US1542096A - Thermoelectric indicator - Google Patents

Description

June 16, 1925. 1,542,096

R. N. RIBLET THERMQELECTRIC INDICATOR Filed April 27. 1920 ZFWLI/W/ 36 V EV/IYE (III. IIIIII F l IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHI (9 r i 141m" 0;

' Poya/lyPi/j /ezf Patented June 16, 1925.'--

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'ROYAL N. RIZBLE'I, or SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T0 WESTON a.

. HOBBS, or SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

THERMOELF ICTRIC INDICATOR.

Application filed April 27, 1920. Serial No. 376,993.

To all whom z't' may concern:

Be it known that I, ROYAL N. RIBLET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in Spokane County, and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thermoelectric Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in thermo-electric indicators embodied in conjunction with the electric circuit of the ignition system of the internal combustion engine used as a motor on automobiles, whereby different degrees or conditions of temperature of the cylinder of the engine, may be indicated to the driver of the automobile, by the-utilization of visible signs, here conveniently shown as different colored lights, preferably located on the dash-board of the automobile, in posltlon where they may be readily seen by the driver of the automobile.

The invention also contemplates thermal means whereby the electric circuit bf the ignition system is automatically broken by actuation of the thermo-electric device, due to excessive heating of the cylinder, thus shutting OK the ower of the motor it the visible danger signal of the indicator is ignored.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangement of parts in connection with'the engine cylinder as will be hereinafter pointed out and claimed. I

In the accompanying drawings 1 have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodimentmf my inventionv'vherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode it have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure l is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical connections between the signal lamps and the distributor or timer of the engine, involving the thermally operated electric switch mechanism utilized in the invention.

Fig. 2 is a View partly in section showing the thermoelectric switch mechanism and operative connection. I

Fig. 3 is a detail view oi the electric switch members, including a'traveling contact wheel and the track or contact plates over whichthe wheel passes.

In the preferred form of my invention,

as illustrated in the drawings, I employ. three electric circuits for three signals, and

these three circuits are connected with the distributor or timer of the ignition system of the internal combustion engine, the latter being designated by'the numeral 1 in Fig. 1. A sign plate 2 of any'suitabl-ematerial is attached to a suitable support, as for instance the dash board (not shown) of the automobile, and upon this sign plate2- aresupported three lamps, indicated by the numerals 3, 4: and 5. The lamp 3, which may be an electric bulb, is preferably colored red, the lamp is blue, and/the lamp 5 may be green, to indicate respectively a dangerous heated condition of the cylinder, a'condition requiring caution, and a normal heated condition of the cylinder.

- Within the electric circuit of the ignition system ofthe cylinders of the engine are included the wire 6, the battery 7, branch wire 7 and the wire 8 leading to the distributor or timer 1 of the ignition system.

Following the wiring in Fig. 1 from the distributor 1 extends a connection 9, and by means of the two wires 10 and 1.1, and the emergency switch 12, the circuit is complete between the engine and the battery 7, by way of the wire 6. Normally the switch 12 is open, and it is only closed in case of an emergency, or when the electric signals are not being used.

lln Fig. 1, the ignition circuit as used in connection with the electric signals is completed from wire 6 through wire 13, and from wire 9 through wire 14, by way of the thermoelectric device indicated as a whole by the numeral 15. Thus it will be apparent that the electric circuit thus described for the ignition system of the automobile engine is always and continuously closed for the performance of its functions.

The thermoelectric actuating device 15 is supported upon the engine, as for instance the cylinder head indicated at C in Fig. 2., by means of a plate 16, bolts 17 being emloyed to itasten'the plate to the cylinder ead. A housing 18, preferably of metal and of suitable shape and size, is employed to encase the operating parts of the thermo,

lid

lid

this manner, after the device and electric switch. The thermal device comprises a pair of expansible vessels or diaphragms 19 and 20 supported upon the plate'l6, within the housing, and these vessels of thin sheet metal contain a suitable liquid, as water, and it will readily be understood that the diaphragms are expansible due to the heating of the water therein, caused by radiation of heat from the engine of the automobile.

The upper diaphragm 20 is provided with a central recess or depression 20 for the reception of the free end of a link 21, which is pivoted at 21 to a horizontally disposed lever 22 that is pivoted at 23 in the housing. The long arm 24 of the lever 22 carries a contact arm 25 in which is journaled the rolling contact member or wheel 26, and a spring 27 connects one end of the contact arm 25 with the long arm 24 of the lever 22, the arm 25 being pivoted at 28 on the extreme end of the lever 22.

