Engine timing instrument
First Claim
1. An instrument for timing of an engine which includes a crankshaft rotatable through a certain integer number of revolutions during an engine operating cycle, at least one cylinder, and a piston in said cylinder coupled to said crankshaft to be moved through a top dead center position during each revolution of said crankshaft, said instrument comprising:
- firing pulse means for developing a firing pulse during each engine operating cycle, reference pulse means for developing a reference pulse during each engine operating cycle and at a time in advanced relation to a corresponding firing pulse, and delay measuring means for measuring the elapsed time between one of said reference pulses and an immediately following one of said firing pulses, output pulse means coupled to said reference pulse means and to said delay measuring means for responding to a reference pulse subsequent to said one of said reference pulses and for thereafter producing an output pulse after a certain delay which varies as a linear function of said measured elapsed time between said one of said reference pulses and said immediately following one of said firing pulses, said delay measuring means and output pulse means being operable in response to reference and firing pulses in each engine operating cycle to produce an output pulse in timed relation to the firing pulse in the next subsequent engine operating cycle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An engine timing instrument as disclosed which is particularly designed for use with diesel engines and which responds to the actual time of firing within a cylinder. A strobe may be flashed at the crankshaft angle at which firing occurs and the crankshaft of the strobe flash may be advanced with respect to the firing angle until the strobe flash occurs at a top dead center position. The angle of advance of the strobe flash is measured to then indicate the angle of firing relative to the top dead center position. Important features relates to the use of a piezoelectric transducer placed in a glow plug hole to measure pressure, the transducer being connected to circuitry which provides both a firing pulse and a reference pulse. The reference pulse occurs close to and not later than the top dead center position and is used to measure the time of a subsequent firing pulse. Electronic circuitry is provided for counting and storing clock pulses and performing digital operations in a manner such as to obtain a high degree of accuracy.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An instrument for timing of an engine which includes a crankshaft rotatable through a certain integer number of revolutions during an engine operating cycle, at least one cylinder, and a piston in said cylinder coupled to said crankshaft to be moved through a top dead center position during each revolution of said crankshaft, said instrument comprising:
- firing pulse means for developing a firing pulse during each engine operating cycle, reference pulse means for developing a reference pulse during each engine operating cycle and at a time in advanced relation to a corresponding firing pulse, and delay measuring means for measuring the elapsed time between one of said reference pulses and an immediately following one of said firing pulses, output pulse means coupled to said reference pulse means and to said delay measuring means for responding to a reference pulse subsequent to said one of said reference pulses and for thereafter producing an output pulse after a certain delay which varies as a linear function of said measured elapsed time between said one of said reference pulses and said immediately following one of said firing pulses, said delay measuring means and output pulse means being operable in response to reference and firing pulses in each engine operating cycle to produce an output pulse in timed relation to the firing pulse in the next subsequent engine operating cycle.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An instrument for timing of an engine which includes a crankshaft rotatable through a certain integer number of revolutions during an engine operating cycle, at least one cylinder, and a piston in said cylinder coupled to said crankshaft to be moved through a top dead center position during each revolution of said crankshaft, said instrument comprising:
- firing pulse means for developing a firing pulse during each engine operating cycle, reference pulse means for developing a reference pulse during each engine operating cycle and at a time in advanced relation to a corresponding firing pulse, and delay measuring means for measuring the elapsed time between one of said reference pulses and an immediately following one of said firing pulses, said delay means comprising a clock for supplying high frequency clock pulses, and counter means for counting the number of said clock pulses during said elapsed time between said one of said reference pulses and said immediately following one of said firing pulses, output pulse means comprising a down counter supplied with said clock pulses, entering means for entering into said down counter a number which is an algebraic sum of certain numbers, one of said certain numbers being the number of clock pulses counted by said counter means during said elapsed time between said one of said reference pulses and said immediately following one of said firing pulses, and means for responding to a reference pulse subsequent to said one of said reference pulses for initiating operation of said down counter means.
- View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An instrument for timing of an engine which includes a crankshaft rotatable through a certain integer number of revolutions during an engine operating cycle, at least one cylinder, and a piston in said cylinder coupled to said crankshaft to be moved through a top dead center position during each revolution of said crankshaft, said instrument comprising:
- firing pulse means for developing a firing pulse during each engine operating cycle, reference pulse means for developing a reference pulse during each engine operating cycle and at a time in advanced relation to a corresponding firing pulse, and delay measuring means for measuring the elapsed time between one of said reference pulses and an immediately following one of said firing pulses, at least one of said pulse means comprising transducer means responsive to the pressure in said cylinder for producing a corresponding electrical signal.
- View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An instrument for timing of an engine which includes a crankshaft rotatable through a certain integer number of revolutions during an engine operating cycle, at least one cylinder, and a piston in said cylinder coupled to said crankshaft to be moved through a top dead center position during each revolution of said crankshaft, said engine having a pair of marks aligned in said top dead center position, one mark being stationary and the other being on a part rotatable with said crankshaft, said instrument comprising:
- sensing means coupled to said engine and including firing pulse means for developing a firing pulse during each engine operating cycle in response to actual combustion within said cylinder and at a crankshaft angle after said top dead center position, a strobe lamp operable for illuminating said marks, and circuit means coupled to said sensing means for developing a strobe pulse to flash said lamp, said circuit means being operable to produce said strobe pulse at the crankshaft angle of firing of said strobe lamp and being adjustable to advance the angle of said strobe pulse to obtain alignment of said marks at the time of flashing of said strobe lamp, and indicating means for indicating the angle of advance of said strobe pulse relative to the angle of said firing pulse, said sensing means including transducer means arranged to be mounted on said engine to respond to the pressure within said cylinder.
- View Dependent Claims (22)
Specification