US1014723A - Automatic reversing and timing switch for gas-engines. - Google Patents

Description

J. M. RHETT.

AUTOMATIC REVERSING AND T IMING SWITCH FOR GAS ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED DEC.12,1910.

1,014,723. Patented Jan. 16, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHBET 1.

*illlllmllll J. M. RHETT.

AUTOMATIC REVERSING AND TIMING SWITCH FOR GAS ENGINES.

1 APPLICATION FILED 1330.12, 1910. lfilfi u Patented J an. 16, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. M. RHETT.

AUTOMATIC REVERSING AND TIMING SWITCH FOR GAS ENGINES.

APPLICATION LEILED 1320.12, 1910. 1,014,723. Patented Jan. 16,1912.

3 SHQBETS-SHEET 3.

pertains to make and use the the timer; and

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AUTOMATIC REVERSING AND TIMING SWITCH FOR GAS-ENGINES:

Specification-10f Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 16, 1912.

Application filed December 12, 1916. Serial No. 596,933.

citizen of the United States, residing at Beaufort, in the county of Beaufort and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automati'c Reversing and Timing Switches for Gas-Engines; and following to be a full, scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apsame.

This invention relates, to automatic switches for reversing gas engines, and has for its object to improve the switch shown in my prior Patent #950,704,'dated March 1, 1910, as well as the switch disclosed in ending application #587,276, filed my- October 15, 1910, and" entitled automatic g s engines.

reversing switch for With' these ends in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations of parts and details of construction more fullyhereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims. N v

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this Specification in which like numerals refer to like parts in all the.

is a diagrammatic view showing the circuits and the essential features of my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the governor portion ofthe invention with certain parts shown in section; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the parts shownin F ig. 2 with certain of the parts shown in elevation; Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the timing switch and governor mechanism showing a gear connection to the views :Figure 1 engine; Fig. 5 1s asectional view of. the

timing switch; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectionalview of a portion of the disks of- 1s a detail view show-- 1 induction 00114, as seen in Fig. 7 ing the armature in its locked position.

1 represents any suitable source of current, 2 a conductor leading therefrom, from which extend the. branches 3 to the induction coiis v4 or other transformers.

The current, afte r passing through the branches 3, leaves the said induction coils the conductors 5', and fromthe-conas by ductors 5 the'said current passes to wires 6. Gucci said wires 6 is joined to the wire 7' which leads to the terminal 8. of the timer 9. .The terminal 8, as best in Figs. 4 and 5, is connected as by the concluster 10, to a series of other terminals I do hereby declare the clear, and exact deshown 11, 12, 13 and 14, each of which normally contact, as shown in Fig. 5, with non-conducting rings 15, 16, 17', 18 and 19, respectively. Each of the non-conducting rings to 19 is associated with conducting rings 20, provided with oiisets or tongues 21 distributed in a spiral manner around the circumference of the cylinder of the timer, and is, therefore, angularly offset with respect to each other. The tongues 21 lie in the paths of contact of the terminals 8 to 14, and, therefore, at certain intervals each tongue 21 makes electrical contact with said terminals 8 to 14, as will be clear from Fig. 5.

Normally contacting with' the conducting rings are the terminals 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26, so that whenever the terminals 8 to 14 make contact with their respective tongues 21, there is a conducting path through the rings 20 to the respective terminals 22 to 26. (Jonnected to the terminals 22 to 26 are the wires 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31, respectively,

' 33, 34, and 36, over which the switch lever 1 37 is adapted to pass. The said switch lever is pivoted as at 38 and is connected as by the wire 39 to the ground 40. 41 is another ground to whichthe wire 42 is joined, and current'may pass from the ground to the. ground '41, wire 42- and wire 43 to the contact 44, wire and wire 46 back to the 37 is in the position shown, it is evident that current may pass from the battery 1 over the. main ignition circuit comprising the Wires 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 terminal 8, terminal 12, tongue 21, ring 20, terminal 24, wire 29, contact 34, switch lever 37 wire 39, grounds 40, 41 and wires 42, 43, contact 44 and wires 45 and 46 back to the battery. Upon the current thus passing through the right hand Fig. 1, an induced current will-pass from the secondary of'said coil through the wire 50, spark plug 51 of the cylinder 52, wire 53 to the grounds 54 and 55, wire 56, and back to, the other end of the secondary of said coil as shown. As soon, however,as the contact of the terminal 12 passes 051 of its tongue 21, the current will "be broken, and the spark will cease in the cylinder 52. As the cylinder 57 of the timer, however, continues to revolve, a seriesof terminals 58, which are in all'respects,.similar to the terminals 8 to 14, and which likewise normally contact with the insulating which lead respectively'to the contacts 32,

