US1364853A - Engine-starter - Google Patents

Description

Qwi/mmo Win45 E, V. HARTFORD AND L. MASTRANGEL.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLlCATlON FILED JAN. 22, 1914.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.,

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

E. V. HARTFORD AND L. MASTRANGEL.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 22, 1914.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- FIG. 2

E. V. HARTFORD AND L. MASTRANGEL.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1914.

1,3 4, 53, mama 52m. 41

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- UNITED @FWQ EDWARD v. nan'rrcnn, on DEAL, incurs MASTELANGEL, on EEGBGKEIN, new JERSEY; SAID mas'ritan'ena assrciacn ro earn iaeianrczan.

ENGINE$TAFJTEi I.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 19211,

Original application filed June is, 1912, Serial no. 704,489. nivaiee and this application filed January 2a, 1914. Serial no. eiaesa To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Eowano V. Henr- FORD and LOUIS MASTRANGEL, citizens of the United States, residing at Deal, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, and at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and Stateof. New Jersey, respectivel have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Engine-Starters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

' This application is a division of our copending application Serial No 704389 which, in turn, is a continuation in part of our application Serial No. 640,903. filed Jul 27, 1911.

Our invention relates broadly to means for starting an engine which is not adapted to commence rotating under its own power,

stick, for example, as the internal combus- .itioh gasolene engine now very generally used for: the propulsion ofmotor vehicles Assiafw'ell known, the crank shaftof such aii erj g-inc must be rotated by some external agency before the engine will begin operating under its own power. This operation is commonly known as cranking and when done by hand is a source of much danger to the operator, since the engine is likely to backfire or kick back, thus imparting a violent backward rotation to the starting crank or handle held by the operator and frequently causing severe injury to him. To

overcome this danger and to do away with the annoyance and inconvenience attendant "upon cranking an engine by hand, we have invented a mechanical self-starter particularly adapted for motorcars and other selfpropelled vehicles provided with gasolene or other internal combustion engines. This self-starter is preferably equipped with a small electric motor of a type having characteristics that make it particularly *valuable in furnishing thepower necessary for the cranking operation, and thisis prefer ably combined with certain devices that 'together cooperate to prevent a back-kick or back-fire from the engine in any way H1111}? ing or .-deranging the starting mechanism,

while atthexsame time they co-act to deliver thelp'ower. of the self-starter motor. to the crank shaft of the engine in such degree and at such t mes as will be mostefi'eetive, and in such manner as will start the engine with certainty under even the most adverse 0011- 5 ditions without the expenditure of an undue amount of electrical energy.

In starting an internal combustion engine, by means of an electric motor, we have found it desirable to connect the motor and 6c the engine crank shaft, so that the driving action of the motor will be dependent upon the speed of the engine, perm tting the independent operation of the engine under its own power when once started thus relieving the motor of any deranging influences that it might be subjected to if it were positivelv and unreleasably connected tothe engine- Furthermore, it is desirable that this releasable means he so constituted as to regain cannot always be obtained by an init1a17 explosion or two.

Several succeeding misfirings may cause the engine to again come to rest. Therefore by the interposition of. means such as an over-runningclutch in termediatethe motor and engine, the motor so autoii'iatically regains control of the crank shaft. Thus after a series of misfirings, the motor automatically regains control of the engine crank shaft, driving the latter until the engine has become effectively self- 5 actuated. By this means. the crank shaft will not be permitted to halt but will be continuously driven by the motor until the speedof the former exceeds the driving speed of the latter.- Furthermore, in driving a co car at low speed on the high gear, especially as in driving through dense city traflic, it is desirable to be able to actuate the startermotor at any time so that if the driver feels his engine s slowing to a point where it is liable to stall, he may throw in the self starter. As soon as the speed of the startermotorover-running clutch member exceeds the speed of the engine, the power of the self-starter motor will be added to the power of the engine, causing the engine to speed up and overcoming the imminent danger of stalling. This is accomplished without the need for changing gears oi' for releasp in the main clutch of the car.

