US1388178A - Engine-starter - Google Patents

Description

1.. W. ESTERLINE AND D. J. ANGUS.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED IIAY 4. 1911.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

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ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. 1911.

1,388,178. I Patenwa Aug. 23,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I 'DonaZcZ Jaw a UNITED STATES JOHN W. ESTERLINE AND DONALD J'.

ANGUS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA,

ASSIGN'ORS TO TIDEWATER -EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, I OH PORTLAND,

MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

Application filed May 4, 1917. Serial No. 166,342.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that we, JOHN WV. ESTERLINE and DONALD J. ANGUs, citizens of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in-Engine-Starters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to starters for in ternal combustion engines.

The invention is embodied in a device that utilizes a helical torsion spring for turning the crank shaft of the engine. A11 electric motor is utilized for winding the starting spring and is controlled by automatic devices that open the motor circuit when the motor has wound the starting spring to a predetermined degree. The starting device includes a main shaft upon which the starting spring acts, and this shaft is provided with a brake that serves to hold it against rotation during the winding period and until it is desired to utilize the spring to start the engine. The brake is controlled automatically by mechanism that is arranged to release it when the start ing spring is wound beyond the aforesaid predetermined degree at which the motor circuit is opened. The brake-controlling mechanism, furthermore, is arranged to reset the brake automatically when the starting spring has spent itself in effecting a start.

During the active period of the starting spring the automatic switch that controls the motor switch becomes closed automatically, so that the winding motor will be in operation and actually winding'the starting spring when the brake is reset to hold the latter. The motorthereafter continues to wind the starting spring until the latter reaches the aforesaid predetermined degree,

of winding. The starting operation is brought about by manipulation of a footswitch or handswitch that closes the motorc'ircuit independently of the aforesaid automatic switch and when the motor is set in operation by the closin of the footswitch or handswitch the adition l Windpcars in elevation in this figu ing of the spring caused thereby is utilized to release the brake, and as soon as such release has been effected the footswitch or handswitch may be opened, and the remainder of the cycle of operations will occur automatically.

The invention as shown by the accompanying drawings is designed primarily for installationon a'power vehicle that is propolled by an internal combustion engine, and that is equipped with a storage battery for furnishing current.

On the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a vertical cross-section through the starting'device embodying the present invention in what we, at present, consider the preferred form. The electric motor for winding the starting spring ap- Fig. 2 represents a vertical section through the structure intersected by -line-22 of Fig. 1, some portions of the structure appearing in elevation in the background.

Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of theautomatic switch that controls the circuit of the winding motor.

F ig. 4 represents a top plan view, partly in section. of the brake-releasing lever, and

includes other elements of the brake-con-.

trolling mechanism.

Fig. 5 represents a vertical cross-section through the structure intersected by line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 represents a similar section with the brake band released.

Fig. 7 represents a longitudinal section through the device as indicated by line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a conventional representation of the starting device applied to .an internal combustion engine and connected with the latter by suitable driving connections.

Fig. 9 represents a wiring diagram of the electric circuits. j

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever theyoccur.

The starting device includes a main casing 10, and a main shaft 11 that is hereint r t rme e fstarting shaft. The

traverse of the latter.

starting spring 12 is helical in form, and one end thereof is connected to the starting shaft by a bolt 13. The other end of the spring is connected by bolt 14 to winding gear 15. Thus the spring is wound at one end by gear 15 and unwinds at the other end to drive the starting shaft by means of bolt 13.

Gear 15 is enmeshed with an elongated pinion 16 by which it is driven. A worm gear 17 is afiixed to pinion 16 and is'enmeshed with a worm 18. Referring to Fig. 1. worm 18 is afiiXed to the armature shaft 19 of an electric motor that is indicated as a whole at 20. The gearing described serves to transmit rotation from the armature shaft 19 to the starting spring 12 to wind the latter. The starting spring as shown by Fig. 7 is in a relaxed condition, that is to say, it has spent itself and is about to be rewou-nd. As the winding operation progresses it causes an increase in the number of convolutions of the spring, and this causes an elongation of the spring lengthwise of the starting shaft. VVi-nding gear 15 is loosely mounted upon the starting shaft and is capable of sliding endwise thereon. As the axial length of the spring increases with winding, gear 15 is moved axially toward the position represented by broken line, but the teeth of pinion 16 are long enough to maintain geared relation with the winding gear throughout the axial This axial traverse of the winding gear is utilized to open the circuit of the winding motor, antl thus to release the brake, as will be understood after further description.