battery. In other' words,if theswitch lever rings to 19, will be brought into successive contacts with the tongues 21, and will, therefore, afi'ord conducting paths through the rings to the terminals22 to 26, respectively. [If the lever 37 remains in the posi-- tion shown'in Fig.1, immediately after the spark has passed in cylinder 52, as above de- 15' grounds 40 and 41 and wires 42 to 46 back to the battery, so that an induced current will pass through the wire 60, spark plug 61, cylinder 62 and grounds 54, 55 and wire 56, back to the said middle induction coil. -In

- like manner, as the cylinder 57 of the timer continues to revolve, a series of terminals 63,

in all respects like the terminals 8 to 14,

will be likewise brought into contact with the conducting tongues 21. When this happens, supposing the parts to remain in the position shown in Fig. 1, a current will pass from the battery 1, over the main ignition circuit comprising the wire 2, through the terminal of the left hand induction coil 4,

shown in Fig. 1, through the wires 6 and to a terminal of the series 63, also corresponding to the terminal 12 in Fig. 5. When the proper tongue 21 makes contact with this said terminal in the series 63, a current will accordingly pass through the wire 29, the lever 37 and over the path previously described back to the battery, so that an induced current will pass over the wire 64, through the spark plug and cylinder66 to the ground 54 and back over the wire 56 to complete the secondary circuit.

It is evident that so long as the lever 37 remains in the position shown, and the cylinder 57 of the timer continues to revolve, sparks will successiyely pass through the spark plugs 51, 61 and 65 of their respective cylinders. In other words, it is evident that so longas the parts :remain undisturbed the engine will continue to run. Now supposing it is desired to increase or to retard the speed of the-engine, which is usually accomplished by advancing or retarding the spark, it is only necessary ,to throw the lever 37 down or up, as shown in Fig. 1. That is to .say, suppose the lever 37 to be moved downv wardly so as to touch the contact 33, then the circuits above. disclosed will pass over the wire 28, and through the terminals 11 and 23, so' that the spark will be slightly ad- .vanced over those produced when the terminals 12 and 24 are in circuit. In the same way if the lever 37 is thrown down until it touches the contact 32, the circuits above disclosed will include the wire 27, and the teringly slowed down. In allcases, however,

no matter on what contact the lever 37 may. happen to rest, the speed of the engine will remain constant so long as it is on that contact. As is well known, it is also customary to reverse gas engines by cutting out the sparking, and restablishing the same before the pistons complete their strokes. In order to thus reverse an engine equipped with my invention, I. provide the 5 ring contacts 70 and 71, connected respectively by'the wires 72 and 73 to the wire 74, leading from one pole of the battery, and adapted to be brought into electrical connection with the contacts 75 and 76, respectively. These'latter contacts are connected as by the wires 77 and, 78, respectively, with the wire 79 which is connected with the. coils 80 of the electro magnet 81, and which in turn are connectedas by the wire 82 to the plug 83, and by the wire 46 to the other pole of the battery. It is evident that if the spring contact 70, for example, should be thrown against the contact 75, either by pushing the sparking in the engine, and, therefore, the

fly wheel of the same will slow downL When the armature 84 is thus attractedby themagnet 81, the latch 94 pivoted at will, under the influence of its spring 101, force its nose 102 behind the hook-like projection 98 of said armature and into the position shown in Fig. 7. -When said nose is thus positioned although the current may be cut off through the magnet, the armature cannot move sufliciently far toward the right, as seen in Figs. 2 and 7, to cause the circuit to be made at the contact 44. As the fly wheel 89 continues to slow down, the spring 90 controlling the centrifugal balls 91 and the movable nose 92 of the engine I governor will force said nose 92 toward the right as seen in Fig. 3, and will cause the' said nose finally to contactwiththe arm or projection 93 of the said latch 94, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. When this happens, the said latch 94 willbe swung on its pivot 100, in a counter clockwisetdirection, and thereby release its nose 162.

