Apparatus for controlling the trigger sequence in ignition systems

In a high reliability ignition system utilizing a minimum number of electrical components for controlling the triggering sequence in response to a rotating permanent magnet for internal combustion engines having a spark coil, and a core of magnetic conducting material carrying a capacitor charging coil, and an electrically separate triggering coil wired in reverse polarity to said charging coil and cooperating with the rotating permanent magnet for producing three generated halfwaves in sequence in said coils, the charging coil being connected in series with a rectifier, a charging capacitor, and the primary winding of said spark coil, and a discharge thyristor connected in series with the charging coil and the primary winding of the spark coil and having its input gate coupled across the triggering coil, the improvement comprising

• an actuating timing circuit having a series combination of a diode and timing capacitor connected across the charging coil;
• a switching thyristor having its anode connected to one terminal of the triggering coil and having its input gate connected to the intersection of said diode and said timing capacitor, the cathodes of said switching and discharge thyristor being connected together to the opposite terminal of the triggering coil, so that the charging capacitor discharges its stored charge upon the conduction of the discharge thyristor, the second halfwave being used for charging the charging capacitor and actuating said timing circuit, so as to maintain the discharge thyristor inactive during the presence of the third halfwave, whereupon triggering occurs during the first generated voltage halfwave in the next voltage sequence, said diode of said actuating timing circuit, permitting the second halfwave to pass and charge said timing capacitor during the charging phase of the charging capacitor wherein the total number of electrical components of the ignition system is no more than seven components including two diodes, two capacitors and two thyristors or triacs, and wherein said electrical circuit utilizes no resistors for high efficiency.