The starting shaft 11 is norti'ially restrained by a brake that compfises a brakedrum 21 and brake-band 22. The direction of rotation of the drum is indicated by urrows in Figs. 5 and 6. The leading end oi the band is connected to brake lever 23 by a pin 24 and the trailing end 'of the band is connected to said lever by a pin 25. The fulcrum stud of the lever is indicated at 26. The anchoring pin 25 is arranged between pin 24 and stud 26, and in consequence of such arrangement the brake-band tendsautomatically to tighten itself upon the drum if there is any movement of the latter in' the direction indicated. An arm 27 is pivoted to the brake lever by the stud 26 and is jointed with an arm 28by meansof a pivot pin 29. The arms 27 and 28, conjointly, constitute a toggle whereby the brake-band is held in tightened condition when pin. 29 is on dead-center. The lever 23, and the arms 27 and 28, each consists of pa-rallel duplicate parts ;thus there are two levers 23, two arms, 27 and two arms 28. The anchoring pivot of arm 28 is indicated at 30. A helical torsionspring 31 is coiled about pin 30 and is arranged to act upon the toggle to move pin 29 normally to deadcenter. For this purpose pin 30 is fixed against rotation about its own axis, and its right hand end (Fig. 2) is formed with'a slot 32, and the right hand end spring 31 is arranged in said slot. The other end of the spring is engaged with arm 28. as shown by Figs. 2, 5, and 6. The brake-applying movement of the toggle is limited by an extension on member 28, and a stop-pin 34 affix-ed to member 27. As shown by Fig. 5

pin 29 is on dead-center extension 33 is against stop-pin 34, and the brake-band is tightened upon the drum. This figure represents the normal condition of the brakemechanism, as when thespring has been wound to the aforesaid predetermined degree preparatory to being released. As

shown by Fig. 6 the toggle is broken and the drum is released. It will be noted that the leading end of the brake-band,

as shown by Fig. 6 is in contact'with a The function of element stop element 35. 35 is to prevent automatic tightening of the brake-band in consequence of the drag occasioned by rotation of the drum. .Fig. 6'

represents the condition ofthe brake mech-. anism between the time of release and the time of complete relaxation of the starting spring. Stop element 35, in the present instance, is in the form of a screw and is mounted in the wallet casing 10 so as to be adjustable to satisfy the requirements of the brake mechanism.

The operation of breaking the toggle to release thebrake is effected by winding'the starting spring slightly beyond the. aforesaid predetermined degree. "Such auxiliary winding of the spring causes axial movement of winding gear 15 from right to left (Fig.

7) as heteinbefore explained, and such move ment of the winding gear is 'utllized to release the brake. For this purpose a lever comprising arms 36 and 37 is arranged to transmit movement from the winding gear, The fulcrum'bar of this lever is indicated at 38. A finger 39 carried by arm 37 is arranged to engage a bushing 40 that is mounted upon the middle pin 29 of the toggle and to displace said pin from dead-center against the stress of spring 31. For this purpose the lever movesin the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. l. WVhen the lever is released by the winding gear it takes the position-represented by dottedlines in Fi s. 4; and 7 but whenzthe'windin ear D 3 n P) comes to rest after havingwound the starting spring tosaid predetermined degree the lever stands in the position represented by solid lines in Figs. 4 and 5. Then when the the position shownv in Fig. 6, thereby dis placing pin 29 from, dead-center. The

