Ignition system for an internal combustion engine

Claim 1

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine having ignition coil means including a primary and a secondary coil, ignition plug means connected with the secondary coil of the ignition coil means, an electric power supply means connected with one end of the primary coil of the ignition coil means, and breaker means connected at one end with the other end of the primary coil, the other end of the breaker means being grounded, the breaker means including at least two breaker contacts connected in parallel to the other end of the primary coil, one of the contacts being opened at a normal engine ignition timing and the other being opened at a timing later than the one breaker contact by a preselected time to retard engine ignition, comprising: a first time delay circuit means including a normally open switch contact means, means for connecting said normally open contact means to the power supply to energize said normally open switch contact means for closing same after a first predetermined time delay; a second time delay circuit means including a normally closed switch contact means, means for connecting said normally closed contact switch means to the power supply to energize said normally closed switch for opening same after a second predetermined time delay, said second predetermined time delay being longer than said first predetermined time delay; means for detecting that the engine is started and producing an engine start signal; and means for receiving said engine start signal from said detecting means and simultaneously energizing said first and second time delay circuit means, said switch contact means of said first and second time delay circuit means being disposed in the series between the primary coil of the ignition coil means and the other breaker contact, whereby after engine start, said first and second circuit means are simultaneously energized and the primary coil is connected in a series with the one breaker contact to produce engine ignition at the normal ignition timing during said first predetermined time delay after which said normally open contact means is closed to establish a series connection between the primary coil and the other breaker contact to produce engine ignition at a delayed timing for a time until said second predetermined time delay has elapsed, which time is the difference between said first and second predetermined time delays, and thereafter said normally closed switch contact means is opened to again establish a series connection between the primary coil and the one breaker contact to again produce engine ignition at the normal ignition timing.