US2953127A - Fluid pressure engine starting system - Google Patents

Description

sept. zo, 1960 D. w. ADAMS Em 2,953,127

FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE STARTING SYSTEM Filed April 8. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ENG/NE Q yl ,/q

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FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE STARTING SYSTEM Filed April 8, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 i? INVENTORS if l BYW IIII @j MZ/ ATTORNEY United States Patent O FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE STARTING SYSTEM Donald W. Adams, Maple Heights, and Gerhard K.

Weber, Bay Village, Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware v Filed Apr. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 804,946

3 Claims. (Cl. 123-179) This invention relates generally to a fluid pressure actuating system, and more particularly to an engine starting system for an internal combustion engine including a luid pressure operated starting device which is mounted on and adapted to selectively drive an internal combustion engine during its starting phase of operation.

Fluid pressure operated engine starting devices of the above-mentioned type generally include a uid pressure motor and means for establishing a driving connection between the uid pressure starting motor and the ilywheel ring gear of the associated engine. The driving connection between the motor and the engine may be such as` to provide a continuous solid drive between the two units. To prevent engine driving of the starting motor during normal engine operation, however, a drive establishing means is generally provided which is operable to selectively engage and disengage the driving connection. Such drive establishing means generally comprises a clutch and/or a pinion gear which may be shifted axially into driving engagement with the iiywheel ring gear of the associated engine. Drive establishing actuation of the clutch or shifting of the pinion gear may be effected manually or automatically by initial rotation of the starting motor or by uid pressure means responsive to the supply of pressurized duid to the starting motor. With uid pressure engine starting devices having either continuous or selective drive means, the initial static frictional and inertial loads of the engine subject the starting drive connection and'uid pressure starting motor to extreme load conditions. In installations provided with selective drive establishing means, further destructive load conditions may be imposed on the starter drive and motor where the driving connection is not fully establishedV prior to the full application of the supplied uid pressure to the starting motor such as occurs due to improper clutch or gear tooth engagement.

The invention contemplates an improved Huid pressure engine starting system including remote control valve mechanism operable to rst provide a restricted iow of actuating pressure to the starter motor for the purpose of establishing a proper driving connection between the starter device and the engine where selective drive means is provided, to initially impose the static frictional and inertial loading of the engine on the starter drive |and motor under relatively low speed and torque conditions and to thereafter provide for substantially unrestricted llow of pressurized uid to the starter motor through the operation of a time delayed, pilot operatedmain controlvalve.

The foregoing Aand other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof in which reference is made lto the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the time delayed, pilot operated control valve;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2; and

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views showing different operative positions of the remote control valve mechamsm. Y

Referring more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, the outline of an internal combustion engine is indicated at 10. An engine starting air motor 12 is mounted to one side of the engine ywheel housing -11 and is preferably drivingly connectable to the engine ywheel ring gear (notrshown) by a suitable drive establishing means 13. The air motor 12 is provided with an exhaust vent to atmosphere indicated at 14 and is connectable through a main conduit 15, 15 to a suitable supply of high pressure air, such as an air pump charged reservoir. A main control valve 16 is interposed between main conduit portions 15 land 15 and serves to control the flow of pressurized air -to the starter motor through the main conduit. Operation of the main control valve 16 is reponsive to a pilot pressure signal which is sup plied thereto through a time delay metering valve 17. The main valve actuating pilot signal is supplied Ito the time delay metering valve through a branch line or con- Y duit 18 which intersects a conduit portion 19 of a conduit 19, 19 and 19". The conduit 19, 19 and 19 is of restricted size and bypasses the main control valve. The flow of iluid pressure through the bypass conduit 19, 19' and 19"y is controlled by a three-way, open-end vent valve 20 which may be mounted directly on the engine 'or may be located in a remote engine control station. Where the valve 20 is mounted directly on the engine, as shown, it may be manually operated locally or may be operated remotely through suitable control linkages or cables, not shown. A check valve 21 mounted intermediate the conduit portions 19 and 19" prevents reverse air now from the air motor and main conduit portion 15 toward the valve 20 and the pilot control branch conduit 18.

As best seen in Figure 2,7the main control valve 16 comprises a valve body 22 which defines an inlet chamber 23 connected to the main air supply conduit portion 15 and an outlet chamber 24 connected to the main conduit portion 15 leading to the starter motor. A partition web 25 separates the inlet and outlet' chambers 23 and 24V and has a port 26 extending therethrough. Fluid ow through the port 26 is controlled by a pop` pet valve member 27. The head portion 28 of the valve 27 is normally biased toward port sealing engagement with the web 25 by a spring 29 which is compressively interposed between the valve head 28 and a spring seating closure cap 30. The cap 30 is threadably mounted in a bore tapped in the valve body in axial alignment with the valve controlled port 26.l A valve actuating piston 31 of stepped diameter is threadably mounted on the upper end of the valve stem of the poppet valve member 27 which extends axially from the valve head through the port 26 and through the outlet chamber 24. The stepped diameter land surfaces of the valve actuating piston 31 are slidably mounted and `O-ring sealed with respect to a bore and counterbore 32 and 33, respectively, formed in the valve body 22 in axial alignment with the valve port 26.