In connection with the rolling contact -member 26, I employ a pair of contact plates 29 and 30. in parallelism, struck from the pivot 23 of the lever 22 as a center, and located in position to form a track for the rolling contact member 26. Preferably, the adjacent edges of the plates 29 and 30 are beveled at 31, and the Wheel 26 is provided with beveled edges 32 complementary to the beveled edges 31, in order that the wheel may be guided in its travels. The contact plates of the electric switch are supported by the bracket 33 attached to the housing and to the plate 16, and is arranged in upright position, as indicated. In Fig. 3 it will be seen that plate 29 is provided with a contact portion 34 and that plate 30 [has a contact portion 35, while plate 29 has a second contact ortion 36, the three portions or contact e ements being arranged so that the elements 35 overlaps or extends beyond the near ends of the elements 34 and 36. Thus it will be understood that the rolling contact member 26 may be simultaneously in contact with elements 34 and 35 to illuminate the green and the blue lamps 5 and 4 jointly, or the blue lamp and the red lamp may be illuminated jointly, ue to the position of the rolling contact member. The two plates 29 and 30 are provided with non-conducting, or insulated portions 37, and at the extreme upper ends of these plates are provided two non-conducting parts 38 and 38. When the rolling contact member reaches these non-conductors 38 and 38, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the circuit is broken, and not only is the signal circuit broken, but the ignition circuit also is broken. In rolling contact member has reached the position to illuminc These plates are arranged and are fashioned on a curve.

the red lamp as a danger signal, it this signal is not heededby the driver of the automobile, a further rise in the temperature of the heated cylinder will cause the rolling contact member to break the ignition circuit.

In its mechanical operation it will be evident that due to expansion under heated conditions, the diaphragms will .swing the lever 22, through the link- 21, on the pivot 23, and the rolling contact member or wheel 26, which is resiliently held in contact with the curved plates 29, 30 of the electric switch, will travel over its predeterminet track for performing its required function in illuminating the several lamps.

Referring to Figure 1 the ,diagram may be followed to indicate the circuits of the electric lamps of colored signals. Starting at battery 7 the circuit is through wires 6 and 13, thence through lever 22 and roller 26 to contact 34 of the thermoelectric device 15, from contact 34 wire 40 leads to the green lamp 5 and by wires 41, 41 and 7 back to the batter The wire 43 extends from contact plate 35 to blue lamp 4 and from which wire 43' connects with wire 41 thence to battery 7 completing the circuit for blue lamp 4. From contact plate 36 wire 45 leads to red lamp 3and by wires 45 and 41 the circuit is completed to the battery. In this manner the three lamp circuits may be completed by the traveling or rolling contact member, and it will be apparent that when the normal heated condition exists inthe cylinder head of the engine, the rolling contact member will remain at the lower end of the curved contact plates, and. the green lamp 5 will be illuminated. If the heat develops sufli ciently to move or expand the thermal device, the contact wheel is caused to travel along its path,.and may reach the position in Figure 1, showing {the wheel 26 in contact with plate 35, causing illumination of the lamp 4. It will be apparent. that as the heat increases, and the thermal device continues to expand, the wheel will be caused to travel upwardly on its track to successively illuminate the lamp 3, and to finally break the adjacent circuit when the wheel reaches the non-conducting elements 38 and 38.

The ignition circuit as indicated in Figure 1, starts from battery 7 through wires 7' and 8 to distributor or timer 1, thence by wires 9, 14 and 39 to one or the other of branch wires 39, 42 and 44 connecting to contact plates 34, 35 and 36 respectively, and by roller 26, lever 22 and wires 13 and 6 back to the battery 7. From this it will be apparent that battery 7 will energize distributor 1 as long as contact wheel 26 remains on either of the contact plates 34, 35 and 36, but should the contact wheel pass the plate 36 and reach non-conductive contacts 38 and 38 by reason of excessive overheatmg of the engine it will be seen the ignition It will. thus be apparent, that the electric signals must necessarily be operated if the ignition system is operating, and v if the excessively heated to a danengine becomes gerous degree, the circuit of the ignition system is automatically broken, and can be closed either by a reduction in the temperature of the engine, which permits a downward movement of the rolling contact member to again establish the electric circuits, or in case of emergency and when thesignals are not to be used, the switch 12 may be closed to establish the emergency electric circuit of the ignition systenn Having thus fully described my invention, what claim is A combined temperature signal system and ignition cut-ofi for internal combustion engines comprising in combination, a plurality of distinctive electric signals, separate circuits for said signals, a control device for said circuits comprising a plurality of insulated overlapping conducting segments and an insulating segment at the termination of the conducting segments, each conducting segment being included in one of said circuits respectively, a cooperating contact device engageable progressively with said conducting segments and included in each said circuits, means exposed to the engine temperature for controlling the position of the contact device and thereby selectively energize said signals, an ignition vcircuit 'for the engine, said ignition circuit including therein the contact device in series and the conducting segments in parallel whereby the ignition circuit will be maintained when the contact device is in engagement with any one of the conducting seg ments and will be broken when the contact device engages the insulating'segment' In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ROYAL N. RIBLET.

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