US2373507A - Starter for internal-combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

provision Patented Apr. 10, 1945 STARTER Foa George K. Smith,

ENG Butler, Pa.; Ethel Smith Shoe- INTERNAL-COMBUSTION INES ,maker executrix of said George K. Smith,l deceased Application January 26, 1944, Serial 6 Claims.

The primary object of this invention is the for a manually operated starter as an integral part of an internal combustion engine, such as is used on small airplanes.

yAnother object is to provide a starter in the rear of the motor to eliminate the vchange of the center of .gravity as occurs when such devices are mounted ron the front of the motor.

Another object is to provide a manually operated starter for internal combustion engines, being aunit extremely simple, compact in form, and manufactured cheaply` .Another object is to eliminate the wind resistance caused by starters whenmounted on the front. of the motor. i Y

-Axother object is to'provide a starter which is who ly enclosed within a part ofthe motor casing.

This .invention consists essentially of a clutch applied to the crank shaft, preferably in the rear of the motor, as will be more fully described in the following specication and shown `in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figi isv a view ofv the device looking toward the motor'showing one half of the cover removed.

Fig. 2 isa cross section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.A K l Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line l3---3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a Vertical section on line -4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5illustrates a modification.

Fig. 6 is across section on line 5-5 of Fig. 5.

As-shown rin the drawing, I`have designated generally a standard typeof an internalcombustion'motor IB in which a crank shaft II is rotatable. v Y f a 'My present it canbe assembled, adjusted, and enclosed after the motor is assembled, and readjustmentand repairs canbe quickly'made without disassemblingor removing the motor.

The numeral I indicates generally a motor casing in which a crank shaft Iltis journaled. On the casing I0 vis a`housing I2 surrounding the starter and al coverplatef I3 yis secured on the housing12 by bolts I4. Within the housing I2 and revolvably mounted on the crank shaft II is a clutch rin'g- I5fwhich is provided with an L- shaped' opening I6 extending from the -crank shaft outwardly and substantially in line with the center of Athe crank shaft. Residing within a portion -of the opening I6 is a roller-gripping member I1l which is adapted to contact the shaft I I. Also fitted within the outward portion of the opening I6 is a wedge member I8 having the taperedside thereofin lcontact with the rollerv I1 and adapted to move back and forth across the roller diametrically in relation thereto.

provides a, space I9. In this` space the roller I1 can move back and forth on the circumferencev of the shaft II. The portion of the opening I6, in which the wedge member I8 resides, is of a greater width than the width of the member I8 which also provides a space 2D. A small coiled spring 2| is contained within the clutch ringy l5, one end of which abuts the wedge member I8 to maintain the wedge member in a forwarder nor.- f mal position as shown in Fig. 1,

In order to hold the roller `I1 at its farthest position within the space I6, an abutting pin member 22 and a small coiled spring k23 associated therewith are contained within the clutch ring I5. The roller I1. is thus held in axial alignment with the crank shaft bearing surface 0f the crank shaft when the crank shaft is rotated in a clock-wise manner.

`The roller I1 and .the wedge member I8 are positioned within theclutch ring I so that their respective end portions 24 and 25 extend beyond thesides of the clutch ring I5.

Within the motor casing I 0 is an `arcuate cham! ber 26 and in the coverplate I3 is a corresponding chamber 21. At the end ofthe arcuate chamber 26 are stops or abutment members 28 and 29. The coverplate chamber 21 has vcorresponding and equally spaced stops or abutment members 28 and 29. The aboutment stops within the chambers engage withr the ends. 24 and '25 to limit the rotation of the clutch ring I5. The arc of the chamber and abutting stops at the ends thereof determine the duration of engagement of the gripping roller and the ,crank sha-ft. .A portion of the periphery of the clutchA ring is providedwith' teeth 32 and teeth 33 in a slid-r able member 34 are arranged to engagey therewith andl haveV a sliding movement within the housing I2.

A coiled spring 35 is partly housed withinthe' and its outward -end is Ill in any suitable slidable member 34 mounted on the motor casing manner required (not shown) In Fig. 1 the starter is shown in a normal or inoperative position, and the outer ends 24 of the gripping rollen-I1 abut the stop members 29, cornpressing the spring 23 until the roller I1 abuts the upper edge of the L-shaped opening IB, leavkinga space I9 between the lower edge of the roller I1 andthe L-shapedvopening l; spring shown in Fig. 3) ,the

being impelled by a spring 2l until the thin por- L-shaped .opening I6, in

diameter of the roller I1 which II but may roller on thev IISy (as shown in Fig.l

wedge member I8 tion of the wedge member I 8 abuts the upper edge of the L-shaped opening I6, leaving a space between the lower edge of the wedge member and the L-shaped opening IS, in which position the roller I1 moves into a larger part of the opening I6 and such opening or chamber formed thereby, in conjunction with the wedge member I8, is such that when the roller I'I has reached its extreme position, the housing space therefore will be too great for the roller I 1 to exert any gripping or binding contact between the roller member I I' and the crank shaft I l;

