Abstract: A circuit for controlling glow plug energization for use with a diesel engine having at least one glow plug energized by actuation of an ignition switch. The circuit has a simulator for producing a simulation signal indicative of glow plug temperature, a generator for generating a reference signal with a level which is determined in relation to a desired glow plug temperature and which is changed in magnitude in response to the change in the voltage of said voltage source and the temperature of the engine coolant, and a switch responsive to the result of comparing the simulation signal with the reference signal for controlling the flow of the current from said power source to the glow plug to energize the glow plug, whereby the glow plug is energized so as to be heated to said desired glow plug temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling energization of quick-heating glow plugs in an internal combustion engine comprises a power supply, a main relay having a normally open contact, a transfer-type changeover terminal having a neutral terminal, a normally closed terminal connected to ground, and a normally open contact connected to the power supply, a plurality of pairs of glow plugs, the glow plugs having one terminals connected through the normally open contact to the power supply, the glow plugs in each pair having one of other terminals grounded and the other terminal connected to the neutral contact, and a control circuit for controlling the main and changeover relays to connect the glow plugs in each pair selectively in series or parallel to each other with respect to the power supply.

Abstract: The tips 14 of any glow plugs 10 which are shorted are protected against enlargement by a separate protective device 28 in each series connection 26 to an individual glow plug opening in a fraction of a second in response to current through the device of a value corresponding to a short of the heating element in the tip.

Abstract: A ceramic heater including a ceramic insulator having a circular cross section, and a heating coil having an oval cross section, embedded in the insulator along the length thereof, and bent in a U-shaped form with the bend adjacent one end of the insulator. One of a pair of parallel coil portions defining the U-shaped coil has a long cross sectional diameter lying parallel to that of the other coil portion. The diameter of a cylinder defined by the outer surfaces of the coil portions and the outside diameter of the insulator have a ratio of 35:100 to 70:100.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for controlling an internal combustion engine equipped with glow plugs. The arrangement includes a heat-control circuit for controlling the temperature of the glow plug and an ancillary control circuit which can be a fuel control circuit for example. The ancillary control circuit takes over from the heat-control circuit for the purpose of controlling the ignition time point of the mixture when the temperature-control has reached its limit. A comparator is provided to monitor the heat-control circuit and to activate the ancillary control circuit if necessary.

Abstract: A ceramic heater device has a housing section and a heating section. The heating section includes a sintered ceramic insulator attached to a metal housing and a U-shaped sintered ceramic heater body fixed to the insulator, so that the heater body is supported by the housing section by means of the insulator in order to avoid a direct connection between the metal housing and the heater body. As a result, heat generated at the heater body may not be transferred to the metal housing, and thereby the heat can be effectively used to ignite a mixture of air and fuel in an engine and a rigid and stable support of the heater body to the metal housing can be obtained.

Abstract: A glow plug heating control device for a diesel engine includes a detector for detecting the heat variable resistance of the glow plug, and a device effecting insertion of a resistor in series with the glow plug and the power source at a given point so as to vary the manner of current application to and the heating of the plug in an advantageous non-linear manner.

Abstract: A first device is provided for selectively activating and deactivating a glow plug. A microcomputer system is connected to the first device for controlling the first device. A DC power source is electrically connected to the microcomputer system and a starting motor for supplying DC electrical power to the microcomputer system and the starting motor to activate them. The microcomputer system becomes inactive and causes the first means to deactivate the glow plug when the voltage of the DC electrical power drops below a minimum rating value. A switch is disposed in the electrical connection between the starting motor and the power source for selectively effecting and interrupting activation of the starting motor. A second device is provided for activating the glow plug when the switch effects activation of the starting motor regardless of whether or not the voltage of the DC electrical power drops below the minimum rating value.

