US2256466A - Starting mechanism for internal combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 23, 1941. JP. CULLIN 2,256,466

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheetl Ira/@2270? Jas vsa ffiziizh Sept. 23, 1941. J. F. CULLIN 2,256,466

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gearing is avoided; in which the gearing is posiother D Eachspawl is P ed with an intively disengaged when the engine is started; and teg-ral extension 26 which functions as a counterwhich is compact and light in construction. balance to normally hold the pawl disengaged Other objects of the invention will appear from from ratchet l6. When the electric motor I2 is the detail description. operated and the pawls are held in engagement The invention consists in the several novel feawith ratchet-wheel l6 they operate alternately to tures which are hereinafter set forth andare rotate the ratchet-wheel at a high ge r ratio. more particularly defined by claims at the coneachone-half revolution of each eccentric imclusion hereof. parting movement to the ratchet-wheel I6 9, dis- In the drawings: Fig. 1 is an end elevation of tance corresponding to the spacing between the starting mechanism embodying the invention; teeth of wheel [6. r .Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the gear-case being The operation of the pawlsis controlled by a shown in section; Fig. 3 is atransverse section on pair of arms 28 and 29 which are formed of line 3--3 of Fig. 2, the starting mechanism being spring-metal and are normally positioned to alshown in its operative position; Fig. 4 is a horilow the counterweights 26 to lift teeth 25.5 of zontal section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 the pawls out of engagement with the ratchetisa section showing the starting mechanism diswheel 16. These arms are manually shiftable UNITED ST STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Jasper F. Cullin, Detroit, Mich, 'assignor' of twothirds to Lou Mervis, Lock Haven, Pa.

Application July 3, 1940, Serial No. 343,762

12 Claims. (01. 7 1-116) i The invention relates to starters for internal vided with a tooth-25. adapted tosuccessively "Tea-ICE combustion engines. engage the teeth of ratchet-wheel 16. The set- The objects of the invention are to provide a ting of the eccentrices 180" apart causes the pawls starting mechanism which is adapted for operato alternately impart strokes for rotating the tion at a high gear ratio relatively to the crank ratchet-wheel; the operative stroke being impartshaft; .in which the possibility of locking of the ed to one pawl during the retractile stroke of the engaged; Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; to engage pawls with said wheel and to hold them Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical 5 in engagement therewith during the operation of connections for the electric starting motor and the eccentrices. Resilient arms 28, 29 are fixed .the control circuits; Fig. 8 is a section illustrating .to a controller-shaft 36 which carries said arms the shaft of the electric starting motor and a inside of the gear-case ll, extends through the modified form of the invention in which the ecside wall of said case to the outside thereof and centrices are driven by the motor through a is provided with a h ndle 3 which maybe 10- resilient or cushioned connection. cated at an point within convenient reach of The invention is exemplified with the shaft [0 .the operator and connected to rock shaft 30. Roof an internal combustion engine which may be tation of shaft 36 will shift arms 28, 29 and of any type. A gear-case ll encloses one end of ga e pawls 23, 24 and ratchet-wheel I6 and the crank shaft and the gearing for driving the will release them for disengage e t from said crank shaft from an electric motor I2. The axis wheel by the counterweights 26 on-the pawls.v

of the shaft l3 of motor I2 is parallel to the axis Shaft 30 also controls the operation of the moof the engine-shaft In. The casing of the motor tor li for operating eccentrices l8, I9, thr h a i2 is provided with a flange I2 which is secured cam 32 which is adapted to open andclose a by bolts 15 to one side of the gear-case II. The switch which is mounted on the outside of crankinner end of the motor-casing and the shaft [3 case H and comp Contacts 34 Which a e extends into the ear-case ll. insulated from each other, normally disengaged A ratchet-wheel I6 is mounted on the engineand adapte to be engaged by said cam to close shaft M to drive said shaft in one direction a circuit for causing the motor I2 to operate. through an overrunning clutch l1. 7 This switch is opened and closed by shaft 30 to The mechanism for driving shafti6 from elecconJ' y control the motor and arms 28, 29

