The White Lighting and Starting Gear.
Page 13
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We are enabled to describe and illustrate a promising type of combined self-starting and lighting gear which has been introduced by the White Co., Carlow Street, Camden Town.
White pleasure cars will henceforward be equipped with an electrical engine-starting, car-lighting mechanism which takes the form of a dynamo-motor and an 18-volt accumulator of large capacity. A Mea magneto is employed for the ignition of the charges in the engine, and the ignition system is thus kept distinct from the dynamo system ; hence there is not only a greatly reduced chance of a complete failure of the electrical system, which would leave the car helpless at the roadside, but the separation renders it easier for the motorist to understand the details of the mechanism of his vehicle and to rectify any faults. It must not be overlooked (when, in these days, after motor-vehicle mechanism has been brought to its simplest proportions, later refinements are entailing complication) that very few of those in charge of motor vehicles are qualified to regard themselves as skilled electricians, and therefore would prefer to deal with their electrical equipment in small doses, as it were.
The White starting dynamotor (as, for convenience, we will call the new accessory) is mounted on a platform on the right-hand side of the engine—that opposite to the valves—the platform being supported at one side on a hinge pin carried on two strong brackets or lugs cast on the cylinder, and at the other side on an adjustable pillar. This pillar is supported at its foot on extensions of the plate carrying the magneto, and is threaded ink] a hinged clip carried on the dynamotor platform. The arrangement is clearly shown in our sketch. Should the driving chain become slack it is an easy matter, by slackening two nuts and turning the adjustable pillar, to adjust the chain to the most suitable tension.
The magneto shaft, driven by helical timing gears, is made particularly strong for the additional work which the starting dynamotor imposes upon it, and it is provided with a chain pinion between the bearing and the magneto. The drive is taken through a silent chain to a pinion on the armature shaft of the starting motor, the latter being geared up about 24 to 1—the magneto shaft running at crankshaft speed. Although the starting motor is thus mounted above the magneto, the accessibility of the latter is in no way impaired, and, as may be remembered, the form of the Men magneto provides easy accessibility to the whole of its details.
The accumulator is of ample capacity, and gives current at 18 volts. It is suspended from the framework of the chassis beside the propeller shaft. The wiring passes between the essential components of the system through metal tubing.
On the dashboard are mounted : firstly, a starting switch in an aluminium bracket ; secondly, the lamp switches (one for headlamps, one for side lamps, one for tail lamp, and one for the speedometer and lubricator light), and the plug for the inspection lamp ; and, thirdly, the magneto switch. When it is desired to start the engine the starting switch is moved forward in its bracket, and the current being switched on from the accumulator to the starting dynamotor, the armature of the latte
rotates and through the chain and magneto shaft starts the crankshaft turning, and by means of a connection tne magneto current is switched on by the same movement of the starting switch. in other words, if tile magneto current has been " shorted " to stop the engine, the connection between the " shorting " plug of the magneto and the frame is broken.
With the engine running at an increased number of revolutions beyond that necessary for starting, the starting motor has, automatically, become a dynamo, and generates current which recharges the accumulator. Usually it is found that three minutes running of the dynamo is sufficient to replace the current used up in the act of starting the engine. Then, if the starting switch be turned back to its former position, the dynamo will be running on open circuit and will cease to generate current. It will, obviously, have been necessary to switch on the magneto or the engine would stop. The reason for connecting the magneto switch with the starting switch is to ensure that. the engine shall not have been running under the power from the accumulator, but shall have been driving the dynamo and thus generating current. At. night time when. the lamps are in use it is necessary to switch the dynamo on to the accumulator to maintain the current used in lighting the lamps. It is claimed that the accumulator will run the starting dynamotor and turn the engine for half an hour at least, whilst it will run the lamps for 78 hours. The pressure of the lighting current is 7 volts, the headlamps giving 21 c.p. each, and the other lamps 4 c.p. each.
Due safeguards in the way of automatic cut-outs are provided, whilst the whole equipment is neat and simple, although, at first sight, being cased in entirely from dust and dirt, it seems to bulk large. But as the starting dynamotor is mounted on the free side of the engine it occupies space not otherwise required or employed, whilst, if necessary, it is most accessible and quite easy to remove entirely—a very great advantage that is not offered by all other starting devices.
The starting switch handle is provided with a lock, so that it may be secured against meddling.
We have tested the ability of the dynamotor to start the engine, and have found the engine is turning in a matter of from one to two seconds from the moment the switch handle is touched and to do this unfailingly. The simplicity of the mechanism suggests that trouble is scarcely likely to occur, even with the most inexperienced van-driver.