US2498697A - Hydraulic starting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

1950 J. c. MOLYNEUX ETAL 2,498,597

HYDRAULIC STARTING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1947 -VINVENTQRS,

WL M

ATTORNEY.

3, 1950 J. c. MOLYNEUX ET AL HYDRAULIC STARTING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 12, 1947 INVENTORS,

ATTORNE 1950 J. c. MOLYNEUX ET AL 2,498,697

HYDRAULIC STARTING MECHANISM Filed July 12, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS,

ATTORNEY or self-contained hydraulic system,

sshowingthe' parts in starting position. Figure '5'- is-a top plan view,

"Figure '6 is a side view Patented Feb. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES, A IOFHEE) I l HYDRAULIC STARTING MECHANISM John, 'ChesteriMblyneuxanct lillarence1E;v

Bournique; J amestovm, No

Application July-12, 1947,;SeriaLNO. roasts.

3 'CIaims; (C11 IZB LYS) "This invention relates generally to the art of engine starters but "more particularly to an hydraulic starting mechanism for internal combustion engines.

designedand' constructed as to operate in a-closed which is positive and eflicient'in operation, and which re- "qui'resbut'a minimum of" manual effort by'foot orhand' pressure to initiate the. engine.

Another-objector"thisinvention is to provide a its operation to start starting system of this character which will eliminate the type of storage batteries now re 'quired for-startin the engines of motor-driven vehicles and; materially simplifythe electric sys- "tem thereof; and'wherein the hydraulic pressure-creating means willfunctionover a march mum time period to induce mechanical motion at ;a near or distant point.

A further object is' to provide an hydraulic starting mechanism'ior motor vehicles which fis simple, compact and economical in construction and operation, and" which can be readily installed.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described'and particularly pointed out in the-appended claims.

In theaccompanying' drawings "Figure 1; is'e; sectional elevation of" the improved hydraulic starting mechanism, theycyli'nderar- "rangement being di'agrammatical. fragmentary sectional 'end view' thereof taken substantially in' theplane of line 2 -2 Figured.

Figure 2' is a Figure 3 is-asimil'ar view;- partly in" section; showingcertainyof the fluid connections. Figure 4 is" an enlarged, fragmentary sectional elevation their engine-engaging or of the invenpartly in section; of-a modification "tion for use on outboard motor-boat engines.

thereof, partly in section. Figure '7' is'a detail sectional elevation oftheretaininglatch for the starter assembly.

Similar-characters of reference indicate correspending parts throughout the several views.

B'y 'way-of example, the invention has been shown in connection with an internal combustion- ;-engine wherein H1 indicates the crank shaft and "the flywheel havingthe customary ring gear it thereon with which the starting pinion. I 3 of 'itheainventiorr is'adapte'd to reIeas'ablyengage flienit-isd'easirdtostart the'eneine.

Ill

' athepewaa The hydraulic starti'n vmechanism' includeswaa suitable" cylinder blbck or housing l'4 "suitably supportedon'the vehicle-frame"ad'jacentz'thefflywheel'gend ofithe-engineand.containing agreserve cylinder 1'5" for the fluid medium; "an hydraulic piston 'or-pumping cylinder I 6-? adapted for-communication therewith and normallyfizll oi .the fluidvmedium; 'and'an operating or hydraulic pressureicylinder' l'lpcommunicatingwith'lthe; latter-and inwhich thefluid pressure is built upjfor initiatingthe-displacement offthe starting pinion [3 into mesh with theflywheelgear t'Z-and then transmitting rotarymotion t0"the"piTIiOntOiSfiBilt the'engi-ne'. The-greservecylinder I 55 has a fillercap" opening thereinandthrough which any: displaced airin-the'fluid system is vented. Operable in thepumping; cylinder t6 for buiiding up the pressure in the commonieating; cylinder H i's' a manually-actuated piston 1-8" h'avin ga foot or hand pedal [8 extending therefromand guided in" the end wall or the housing M. A" springifl interposed-between'- thispiston. the opposite end; of'the-rhousing: serves to normally'nrge the f'ormer'to" fliS'IBtIZJQtEd position, shown imligure I. 'Operable in' the oppositeendfof'the adjoining cylinder" l I, and movablein; a direction opposite to the piston Hi in response torabuild srp pressuretstroke by th'e' pedal t9 is a" piston 'Zl' backed by' a spring]? which is 'ofthe proper size and tension to deliver the. desiredpressureofithev hydraulic fluid ,requiredffor' arrtuati'rrg" the starting pinion. 'Communicationlbetween.the discharge end. of the cylinder Ififiandtlierintakeendjofiithe pressure cylinder: I1 is *effectedhy'a passage 23 "formed in 1 the: head 324 of "the 'cylinder housing and containingfgar spring-urged check valve .25 which-opensiinwardly and'l'is: normally closed outwardly;v Alsofformed inthis'headzand-communieating tlw-pressure' cylinder"are: valve con- "trolled; discharge-passages 26"andf 2'1 -forconducting the"pressure-inducedhydraulic-medium to the" means for shifting and transmitting-motion tothe pinion l 3ito start themot'or: The-means for efiecting the axial displacement of thestarting pinion from its-normaI-ly-released position,

