Flywheel magneto ignition system

Claim 1

An ignition system for an engine having a flywheel and employing at least two spark plugs comprising in combination: a pair of magnets mounted in respective angular spaced relation on the flywheel for rotating therewith; said magnets being positioned such that the north pole of one magnet is the relatively leading pole as said flywheel is rotated and the other magnet being positioned such that its south pole is the relatively leading pole as said flywheel is rotated; first and second magnetic assemblies each having at least one winding, said assemblies being relatively stationary and in angular spaced relation to one another, said magnets rotating in a path adjacent said magnetic assemblies whereby rotation of said magnets past said magnetic assemblies develops an alternating current energy in said windings, rectifier means connecting to a first winding in said assembly for rectifying said current energy, capacitive means connected to said rectifier means for storing energy developed in said first winding, switch means connected to a winding in said second assembly, said switch means being activated by the energy developed in the winding in said second assembly for initiating discharge of said capacitive means to provIde a pulse of energy to said spark plugs, said switch means comprising a pair of triac means, each triac means having two main terminal electrodes and a gate electrode, respective transformer means associated with a respective spark plug connected to one of said main terminal electrodes of each triac means, said winding in said second assembly being center tapped, and respective diode means connecting each gate electrode to the opposite end terminals of said winding in said second assembly, whereby when current flows in said triac means an energy pulse is provided to the associated spark plug, a first portion of said winding in said second assembly connecting to said triac means to permit an energy pulse in the winding to turn ON only one triac means and bias the other triac means OFF during a given period to enable said triac means to provide alternating current pulses to said spark plugs.