e have also found that a small high speed-motor is effective for engine starting purposes and to associate such motor with the crank shaft of the engine, we employ reduction gearing between the motor and the crank shaft of the engine so as to impart thereto a relatively slow crank-shaftmovement. The reduction gearing and overrunning clutch are combined in such manner as to relieve the gearing from strain or deranging influences after the engine becomes self-actuated. This prevents the stripping of gears and obviates the necessity of employing shifting gears for the accomplishment of the desired result. The overrunning clutch is, therefore, interposed between the train of reducing gears and the engine crank shaft or vehicle transmission shaft as the case may be. In this way, when the .engine becomes self-actuated and the motor deenergized, the motor and gears stop and remain in a condition of rest. We have found in practice that a gear ratio of 100 to 1 is effective when a high-speed motor of the character used by us is employed, which motor is capable of'operating at approximately a speed of 10,000 to 12,000 revolutions per minute. A motor of this character operating ata speed of 6,000 to 10,000 revolutions per minute will, through this reduction train of gears, cause the transmission shaft to rotate at a speed of 60 to 100 revolutions per minute and proportionately at other motor speeds. The great gear reduction gives an enormous leverage for getting the engine under Way no matter how congealed the oil therein may be, and at the same time gives the motor a chance to'gain its speed while traveling between high com; pression points of the engine. Of course, it is understood that the ratios and particular speeds are given merely by way of example and that they may be varied as special conditions demand.

x In the train of gearing above described, there is preferably interposed a slip-drive mechanism which is designed to transmit an ample amount of power to start the engine but Which is releasable under a heavy overload, so that should the engine backfire or kick-back, the mechanism will momentarilyyield, thus protecting the starter-motor and its associated mechanism from the damage to which they might be subiected by the sudden forcible reversal of rotation of their moving parts, resulting from a backfire of the gasolene engine.

With this understanding of the general characteristics of our invention and the purposes thereof, we will proceed to describe the illustrated embodiment in the accompanying sheets of drawings, which embodiment, however, is illustrative rather than definitive as it is of course possible to vary the structural details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit or scope of our invention .as defined in the appended claims.

Figure 1 illustrates in plan, our invention in connection with so much of the associated parts of an automobile, as is thought Will be sufficient to convey a full understanding thereof. a 70 Fig. 2 is an elevation on a larger scale 0 the starter motor and associated clutches and train of reducing gearing, the transmission shaft beinQ' shown in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a view of the starter at about right angles to the position of Fig. 2, the transmission shaft being shown in plan and the over-running clutch partly in section.

1 indi ates a motor of the high-speed type and may be of one-quarter horse-power. 0 Its dimensions may approximate four and one-half inches in diameter and seven and one-half inches in length and weigh about twenty-four pounds and when energized by a twelve-volt battery, it will exert an llIl-.85 usually high torque. The motor, as we havel constructed it. has shown itself to be capable of speeding 1000 revolutions per minute on one volt, with the ability of speeding up 12,000 revolutions per'minut'e on 12 volts. The employment of such a high-speed has been found to be perfectly feasible and practicable for starting large and heavy engines, since the service period of the motor is of short duration. Such a high-speed motor having the usual characteristics of a series motor, that is. having a high starting torque and tending to race under no-load or lightload conditions, is, of course, intended to be used only at intervals and does not maintain either ano-load condition or a full-load condition for a considerable period of time. The motor speed on the 12 volt battery indicated by the numeral 2 does not; when coupled to the engine through the reduction gearing, attain the rate of- 12,000 revolutions per minute. In practice, it is ap roximately brought down to 8,000 revo utions per minute.

It is to be understood that where we have used the word characteristic in this specification we have in mind the technical meaning that is commonly given to it in electrical engineering. Thus, a motor having a high starting torque characteristic is exemplified ina series motor, such a motor-inherently having a high starting torque at low speeds: a torque which is enormously greater than the starting torque of a shunt motor of the same horse-power rating.

The motor 1 is connected to the transmission shaft 3, which in turn is connected in the usual manner through a clutch mechanism 3- with the crank shaft 4: of the engine 18. Interposed between the armature of the starter motor and the transmission shaft 3 is a train of reduction gears which are releasably connected to the transmission shaft by the over-running clutch heretofore mentioned.