tric motor l2 to start the engine comprises a for controlling pawls 23, 24. Contact 33 is conpair of eccentrices l8 and I9 which are keyed to nected by a conductor 35 to battery 36. Contact th shaft l3 of motor l2 and are positioned so 34' is connected by a conductor 31 to the helix their throws will be 180 apart. The eccentrices of a solenoid magnet 38 which operates a switchare spaced apart and held against longitudinal member 39 for engaging contacts 40, Al to close movement on shaft [3 by washers 20 and 2| and a circuit through motor l2 from conductor 35, a nut 22 which is threaded to the outer end of switch-member 39 and conductor 44. The motor shaft l3. Pawls 23 and 24 are respectively jourand battery are usually grounded to the frame naled on eccentrices l8, l9. Each pawlis proof the vehicle, as well understood in the art.

3B and open the motor-circuit at switch 39 and.

stop the motor, and then shift arms 28, 29 for disengaging them from the ratchet-wheel. stop 46 is provided to limit the throw of shaft 30 and handle 3|. The spacing between contacts 33, 34, when shaft 30 is in its normal position, and the starter is inoperative, is such that the pawls will be shifted into engagement with the ratchet in advance of the closing of the circuit for the operation of the starting motor l2. The arms 28, 29 force the pawls into engagement with the ratchet-wheel before the motor-circuit is closed. This causes strong pressure to be applied to the pawls before motor l2 commences to operate in starting and inversely shuts off the current from the motor before the pawls are released. The housing of solenoid-magnet 38 is secured at 48 to the outside of gear-case II.

When the starter is used with lighter types of engines the overrunning clutch Il may be omitted and the ratchet-wheel secured directly to the crankshaft I!) so that the engine will be at all times locked against the inertia of a backfire which usually occurs very near the end of the up-stroke. The power then exerted is comparatively low and the pawls will lock the ratchet against reverse rotation.

In heavier types of engines it is sometimes desirable to cushion the starting mechanism and, for this purpose, the construction shown in Fig. '7 is used. In this construction the eccentrices are keyed to a sleeve 59 which is rotatable on shaft I3, a collar 5| is keyed to shaft l3 and a coilspring, 52 has its ends connected as at 53 and 54 to sleeve 50 and collar 5i, respectively. This provides a cushioned driving connection between the motor [2 and the pawls in starting heavy engines.

The overrunning clutch H is preferably used with heavy engines to allow the engine to turn after it starts and before the pawls are disengaged from ratchet It to avoid the riding of the pawls over the notches in the ratchet-wheel between the time the engine starts and the starting switch is opened. This eliminates the noise incident to any delay in stopping the'starting motor.

Theinvention exemplifies a starter for internal combustion engines which avoids any locking between gears, effects positive disengagement of the pawls and ratchet-wheel when stopping the starting motor, operates the engine-shaft, at a very high gear ratio, is compact, light in weight, and; simple in construction.

The. invention is not to be understood as restricted to: the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, comprising a ratchetrwheel connected to drive the crank shaft and engine, an electric motor, eccentrices driven by the motor, and pawls journaled on said eccentrices for driving the wheel,- of resilient means for shifting the pawls into engagement with the wheel, a switch for controlling the motor, a control-shaft, on which the pawl shifting means is mounted, and switch-controlling means on said control-shaft.

2. The combination with starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, comprising a ratchet-wheel connected to drive the crank shaft of an engine, an electric motor comprising a shaft mounted in parallel relation with the crank shaft, eccentrices on, and driven by, said motorshaft, and pawls journaled on said eccentrices for driving the wheel, of a manually operable control-shaft, resilient arms on said control-shaft for shifting the pawls into engagement with said wheel, and means on the control shaft for controlling the operation of the motor.

3. The combination with starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, comprising a ratchet-wheel connected to drive the crank shaft of an engine, an electric motor comprising a shaft mounted in parallel relation with the crank shaft, eccentrices on, and driven by, said motorshaft, and pawls journaled on said eccentrices for driving the wheel and provided with counterweights, of a manually operable control-shaft parallel to the motor-shaft, resilient arms on said control-shaft for shifting the. pawls into engagement with said wheel, and means for controlling the operation of the motor.

