IGNITION TIMING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 3,872,376 A
• Filed: 09/13/1973
• Issued: 03/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Barry R. Kalenevitch
• Original Assignee: Barry R. Kalenevitch
• Inventors: Kalenevitch, Barry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lynch, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US05/396,898
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 324/16R,16T,17 340/268
• US Class Current: 324/392
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 17/02 Checking or adjusting ignition timing

Abstract

An ignition timing device and method for internal combustion engines having a number of cylinders and an adjustable breaker point set for firing the spark plug of each cylinder. The ignition timing system includes electronic signal pick-ups associated with each conductor running from one set of points to its respective spark plug, a light source for illuminating a timing mark when a spark plug is fired and a three position switch connecting the pick-ups with the light source such that the light source is flashed upon the firing of either or both of the spark plugs.

Claims

1. A device for timing and synchronizing the ignition of an internal combustion engine during operation of the engine where the engine includes a distributor having a pair of independently adjustable breaker points opened and closed by a rotatable cam so that each breaker point fires a spark plug at a given time, a fixed timing pointer and a rotatable timing mark connected with tHe cam for rotation therewith past the timing pointer, the invention comprising a pair of electronic signal pick-up means each associated with one conductor running from one of the sets of points in the distributor to its respective spark plug for sensing the firing of the spark plug during operation of the internal combustion engine, light source means for producing a flash of light in response to the spark plug firing signal as sensed by either or both of said pick-up means, and three position switching means joining said pick-up means and said light source means for connecting either or both of said pick-up means to said light source means so that during operation of the engine the light source means illuminates the timing pointer and timing marks upon firing of either or both of the spark plugs, depending upon the position of the switching means.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein said switching means includes a pair of single pole single throw switches each connected to one of said pick-up means and said light source means includes a stroboscopic flash tube and a pair of trigger wires wrapped around the outside of said tube, each trigger wire being connected to one of said switches.

3. A device as in claim 2 including an arc supressor capacitor connecting each trigger wire to ground.

4. A device as in claim 2 wherein said flash tube is generally U-shaped and both said trigger wires are wrapped around each of the legs of the flash tube in the same sense.

5. A device as in claim 1 wherein each of said pair of pick-up means includes inductive pick-up for sensing a pulse in the conductive path extending from a breaker point to a spark plug.

6. The method of timing the ignition of a running internal combustion engine having a distributor ignition with a pair of independently adjustable breaker point sets opened and closed by a rotatable cam, each breaker point set firing a separate spark plug, the engine having a timing mark rotatable with the cam for a spark plug fired by each breaker point set and a fixed timing pointer, comprising the steps of:

A. Flashing a timing light in response to the firing of a first spark plug to illuminate a timing mark for such plug and adjusting the first set of points relative to the rotating cam so that the firing of the first spark plug occurs when the timing mark for such plug is at a known location relative to the timing pointer, B. Flashing a timing light in response to the firing of a second spark plug to illuminate a timing mark for such plug and adjusting the second set of points relative to the rotating cam so that the firing of the second spark plug occurs when the timing mark for such plug is at approximately the same known location relative to the timing pointer, and then C. Flashing a timing light in response to the firing of both the first and second spark plugs to illuminate the timing mark and adjusting one or both sets of breaker points relative to the rotating cam to superimpose the timing mark flash images.