As the clutch ring I5 rotates in a clockwise direction, the roller ends 24 leave the abutting stops 29 and the spring 23 impels the roller I I into the smallest part of the opening I6 formed thereby, in conjunction with the thicker portion of the wedge member I 8, bringing the roller Il into locking engagement with the crank shaft II, re-

volving the shaft in a clockwise direction until the projection ends 25 of the wedge member I8 come into contact with the stops 28 (as shown in Fig. 3), compressing the spring 2|, retarding the wedge member I8 until the lower edge thereof abutsthe edge of the L -shaped opening (as shown in Fig. 3), removing the space 20 from the bottom to the top of the wedge member I8, thereby increasing the chamber or housing space; therefore the space will be too great for roller Il to exert any gripping action between the wedge y1 member I8 and the crank shaft II; therefore the said shaft may revolve freely in a clockwise direction and the coiled spring through member 34 will return the clutch ring I5 to its normal position as previously recited; therefore the collar then rotates counterclockwise, the rolls I1 will be rotated in a reverse direction in respect to the rotation when the clutch ring is driven in a clockwise direction and in such circumstances there will be no tendency for the roller I'I to grip the crank shaft II; therefore in the normal rotation of the crank shaft, the gripping roller will have a free movement therein.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, in the modification I employ a return spring 38 Wound around i the clutch ring I5, one end thereof being anchored to the clutch ring I5 by a hook'member 39 andthe opposite end thereof being secured by a stud 40 on the motor casing I0. A cable III is wound in a groove 42 on the clutch ring I5 L and one end thereof is secured to the clutch ring I5 and the other end is used for operating the starter which may be conveniently run in any angle or direction to suit the different arrangements on different types and models .of planes. The operation is the same in effect as the rst described construction.

While I have necessarily shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention somewhat in detail, it is to be understood that I may vary the size, shape, and varrangement of parts within wide limits without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. In a manually operated starter for internal combustion engines having an inclosed crank shaft, the combination of a starter housing on the said inclosure, a clutch member on the rear of said shaft Within the said housing, an L- shaped opening therein, a clutch roller Within said opening, a tapered member slidably vmounted therein and arranged to move across the clutch roller and arranged to. operatively engage the crank shaft, and means within the housing for limiting the duration of engagement therewith.

2. In a manually operated starter for internal combustion engines having an inclosed crank shaft, the combination of a starter housing on the said inclosure, a clutch member on the rear of said shaft within the said housing, an L-shaped opening therein, a roller member in said opening, a tapered non-rotatable movable within the chamber across the said roller diametrically therewith to urge the said roller into rotating contact with the crank shaft, means for moving the tapered member, means for disengaging the roller from gripping contact with the said shaft, and means within the housing for limiting the duration of engagement therewith.

3. A manually operated sta-rter for internal combustion engines having an inclosed crank shaft, the combination of a starter housing on the said inclosure, a clutch member on the rear of the said shaft within the said housing, a shaped opening within said clutch member, a roller Within the said opening having ends protruding beyond the side of the clutch member, a tapered non-rotatable member mounted within the said opening and ends protruding beyond the sides of the clutch member as means co-,acting with the means within the housing for limiting the duration therewith, and resilient means to return the clutch member to an inactive position.

4. A manually .operated starter for internal combustion engines having an inclosed crank shaft, the combination of a starter housing on the said inclosure, .a clutch member on the rear of said shaft within the said housing, said clutch member having a tooth portion thereon, a Islidable member having a tooth iportion slidiably mounted in the said housing and arranged to engage the tooth portion on the clutch member for the rocking thereof, said clutch member provided with gripping means and arranged to engage the crank shaft when the rotatable member is moved in one direction and arranged to travel idly over the crank shaft when it is moved in an opposite direction to a non-gripping position, and including resilient means for returning the clutch member to an inactive position.

5. A manually operated starter. for internal combustion engines having an inclosed crank shaft, the combination of a vstarter housing on the said inclosure, a clutch member on the rear of said shaft within the said housing, a shaped opening therein, a clutch roller and a slidable member therein, resilient means associated with the said roller as means to normally move said roll into contact with said shaft, and resilient means associatedfwith the tapered member to normally move the said member, and members within thev housing arranged to disengage the gripping contact of the said roller.

6. A manually operatedstarter for internal combustion engines having an inclosed crank shaft, the combination of a starter housing on the said inclosure, a clutch member-:on the rear of said shaft Within the said housing, means associated within the clutch member for rocking the said member, a chamber within the .clutch member, means Within the clutch member for gripping the said crank, resilient means for holding the gripping means in gripping contact, and resilient means to return the clutch lmember to an inactive position.

GEORGE K. SMITH.

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