100 Years of Spark Plugs
Spark Plugs
Oliver Lodge invented the electric spark ignition or spark plugs.
By Mary Bellis
According to Britannica a spark plug or sparking plug is, "a device
that fits into the cylinder head of an internal-combustion engine
and carries two electrodes separated by an air gap, across which
current from a high-tension ignition system discharges, to form a
spark for igniting the fuel."
Oliver Lodge
Oliver Lodge invented the electric spark ignition (the Lodge
Igniter) for the internal combustion engine. Two of his sons
developed his ideas and founded the Lodge Plug Company. Oliver Lodge
is better known for his pioneering work in radio and was the first
man to transmit a message by wireless.
Albert Champion
During the early 1900s, France was the dominant manufacturer of
spark plugs. Frenchman, Albert Champion was a bicycle and motorcycle
racer who immigrated to the United States in 1889 to race. As a
sideline, Champion manufactured and sold spark plugs to support
himself. In 1904, Champion moved to Flint, Michigan where he started
the Champion Ignition Company for the manufacturing of spark plugs.
He later lost control of his company and in 1908 started the AC
Spark Plug Company.
Edmond Berger
Some historians have reported that Edmond Berger invented an early
spark plug on February 2, 1839. However, Edmond Berger did not
patent his invention. Spark plugs are used in internal combustion
engines and in 1839 these engines were in the early days of
experimentation. Therefore, Edmund Berger's spark plug if it did
exist would have had to have been very experimental in nature as
well or perhaps the date was a mistake.
According to Britannica a spark plug or sparking plug is, "a device
that fits into the cylinder head of an internal-combustion engine
and carries two electrodes separated by an air gap, across which
current from a high-tension ignition system discharges, to form a
spark for igniting the fuel."
The first knowned spark plug was invented on
February 2, 1839 by Edmond Berger.
France dominated the spark plug market in the
early 1900s, supplying gasoline engine manufacturers with only a
limited line of plug configurations. They were also known to be
quite costly and had substandard quality.
Albert Champion was born in France in 1878. In 1889, a renowned
bicycle and motorcycle racer, Champion came to America to compete in
a series of races. He had brought several bicycles and motorcycles,
but found parts very hard to find in the United States. As a result,
Champion made his own. To help pay bills and cover expenses,
Champion began making spark plugs and sold them to friends.
Champion's love of motors slowly turned
towards automobiles and he later returned to France to open a shop
that manufactured spark plugs and magnetos.
In 1900, Champion returned to America after
being hired by Charles Metz to race bicycles and motorcycles for the
Waltham Manufacturing Company. In 1904, Champion moved to Flint,
Michigan where he founded Champion Ignition Company for the
manufacturing of spark plugs. With the help of investors, Champion
was able to turn his racing hobby into a successful business.
Unfortunately, problems with the investors soon lead to a break up.
Champion soon found himself without a company. The investors
continued to manufacture the spark plugs under the Champion name,
but Champion himself was out of a job.
In 1908 with the backing of the Buick Motor
Co., Champion began a new company called the AC Spark Plug Company.
Albert Champion was appointed president. In 1916 Alfred P. Sloan
formed United Motors Corp. and eventually acquired Buick and AC
Spark Plug.
กก
On October 27, 1927, Champion died of a heart
attack. General Motors purchased the remaining stock held by
Champion's estate and took over the AC company. On December 1st of
that year, AC became a full division of General Motors. In 1971,
United Motors Service was renamed United Delco Division. A few years
later United Delco and the AC Spark Plug Division combined to form
the company we know today as AC-Delco. To this day Albert Champion's
name lives on with every AC and Champion spark plug made.
Some knowed AC Spark Plug Facts:
1927- AC spark plugs were used in Charles
Lindbergh plane in his trans-Atlantic flight.
1932- Amelia Earhart's plane was equipped with
AC spark plugs when she made her trans-Atlantic solo flight
1969- AC igniter spark plugs were used to fire
the second and third stage rocket engines that took Neil Armstrong,
Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins to the moon.
Other form's of Ignition for early day engines
before spark plugs were Hot Tube ignition, Wipe Spark ignition, and
Low Tension Ignitor.
|