4. The combination with starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, comprising a ratchet-wheel connected to drive the crank shaft of an engine, an electric motor comprising a shaft mounted in parallel relation with the crank shaft, eccentrices. on, and driven by, said motorshaft, and pawls journaled on said eccentrices for driving the wheel, of a manually operable control-shaft parallel to the motor-shaft, resilient arms'on said control-shaft for shifting the pawls into engagement with said wheel, and means on the control-shaft for controlling the operation of the motor.

.5. The combination with starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, the combination. of a ratchet-wheel connected to drive the crank shaft of an engine, pawls for engaging and operating said wheel, eccentrices on which the pawls are journal'ed for operating the pawls, and anelectric motor comprising a shaft for driving the eccentrices, of manually operable means for ngaging the pawls with the wheel, and means for controlling the operation of the motor, comprising a switch controlled by said manually operable means, and an electromagnetic switch.

6'. The combination with an engine starter comprising a ratchet wheel adapted to drive the engine, a'drive shaft, eccentrices on, and adapted to be driven by, the drive shaft and pawls journaledon the eccentrices for rotating the ratchet wheel, of automatically acting means on the pawls for holding them disengaged from the ratchet wheel, and manually operable means for shifting the pawls to engage the ratchet and controlling the operation of the ratchet- 7. The combination with an engine starter comprising a ratchet wheel adapted to drive the engine, adrive shaft, eccentrices on, and adapted to be driven by, the drive shaft and pawls journaled on the eccentrices for rotating the ratchet wheel, of automatically acting means on the pawls for holding them disengaged from the ratchet wheel, resilient means for pressing the pawls into engagement with the ratchet wheel, and manually operable means for shifting the resilient means and engaging the pawls with the ratchet and for controlling the operation of the ratchet by the pawls.

8. The combination with an engin starter comprising a ratchet wheel adapted to drive the engine, a driv shaft, eccentrices on, and adapted to be driven by, the drive shaft, and pawls journaled on the eccentrices for rotating the ratchet wheel, of weights on the pawls for automatically holding them disengaged from the ratchet wheel, resilient means for pressing the pawls into engagement with th ratchet wheel, and manually operable means for shifting the resilient means trices are secured, weights on the pawls for holding them normally disengaged from the ratchet wheel, a rotatable shaft substantially parallel with the shaft to which the eccentrices ar secured, and resilient strips fixed to said shaft for shifting the pawls into engagement with the for engaging the pawls with and for controlling the operation of the ratchet.

9. The combination with an engine starter comprising a ratchet wheel adapted to drive the engine, pawls for rotating said wheel, eccentrices on which the pawls are journaled, and a drive shaft to which the eccentrices are secured, 0f automatically acting means on the pawls for disengaging them from the ratchet wheel, a rotatable shaft substantially parallel with the shaft to which the eccentrices are secured, and resilient strips secured to said shaft for shifting the pawls into engagement with the ratchet wheel.

10. An engine starter comprising a ratchet wheel adapted to drive the engine, pawls for r0- tating said wheel, eccentrices on which the pawls are journaled, a drive shaft to which the eccenratchet wheel.

11. The combination with an engine starter comprising a ratchet wheel adapted to drive the engine, pawls for rotating said wheel, eccentrices on which the pawls are journaled, and a motordriven drive shaft on which the pawls ar secured, of means for holding the pawls disengaged from the ratchet, resilient means for shifting the pawls and holding them in engagement with the ratchet wheel, a control shaft substantially paral- 161 with the drive shaft, the resilient means being connected to said control shaft, and means on the control shaft for controlling a switch for controlling the operation of the drive shaft.

12. The combination with an engine starter comprising a ratchet wheel adapted to drive the engine, a drive shaft, eccentrices on the drive shaft, pawls for rotating said wheel journaled on the eccentrices, of a manually operable control shaft substantially parallel with the drive shaft, means for automatically holding the pawls disengaged from the ratchet, and resilient strips having their inner ends fixed on the control shaft for engaging the pawls and holding them engaged with the ratchet wheel.

JASPER F. CULLIN.

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