winding motor is set in operation to effect a start the winding gear 15 moves the lever to" brake lever 23 so that the latter and the brake-band may move in response to the drag of the brake-drum. The brake-drum thereupon turns the brake-band carrying the leading end of the latter as far as the stop member 35 will permit, and this increases the angular relation of toggle members 27 and 28 thereby carrying fulcrum pin 26 toward fulcrum pin 30. This movement of pin 26 neutralizes the effect of angular movement of lever 23 and insures relaxation of the brake-band. r I v The relaxed condition of the brake-band is maintained as long as the drag of the brake-drum continues, and as the unwinding of-thestarting spring progresses, winding gear 15 is retracted axially toward the position represented by solid lines in Fig. 7. Such axial movement of the winding gear releases arm 36 of the brake-releasing lever and finger 39 is retracted to' enable the middle pin 29 of the toggle to-return to dead-center. When the starting spring has spent itself the brake-drum of course comes to rest and as there is no further drag of the brake-drum upon the brake-band, spring 31 asserts itself to straighten toggle . members 27, 28. The straightening of the toggle is assisted by the slight recoil of the brake-drum, the momentum of the rotating parts during the starting operation carrying the starting spring slightly'beyond its point of "complete relaxation.

Referring to Fig 7 it will be noted that a sleeve 41 surrounds the starting shaft and is arranged inside the starting spring. The function of this sleeve is to afford a positive, as distinguished from a yielding, driving connection between gear 15 and shaft 11 in the event that the engine to which the starting device is applied does not move when the brake is released. As the starting spring is wound the diameter of its convolutions grows lessand if the shaft 11 does not turn when the brake is released, the convolutions of the spring, which is undergoing an auxiliary winding operation at that time, become contracted sufficiently to grip the sleeve 41. Inasmuch as the sleeve prevents the further contraction of the spring, the latter becomes a positive driving connection and the torque of the armature shaft 19 is thus transmitted positively to starting shaft 11 and thence to the crank shaft of the engine by other connections to be hereafter described. Thus if the crank shaft of. the engine should bind in its bearings or if.'for any other reason, it should require more than the ordinary degree of force to start it, the maximum torque oftlie armature shaft 19 as modified by the speed-reducing gear, is available to ovcrcome the excessive frictional resistance. Under such conditions the starting spring 12 will of course in every case be wound to its 'maixiinuni' degree, and consequently, as soon as the sticking or other difficulty in the engine has been overcome by the motor 20 the starting spring 12 will spend itself as far as it is able, to effect a relatively rapid rotation of the engine shaft.

Fig. 9 represents a wiring diagram of the connections by which the motor 20 is controlled. A storage battery is indicated at 42 and is the source of current for operating the motor 20. One side of battery 42 is connected to one terminal of the motor by wire 43. The connections between the other side I of the battery and the other terminal of the motor include two shunt-circuits. One of said shunt-circuits is controlled by the automatic switch hereinbefore mentioned, and

the other one of said shunt-circuits is controlled by a manually operated switch, the latter switch being available to close a short circuit through the motor when the automatic switch is open, to effect a start.

The automatic switch includes movable spring contact 44, one end of which is ancally when released. In the present instance,

and merely for the sake of illustrating a switch suitable for the purpose, Fig. 9 includes a manually operative switch comprising a movable contact member 50 and a stationary contact member 51. Member 50 is connected with motor 20, in the present instance, by wire 49 and contact 51 is con nected with wire 47 by wire 52.

