Jan. 10, 1933. J. F.

MARTIN 1,893,840
MAGNETO
Filed FebÁ 26. 1931 2 Sheetsßheet 2

ATTFRNEY
 Patented Jan. 1o, 1933 1,893,840

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

JOHN F. MARTIN, 0F SPRINGFIELD,\¥ASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED AMERICAN
:BOSCH CORPORATION, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW
YORK '

MAGNETO

Application mea February 26, 1931. serial m. 518,484.

This invention relates to improvements in of the polepiece which carries the generating
magnetos, especially magnetos for generating windings of the magneto.
electric current to ignite the fuel charges in _ The same numerals identify the same parts
the .power cylinders of _internal combustion throughout.
engines. _ In the detailed> description of the draw
An object of this invention is to provide ings, the numeral 1 is employed to indicate-a
an ignition magneto of the inductor type to circular support which >has the, form of a ‘
be associated with the flywheel of the engine dished plate to be mounted in stationary
and controlled thereby. position on any convenient part of the e11
Another object of the invention is to pro gine. This support carries the permanent 60
.vide- an ignition magneto comprising a gen magnets 2, the polepieces 3 and 4, the gen
erating coil witha suitable source of magne erating coils 5, and the circuit interrupter or
tism, the flux from which is alternately con breaker 6. These parts are attached to the
ducted through the coil and diverted there concave face of the plate l. The support 1
from through a shunt or by-pass of variable has a central opening 7 for the main shaft 65
magnetic reluctance. „ For this purpose a 8 of the engine, upon which is rigidly se
shunting element is mounted. upon the fly cured the rotor 9, the actuating member 10
wheel of the engine in 'position to cooperate for the breaker 6, and the «flywheel 11. The
with they rotor of the magneto by bridging flywheel has a hub 12 keyed to the shaft- 8,
9.0 70
and exposing in succession the pole pieces of and a circumferential flange 13. The fly
said magneto. wheel 11 also carries a shunting element 14
A further object of this invention is to pro of magnetic material to bridge the space be
vide such a magnetowhich is of small size tween the polepieces for a purpose to be eX
25
and low cost which does not materially add plained later. ~The rotor 9 has a recess 15
to the weight of the engine and which is of in its circumference, and in the operation of 75
high eflîciency and `simple construction. themagneto the rotor withits recess 15 co
An additional object is to provide an igni 'acts with the element 14 to control the mag
tion magneto of the above mentioned type netic> flux through the coils 4.
comprising a relatively small number of parts The plate 1 has a plane rim 16, and on the
eo but compactly arranged and capable of deliv concave face of this plate are projections 17 80
ering a sufficiently strong current to give a to which the magnets 2 and the polepieces 3
satisfactory spark. and 4 Iare affixed. Both polepieces a-re lami- '
The nature and advantages of the invention nated, the former comprising central lami
35 are fully set forth in the following descrip nations 18 between side laminations 19. The 85
'tion and drawings that illustrate the preferred laminations of both polepieces 3 and 4 have
form of the invention. But while a practical recesses 20 (see Fig. 3) at the top to receive
embodiment is shown in the drawings, vari the ends of the magnets 2. On the polepieces
ations in shape, size and arrangement of the 3 are outside laminations or4 covers '21, and
vbolts or rivets 22 bind all the laminations to
40 various members may be adopted without de 90
parting from the principle of the invention'or gether. Adjacent. the coil 5 the polepiece 3
exceedingthe scope of the appended claims. is relatively thin; that is, the lamlnations