' showniin: Figured, :to itsoperative driving positi'onshown" in Fi'gure i, is preferably constructed. as follows:

Thepinion is spiinedioraxialmovement onia horizontal shaft 2'8" journaled at one "end in'a 'loearing formed in thehousing-headfl and at its other endin'a bracket "29 projecting therefrom.

- Journaled on ea. bearingiw; applied .tothe:- hobaof the piniorr to=movei axia' "erewith s'butf held rooilar or amuli'is driving engagement with the engine gear 3| coupled to the housing-head by guide rods or members 32 and having cylinders 33 applied thereto in axial alinement with such guide rods. The latter terminate at their outer ends in heads or pistons 34 which engage and operate within the companion cylinders 33, the latter being movable on the pistons and a spring 35 between each piston and cylinder constantly urging the latter together with the pinion toseek the position shown in Figure 1. The outer portions of the guide rods are hollow, as indicated at 36, and open into the companion cylinders, each being connected by a tube or conduit 31 to the companion fluid pressure discharged passage 26, so that when the mechanism is rendered operative, the fluid pressure is directed against the heads of the cylinders to shift the pinion I3 toward and into mesh with the ring gear l2, this movement being limited by the pinion abutting the opposing end of the bearing-bracket 29. Upon the return stroke of the pinion-shifting cylinders, the fluid medium is adapted to be expelled through the same conduits 31 and thence through a valvecontrolled passage 38 branching or by-passing from the passage 26 and connected by a tube or conduit 39 leading to the reserve cylinder I5.

The control of the fluid fromthe pressure cylinder I1 and its return to the pump-cylinder I6 is effected by alternately opened and closed feed and release valves 40 and 4|, respectively, governed jointly by a manually actuated knob 42 conveniently positioned on the dash board of the vehicle. These valves are preferably in the form of slide valves guided in companion openings 43 formed in the housing-head '24 at right angles or in intersecting relation to the respective passages 26, 38 and each has a transverse port 44 therein for registering with such respective passages. Each'valve is connected by a rod 45 to a common tie-bar 46 joined to the knob 42 and springs 41 normally urge the valves 40, 4| to their respective closed and opened positions, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. When the knob is pulled outwardly to its operative engine-starting position, the fluid pressure release valve 4! is moved from its open to its closed position and the fluid pressure feed control valve 40 is moved from its closed to its open position to deliver the fluid under pressure to the piston- cylinder assembly 33, 34 for causing the shifting of the pinion l3 into l2, preparatory to transmitting rotary motion to such gear by hydraulic pressure.

Immediately following the shiftingof the starting pinion into operative driving engagement with the flywheel gear, fluid pressure is diverted from the pressurecylinder I! through the passage 2'! to a rotor chamber 48 formed in the housing-head 24 axially of the. pinion-shaft 23, the latter having a rotor or impeller wheel 49 fixed thereon. Leading from this rotor-chamber is a passage 50 through which the spent fluid medium is discharged into the reserve cylinder 15. Interposed in the rotor intake passage 21 is a, slide valve having a transverse port 52 therein and having a spring 53 acting thereon for normally urging it to its closed position shown in Figure 1.

For effecting the automatic opening of this valve in proper sequence to the meshing of the starting pinion with the flywheel gear, an operative connection is employed between the stem 54 of the valve and the shiftable pinion assembly. This connection preferably consists of a linkage or Etelescopic members 55, 56 pivoted at their outer ends to the valve-stem and pinion assembly, re-

spectively, one of the members having a, longitudinal slot 51 therein for receiving a Stop lug 58 on the companion member. By this construction, a certain lost motion is provided during the shifting of the pinion toward and from its operative position, after which the telescopic connection is rigid to cause the movement of the valve 5| to its open or closed position jointl with the final or initial stroke of the pinion assembly and thereupon cause the rotation of the shaft 23 to start the engine or arrest such rotation after the engine is started.