Abstract: A ceramic heater comprising a supporting member made of an electrically insulating ceramic and a heater element made of a ceramic having excellent oxidization resistance, thermal shock resistance and high bending strength at a high temperature is disclosed. The heater element is formed by sintering a mixture composed of MoSi.sub.2 and 10 to 70 mol % of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4. By adding 3 to 10 mol % of at least one material selected from the group consisting of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, a mixture of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and MgO and MgAl.sub.2 O.sub.4 to the above mixture, a heater element having a sufficient sintering degree can be obtained even by atmospheric sintering.

Abstract: In an ignition system having at least one glow plug, the filament thereof is supplied with power from a generator by means of a switch device. The power is controlled whereby a constant glow temperature level is obtained, for example by means of a predetermined resistance in the filament. The arrangement is associated with a Wheatstone bridge which, during a short interval at the beginning of every heat current cycle, is switched on when generator power is not yet supplied to the glow plug. The balance of the Wheatstone bridge, which indicates whether the glow plug is too hot or too cold, is registered for the present cycle by means of a comparator in which the balance is converted into a logical signal to be the basis for an on/off regulation by the switch device in the heating circuit of the glow plug.

Abstract: An after glow control system for an engine, which controlls the voltage to be applied to glow plugs of the engine, is disclosed. The system comprises a first electric path through which a voltage is applied from a battery to glow plugs during the preheating period and a second electric path which is connected to the first electric path in parallel and through which a voltage is applied from the battery to the glow plugs during the after glow period. In the second electric path, a voltage dropping circuit of a switching type is provided. The voltage dropping circuit is provided with a switching means between the battery and the glow plugs and a switching control circuit which controls the opening and closing period of the switching means.

Abstract: A glow plug has an outer metal housing have a wall defining an internal axially extending bore and a tubular heater that has an external tubular sheath of metal with a heated end of the sheath extending outwardly of the housing and an opposite internal end within the housing bore. The sheath is structurally secured to and electrically connected to the metal housing and the sheath has a closed outer end. An electrical heating element is positioned within the heater sheath and is electrically connected to the tubular sheath. The heating element has a conductor extending outwardly from the other end of the sheath. Electrical insulating material fills the space between the heating element and the sheath. An insulative compressible washer member is compressed between the sheath and the conductor to provide a first interference fit seal to prevent the flow of gas between the sheath and conductor and into the interior of the tubular heater.

Abstract: A glow plug for use in a diesel engine comprises first and second helical heaters covered with a sheath. The second heater is made of material having larger resistance temperature coefficient than that of the first heater. A gap larger than winding pitches of the two heaters is provided there between and the two heaters are electrically interconnected in the gap.

Abstract: An improved glow plug (10) which is adapted to be continuously electrically heated to a preselected elevated temperature in order to ignite relatively lower-cetane-number alternative fuels. The glow plug (10) includes a ceramic surface ignition element (20) disposed substantially externally of the glow plug body (18) and means (24) for permitting thermal expansion and contraction of the ignition element (20) while maintaining continuous electrically-conductable and gas-impermeable contact between the ignition element (20) and the glow plug body (18).

Abstract: A ceramic heating element is held in a metal housing to be mounted on an internal combustion engine, so that the heating element is operated as a glow plug for igniting an air-fuel mixture. The ceramic heating element is formed of an electrode section housed in the housing and a heat generating section extending out of the housing, whereby the heat generating section is exposed to the mixture in an engine cylinder. The electrode and heat generating sections are divided into two portions, respectively, and both forward ends of divided heat generating portions are connected with each other, so that electric current flows from one of the electrode portions through the divided heat generating portions to the other electrode portion.

Abstract: An incandescent ignition arrangement for an internal combustion engine is combined with a fuel-injection device and has an ignition chamber formed as an annular space coaxial with and surrounding the fuel-injection device, an overflow passage rising toward a reference plane extending normal to the longitudinal axis of the fuel-injection device and having a component which extends tangentially to a periphery of the annular space and is open into the latter, and the overflow passage extends to the reference plane at an angle selected such that an extension of the axis of the overflow passage lies inside a fuel injected from the fuel-injection device, and the arrangement has an electrically heatable ignition element lying inside the contour of the ignition chamber.