are somewhat narrow, and along the end of
On the drawings, i - ‘ `
the coils remote from the rotor 9 the pole
1 is a front view of a magneto accord piece 3 has a straight edge 23, eatending along
45 ing to the invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse part of the side of the olepiece, the _other 95
aÄial section showing the magneto and fly side being curved according to the radius of
wheel assembled; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic the plate 1. The laminations 19 are all of this
view showing the shunting element carried by shape, but the middle laminations 18 extend
~the flywheel- and how this element cooperates out towards the rotor 9, forming a horn o_r
50 with the. polepieces; and Fig. 4 is avfront view polar projection 24 to carry the coils 5,' this 00
 2 1,893,840
projection being of course less thick than the The coils 5 include a primary and a second
‘remainder of the polepiece 3, and its outer ary, the former being grounded at 46 on the
extremity is of course curved concentric with polepiece 3, and connected at its opposite end
the rotor 9, and is separated therefrom by a by conductor 47 to the condenser 29. The
restricted interval. The laminations 25 be opposite pole of this condenser is also
tween the laminati‘ons 18 and 19 are some grounded, but the pole to which the con
what thicker than the lammations 18, and ductor‘47 is joined is also united to the strip
serve as covers for the laminations 18, in-I 32 by a short conductor 48. The lever 40 is
cluding the projection 24. Screws 26> (not also grounded, and to ensure an efficient
10 shown in Fig. 2) hold the polepiece 3 fast to ground connection, a short- length _of con~ 75
the. support l. The laminations of the pole ductor 49 jo'ns this lever to the shelf 31.
piece 4 are all of the same shape, as indicated At 50 is the high tension lead of the second
in Fig. 1, and this polepiece extends from the ary winding of the coil 5, passing out through
opposite ends of the magnets 2 towards the an insulated bushing 51 in the plate 1.
rotor 9 as straight as possible to limit the The striker or cam 44 may consist of lami
length of the ma netic circuit through the nations of fiber or other suitable materfal,
coils 5. Its polar ace, however, is somewhat secured to the member 10 by rivets. This
longer than the- polar face of the projec member isafñxed to the rotor 9 so that it can
tion 24. be adjusted. It has the form of a ring with
20 If desired, the outside cover 21 of the pole elliptical slotsr52, through which -are passed
piece 3 may be bent over as shown at 27, and screws or bolts 53. The ring can be turned
likewise the outside cover or lamination of angularly by loosening the bolts and rotating
the’ polepiece 4, to press against the tops of the ring as permitted by the slots 52, and
the magnets 2. Each part which is thus bent then tightening the bolts 53.
25 provides a tab which holds the magnets se 90
A cover or case 54 may Ábe ñtted over the
curely in case the magnets titwith any' slight breaker inside of the flywheel and the sup
looseness in the recesses 20. port l, and this cover can be held in place by
There will now be described the design of screws passing through perforated ears 55
the interrupter 6. At one point the plate 1 - on said cover, the screws entering threaded
30 has a plane section 28, which is an inward ex holes in the section 28. The bosses 56 may
tension of the plane rim 16, and to the face also be formed with threaded holes on the
of this section presented to the iiywheel is plate -1> so that it can be secured in operatÍvo
made fast the condenser 29, held in place by _ position. . `
a metal clip or strap 30. On the same face of In operation the rotor 9, as it revolves
35 the section 28 is a small shelf 31, on which is
forms a path of high magnetic permeabilily 100 '