The axial movement of winding gear 15 is'utilized to operate the automatic switch in addition to operating the brake mechanism. For this purpose the fulcrum stud 38 of the brake-releasing lever is affixed to the latter so as to partake of oscillatory movement. Referring to'Figs. 1, 2, and 3 an arm 53 is affixed to the outer end of member 38. This arm carries a bushing 54 of insulating material. This bushing is' ar ranged to engage spring contact 44 so as to displace the latter from terminal 46 when the winding gear 15 moves the brake-releasing lever from the position indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 7 to that indicated by solid lines in Figs. 4 and 5. The circuit through the motor is thus opened automatically when the starting spring-has been wound to the aforesaid predetermined degree. The oscillatory movement required tery and winding motor is closed thereby,

and the result is that the starting spring is wound beyond said predetermined degree suilicientlyto impart the additional oscillatory movement required by arm 37 to release the brake. If'the operation of the de vice is successful in starting the engine the user may immediately release switch member 50, forthe automatic switch will have been closed during the unwinding operation ofthe starting spring, and will maintain a circuit through the motor'and storage battery until the starting spring is again rewound. 'If on the other hand the engine requires more force than the maximum spring stress of the starting-spring to turn the engine shaft, the user may: call into servir-e the maximum torque of the armature shaft by holding the manually operative switch closed until the starting spring and sleevell, conjointly, substitute a positive driving connection for the yielding driving connection afforded by the spring alone.

The starter shaft is connected to the engine shaft by driving connections that inchialc. preferably, an'overrunning clutch, to enable the engine shaft to turn under engine power without'turning the startershaft. ln'the present instance, the starter shaft is provided with a sprocket wheel 55, and a chain 56 transmits rotation from said sprocket wheel to a sprocket wheel indicated at 57 in Fig. 8. Thelatter figure includes a portion of an engine shaft 58, on which the sprocket wheel 57 is loosely mounted, a portion of a hand-crank 59 for cranking the engine manually, andan overrunning clutch for transmitting rotation to the engine shaft in the direction indicated by the arrow. Any suitable clutch that will turn the engine shaft in the said direction and not in the opposite direction may be used for this purpose. 1

V In the present instance, the sprocket wheel 57 is provided with a clutch portion .60 that serves as an inner member of the overrun- .ning :clutch. This clutch portion coacts with rollers 61 and an outer member 62 contained in a housing 63. The hub portion of 7 housing 63 is affixed to an extension member '1 64 ofengine shaft 58, said extension memher being in turn affixed to'said shaft. g I

Through the connections just described, rotation in transmitted from starter shaft 11 through chain 56 to sprocket wheel 57, thence by clutch portion 60 through clutch rollers 61 to'the outer clutch member, thence by housing 63 and extension member 64 to the engine shaft 58. Then the engine is operating" under its own power, its shaft 58 carries housing 63, but the inner clutch member remains stationary because the roll ers 61 do not transmit forward rotation from the outerclutch member to the inner clutch member. The outer clutch member is therefore usalolefor starting the engine manually without affecting the automatic starting mechanism. The hub portion of the outer clutch member is therefore provided with'ratchet teeth 65 arranged to be engaged by'a' transverse in 66 on the handcrank 59. The hand-crank is capable of sliding axially to and from'driving relation with the clutch teeth 65, according to the. well-known arrangement of hand-cranks now in general use. 7 7 r We do not herein claim the generic subject-matter common to the engine starter herein described and that illustrated and described in our co pen'ding application. Serial No. 166,341, filed May 4, 1917 ,as such com-7 I mon generic subject-matter is claimed in said co-pendmg appllcation. V

lveclaimz a r 1. An engine-starter comprising a nor- :mally wound helical spring arranged to ex- 7 tend axially when being wound, mechanism of the spring to transmit starting motion therefrom, brake ymechanism normally set to restrain said member, means arranged to release the brake mechanism'and to close the 115 motor circuit upon lengthwise movement of said spring in winding and unwinding.

i 3. An engine-starter comprising a main spring, spring-winding mechanism therefor including .an electric motor, being arranged to wind the spring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end of said spring to transmit the starting motion from the latter, brake mech-.

anism arranged, to restrain} said rotatable 125 member duringthe spring-winding period, means, arranged tobe actuated by distortive movement of said spring to openthe circuit 7 of said motor when the winding of said spring has progressed to a predetermined v130 tatable member connected to the other end said mechanism degree, and means arranged to be actuated by further distortive movement of said spring to unset said brake mechanism in consequence of winding said spring beyond said predetermined degree.

