US1887238A - Engine starting system - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 8, W32. J (500D ENGINE STARTING SYSTEM Filed April 24, 1928 Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN GOOD, OF GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC MOTOR STOP AND START, INCL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ENGINE STARTING SYSTEM Application filed April 24,

The invention relates to the starting of automobile engines and in particular to starting systems of the kind in which the starter proper, either motor or motor-generator, 1s rendered active-to start the engine by switch mechanism operated by an abnormal declutching movement of the clutch pedal.

The invention provides an improved and simplified starting mechanism of this general type, readily applicable to automobiles generally and so organized as to guard against accidental energization of the starter and consists particularly in the arrangements and mode of operation hereinafter described and exemplified in the accompanying draw- Tig. 1 shows part of an automobile power plant and starter having the invention apied;

p Figs. 2 and 3 different positions assumed by the parts during the starting operation;

Fig. 4: a larger scale sectional view of the preferred form of starter switch and Fig. 5 a modified form of the invention.

The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 will be recognized as including an engine 1, steering column 2, casing 3, housing the clutch which controls the connection of the engine and running gear, and clutch operating pedal or lever 4 extending through the dash 5 into the operators compartment. v The clutch normally occupies the position shown being returned to or held in closed position by a spring, such as 6, which may be the clutch return spring and mounted within the casing 3 or otherwise according to the particular design of the automobile.

The engine is adapted to be started by means of a suitable electrical unit suchas the motor 7 which when energized is either automatically or manually engaged with the engine to crank the same. As will be understood, the motor is energized in response to the closing of a starter switch which controls a circuit including the starter and a storage battery (not shown). The switch is preferably of the plunger, or flatwise moving contact type since such a switch requires only a relatively short closing movement and hence is adapted for operation by the clutch pedal 1928. Serial N0. 5272,5590

with the least encroachment on the normal stroke thereof. A preferred form of such switch is indicated at 8 and shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 4. It consists of a casing 9 enclosing a pair of fixed contacts 10 connected with exterior binding posts 11 to which the cables 12 of the starting circuit are attached. An extension 18 of the casing houses a plunger 14 which at its inner end carries an insulated bridge piece 15 for the contacts 10 and at its outer end is riveted to a cap 16 which telescopes over the casing extension 13 and so guides the outer end of the plunger. Spring 17 holds the plunger in the open circuit position as shown.

The switch can be mounted in a variety of positions and operated by the clutch pedal in numerous ways but I have found that the best location is on the steering column, to which it is secured by a bracket 18 bolted to the bottom of the switch casing and secured to the column 2 by screws or otherwise. Thus mounted, the switch is readily accessible for inspection or repair and in most cases is close to the starting motor so that a minimum length of starter cable suflices for its connection. The switch is spaced from the steering column, the length of the bracket arm being determined accordingly, so that the cap 16, which with plunger 14 constitutes the switch operating member, lies in the path of the clutch lever, that is to say, the switch and clutch lever are equally spaced from the steering column. The bracket is so locate longitudinally of the steering column that cap 16 is beyond the limitof normal declutching movement. According to my invention this limit is defined approximately by a bumper member or clutch stop which also lies in the path of the clutch lever and which serves to prevent accidental movement of the clutch lever beyond its declutching position and into its switch closing position. The bumper can be variously designed to accomplish the desired purpose but in general it consists of a member adapted to interpose considerable resistance to movement of the clutch lever at a certain point, or over a limited portion, of the path of the latter, namely, in the neighborhood of the limit of movement necessary or desirable for declutching, but to yield to and permit relatively free movement of the clutch lever beyond such limit and particularly during the switch closing movement. The form of bumper illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 consists of an arm 19 carrying a roller 20 at its free end and at its other end pivotally supported by a rigid member 21 which may be strapped to the steering column or otherwise mounted so that roller 20 normally occupies a position in the path of the clutch lever in the neighborhood of the limit of normal declutching movement. A stifi. spring 22, acting on arm 19, holds the roller in this position, shown in Fig. 1. Upon movement beyond its normal operating range the clutch lever encounters roller 20 and the resistance of spring 22 so that increased effort is then necessary to continue the lever movement, and thereby the bumper serves as a means of guarding against inadvertent operation of the starter switch as well as to notify the operator whenthe clutch lever has been depressed far enough to disengage the engine and running gear. The operation of the arm and roller throughout continued movement of the lever is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 from which it will be seen that as the lever moves arm 19 against the opposition of spring 22 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the roller rides up over the elbow of the lever to the position .shown in that figure in which spring 22 is no longer materially efiective in opposing the lever movement. The starter switch is preferably so located that its cap 16 is not engaged by the clutch lever until this position is reached, so that the final or switch operating movement of the lever is only sub ject to the added resistance of the relatively light switch spring 17.. By this arrangement a noticeable working limit is established to the clutch stroke without however requiring undue effort on the part of the operator for closing the switch and holding it closed, as would be the case, for example, if the switch spring should be relied on for defining the normal stroke limit or if merely an additional spring were provided for that purpose. In the present case the operator, after having overcome the bumper resistance, has merely to overcome the tension of the clutch spring and the slight additional tension of the switch spring which is done very easily.