a metal contact strip 32 between insulating between the polepiece 4 and the projection 24
strips 33. This strip is made fast by bolts of the polepiece 3. So long as t-he recess 15
and" nuts, and the apertures for the bolts does not come into posit’on adjacent the pro
through the strip 32 may be larger than the jection 24, the Íiux from the permanent mag
40 thickness of the bolts, so that the strip will nets 2 threads through the coils 5 by way of
not be united electrically by the bolts to the the polepieces 3 and 4 and the rotor 9.
_shelf 31. At the end of the strip is the fixed When, however, the rotor 9 carries the recess
terminal 34. v „
15 towards the projection 24, the arc-shaped
Secured to the section 28, further, is a stud rib or shunting element 14 on the flywheel 1l
45 35, in a bearing 36. The stud has a th'ck
is carried into position to bridge the upper
ened collar 37 abutting this bearing, and on ends o_f the polep'feces, and when the recess
the outer face of the section 28 the lstud car 15 is fully in line with the projection 24, the
vries a washer 38 against which the extremity shunting element 14 will be in central bridg
of stud is riveted to hold it fast. , Above the ing position with respect to polepieces 3 and
shelf 31 the stud carries a flange 39 between 4. The magnetic'flux wfll now be diverted
which and the collar 37 is the breaker lever from the coils and rotor 9 in large measure
40. This lever is -curved at 42 so that it and by-passed through the element 14. The
passes beneath the stud 35, and is pressed up shunt path established by the element 14 is
, against it. _The lever 40 bears» the movable of variable reluctance, because, if .the direc-~
55 terminal 41, which is normally in engage tion of rotation be taken as clockwise with
ment with the terminal 34. The opposite respect to Fig. 3, the element 14 will first ar
end 43 of the lever is turned up towards the rive at the polepiece 3, and as it passes on
shaft 8, to be operated by the strîker or cam above the magnets 2 towards the polepiece 4,
yblock 44 on the member 10. A spring 45, the reluctance of the by-pass becomes less
60 atlixed to the bottom of the shelf 31 by the and less. Hence, as th’e recess l5 on the rotor 125Í
bolts and nuts holding the strip 32 engages 9 is now coming more and more into line willi
the lower face of the lever at its other end the projection 24, the flux through the coils 5 ,
and presses it upward about the stud 35 as diminishes in intens'ty, and increases
a pivot or fulcrum, to keep the terminal 41 through the element 14. At this time also `
65 in contact with the terminal 34. the striker or cam block 44 on the member 9 130
 1,893,840 3
hits the interrupter lever 40 and separates 4. A magneto comprising- a support, mag
the terminals 34 and 41.' A high tension cur~ nets attached to said support, polepieces at
rent is then induced in the secondary wind the ends of themagnets, one of said pole
ing and lflows out through the lead 50. pieces having a projection, said projection
Further rotation ofthe rotor carries the cam and the other pole piece having opposed 70
block 44 past the interrupter; the terminals polar faces, generating coils on said projec
34 and 41 again come together, and simul tion, a rotor between the polar faces to con
taneously therecess 15 in the rotor 9 is car trol the íiux from said magnets through said
ried past the projection 24, and the element coils, a circuit breaker on ‘said’ support for
10 14 carries its trailing end away from the said coils, a cam block on the rotor to actuate 75
polepiece 3 while its leading end revolves past the circuit breaker, and -a flywheel having
the top of the polepiece 4. The magnetic a shunting element movable with the rotor to
flux now builds up again in coils 5 in prepa divert magnetic flux from said coils.
ration for the next spark. . 5. A magneto comprising a stationary sup
15 The'magneto, built a's described, iscom port, a source of magnetic flux secured to the 80
paratively light and `easily assembled, yet support, a laminated pole iece atone end of
makes a very durable structure. .A strong said source of magnetic nx, a polepiece at
spark is always _given and if at any time in .the opposite end of said source, said second
spection-or repaÍr is needed, access to the named polepiece comprising middle lamina
20 magneto can be had simply by drawing the tions amd outside laminatlons, the middle 85
flywheel off the shaft 8, and if the magnetolaminations having lateral projections ex
then has to be dismounted, it is only neces tending toward the first polepiece, generat
`-sary to remove the fastening bolts from the ing coils on said projections and a rotor
bosses 56. to control the flux throughsaid coils.
25 Having described the invention, what is 6. A magneto comprising a dish-shaped 90
believed to be new, to be secured by' Letters .supportl adapted to be mounted in stationary
Patent of the United States is: , position upon an internal combustion engine,
1. A magneto comprising generating coils, with its convex face turned towards said
a source of magnetic flux for said coils, a pole engine, magnets fixedto the concave face of
30 piece associated with each pole of said source said plate, -polepieces at the end of said mag 95
and having opposed `polar faces, said coils nets, enerating coils mounted on one of the
being mounted on one of said pole pieces be polepieces, said support- having an out
tween the polar face thereof and said source, turned plane rim, the support also having
a rotor shaped to vary the permeability of a plane section forming an inward extension
35 the magnetic path through said coils, the of said rim diametrically opposite said mag 100
rotor being disposed between said polar faces, nets, a circuit interrupter comprising a ñxed
