Automobile radio device

f. r. good 2,003,187

AUTOMOBILE RADIO DEVICE

Filed Oct. 2, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

May 28, 1935.

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f. r. good 2,003,187

AUTOMOBILE RADIO DEVICE

Filed Oct. 2, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

May 28, 1935.

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Patented May 28, 1935

2,003,187

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,003,187 AUTOMOBILE RADIO DEVICE Francis R. Good, Wynnewood, Pa., assignor of fifty one-hundredths to Frederick H. Shaw, Glenside, Pa.

Application October 2, 1933, Serial No. 691,886

Claims.

This invention relates to automobile radio devices and has for its principal object the provision of novel means for effectively. preventing interference between the automobile engine and 5 the radio receiver. The ignition system of an automobile engine causes disturbance effects on the radio receiver as is well known and this has been counteracted by the provision of suppressor resistors in the spark plug leads of the engine 10 and sometimes in the common distributor lead as well. While these suppressors have solved this problem, they have presented a new problem in that they deleteriously affect the engine performance after a certain length of time or 15 after a certain driven mileage. This is caused by the continuous inclusion in the ignition system of the relatively high impedance resistors.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for rendering the suppressor resistors 20 inoperative at will so that they may be used only during such times as the radio receiver is being used.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for simultaneously rendering all of the 25 suppressor resistors inoperative at will for the stated purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide means at a common point, such as at the engine distributor, for controlling all of the suppressor 30 resistors.

A still further object of the invention is to provide remotely controlled manually or automatically operable means for the stated purpose.

Other objects will be apparent hereinafter.

³⁵ In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a distributor embodying the invention and showing one of the spark plugs and spark plug leads associated therewith;

⁴⁰ Fig. 2 is a plan view of the distributor;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the distributor with the upper movable part removed;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view along the line _r 4—4 of Fig. 1;

⁴⁵ Fig. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating clearly the principles of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of an automatic control device which may be used.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown a distributor I which receives high tension current via common lead 2 from the usual induction coil (not shown) and which distributes or supplies the high tension current to the spark plugs _ . 3 (only one shown) via conductors 4. In its general construction and in its operation, the dis(Cl. 250—14) tributor is similar to conventional commonly employed devices of this type. In fact, the present invention requires very little modification of the conventional distributor and, with the few necessary changes, the conventional distributor may be 5 used. The suppressor resistor which is now employed generally and which is connected in each of the spark plug leads 4 is shown at 5. In accordance with the present invention, each of the spark plug leads takes the form of a two-con- 10 ductor lead, one conductor of which is directly connected to the spark plug or to the spark plug side of the suppressor resistor, as at 8. It will be understood that although only one of the spark plugs and its associated lead is shown for 15 the purpose of illustration, the others are identical.

The distributor comprises a stationary part 9 and an upper movable part IQ. Stationary part 9 carries and houses the rotor 11 of the distrib- 20 utor which successively engages contacts 12 connected via conductors 13 to the spark plug leads, as is customary. The high tension current is brought into the distributor centrally thereof and is led to the rotor via the conducting element 25 14 in conventional fashion. Each of the conductors 13 terminates at its upper end in a contact 15 which is selectively engageable by a pair of contact buttons 16 and 17 carried by the movable part 10. To this end, part 10 is provided 30 with tubular openings 18 in which coil springs 19 and the contact buttons 16 and IT are disposed, the buttons being carried at the lower ends of the springs. The ends of the spark plug leads 4 are made connectable to the distributor by con- 35 tact elements 20 attached to the spark plug leads and insertable in openings 18 to engage the coil springs 19. The springs function to resiliently press the contact buttons 16 and 17 downward so as to insure good electrical contact with con- 40 tact 15. It will now be apparent that rotary movement of part 10 of the distributor in opposite directions will cause either of the contact buttons 16 and 17 to be brought into engagement with contact 15, thereby causing the suppressor 45 resistor 5 to be included in or excluded from the spark plug lead, depending upon the position of the movable part 10.