, spring. It

from: contact with the hook-like projection 98 of saidarmature, and permit said armature t-GTBSUIHQ the full line position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in which position the circuit .fromthe contacts 4 1, 85 is made. When this happens, the said hook-like projection 98 will be in frictional contact with the-said nose 102, as plainly indicated in Fig. 2, and in order that the movement of the armature 8st to said full line position shall be as quick as possible, and shall be done with certainty, I preferably provide a spring such as 95, which is secured at one end tothe post 103, and at its other end to a portion 104 of said armature, and I also pro- 'vide a set screw 105 contacting with said spring95 betweenithe'points 103 and 104, and adapted to regulate the tension of said is evident that the pressure of the spring 95 will be directed: upon said armature 84, to the left as seen in Fig. 2 of-the pivot 97 of said armature, and that, therefore, said spring 95 will force said armature over to the right or into its full line position, as seen in Fig. 2. When said armature 84, however, reaches the full line position shown, the contacts 441 and 85 being made, sparking will be resumed in the cylinders owing to the operation above disclosed.

The width of the lever 37 is preferably so chosenthat when it causes the contact to touch the contact 75, it is sufiiciently wide to still be in electrical connection with the contact 32, and thereby avoid breaking the mainline circuit at the. point 32. in the same way when said lever 37 forces the contact 71 into electrical connection with the contact 76, the main line circuit is preferably still'made at; the contact 36. The efl'ect of; thus not breaking the main line circuit at the contact 32 and 36 is to cause the sparking to immediately start when the engine. has. slowed down sufiiciently to remake the main line circuit between the points A and 85. This would not be the case shouldthe lever 37 be too narrow to maintain its connection with the contacts 32 and36, and should the operator throw said lever to one of its extreme positions and leave it there.

As there is usually a mark on the fly wheel which denotes when. the piston is up, it is evident that the parts may be so timed as to causethe sparking to begin again at any portion of the stroke of the piston desired. It being of course understood that thegovernor is either run by reason of one of its parts such as the disk 110 being'in contact with the fly wheel 89, or that some other suitable connection is employed be tween a movable part of the engine and a suitableportionof the governor. In fact, in Fig. 4:, I have shown a rod 112, which may be connected in any suitable manner with any suitable movable part of'the engine, which rod operates the timer,

and is provided with a gear 113, meshing with a gear 114i, carried by the rod 115, provided with the gear 116, meshing with the gear 117, which in turn is connected with and operates the governor 118.

The operation of my invention will be clear from the foregoing, but may be'briefly summarized as follows :So long as the lever 37, shown in Fig. 1, touches one of the contacts 32 to 36, sparking in the cylinder or cylinders of the engine will continue, and whenever said switch 37 is moved from one contact 32 to another contact 33, 3 1, 35 or 36, the sparking will be advanced or retarded in said cylinders according to the direction of saidmovement, and thereby the speed of the engine will be increased or decreased accordingly. Also when one of the springs 70 or 71 is momentarily thrown against its contact 75 or 76, as the case may be, either by hand, or by moving the lever 37 over against such springs 70 or 71, then the magnet 81 will be energized, and the mainsparking circuit will be broken at the contacts 4-1, 85. Since the current which causes the initial breaking of the sparking circuit is momentary, the said main circuit woui'd be immediately reestablished were it not for the fact that the nose 102 of the latch 94 will be forced immediately behind the hook-like extension 98 of the armature 84, and hold said contacts 1 1 and 85 separated as best shown in Fig. 7. The main sparking circuit will be thus held open, until the engine slows down sufficiently to cause the. nose 92 of it'sgovernor to swing said latch 94 in such a direction as to release the armature 84, and to permit its controlling spring 95 to reestablish the main circuit be tween the points 14 and 85. The parts are so timed that the restablishment of the main circuit takes placeat that portion of the stroke as will cause a reversal of the engines. g

It will be observed that the timing device and its controlling switch 37 is of generalapplication, and may be used with or without the reversing mechanism, and it is likewise evident thatthe reversing mechanism may be used with or without this particular timing mechanism. In fact, it is further evidentthat the switch controlling the advancement or retardation-ott-he sparking may bein one portion of a boat or'an automobilev and thexrevers-ing mechanism may be located at some other point. But, of course, it will generally be most convenient to locate. both :the reversing switch or timing switch at or near the same'point. However, it is further evident that a plurality of reversing or timing switchescould be located at difiierent points of the boator other moving vehicle.

-" magnetic means for breaking said circuit;

' means for holding said cirqiit open; and a governor operated by thel'gine adapted to move said last mentioned means when said ,en'gine slows down and thereupon permit said circuitto be closed, substantially as described.

2.11: a reversing switch for gas engines, ;the combination of a main. ignition circuit;

magnetic means comprising an armature for breaking said circuit; means comprising a latch for'locking said armature and there- 'uponholding said circuit open; and a governor o erated by the engine adapted to move said latch andthereupon permit said QQKcircuit to be closed, substantially as described.