and a shunting element to form a path of and a movable terminal mounted on said sec
changing reluctance through which magnetic tion, a rotor between said polepieces and be
Hux is diverted from said coils. « tween saidmagnets and said circuit inter
40 2. A magneto comprising generating coils, rupter to control the magnetic flux through 105
a source of magnetic ñux therefor, a pole the coils, a cam on the rotor to actuate the
piec associated with each pole of said source circuit 'interrupten a shaft for said engine to
and having opposed polar faces, said coils which the rotor' is attached, a hollow iiy
being mounted on one of said pole pieces be whee'l on said shaft with an axially extending
45 tween the polar face thereof and said source, flange enveloping said support and the parts 110
a rotor to control the passage of flux from of the magneto thereon, anda shunting ele
said source through said coils, a iiywheel, ment carried by said flywheel to divert mag
the rotor being disposed between said polar netic flux from said coils.v
faces, and a shunting element on the flywheel 7. `A magneto comprising generating coils,
to provide a path of variable reductance a source of magnetic flux therefor, said 115
through which magnetic flux is diverted from source `having a pole piece on which said
said coils. coils are mounted, a rotor to control the pas~
3. A magneto comprising a fixed support sage of said ñux through said coils, a circuit
carrying generating coils7 a source of mag breaker for said coils, an actuating memberl
netic flux, pole pieces >having o posed polar for the circuit breaker attached to said rotor, 12,0
faces connected to each pole o said source, said member comprising a ring with ellipti
said coils being mounted on one of said pole cal slots therein, a striker block attached to
pieces between the polar face thereof and said the ring and screws to pass through such
source, and a circuit breaker, an engine shaft slots and adjustably secure said ring to the
60 a rotor von said shaft disposed between- said> rotor. Y / 125
polar faces, a flywheel on said shaft having ' 8. A magneto comprising a support, mag
a rim encircling said support andthe parts nets thereon, polepieces at the end of the mag~
'of the magneto attached thereto, and a shunt~ nets, generating coils on one of the pole
ing element carried by the fiywheel to divert pieces, a circuit breaker for said coils com
65 .magnetic ñux from said coils. prising a fixed and a movable terminal, said 130
 4 1,893,840
support having ashelf- to which the fixed coils are mounted, said pole piece being con
terminal is insulatably attached and a stud nected to one pole of said source,- a polepiece
adjacent said shelf forming a fulcrum, a lever connected tothe opposite pole, said pole pleces
bearing the movable terminal engaging said having opposed polar faces, a rotor between
stud, a spring attached to the shelf and press said pole pieces cooperating with the pole 70
ing against the lever to hold said terminals piece on which said coils are mounted, ' a
in contact, a rotor to control the magnetic shunting element to divert the magnetic flux
flux and an actuating member for said lever. from the coils, and means »for operating the
- 9. A magneto having a source of'magnetic shunting element and the rotor.
10 flux, generating coils, the source having a In testimony whereof I aiìix my signature. 75
pole piece on which said coils are mounted, ' JOHN F. MARTIN.
means to control the fluX, a Circuit breaker
for said coils, and an actuating member for
said circuit breaker, said member compris
15 ing a ring with elliptical slots for the pas 80
sage of screws to secure said member in ad
justable position.
10. >A magneto comprising a dished sup
port having a plane section, a shelf pro
.20 jecting therefrom, a stud projecting adja 85
cent the shelf, a lever engaging said stud as
a fulcrum, a terminal on the lever, a terminal
insulatably secured to said shelf, a spring
engaging the lever so as to hold said termi
26 nals in contact, an actuating member for said 90
lever, generating coils on said support con
trolled by said circuit breaker, magnets on
said support, and a rotor to controlthe flux
of said magnets through said coils.
3.0 11. A magneto comprising magnets form '95
ing a source of magnetic flux, pole pieces and
generating coils, the source having a pole
piece on which said coils are mounted, and a
35
flywheel having a flange enveloping said mag
nets, polepieces, and coils, said flywheel hav 100
ing an arc-shaped rib projecting from one
side thereof to form a shunt for bridging the
polepieces and diverting flux from said gen-g4
erating coils. v
40
12. A magneto comprising a support, mag 105
nets with polepieces and generating coils
mounted on said support, said coils being car
ried by one of said pole pieces, a projection
on said support for carrying a fixed contact
45 connected to said coils, a stud on said sup 110
port providing a fulcrum, an interrupter
' lever pivotally engaging said fulcrum to co
operate with said fixed contact, and a rotor
50
for said magnets and said polepieces, said
>rotor 'comprising a striker member to actuate 115
said interrupter lever. '
13.,A magneto comprising generating
' coils, a source of magnetic flux therefore, said
55
magneto having a -pole piece on which said
coils are mounted, said pole piece being con 120
nected to one pole of said source, a vpole
piece connected to the opposite pole, said. pole
pieces having opposed polar faces, a rotor be
60
tween said pole pieces to control said flux and
a movable shunt element to provide a path of 125
variable reluctance through Which the flux is
diverted from said coils.
14. A magneto comprising generating
I coils, a source of magnetic flux for said coils,
said source having a pole piece on which the 130