The stationary part 9 of the distributor is provided with a centrally located elongated recess ^fl021 within which is disposed a common suppressor resistor 22 as above mentioned. A transverselyextending arm 23 is electrically connected to the resistor at one terminal thereof and also connected to a longitudinally-extending rod or ⁵⁵

2,003,187 pin 24. A second transversely extending arm 25 having an attaching and connecting portion 26 is carried within a recess 27 in part and is electrically connected to the suppressor resistor 22 5 by means of the coil spring 28, the spring serving to resiliently hold the resistor in place and in good electrical contact with its associated elements. Arm 25 is disposed in a different vertical plane from that of arm 23 and is arranged so that 10 its extended end serves as a contact 29 which is engageable by contact button 30 carried by the movable part iO. The upper end of rod 24 is spaced from contact 29 and constitutes a second contact 31, (see Fig. 3-) which is also ehgageable 15 by contact button 30. Part 10 of the distributor is provided with an eccentrically-located tubular opening 32 which carries a coil spring 33 and the . button 30 attached thereto, the spring urging the button downward. Connection is made to the 20 distributor by a connector element 34 attached to the end of conductor 2. The spaced contacts 23 and 3! are located on an arc which is traversed by contact button 30 during rotary movement of part 10.

It will be seen then that at the same time that part IS is rotated to effect the inclusion or exclusion of suppressor resistors 5, the common suppressor resistor 22 is likewise included in or excluded’from the ignition system. When the con30 tact button 30 engages contact 29, a circuit is completed through arm 25 and suppressor resistor 22 to conductor element ίβ. When contact button 36 engages contact 31, however, a circuit is completed through rod 24 and arm 23 to con35 ductor element 14, which circuit does not include the suppressor resistor.

As will be seen from Fig. 3, the contact elements are so arranged that the circuits are made before they are broken to prevent arcing and 40 consequent damage. This merely necessitates having the space between the selectable contacts smaller than the diameters of the single contact so that the latter is enabled to bridge the former.

The annular , skirt or flange 35 of. part ΙΘ 45 carries a ring 36 which has a circular projection 37 fitting into a recess or groove 38 in the underside of the peripheral portion of part 9. During movement of part 18, projection 37 rides in groove 38. A recess 39 (see Fig. 4) is formed in 50 part 9 and in the recess there is provided an extending block 40 having spaced recesses 41 and 42 therein. A spring-pressed button 43 is carried by ring 36 and is adapted to seat itself in recesses 41 and 42. The button rides from one recess to 55 the other and serves to lock part 18 at each of its rotary movements. The limits of the rotary movement of part 10 are thus defined.

In order to provide for remote control of the movable part 10 so as to enable the operator of GO the automobile to operate the device at will, there is provided an integral lug 44 on part 10 to which is connected a wire or rod 45 leading to the dashboard or instrument panel of the automobile or to any convenient point for remote operation. 65 This general method of remote control is common and is found, for example, in the ordinary choke. By moving the connector wire or rod back and forth, part 10 may be rotated in either direction to effect the desired switching. It will 70 be understood, of course, that any other suitable method of remote control may be utilized.

The diagram of Fig. 5 illustrates more clearly the principles of the invention. The switching elements are designated by the same numerals as 75 have been used hereinbefore, and the switching operation to effect the insertion or removal of the suppressor resistors may be readily visualized. Although the illustration shows the invention applied to a four-cylinder automobile, it will be obvious that it may be applied to automobiles hav- 5 ing any number of cylinders.

In Fig. 6, there is shown a device which adapts the invention for either manual or automatic remote control. The usual automobile battery is shown at 46 and is connected to a reversing 10 switch 47 which may take the form of a barrel switch actuatable by a key 48. For the purpose of illustration, the switching elements of the switch are diagrammatically shown. The positive and negative terminals of battery 46 are 15 connected, respectively, via conductors 49 and 56, to terminals 51 and 52 of the switch. The positive battery terminal is also connected via conductor 53 to switch terminal 54. One of the supply lines 55 for the radio receiver is connected 20 to the negative terminal of the battery, while the other supply line 56 is connected to switch terminal 57.