In a reversing switch for gas engines, thecombination of a main ignition circuit;

a timer in said circuit; a magnetically coni so; trolled contact in said circuit; a latch adapted to hold said contact in its open position;

and a governor operated by the engine adapted to move saidlatch and permit said I v circuit to be reclosed at a predetermined pc- 85 riod of the stroke of the piston, substantially as described. I e

' 4. In a reversing switch for gas engines,

the combination of a main ignition circuit;

a'timer in said circuit; means for causin 40 saldtlmer to advance or. to retard the spar as desired; contacts for controlling said circuit; an armature; a contact controlled by said armature adapted to break said circu'it; a latch adapted to hold said contact inits, open circuit position; and a governor operated by the engine adapted to move said latch and permit said circuit to be reclosed at a predetermined period of the stroke of the piston, substantially as described.

In a reversing switch for gas engines, the combination of a main ignition circuit; a revolving-timer provided with a plurality of. contacts in said circuit; means for causing said contacts to be made at difierent periods during the revolution of said timer and thereupon to advance or to retard the sparking as desired; contacts for controlling said main circuit; an armature; a contact controlled by said armature forbreaking said circuit; a spring controlled latch said last mentioned contact in s for holdin ;..its open c1rcuit position; and a governor operated by said engine for moving said latch out of its locking position, substan- 5 tially as described.

6. In an automatic reversing switch for gas engines, the combination ofa main ignition circuit; a contact for controlling said circuit; a latch for holding said contact in its open circuit position; a governor for operating said latch to release said contact; and a spring for causing said contact to close said circuit after said governor has released said latch, substantially as described.

7. In an automatic reversing switch for gas engines, the combination of a main ignition circuit; a timer provided with a plurality of contacts in said' circuit; a switch provided with a plurality of contacts connected to'said timer contacts; means for con- 30 necting any one of said last mentioned contacts in said circuit; and-'magne-tic means controlled by said last mentioned means for causing said circuit to be broken, substantially as described. I

8. In an automatic switch for gas engines, the combination of a main ignition circuit;

a timer provided with a plurality of contacts so located when made as to aid in advancing or retarding the sparking; said timer also comprising a plurality of switch contacts connected with said timer contacts; and means to join at will any one of said switch contacts in said circuit, substantially as described.

9. In an automatic switch forgas engines, the combination of a main ignition circuit; and a timer provided with a urality of contacts angularly displaced w ith -relation to each other adapted when made to advance 10.0 or to retard'the sparking, said timer also having a plurality of switch contacts connected with said timer contacts, and comprising a lever to join at will any one of said switch contacts in said circuit, substantially as described.

10. In an automatic switch for gas engines, the combination of a main ignition circuit; a timer provided with means for advancing or retarding the sparking joined in said circuit; and a reversing switch mechanism also joined in said circuit, said timer provided with means common to both said spark advancing means and said reversing mechanism for joining either at will in said circuit, substantially as described.

11. In a reversing switch for gas engines, the combination of a main ignition circuit; magnetic means for breaking said circuit; means for holding said circuit open; a governor operated means adapted to move said last mentioned means and thereupon permit said circuit to be closed; and a switch adapted to close a circuit through said magnetic means while maintaining the main ignition circuit, substantially as described.

12. In a reversing switch for gas engines, the combination of a main ignition circuit;

a timer in said circuit; an armature; a contact controlled by said armature adapted to break said circuit; a latch to hold said contact in its open circuit position; a governor operated by the engine adapted to move said latch and permit said circuit to be reclosed at a predetermined period; and a switch controlling. the circuit passing through said magnet and adapted to n-laintain the main ignition circuit while closing said-magnetic circuit substantially. as described.

l3.' in a reversing switch for gas engines,

the combination of a main ignition circuit;

means comprising' an electro-mag'net for breaking said circuit; means comprising an.

engine actuated device and an armature for closing said circuit ata predetermined period of the stroke of the piston; and a timer in said circuit, substantially as described.

14. In a reversing switch for gasengines the combination of a main ignition circuit;

'electro-magnetic means for breaking said circuit; means comprising anv engine actuated device for closing said circuit at a predetermined period of the stroke of the pisston; a timer in said circuit; and means associated with said timer and electro magnetic means for retarding or advancing the spark, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iv aflix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES M. RHETT Witnesses DANIEL MANN, Pnoc'ron GLovER.

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