4. An engine-starter comprising a helical torsion spring, spring-winding mechanism therefor including an electric motor, said mechanism being arranged to wind the spring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end of said spring to transmit the starting motion from the latter, brake mechanism arranged to restrain said rotatable member during the spring-winding period, means arranged to be actuated by elongation of said spring to open the circuit of said motor when the winding of the spring has progressed to a predetermined degree, and means arranged to be actuated by further elongation of said spring to unset said brake mechanism in consequence of Winding said spring beyond said predetermined degree.

5. An engine-starter comprisng a helical torsion spring, spring-winding mechanism therefor including an electric motor and a gear attached to one end of said spring, said gear being movable axially by said spring as the length of the latter increases and decreases in consequence of winding and unwinding, a rotatable member connected to the other end of said spring to transmit starting motion from the latter, brake mechanism arranged to restrain said rotatable member, means arranged to be actuated by axial movement of said gear to open the circuit of said motor when the winding of said spring has progressed to a predetermined degree, and means arranged to be actuated by further axial movement of said gear to unset said brake mechanism in consequence of winding said spring beyond said predetermined degree.

6. An engine-starter comprising a helical main spring, an electric motor and gearing including an axially movable gear arranged to wind said spring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end of said S ring to transmit the starting motion from t e spring, brake mechanism arranged to restrain said rotatable member, and means arranged to be actuated by said axially movable gear to open the circuit of said motor when the winding of the spring, has progressed to a predetermined degree.

7. An engine-starter comprising a helical main spring, an electric motor and gearing including an axially movable gear arranged to wind said spring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end of said spring to transmit the starting motion'from the pring, brake mechanism arranged to restrain said rotatable member, means arranged to be actuated by said axially movable gear to open the circuit of said motor when the Winding of the spring has progressed to a, predetermined degree, and means arranged to be actuated by axial movement of said gear to move said brake mechanism to release said rotatable member.

8. An engine-starter comprising a helical spring, an electric motor and gearing arranged to wind said spring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end of said spring to transmit the starting motion from the sprin brake mechanism arranged to restrain said rotatable member, said brake mechanism being arranged to be self-setting excepting while said rotatable member is partaking of starting motion, means arranged to be actuated by said gearing to open the circuit of said motor when said spring has been prolonged by winding to a predetermined degree, and means arranged to be actuated by further prolongation of said spring to move said brake mechanism to release said rotatable member.

9. In an engine-starter, a helical starting spring, mechanism arranged to wind said spring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end of said spring to transmit the starting-motion from the latter, a brake-drum and a brake-band arranged to coact to restrain said rotatable member, brake-applying mechanism including toggle members, a spring arranged to move said toggle members to dead center relation to apply the brake, and means arranged to be actuated by the prolongation of said sprin to displace said toggle members from said dead center relation, in opposition to the stress of said toggle-moving spring, in consequence of winding said starting spring to a predetermined degree.

10. In an engine-starter, a starting spring, mechanism arranged to wind said spring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end of said spring to transmit the starting motion from the latter, brake mechanism arranged to restrain said rotatable member, means including trip mechanism arranged normally to hold said brake mechanism in brake-applying position, and a movable element arranged to actuate said trip mechanism to release the brake, said movable element being arranged to be actuated for the purpose stated by a prolongation of the starting spring in consequence of winding said starting spring to a predetermined degree.

11. In an engine-starter, a starting spring, mechanism including an electric motor arranged to wind said spring at one end, a rotatable member connected to the other end of said spring to transmit the starting motion from the latter, brake mechanism arranged to restrain said rotatable member, means including trip mechanism arranged normally to hold said brake mechanism in brake-applying position, controlling means arranged to trip said trip mechanism to release the brake, said controlling means being arranged to be actuated for the purpose stated by the prolongation of said starting spring in consequence of winding said starting spring to a predetermined degree, and a switch adapted to open and close the cir- In testimony whereof we have affixed our 10 signatures.

JOHN W. ESTERLINE. DONALD J. ANGUS.

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