Abstract: An electric starting aid for a compression ignition engine includes a central conductive rod housed within a hollow extension secured to a body part. The rod has a tapered portion at least part of which extends beyond the extension and about which a conductive tape forming a heating element is wound in helical overlapping relationship. A fused glass filling supports the rod and element within the extension.

Abstract: A glow plug control circuit uses two normally closed thermally actuated switches in series with a power relay and a timer switch across the battery when the ignition switch is turned on; the power relay connects the glow plugs to the battery. At least one of the two switches cycles on and off to limit the temperature of the glow plugs. Another normally closed thermally operated switch has a heating element in series with the glow plugs for turning off a lamp after the glow plugs are energized for a predetermined time. If one or more of the glow plugs are open-circuited, the lamp is cycled on and off with the cycling on and off of current through the glow plugs by the power relay, to signal a fault condition.

Abstract: A glow plug for internal combustion engines, the plug including a plug barrel, an electric heater for igniting the fuel, and a device for the metered injection of liquid fuel into the glow plug. The plug includes a centrally positioned heating pin in a pasageway through which the metered fuel passes, the heating pin including a thickened portion to define a valve. A chamber is provided in the glow plug barrel and is heated by the electric heater for evaporating the injected liquid fuel. The barrel includes a tube around the heating pin tip to provide a mixing chamber that contains concentrically arranged bores that extend into the mixing chamber and are connected to an air supply line in the vicinity of the opposite end of the plug barrel to permit air and evaporated fuel to mix to give improved combustion.

Abstract: In a glow plug for use in a diesel engine of the type wherein a heater rod is connected to one end of a hollow holder, and an external connecting terminal is inserted into the other end of the hollow holder through an electric insulator and electrically connected to the heater rod, an integrally combined terminal unit including a metal pipe, an electric insulator and the external connecting terminal embedded in the insulator is prepared. After inserting the terminal unit into the other end of the hollow holder, an external pressure is applied to the other end to deform the metal pipe for firmly bonding the metal pipe to the insulator. Thereafter an end surface of the other end of the hollow holder is caulked to form an annular ring that holds the inserted terminal unit. With this construction, the completed glow plug is maintained in a perfect air tight state regardless of the variation in the ambient temperature.

Abstract: In a glow plug energization control circuit wherein the output voltage produced from a glow plug temperature simulator composed of a charging/discharging circuit is compared with a reference voltage from a reference voltage generator and heating of the glow plug is controlled in accordance with the result of the comparison, the voltage developed across the glow plug is applied to the charging/discharging circuit to charge a capacitor thereof and the level of the reference voltage is changed in response to changes in the voltage of the voltage source by which the glow plug is heated.

Abstract: An indicating lamp and a PTC thermistor are connected in series across an electric power source by an ignition switch which simultaneously actuates apparatus to intermittently energize a diesel engine glow plug. Further apparatus is effective to make and break a low resistance shunt path around the indicating lamp in response to deenergization and energization of the glow plug. The indicating lamp and PTC thermistor both are electrically energized to self heat and both have electrical resistances increasing sufficiently with temperature to drop substantially most of the supply voltage when hot and prevent energization of the cold other. The indicating lamp heats much faster than the PTC thermistor and so energizes during the initial energization of the glow plug to signal the vehicle operator to not attempt starting of the engine.

Abstract: A glow plug controller for diesel engines includes a two-chamber housing, with a low-level control circuit module in a first chamber and a high-level switching means in the form of a relay or contactor in a second chamber, so that the controller can be repaired or modified by replacement of a single module, and heat generated in one chamber has no effect on the other chamber. The controller is adapted for use with positive-temperature-coefficient glow plugs, and includes at least one temperature-actuated switch means and a second relay means, functioning respectively as timer means and lockout means. An overvoltage switch and a wait-lamp switch may also be provided. The low-level control circuit includes a connector insert portion molded into an insulating block, which is severed through apertures in the insulating block to define appropriate circuit elements for mounting series-connected switch means to the circuit elements.