Upon the end of the motor armature is a worm 5, which meshes with a worm wheel 6, the latter being loosely and freely mounted upon a counter shaft 7, so that it is independently rotatable. thereon, excepting insofar as thismovement is restrained by a friction clutch mechanism hereinafter described. The counter shaft 7 is supported in suitable brackets 8 which are provided on the motor supporting platform 9. The friction clutch referred to constitutes frictionally engaging parts through which the.

power of the motor is transmitted to inaugurate the self-actuation of the engine. This clutch mechanism comprises a pair of cup-shaped plates 10 and 11 disposed on opposite sides of the worm wheel 6 and operably connected therewith through the medium of the wear-resisting washers 12 and 13. The plate 10 is keyed to and made fast to the shaft 7 and the plate 11 is splined thereto. The frictional adhesion or grip between these parts is effected through the medium of a spider-shaped spring 14, the tension of which may be readily adjusted by means of the nut 15, which is in screw-threaded engagement with cooperating screw threads on the shaft 7.

The friction clutch gearing and worm, as thus described, afford an adjustable and yielding connection between the starter motor and the engine and have a two-fold purpose. This clutch regulates and controls the quantity of motive power imparted through the shaft 7 and associated gears to the crank shaft of the engine for the pur pose of actuating the same and secondly, provides a yielding shock-absorbing connection that Wlll take care of any possible backkick due to premature explosions which pinion 16 in mesh with the gear wheel 17,

might impart a reverse'motion to the crank shaft of the engine as well as to the mecha nism connectin the starter-motor thereto.

- Should a bac '-kick, or what is some times called a back-fire, occur the power transmitted to the crank shaft of the engine and the gears by the engine (this-being greater than the adhering power of the friction clutch) will become s ent in freely rotating the.

and cup-shaped plates 10 and 11 independently of the worm wheel 6,

counter shaft which is in positive connection with the worm on the armature of the motor. Thus it will be seen, that a sudden shock due to the back-kickof the engine is absorbed by the friction clutch, and the starter motor is protected as well as the connecting mechanism breakage.

Upon the counter shaft 7 is arranged a the latter mounted on the transmission described, from derangen e'nt} or.

or crank shaft 3 as the case may be. Intermediate the gear wheel 17 and the transmission shaft 3 is the over-running clutch mechanism, heretofore referred to, the construction of which will now be ex 'lained. 70

, The initial working impulses cause by the explosions in the cylinders of the engine 18, will cause the crank shaft 4 and the transmission shaft 3 to move at a speed in excess of that imparted toit by the motor. Therefore, it is necessary that this shaft be per mitted to rotate free of the gear wheel 17, as has been explained. This over-running clutch comprises a pair of rings 19 fast upon the transmission shaft 3. On these rings are mounted a pair of ball cups 20, the latter cooperating with a ring 21 for forming suit-- able ball races. The latter ring is made fast to the gear wheel 17. A ring 22 is secured. between the rings 19-19 extending out-. wardly between the ball cups 20 and 1s provided with a series of pockets 23, which open toward the inner face of the ring 21. The.

bottoms of these pockets are inclined in 9. common direction. A roller-24 is mounted v in each pocket and is lightly pressed up the incline toward the friction face 25 of .the ring 21, by means of a small spring 26. Upon rotation of the gear wheel 17 in the direction of the arrow, under actuation of the starter motor, the rollers will cause the coupling of the gear wheel 17 and the transmission shaft 3 so that the transmission shaft 3 and gear wheel 17 will rotate in unison, as is apparent, however, this occurs only when the starter motor is acting as a driver. Therefore. when the engine becomes selfactuated the speed of the crank and transmission shafts thereof-exceed the speed of the gear wheel 17 This will cause the rollers 24 to be dislodged and forced from their coupling position, thus permitting the crank shaft to rotate independently of said gear wheel 17. It is apparent from this that upon the speed of the crank shaft becoming 11 reduced to a point below the speed imparted to the gear wheel 17 by the starter motor,

it will be carried under the power of the latter. By this means the crank shaft will; I not be permitted to halt after its movement 1 has been inaugurated by the starter motor during the energization of the latter.