In the embodiment of Fig. 5, a pivoted arm 23 is similarly located in the path of the clutch lever and held in the full line position by a spring 24 extending from the free end of the arm to a fixed point of attachment Q5. The movement of the arm in a counter-clockwise direction is limited by the shoulder 26 engaging a suitable stop. This form of the invention diifers from that above described in that the pivot 27 of the bumper arm is so located that the arm remains in contact with the radial portion of the clutch lever throughout its entire switch-operating movement. It will be noted however that clockwise rotation of arm 23 carries spring 24 toward the pivot 27 thereby reducing the effective pull of the spring and accordingly decreasing the resistance offered by arm 23 to movement of the clutch lever. The effect will be recognized as similarto that of the form of Fig. 1, the movement of the lever from position A to position B representing the tree declutching movement, position B the point of maximum resistance of the bumper and B to C the path of diminishing resistance of the bumper and the switch closing movement of the clutch lever.

It will be apparent that within the principles above exemplified the resistance opposed to the movement of the clutch lever can be variously constituted, either as a bumper member directly encountered by the lever toward the end of its stroke, and as herein preferred, or otherwise according to the conditions in hand and the preference of the designer.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In an automobile the combination of a clutch lever, a starter switch adapted for operation by an abnormal declutching movement thereof, spring means normally maintaining said switch in its open position and a bumper device limiting normal declutching movement of the clutch lever and including means rendered active by continued movement of said lever to diminish the resistance opposed by said device.

2. In an automobile the combination of a clutch lever, a bumper device adapted to oppose movement of the lever beyond its normal declutching stroke and including means rendered efi'ective by continued movement of the clutch lever to diminish the opposing resistance, and a starter switch having a contact member arranged for operation by the clutch lever substantially at the limit of its throw.

3. In an automobile having a clutch lever and a starter switch for o eration by a continued movement thereof eyond its normal declutching stroke, mechanism for opposing a temporary resistance to such movement comprising a pivoted bumper arm having its free end located in the path of the clutch lever and means acting to yieldingly sustain said arm in opposition to movement of the lever, adjacent the end of its normal declutching stroke, said arm and means organized to relieve saidopposition in response to continued movement of the clutch lever.

4. In an automobile having a clutch lever and a starter switch for o eration by a con tinued movement thereof beyond its normal declutching stroke, mechanism for opposing a temporary resistance to such movement comprising a pivoted bumper arm having its free end located in the path of the clutch lever and a spring acting to yieldingly sustain said arm in opposition-to movement of the lever, adjacent the end of its normal declutching stroke, said arm and spring organized to relieve said opposition in response to continued movement of the clutch lever.

5. In an automobile the combination of a clutch lever, means opposing two degrees of resistance to movement located in the path of said lever to be engaged thereby adjacent the end of the normal declutching stroke and adapted to be moved to the position of lesser resistance by continued movement of the lever, and a starter switch having a contact member arranged for operation by the clutch lever substantially at the limit of its throw.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

JOHN GOOD.

Images