Ignition system

Claim 1

AN IGNITION SYSTEM FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING A PLURALITY OF IGNITION MEANS AND A DISTRIBUTOR COUPLED TO THE ENGINE AND SELECTIVELY APPLYING A SINGLE HIGH VOLTAGE PULSE TO SUCCESSIVE ONES OF THE IGNITION MEANS, SAID SYSTEM INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, PULSE PRODUCING MEANS OPERATING TO PRODUCE CONTROL PULSES IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, A TRANSISTOR STAGE HAVING A TRANSISTOR WITH VARYING REGIONS OF REVERSE BREAKDOWN CAPABILITY ACCORDING TO THE AMOUNT OF REVERS BIAS APPLIED THERETO, SAID TRANSISTOR STAGE HAVING INPUT AND OUTPUT CIRCUITS AND INCLUDING BIAS MEANS FOR NORMALLY HOLDING SAID TRANSISTOR CUT OFF, INPUT CIRCUIT MEANS INCLUDING FIRST TRANSFORM MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID INPUT CIRCUIT OF SAID TRANSISTOR STAGE FOR APPLYING CONTROL PULSES THERETO FROM SAID PULSE PRODUCING MEANS FOR RENDERING SAID TRANSISTOR STAGE CONDUCTIVE, SAID FIRST TRANSFORMER MEANS OPERATING AT THE TERMINATION OF EACH PULSE FROM SAID PULSE PRODUCING MEANS TO APPLY A POTENTIAL TO SAID INPUT CIRCUIT OF SAID TRANSISTOR STAGE TO REVERSE BIAS SAID TRANSISTOR TO CUT OFF AND BEYOND CUT OFF INTO A REGION OF INCREASED BREAKDOWN CAPABILITY SO THAT SAID TRANSISTOR CAN WITHSTAND SUBSTANTIAL REVERSE VOLTAGE APPLIED THERETO, AND SECOND TRANSFORMER MEANS INCLUDING A PRIMARY WINDING COUPLED TO SAID OUTPUT CIRCUIT OF SAID TRANSISTOR STAGE AND A SECONDARY WINDING COUPLED TO THE DISTRIBUTOR, SAID SECOND TRANSFORMER MEANS PROVIDING VOLTAGE STEP-UP OF SAID PRIMARY WINDING TO SAID SECONDARY WINDING, SAID PRIMARY WINDING BEING RESPONSIVE TO CUT OFF OF SAID TRANSISTOR STAGE TO DEVELOP A SINGLE HIGH VOLTAGE PULSE WHICH IS STEPPED UP IN SAID SECONDARY WINDING AND APPLIED TO THE DISTRIBUTOR.