Here's another new in the original box timer. unfortunately the instruction sheet is missing.
It's a shame the instructions are missing, how is it supposed to work with only two terminals? Maybe it is a "wasted spark" system that fires two plugs at once.
Mark, I am hoping one of our Model T ignition system guru's here can inform us as to how the timer would be wired at the coil box.
It looks like it has jumpers at the coil end of the harness, that would make it a wasted spark operation. Two coils would fire at the top of the exhaust stroke.
I assume this is an invention of the famous "Red Green" from TV as his name is on the timer cover.
:0)+++
Rich
I'm thinking waste spark. Put 1&4 on one terminal and 2&3 on the other. My first thought was how reliable it is on mag, but i guess it was ok. They sure make some lofty claims.
You should only need two coils,
Oops. Didn't catch the photo of the harness. Ed has it right.
Gus, if I remember correctly, John Regan said a single coil will not reliably fire two plugs. It will only fire the one with the least resistance.
The timer may last longer but the coil points would only last 1/2 the time as a single spark system.
It would still need four coils to work and the double terminals on the wiring harness indicates that how it was designed to work. If only two coils were used only one spark plug would spark on each cycle. That is if you connect two spark plugs to one coil, both will not fire, Only one will fire and take all the spark to do it.
Harleys have have a waste spark ignition but they have two separate coils that fire at the same time.
Jim
This may be of some help . . .
Carl O. Bruno
Los Angeles, California
Assignor to Bigelow Bruno Mfg. Co.
Chicago, Illinois
Patent number: 1581917
Filing date: July 2, 1920
Issue date: Apr 20, 1926
Timer for Internal Combustion Engine
http://tinyurl.com/mr6p4zz
Regards
art
I think this is a great idea. I would run one of these if I could find one.
Yep, every Red Green timer comes with a full roll of my patented Model T repair tape!
I think you will find that 1 & 4 will fire simultaneously and 2 & 3 fire simultaneously. Each terminal on the timer will buzz 2 coils at once. Actually what it does is ground 2 coils. It could be a bit smoother because the timing would be precisely the same for the two coils that buzz at the same time. However the spark at the top of the exhaust stroke would be wasted.
It seems to me that the points would burn out twice as fast?
Norm
Art, Many Thanks for the patent link. It's nice to have the diagram to go with the timer.
Here's the diagram from Art's patent link above.
Fig. 3 is interesting. His patent describes two spark plugs (20)as "grounded" and two plugs (20') as "insulated". This provides a series circuit so both plugs will fire when connected to a single coil. Is there a patent for the "insulated plug?
Gary,
Good catch, I was thinking that figure 3 would not work. However, it would work with the insulated spark plugs in series with the normal grounded plugs. I wonder if the series system would effectively increase the gap that the spark has to jump and that result in a less reliable spark??
Jim