Abstract: An auxiliary combustion chamber preheating device having a glow plug for a diesel engine with a metal shell threadedly mountable on the engine and a center electrode having a rod-like configuration. A tubular heat generating element having an opened end and a closed end is made of a nonmetalic resistance material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide (SiC) or molybdenum disilicide (MoSi.sub.2) and inserted and is connected to the metal shell at the open end thereof. An electrical connection is established for electrically connecting a lower end surface of the center electrode and an inner wall portion of the closed end portion of the heat generating element. An electrical conductive layer is formed on an outer wall portion of the heat generating element.

Abstract: In a glow plug for use in a diesel engine of the type wherein a heater rod is connected to one end of a hollow holder, and an external connecting terminal is inserted into the other end of the hollow holder through an electric insulator and electrically connected to the heater rod, an integrally combined terminal unit including a metal pipe, an electric insulator and the external connecting terminal embedded in the insulator is prepared. After inserting the terminal unit into the other end of the hollow holder, an external pressure is applied to the other end to deform the metal pipe for firmly bonding the metal pipe to the insulator. Thereafter an end surface of the other end of the hollow holder is caulked to form an annular ring that holds the inserted terminal unit. With this construction, the completed glow plug is maintained in a perfect air tight state regardless of the variation in the ambient temperature.

Abstract: A glow plug for preheating the combustion chamber of a diesel engine. The glow plug has a heat generating portion and a mounting portion. The heat generating portion is provided with a ceramic central electrode made of an electrically insulating material and provided with at least one spiral screw-thread groove formed in the outer peripheral surface thereof. A ceramic electric resistor serving as a heat generating member is disposed in the groove. The electric resistor is made of TiC or SiC with or without addition of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.

Abstract: Hydrogen ignitor and housing structure having high-strength and lightweight characteristics for surface mounting within a nuclear reactor containment vessel are disclosed. A unitary main body is formed from stainless steel sheet metal free of internal or external structural bracing to provide an open-ended enclosure for placement and interconnection of electrical transformer equipment for the hydrogen ignitor. The open end of the main body enclosure is hermetically sealed with a unitary stainless steel sheet metal cover plate which interlocks with the main body sidewall so that forces, due e.g. to changes of pressure, tending to distort the configuration of the sidewall or cover plate, are absorbed by both through such interlocking. Hermetic sealing of the enclosure is maintained while providing limited access for external placement of an ignitor glow probe and for line voltage power supply internally of the enclosure.

Abstract: A sheathed electric heater especially of the type used as diesel engine glow plugs has a dual coil heating element including separate tip heater and PTC body control coils thermally isolated by a low resistance connector section made from interengaging small diameter coiled connector portions integral with the tip and body coils and preferably welded together. Preferred material and dimensional specifications and pertinent design considerations are also included.

Abstract: To decrease the preheat time and power requirements in preheater-type glow plugs for Diesel engines, a closed ceramic tube (20), for example of aluminum oxide and of about 5 mm diameter has, on the bottom (21) thereof applied a layer or film-like heater element (24, 24'), for example in an undulating or zig-zag configuration (FIG. 2) or in form of a constriction or pinch (FIG. 4: 24') to provide a concentrated point or strip source of heat. The heater layer itself is protected by a protective coating (25) and, to provide for the required heat distribution, the underlying bottom (21, 21') of the tube (20, 20') supports an insulating intermediate layer and possibly a heat conductive layer is intermediate. Preheat times in the order of 1-2 seconds, with lower current consumption than prior wound-wire plugs can be obtained.

