Title of Invention

A BASE PLATE AND BEARING PLATE ASSEMBLY FOR THE IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR OF AN AUTOMOBILE

Abstract

A base plate and bearing plate assembly for the ignition distributor of an automobile comprising a base plate and a bearing plate mounted on a bush and disposed one over the other, the bearing plate being fixed to the bush while the base plate is rotatable, characterized in that the inner periphery of each bearing plate and base plate, adjacent the bush, is recessed, with metal balls located in said recesses; and in that a spring member is fixed to the base portion of the bush, for providing axial loading on the said plates, the arrangement being such that the base plate is supported on the balls in the said recesses, out of contact with the bush and the bearing plate.

Full Text

This invention relates to a base plate and bearing plate assembly for the ignition distributor of an automobile. In the conventional assembly, the play is excessive and this results in spark scattering and consequent poor ignition and, therefore, poor combustion of fuel. Apart from the operating high noise level, there is also poor vacuum advance response in the conventional assembly. An object of this invention to propose an assembly which provides friction minimising rotational movement of the base plate; and which, for all practical purposes, eliminates radial and axial play of the base plate. The above conditions are necessary for noiseless and efficient distributor operation; and quick response of the assembly to the varying vacuum applied to the vacuum advance unit. Various other -features of the assembly proposed herein will be apparent •from the following further description. The base plate and bearing plate assembly for the ignition distributor of an automobile, according to this invention, comprises a base plate and a bearing plate mounted on a bush and disposed one over the other, the bearing plate being fixed to the bush while the base plate is rotatable, characterised in that the inner periphery of each bearing plate and base plate, adjacent the bush, is recessed, with metal balls located in said recesses; and in that a spring member is fixed to the base portion of the bush, for providing axial loading on the said plates, the arrangement being such that the base plate is freely supported on the balls in the said recesses, out of contact with the bush and the bearing plate. This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example in Fig.l the known assembly Fig.2 one of various possible embodiments o-f the assembly proposed herein. and Fig.3 illustrates « separate view o-f the spring member o-f the said embodiment. In the known assembly, the rotatable base plate F'l and the -fixed, bearing plate Tl are mounted on a bush Bl , a step SI in the base plate butting against the flange Fl of the bush to prevent the base plate PI from coming off the bush. The base plate PI rests on, and in contact with, the bearing plate Tl, the latter being held in place on the bush by the rolled over portion Rl of the base of the bush. All in all the conventional assembly is inefficient, as can be seen from its construction, mainly because the base plate PI is open to play and because there is frictional contact between the base plate and bush and base plate and bearing plate. As already stated above this construction leads to excessive play, spark scattering and avoidable -fuel consumption. In the assembly proposed herein, the base plate P2 and bearing plate T2 are mounted on the bush B2 and disposed one over the other. The bearing plate T2 is fixed, Mhile the base plate P2 is rotatable, The inner periphery of each bearing plate T2 and base plate P2, adjacent the bush B2, is recessed at R21 R22, with metal balls K located in said recesses. A spring member M is fixed to the base portion of the bush B2, for providing axial loading on the said plates T2, P2. From Fig. 2 it will be seen that the arrangement is such that the base plate P2 is supported on the balls K in the said recesses R21 R22, out of contact with the bush B2 and the bearing plate T2. In the embodiment illustrated, the spring member consists of a three-legged spring (Fig.3), one of the legs L being visible in the drawings (Fig.2). Instead of a three legged spring a multi—legged spring can also be used. The legs of the spring being spread out equally provide uniform axial loading on the said plates. The said legs also provide adequate stability to the arrangement. One of the possiblo m©an« of seecurely fixing the spring member to the bush comprise a circlip resting in a groove in the base portion of the bush. The terms and expressions in this specification are of description and not of limitation, there being no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features illustrated and described, but it is understood that various other embodiments of the assembly proposed herein are possible without departing from the scope and ambit of this invention. We Claim: l.A base plate and bearing plate assembly for the ignition distributor of an automobile comprising a base plate and a bearing plate mounted on a bush and disposed one over the other, the bearing plate being fixed to the bush while the base plate is rotatable, characterised in that the inner periphery of each bearing plate and base plate, adjacent the bush, is recessed, with metal balls located in said recesses; and in that a spring member is fixed to the base portion of the bush, for providing axial loading on the said plates, the arrangement being such that the base plate is supported on the balls in the said recesses, out of contact with the bush and the bearing plate. 2.An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the spring member comprises a multi-legged spring, the legs of the spring being spread out equally to provide uniform axial loading on the said plates. 3.An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the spring member is -fixed in position by a circlip resting in- a groove in the base portion of the bush. 4.A base plate and bearing plate assembly for the ignition distributor of an automobile substantially as

Documents:

408-mas-97 abstract.jpg

408-mas-97 abstract.pdf

408-mas-97 claims.pdf

408-mas-97 correspondence others.pdf

408-mas-97 correspondence po.pdf

408-mas-97 description (complete).pdf

408-mas-97 drawings.pdf

408-mas-97 form-1.pdf

408-mas-97 form-26.pdf