Of course any other appropriate met-hanism can be substituted for the roller clutch which will permit the motor to drive when the speed of the engine is less than the driving speed of the motor, but which will release when the engine speeds up.

In order to lighten the load that the starter-motor is re uired to move in turn ing over an interna combustion engine, we may provide means for partially relieving the engine compresslon so that we. retain cient-pressure'in the cylinder under compression uponan explosion, the force of this explosion acting to reestablish a full compression condition in the cylinder. Such a-ineans we slight degree. This valve-operating mechanism may be conveniently described as follows:

A slide-rod 27 is arranged to engage the tappets of the various exhaust-valves and raise them when a pull-is exerted thereon.

This rod 27 is connected to an operatinghandle 28, through a lever 29 pivoted at 30, a connecting-rod 31,- bell-crank -lever 32, a connecting rod 33, a bell-crank-lever34, and a cable 35.

Upon the operation of this mechanism to partially relieve the compression of the engine, we provide means for simultaneously shunting in the energizing current to the electric motor so that as soon as the compression is relieved the motor may start to perform its intended function. The mechanism to accomplish this result consists of a connecting-rod 36, connected at one end to the bell-crank-lever 32, and at the other end to a knife-switch 37, the poles of which are connected, one with the storage-battery through lead or wire 38,- and the other with the motor through lead or wire 39. As soon as the initial impulse of the engine is obtained, the force of the explosion, acting against the exhaust-valves, will cause them to close, forcing the slide-rod 27 out of engagement with the exhaust-valve tappets, causing the bell-crank-lever 32 to rock, and this movement, transmitted through the connecting-rod 36, will cause the knife-sw tch 37 to open or break the battery or energizing circuit of the starter-motor. In the other lead 40 from the battery to the motor a push-button switch 41 is included for starting purposes.

is manifest from the foregoing and from an inspection of the drawings that our starter motor and reduction gear connecting devices and over-running clutch may be applied either directly to the transmission shaft of the vehicle or directly to the crank shaft of the propelling engine and where we use the terms transmission shaft or crank shaft in the foregoing specification and the appended claims, it is to be understood that no limitation to a specific shaft is thereby intended, these terms being merely employed to designate the driving shaft of the engine, to which the power of the starter motor is applied to effect the self-actuation of the engine.

By means of our invention, we are enabled to employ a low voltage, high speed motor of smaller dimensions than has heretofore been found practicable, owing to the fact that the service period of the motor when performing its starter function, is momentary and only sufiiciently long to cause the engine to operate under its own power. The overrunning clutch instantly acts to release the motor from the work which it may have been performing under a heavy overmay readily result in its burning out 1. In combination, in an automobile, an

electric motor having a high starting torque characteristic, an internal combustion engine and automatic means for yieldably connecting the motor and the engine, when the driving power of the motor is transmitted to operate the engine, said means operating to release and enable the motor to stop when the engine becomes self-actuated, said motor and engine being otherwise disconnected.

2. In combination, in an automobile, an electric motor having a high starting torque characteristic, an internal combustion en gine, and means between and operably associated with said motor and engine for automatically establishing a yieldable motor driving connection whenever the speed of the engine does not exceed the driving speed of the motor, said means operating to release and enable the motor to stop when the engine becomes self-actuated, said motor and engine being otherwise disconnected.

3. In combination, in an automobile, an electric motor having a high starting torque characteristic, an internal combustion engine, intermediate reducing gear means, releasable connecting means, a yieldable connection intermediate the motor and the releasable means, said releasable means automatically operating to transmit the power of the motor to the engine when the motor is acting as the driver, and operating to release and enable the reducing gear means and motor to stop when the engine becomes self-actuated, said motor and engine being otherwise disconnected.