Abstract: An engine preheating apparatus in which an actuation circuit for a glow plug mounted in the engine is provided with a starting resistor of barium titanate of which the resistance value abruptly increases at a specific temperature, and a normal-operation resistor connected in parallel to the starting resistor. When the starting resistor is low in temperature and hence has a small resistance value, a large current is supplied to the glow plug, whereas when the starting resistor is high in temperature and therefore has a high resistance, a comparatively small current is supplied to the glow plug through the normal-operation resistor. The starting resistor is comprised of plural resistor elements of barium titanate as a main component and plural electrode plates alternately pressed one on each other. Each of the electrode plates is in pressure contact with each of heat radiators, so that the heat generated by the resistor elements is radiated from the radiators through the electrode plates.

Abstract: A glow-plug ignitor for diesel engines and the like, comprising a tubular body having external screw threads and an adjoining hexagonal formation by which a tool such as a wrench can be applied to the body to screw it into the threaded cavity of a cylinder. Next to the hexagonal formation is a spade lug connector for bringing current to the plug, the connector being so arranged as to permit the application of either a socket-type wrench or else a box-end wrench. The inner end of the body has an elongate projecting pin on which there is a tightly wound resistance coil that becomes incandescent when excited with the proper electric current. The valleys of the coil show higher temperatures, for a given heating current, due to the radiation and reception of radiated heat involving the opposed surfaces; therefore, starts at lower engine temperatures are improved.

Abstract: A preheating system for a diesel engine using an electric heater for heating suction air introduced into a combustion chamber of the diesel engine. A normally-open first relay is disposed in a circuit connecting the heater with a battery. A coil of the first relay is connected with an accessory terminal of an engine key switch through a pushbutton switch. A timer and a normally-open second relay are disposed in another circuit connecting the coil of the first relay with accessory terminal of the engine key switch. Once the pushbutton switch is pressed, the second relay is closed, connecting the coil of the first relay with the accessory terminal through the timer, thereby electrically connecting the heater with the battery. The heater continues to be heated until the timer deenergizes the first relay.

Abstract: In a glow plug, a pair of ceramic rods having longitudinal bonding surfaces are used as a heating rod. A resistor including a heater, and a pair of lead portions connected to both ends of the heater and extending to rear ends of the ceramic rods is continuously disposed on one bonding surface of the ceramic rods. One of the lead portions extends through a hollow metal holder, while the other lead portion is connected to an external connecting terminal mounted through an insulating member.

Abstract: In an engine preheating control system, in which the temperature of glow plugs mounted in a diesel engine is held in a constant high temperature range during the cranking operation after the closure of an engine key switch through the control of power supply to the glow plugs based upon the detection of changes of the resistance of the glow plugs, a main relay for controlling the power supply from a power supply source through a current detecting resistor to the glow plugs and a sub-relay for controlling power supply through a stable preheating resistor and the detecting resistor to the glow plugs are energized and de-energized in response to first to fourth control signals.

Abstract: An igniter, such as a glow plug for diesel engines, is arranged to be extended into a combustion chamber of an associated engine when needed to aid starting and ignition. It is retracted from the combustion chamber when starting aid is no longer required in order to reduce interference with gas flow in the combustion chamber and the formation of particulates in the combustion process. Various powered arrangements are disclosed for retracting and extending the glow plug during engine operation using energy sources such as combustion chamber pressure and engine temperature which are obtained separately from an engine accessory power system.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention has a first switch for controlling the supply of a first current to each glow plug, a second switch for controlling the supply of a second current being below the first current, preheating means for turning on the first switch for a predetermined time period responsive to the switching of an ignition switch from the OFF position to the ON position, and afterglow means for turning on the second switch to heat each glow plug for a predetermined time period responsive to the switching of the ignition switch from the ST position to the ON position. In the apparatus, the first or the second switch is periodically operated by controlling means to maintain the temperature of each glow plug at a predetermined value. Therefore, it is easy to avoid unnecessary increases in glow plug temperature and to control the temperature of the glow plugs to a predetermined value, the service life of the glow plugs can be extended.

