Ignition distributor with wide rotor registration angle

A distributor for sequentially connecting individual conductive paths to a common conductive path comprising:

• means defining said common path;
• means defining a first plurality of conductive paths electrically insulated from each other;
• means defining a second plurality of conductive paths electrically insulated from each other;
• means for mounting said common path, said first path and said second path defining means insulated from each other;
• means mounted for rotation about a predetermined axis within said mounting means for alternately electrically connecting said common path defining means to said first path defining means and said common path defining means to said second path defining means;
• wherein said connecting means includes a first circularly planar electrically conductive member having a plurality of inwardly extending arcuate blades for electrically contacting said common path defining means and a single outwardly extending arcuate blade for simultaneously electrically contacting said first path defining means and providing for the sequential selection of individual ones of said first paths and corresponding electrical connection therebetween as said connecting means is rotated;
• said connecting means further includes a second circularly planar electrically conductive member, electrically insulated from said first member, having a plurality of inwardly extending arcuate blades for electrically contacting said common path defining means, in alternation with the contacting by said first member, and a single outwardly extending arcuate blade for simultaneously electrically contacting said second path defining means and providing for the sequential selection of individual ones of said second paths and corresponding electrical connection therebetween as said connection means is rotated.

A distributor for sequentially applying spark potential to a plurality of spark plugs in an internal combustion engine, wherein said distributor comprises:

• a distributor housing fixedly mounted on said engine;
• a shaft rotatably mounted with respect to said housing and said engine to rotate synchronously with the rotational speed of said engine;
• said housing having an aperture and said shaft extending through said aperture internal to said housing;
• a rotor mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith;
• said rotor including separate rotor arm members electrically insulated from each other;
• each rotor arm member being generally circular in shape, having a single arcuate blade portion extending outwardly therefrom and having a plurality of arcuate blade portions extending radially inward therefrom;
• said housing includes a plurality of terminals mounted thereon corresponding in number to the number of spark plugs in said engine and one additional terminal for receiving said spark potential to be distributed to said spark plugs;
• said plurality of terminals each having a single contact area within said housing and disposed around said rotor to be individually registered for electrical conduction by an externally extending blade of one of said first and second members;
• said additional terminal having separate contact areas respectively corresponding to separate rotor arms members, within said housing disposed radially inward of said inwardly extending blades of said members to be separately and sequentially registered for electrical conduction with an inwardly extending balde simultaneous with the externally extending blade registration of a corresponding rotor arm member.