The 4time delay metering valve 17 is combined with a check valve return bypass and comprises a valve body member 34 which is secured to the main valve body 22, being sealed With respect thereto by an interposed gasket 35. The metering valve body member is recessed at 36 `and deiinesran expansible valve actuating chamber 36 with the valve actuating piston 31. A drilled inlet pasand said first conduit means, said second valve means being operable when said second valve member is in its second position to Vent pressurized iiuid from said second conduit means intermediate said second control Valve means and said first check valve means, a branch conduit means interconnecting said expansible chamber means of said iirst valve to said second conduit means intermediate said second control valve means and said first check valve means, a metering valve means operable to restrict the ilow of pressurized fluid in said branch conduit means to said expansible chamber means to delay actuation of said first valve member to its opened position, and a second check valve means bypassing said metering valve means and operable to permit unrestricted venting of said expansible chamber upon movement of said second valve member to its vent position.

2. A fluid pressure engine starting system for an internal combustion engine including uid motor, means for establishing a driving connection between said motor and the engine, a source of pressurized fluid, means for supplying pressurized uid from said source to said fluid motor including a first conduit means, a rst valve means operable to control the flow of pressurized uid through said irst conduit means and including a iirst valve member movable between a closed position preventing fluid ow through said rst conduit means and an opened position permitting uid ow through said first conduit means, spring means normally biasing said valve member toward its closed position, and expausible chamber means associated with said valve member and operable in response to fluid pressure applied thereto to actuate said valve member to its opened position, a second means for supplying pressurized fluid from said source to said uid motor including a second conduit means of a size to permit only restricted ow of pressurized uid from said pressurized fluid supply means to said iuid motor, a second valve means operable to control the ow of pressurized uid through said second conduit means and including a second valve member movable between a first position wherein restricted flow of pressurized uid to said Huid motor is permitted and a second position Wherein pressurized fluid flow to said uid motor through said second conduit means is prevented, a first check valve means in said second conduit means intermediate said second valve means and said fluid motor for preventing reverse uid flow in said second conduit toward said pilot valve from said iiuid motor and said first conduit means, said second Valve means being operable when said second valve member is in its second position to vent said second conduit means intermediate said second control valve means and said iirst `check valve means, a branch conduit means interconnecting said expansible chamber means of said first valve means to said second conduit means intermediate said second control Valve means and said irst check valve means, and ow control Valve means operable to restrict the ilow of pressurized fluid through said branch conduit means to said expansible chamber means to delay actuation of said iirst valve member to its opened position and to permit unrestricted venting of said expansible chamber upon movement of said second valve member to its vent position.

3. A pneumatic engine starting system for an internal combustion engine including an air motor, means energizable to establish a driving connection between said motor and engine, a source of pressurized air, a first means for supplying pressurized air from said source to said air motor including a iirst conduit means, a rst valve means operable to control the ow of pressurized air through said first conduit means and including a iirst valve member movable between a closed position preventing air flow through said rst conduit means and an opened position permitting air flow through said rst conduit means, spring means normally biasing said valve member toward its closed position, and an expansible chamber means associated with said valve member and operable in response to air pressure applied thereto to actuate said valve member to its opened position, a second means for supplying pressurized air from said source to said air motor including a second conduit means of a size to provide restricted iiow of pressurized air from said source to said air motor, a second valve means operable to control the ow of pressurized air through said second conduit means and including a second valve member movable between a first position wherein restricted flow of pressurized air to said air motor' is permitted and a second position wherein pressurized air flow to said motor through said second conduit means is prevented, a first check valve means in said second conduit means intermediate said second valve means and said air motor for preventing reverse air flow in said second conduit means toward said second valve means from said air motor, said second valve means being operable when said second v-alve member is in its second position to vent said second conduit means intermediate said second control Valve means and said first check valve means to atmosphere, a branch conduit means interconnecting said expansible chamber means of said irst valve to said second conduit means intermediate said second control valve means and said rst check valve means, a metering valve means operable to restrict the ilow of pressurized air through said branch conduit means to said expansible chamber means to delay actuation of said rst valve member to its opened position, and check valve means bypassing said metering valve means and operable to permit unrestricted venting of said expansible chamber upon movement of said second Valve member to its Vent position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,434,549 Cumming Ian. 13, 1948 2,449,889 Eisen Sept. 21, 1948 2,618,292 Ring NOV. 18, 1952 2,802,452 Hogeman Aug. 13, 1957 2,847,984 Gallant Aug. 19, 1958

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