Abstract: To prevent an increase in diameter or the formation of fissures of resistance wire elements which are placed within a glow sleeve (22) of a glow element (13) during a compaction step in which a pulverized or powder-like heat conductive resistance material (26), for example magnesium oxide, is compacted within the glow element (13) to securely seat the resistance wire (24) therein, the resistance wire (24) is made of a plurality, for example two individual wire elements or strands (24/1, 24/2) twisted together, such that the pitch (27) of the twist is greater than n times the diameter of the number of wire strands twisted together, for example, for two wires, about three times the individual wire element or strand diameter.

Abstract: A glow plug control system which includes a controller connected to a battery through an ignition switch, an indicator lamp and a glow plug relay connected to the controller and a parallel combination of four glow plugs connected to the battery through normally open contacts of the relay. The controller includes a comparator having its two inputs connected across the parallel glow plugs, and a constant current circuit for supplying a constant current to the parallel combination of the glow plugs for sensing the resistance of the glow plugs. The controller senses the resistance of the glow plugs due to their temperature through the comparator and permits the battery to supply a current to the parallel combination of the glow plugs for a time determined in response to the sensed resistance.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying power to at least two heater filaments of two glow plugs in a diesel engine, or to a heater of one glow plug and a ballast load having substantially the same maximum rated voltage as the filament, is disclosed. The power source has a supply voltage greater than the maximum rated voltage of the filament and sufficiently high to cause an overheating temperature capable of burning out the filament under continuous operation. A switch is operable in a first position to prevent the application of the supply voltage to the apparatus, operable in a second position to apply the supply voltage to the apparatus, and operable in a third position to maintain the condition of the second position and to apply the supply voltage to the apparatus and to a starter for the engine.

Abstract: A burner assembly (18) for heating the intake air of an internal combustion engine (2) including a burner housing (32) containing a fuel passage (52, 66, 70, 72) and a glow plug (87) for heating the burner housing (32) upon start up of the burner to melt fuel wax deposits in the fuel passage (52, 66, 70, 72). The glow plug (87) includes a metal sheath (88) designed normally to contact air when energized at a rated level. The burner housing (32) includes a cavity (86) shaped to receive the glow plug (87) with a minimal clearance (a) large enough to prevent interference during assembly but small enough to allow metal-to-metal heat transfer into the housing (32) when the glow plug (87) is energized at twice its rated level.

Abstract: A heater plug comprising a heater coil connected to a terminal pin, said terminal pin maintained in gas-tight manner at least in part within and insulated from a plug shell, at least the surface of said heater coil formed by a metal or a base alloy of a metal of the platinum group said heater coil supported by heat electrically insulating rod-like or tubular supporting body heater coil surrounded by a protective tube.The heater plug is useful as a starting aid for diesel engines and other internal combustion engines, especially those without spark ignitions.

Abstract: In an auxiliary apparatus for starting a diesel engine having a quick preheating circuit operable by the switching of a key-switch from its OFF to ON position and an afterglow circuit operated by the return of the key-switch from the ST position to ON position, there is provided a heat maintenance preheating circuit to maintain the temperature of the glow plugs for a predetermined time after the quick preheating operation is finished. The heat maintenance preheating circuit for maintaining the temperature begins its operation just after the immediate heating operation by the quick preheating circuit is finished, and continues its operation for a predetermined period while the key-switch is at its ON position. As a result, even when the engine is not started to operate immediately after the initial preheating, the temperature of the glow plugs is kept at the predetermined temperature, thus assuring smooth starting of the engine.

Abstract: A preliminary heating installation for glow plugs in air-compressing internal combustion engines, in which a delay circuit is provided that enables from the beginning of the preliminary heating and for a predetermined duration a superincreased heating current by at least partially short-circuiting a series resistance; a heating spiral is selectively provided in the suction air path.