There is also provided a polarized solenoid device 58 comprising a coil or winding 59 and a 25 movable core or armature 68. A pair of. switching devices 6 i and 62 are located at opposite ends of the solenoid device. These switching devices are similar and each comprises a stationary contact 63 and a movable spring contact arm 64 3.0. having an extended end 65 in the path of core 60. The switching devices are . self-closing by virtue of the resilient nature of the spring arms 64 and are adapted to be opened by engagement of core 60 with the extending portion 65. 35;

The extremities of coil 59 are connected to the movable arms of the switching devices as illustrated. The movable arm of switching device 6 ί is connected via conductor 66 to switch terminal 67, while the movable arm of switching device 68 40.. is connected via conductor 68 to switch terminal 69. The stationary contact of switching device 60 is connected via conductor 70 to switch terminal 7 i, while the stationary contact, of switching device 62 is connected via conductor 72 to 45..switch terminal 73. Condensers 74 may be connected across the contacts of the switching devices to prevent arcing.

An arm-75 is formed integral or attached to the solenoid core 88 and this arm is slidingly 50.; secured to the slotted end of a pivoted lever 76 having a handle portion 77. Tire lever may have attached thereto a graduated sector 78 to indicate positioning of the lever with respect to some fixed or stationary mark. The remote control rod 55 , or wire 45 above mentioned is connected to the pivoted lever. It will be apparent that the remote control may be affected manually, by moving lever 76 or automatically by operation of the solenoid device. 60 ·.Considering the automatic operation of the device, when switch 47 is turned to the. left, so that the movable switch elements contact the left hand terminals, the power supply to the radio receiver is interrupted as will be apparent. At such time, 65 a circuit closure will be effected by the switch terminals 5t and 59 and by the switch terminals 52 and 7!. Assuming the position of the solenoid core to be that shown, then switching device 62 will be open and switching device 61 will 70.. be closed. There will be completed, therefore, a circuit from the positive side of the battery through switch terminals 5i and 69, conductor 68, the solenoid coil 59, the closed contacts of switching device 61, conductor 70, switch terminals 71 75

2,003,187 and 52 and conductor 50 to the negative side of the battery. The solenoid is so polarized that this application of the battery potential causes the energized solenoid to move its core or armature 5 to the lower position. Switching device 52 will close immediately upon movement of the core, but this will have no effect, as will be apparent.

When the core reaches its lowermost position and opens switching device 6 ί, the above-traced 10 circuit will be opened. Such movement of the core moves the movable part of the distributor in a manner to exclude the suppressor resistors from the ignition system.

When it is desired to use the radio receiver, 15 switch 47 is thrown to the right and it will be apparent that the supply circuit for the receiver will be completed through closed switch terminals 54 and 57. At the same time, a potential of reverse polarity will be applied to the solenoid 20 coil through the following circuit. From the positive side of battery 46, through conductor 49, switch terminals 51 and 67, conductor 66, through the solenoid coil from the lower end thereof, the closed contacts of switching device 62, conduc25 tor 72, switch terminals 73 and 52 and conductor 50 to the negative side of the battery. This reverse energization of the polarized solenoid will cause the core thereof to move upward so as to cause the movable distributor part to move in a 30 manner to include the suppressor resistors Li the ignition system.

Although a specific illustration and description of the invention has been herein given, it will be understood that various changes and modi35 fications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In its broadest aspect, the invention contemplates the control of the suppressor resistors and this may be effected in any suitable manner. The dis40 tributor has been chosen as the point at which to effect the desired switching only because it is a convenient point for doing so. It is conceivable, for example, that the shunt circuits associated with the suppressor resistors might be 45 controlled directly at the dash or instrument panel of the automobile, but this would necessitate extensive wiring. Other modifications and changes will occur to persons skilled in the art in the application of the broad principles of the 50 invention.

Although the invention has been described with particular reference to an automobile radio receiver, it will be obvious that it is applicable to any radio equipped vehicle having an ignition 55 system, such as an aeroplane, or other vehicle.