted circumferentially in the distributor of said ignition system; a rotating insulating cylindrical collar having interior peaks and dwells to be disposed over said circuit breaker cam; and a contact member extending through said collar and having an interior terminus and an exterior terminus; conductor means connecting one end of each one of said brushes to a source of electrical current; the other ends of each of said brushes being adapted to ride on the cylindrical surface of said collar and to engage said exterior terminus of said contact member; said interior terminus of said contact member being in electrical contact with the surface of said circuit breaker cam; the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radius of the trailing edge of said exterior terminus of said contact member and the radius of the next rearward interior peak of said collar being essentially equal to the angular spacing between the radius of the point on said circuit breaker cam where the breaker points of an automobile ignition system open and the radius of the next rearward peak of such breaker cam; and the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radii of leading and trAiling edges of said contact member being less than the angular spacing, at the same cylindrical surface, between the radii of the rearward edge of any of said brushes and the forward edge of the next rearward brush.

Claim 10

Apparatus for making and breaking the primary circuit of an automobile engine ignition system including a distributor having a distributor shaft and a peak-and-dwell circuit breaker cam thereon adapted to open and close breaker points comprising a series of stationary equiangularly spaced brushes adapted to be mounted circumferentially in the distributor of said ignition system; a rotating insulating cylindrical collar having interior peaks and dwells to be disposed over said circuit breaker cam; and a contact member extending through said collar and having an interior terminus and an exterior terminus; conductor means connecting one end of each one of said brushes to a source of electrical current; the other ends of each of said brushes being adapted to ride on the cylindrical surface of said collar and to engage said exterior terminus of said contact member; said interior terminus of said contact member being in electrical contact with the surface of said circuit breaker cam; the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radius of the trailing edge of said exterior terminus of said contact member and the radius of the next rearward interior peak of said collar being essentially equal to the angular spacing between the radius of the point on said circuit breaker cam where the breaker points of an automobile ignition system open and the radius of the next rearward peak of such breaker cam; and the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radii of leading and trAiling edges of said contact member being less than the angular spacing, at the same cylindrical surface, between the radii of the rearward edge of any of said brushes and the forward edge of the next rearward brush.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said contact means comprises more than one contact member, adjacent ones of which are spaced apart by an angular extent greater than the cooperating angular extent of any of said brushes, and the angular spacing between the trailing edges of adjacent contact members correspond to the predetermined interval between two successive firing sparks to a spark plug.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 9 wherein said contact means comprises two contact members.

Claim 13

Apparatus for making and breaking the primary circuit of an automobile ignition system two times in the power stroke of each piston for providing a primary ignition spark and a secondary ignition spark to each spark plug including a distributor having a distributor shaft and a peak-and-dwell circuit breaker cam thereon adapted to open and close breaker points comprising a series of stationary equiangularly spaced brushes adapted to be mounted circumferentially in the distributor of said ignition system; a rotating insulating cylindrical collar having interior peaks and dwells to be disposed over said circuit breaker cam, a primary contact member and a secondary contact member extending through said collar and being spaced apart from each other, each of said primary and secondary contact members having an interior terminus and an exterior terminus; conductor means connecting one end of each of said brushes to a source of electrical current; the other ends of each of said brushes being adapted to ride on the cylindrical surface of said collar and to engage said exterior termini of said primary and secondary contact members; said interior termini of said primary and secondary contact members being in electrical contact with the surface of said circuit breaker cam; the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radius of the trailing edge of said exterior terminus of said primary contact member and the radius of the next rearward interior peak of said collar being essentially equal to the angular spacing between the radius of the point on said circuit breaker cam where such breaker points would open and the radius of the next rearward peak of such breaker cam; the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the trailing edge of said exterior terminus of said primary contact member and the radius of the exterior terminus of the leading edge of said secondary contact member being greater than the angular width, at said cylindrical surface of any of said brushes; the angular spacing at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radius of the trailing edge of said primary contact member and the radius of the trailing edge of said secondary contact member corresponding to the predetermined time interval between such first and second sparks; the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radius of the leading edge of said primary contact member and the radius of the trailing edge of said secondary contact member being less than the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radii of the rearward edge of any of said brushes and the forward edge of the next rearward brush.

Claim 14

Apparatus for making and breaking the primary circuit of an automobile ignition system two times in the power stroke of each piston for providing a primary ignition spark and a secondary ignition spark to each spark plug including a distributor having a distributor shaft and a peak-and-dwell circuit breaker cam thereon adapted to open and close breaker points comprising a series of stationary equiangularly spaced brushes adapted to be mounted circumferentially in the distributor of said ignition system; a rotating insulating cylindrical collar having interior peaks and dwells to be disposed over said circuit breaker cam, a primary contact member and a secondary contact member extending through said collar and being spaced apart from each other, each of said primary and secondary contact members having an interior terminus and an exterior terminus; conductor means connecting one end of each of said brushes to a source of electrical current; the other ends of each of said brushes being adapted to ride on the cylindrical surface of said collar and to engage said exterior termini of said primary and secondary contact members; said interior termini of said primary and secondary contact members being in electrical contact with the surface of said circuit breaker cam; the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radius of the trailing edge of said exterior terminus of said primary contact member and the radius of the next rearward interior peak of said collar being essentially equal to the angular spacing between the radius of the point on said circuit breaker cam where such breaker points would open and the radius of the next rearward peak of such breaker cam; the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the trailing edge of said exterior terminus of said primary contact member and the radius of the exterior terminus of the leading edge of said secondary contact member being greater than the angular width, at said cylindrical surface of any of said brushes; the angular spacing at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radius of the trailing edge of said primary contact member and the radius of the trailing edge of said secondary contact member corresponding to the predetermined time interval between such first and second sparks; the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radius of the leading edge of said primary contact member and the radius of the trailing edge of said secondary contact member being less than the angular spacing, at the cylindrical surface of said collar, between the radii of the rearward edge of any of said brushes and the forward edge of the next rearward brush.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 11 wherein a distributor rotor is provided and includes a terminal of an arcuate extent corresponding to the time interval between the successive sparks.