Abstract: A heater plug comprising a heater coil connected to a terminal pin, said terminal pin maintained in gas-tight manner at least in part within and insulated from a plug shell, at least the surface of said heater coil formed by a metal or a base alloy of a metal of the platinum group said heater coil supported by heat resistant electrically insulating rod-like or tubular supporting body heater coil surrounded by a protective tube.The heater plug is useful as a starting aid for diesel engines and other internal combustion engines, especially those without spark ignitions.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a ceramic heater excellent in thermal shock resistance, high temperature resisting property, and free from change in resistance value even in the repeated use of the heater at high temperatures. The heater comprises a heat resisting element of high melting-point metal embedded in a ceramic body of nonoxide selected from a group consisting of silicon nitride, sialon, aluminium nitride and silicon carbide.

Abstract: A glow plug for accelerating the ignition of fuel in a combustion chamber of a diesel engine is disclosed. The glow plug comprises a shell releasably engagable with a head of a combustion chamber of the diesel engine, and an electrically conducting, tubular heater carried by and electrically connected to the shell. The heater has an open end within the shell, and an opposed closed end extending longitudinally therefrom. The glow plug also comprises a heating filament disposed within the heater adjacent to the closed end and electrically insulated from the tubular body thereof. The heating filament has a first end electrically connected to the closed end of the heater and a second end; it is one which heats to a predetermined design temperature when a specified voltage is applied thereto. The glow plug also comprises an insulator carried by the shell, and a terminal assembly carried by the insulator.

Abstract: A starting aid for an internal combustion engine comprises a tubular extension in the end of which is a spirally wound electric heating element. The extension is secured to a body which in use is located in a bore in the cylinder head of the engine so that at least part of the extension extends into a combustion chamber of the engine. The extension mounts a sleeve extending from the body towards the end of the extension and this is formed from a material having a high thermal conductivity. The sleeve acts to minimize the temperature attained by the extension when the aid is in use.

Abstract: A self-heating type ignition plug according to the present invention includes a base portion having a fixing portion formed on an outer wall thereof and a terminal insulately provided therein and connected to an electrical source; an ignition means, integrally connected to the base portion, having an ignition surface formed on a wall surface thereof and composed of a catalyst comprising a transition material, thereby to come in contact with the fuel; and a heating means having a resistive exothermic element connected to the terminal of the base portion, the resistive exothermic element being provided adjacent to the ignition surface within the ignition means, whereby the fuel may be ignited and burned as a whole by the ignition surface of the catalyst which is maintained to a preset temperature due to the oxidation reaction of the catalyst and the fuel being in contact therewith after the heating means is deenergized.

Abstract: A pre-heating device, for starting an internal combustion engine, of the Diesel type or the like, comprises a pre-heating plug, mounted in each cylinder, adapted to be supplied by a source of electrical energy to ensure the pre-heating of a combustion chamber, and a rapid pre-heating circuit ensuring the connection of each pre-heating plug to a relatively high electrical voltage. The rapid pre-heating circuit is normally put into operation from the start of pre-heating. A slow pre-heating circuit is also provided to ensure the connection of each pre-heating plug to a lower electrical voltage after a rapid pre-heating period determined by, first time delay means. Said first time delay means is combined with means sensitive to the temperature of the engine arranged so that the rapid pre-heating time depends on the temperature of the engine.

Abstract: A glow-plug .[.ignitor for diesel engines and the like,.]. comprising a tubular body having external screw threads and an adjoining hexagonal formation by which a tool such as a wrench can be applied to the body to screw it into .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.threaded cavity .[.of a cylinder.].. Next to the hexagonal formation is a spade lug connector for bringing current to the plug, the connector being so arranged as to permit the application of either a socket-type wrench or else a box-end wrench. The inner end of the body has an elongate projecting pin on which there is a tightly wound resistance coil that becomes incandescent when excited with the proper electric current. The valleys of the coil show higher temperatures, for a given heating current, due to the radiation and reception of radiated heat involving the opposed surfaces.[.; therefore, starts at lower engine temperatures are improved.]..