4. In combination, in an automobile, a high speed starter motor having a high starting torque characteristic, an internal combustion engine and intermediate connecting means including a reducing train of gears, a spring controlled yieldable device, and an automatically operated coupling and uncoupling mechanism by means of which the propelling engine may be initially actuated at low speed and released from the starter motor and gearing upon becoming self-actuated, said motor and engine being otherwise disconnected.

5. In combination an internal combustion engine, an electric motor having a driving shaft, a driven shaft, speed reducing mechanism transmitting motion from the driving shaft to thedriven shaft, speed reducing mechanism transmitting motion from the driven shaft to the crank shaft of the engine, one of said speed reducing mechanisms including a yieldable spring controlled device, and an over-running clutch mechanism interposed between the crank shaft of the engine and the driven shaft and operating to automatically connect and disconnect said crank shaft from said driving shaft depending upon the speed of the engine. 6. In an engine starter, an electric motor having a driving shaft, a driven shaft, speed reducing gearing including a yieldable driving device connecting the two shafts, an internal combustion engine having a crank shaft, means for automatically connecting the driven shaft with the crank shaft, and for automatically disconnecting them when the engine is racing.

7 In combination, an electric motor having a driving shaft, a driven shaft, an internal combustion engine having a crank shaft, yieldable speed reducing mechanism transmitting motion from the driving shaft to the driven shaft, transmission means between the driven shaft and the crank shaft comprising automatic means for disconnecting the crank shaft at a predetermined speed of the latter and for automaticallyv connecting the crank shaft when the motor acts as the'driver.

8. In combination, an engine shaft, connecting means carried thereby and adapted to start said shaft forward and to release said shaft when said shaft drives forward, and yielding driving means for the connecting means mounted independently of the engine shaft and adapted to yield should the engine back fire.

.9. In combination, an engine shaft, a starting shaft, an intermediate shaft, means yieldably connecting the intermediate shaft with the starting shaft and means connecting the intermediate shaft with the engine shaft during the forward rotation, said second-mentioned means becoming disconnected when the engine shaft drives forward.

10. In combination, an internal combustion engine having a crank shaft, a starter shaft through which power is adapted to be supplied to crank the engine, an irreversible driving connection between said shafts comprising a friction clutch.

11. In combination, an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft, a starter shaft through which power is adapted to be supplied to crank the engine, an irreversible driving connection between said shafts comprising ,an adjustable friction clutch.

12. In combination, an engine shaft, a motor, power-transmission means actuated by said motor and adapted to start said shaft forward and to release when said shaft drives forward, said means including an overrunning clutch, and yielding driving means interposed between the motor and engine shaft and adapted to yield should the engine backfire.

13. In combination, an engine shaft, a self-starter motor shaft, and power transmission means connecting said shafts, said means including a yieldable device providing permanent driving connection between the motor and the engine but adapted to yield should the engine backfire.

14. In combination, an engine shaft, a

self-starter motor shaft, and power transmission means connecting said shafts, said Ineans including friction plates and means normally urging them into contact, said plates being adapted to transmit rotation to the engine shaft when the motor is operating as the driver, but adapted to yield should the engine backfire.

15. The combination with a motor vehicle having a variable speed propelling engine; of a starter for said engine comprising a storage battery; an electric motor; electrical connections between the battery and motor; driving connections intermediate the motor and engine, including automatic means for disconnecting the engine from the motor when the engine operates under its own power; and means responsive to self-actuation of the engine for breaking a connection between the battery and motor, whereby self-actuation of the engine electrically and mechanically isolates the starting motor.

16. The combination with a motor vehicle having a variable speed propelling engine; of a starter for said engine comprising a storage battery; an electric motor; electrical connections between the battery and motor; yieldable driving connections intermediate the motor and engine, including automatic means for disconnecting the engine from the motor when the engine operates under its own power; and means responsive to selfactuation of the engine for'breaking a connection between the battery and motor,

whereby self-actuation of the engine electrically and mechanically isolates the starting motor.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hanwhis 21st day of January, 1914.

EDWVARD V. HARTFORD. LUUIS MASTRANGEL. Witnesses:

WILLIAM CORKILL, WILLIAM P. HAMMOND.

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