After the starting of the engine, the knob 42 is restored to its initial position shown in the drawings, thereby closing the fluid pressure feed control valve 40 and opening the pressure release valve 4|, and causing the springs 35 to release the pinion assembly l3, 3| from the ring gear l2 and the-contained fluid medium to be discharged through the conduits 31, 38 and 39 to the reserve cylinder l5. During this return or release stroke of the pinion assembly, the rotor control valve 5| is closed and the rotation of the pinion-shaft 28 arrested.

If desired, the hydraulic pressure cylinder I! may be dispensed with and the pressure built'up in cylinder [6 and directly connected to the pinion and rotor assemblies for actuating them in sequence for starting the engine.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 5-7 inclusive, the starting mechanism is adapted for use on smaller engines, for example, an outboard, internal combustion engine, wherein 60 indicates the motor-shaft, 6! the flywheel and 62 the ring gear. Pivoted on the motor-frame at one side of the flywheel for horizontal swinging movement relative thereto is a starter housing 63 having a cylinder-block structure similar to that previously described and having a starter pinion 64 journaled thereon and projecting from the inner side thereof for releasable engagement with the ring gear in response to the manual movement of the housing toward and from the flywheel. The actuation of the starter housing to and from operating position is eiTected by a handle 65 pivoted at 65 to swing toward and from as well as laterally of the housing and having a link 61 pivoted at one end thereto and at its other end to the operating piston 68 of the pumping cylinder 69, this handle also functioning as the means for building up the pressure in the adjoining pressure cylinder 70. As in the previous construction, the starting pinion is rotated by a rotor or impeller wheel 1| driven by hydraulic pressure, a normally-closed valve 12 being provided. for governing the flow of the fluid medium from the pressure cylinder to the chamber of the impeller. Thisvalve has an actuating stem thereon terminating at its end in a roller 73 for abuttingengagement with the periphery of the flywheel, so that when the housing 63 is swung to its operative gear meshing position the valve will be automatically moved to its open position and cause the admission of the hydraulic pressure to operate the impeller wheel and accordingly start the engine. A stop 14 is disposed in the path of the inward movement of the housing to predetermine the meshing of the gears as well as the opening position of the valve 12. Also, a suitable latch 75 pivotally mounted on the housing may be provided for releasably retaining the starter housing in its normal outwardly swung position and when operating the handle 65 as a pump. If-desired, this latch may be in the lateral folding path of the handle assembly, so that when the latter is so moved the latch will be tripped thereby and released to free the housing for movement toward the flywheel.

We claim as our invention:

1. An hydraulic engine starting mechanism, comprising a driven shaft, a pinion mounted thereon for axial movement relative thereto into and out of driving engagement with the enginegear, means in operative engagement With said pinion for axially-displacing it hydraulically into engagement with the engine-gear, hydraulically rotatable means operatively connected to said pinion-shaft for driving it, valve means for governing the admission of the hydraulic pressure medium to and its discharge from said piniondisplacing means, one of said valve means being normally closed and the other being normally open, and control means for initiating the operation of said shaft-rotating means when the pinion is in operative engagement with the engine-gear.

2. An hydraulic engine starting mechanism, comprising a driven shaft, a pinion mounted thereon for axial movement relative thereto into and out of driving engagement with the enginegear, means in operative engagement with said pinion for axially displacing it hydraulically into engagement with the engine-gear, hydraulically rotatable means operatively connected to said pinion-shaft for driving it, valve means for governing the admission of the hydraulic pressure medium to and its discharge from said piniondisplacing means, one of said valve means being normally closed and the other being normally open, manual means operatively connected to said valve means for jointly actuating them to their respective open and closed positions, and control means governed by said hydraulic pinion-displacing means for automatically initiating the operation of said shaft-rotating means when the pinion is in operative engagement with the engine-gear.

3. An hydraulic engine starting mechanism, comprising a driven shaft, a pinion mounted thereon for axial movement relative thereto into and out of driving engagement with the enginegear, an annulus journaled on said pinion to move axially therewith and held against turning relatively thereto, hydraulically-actuated means correlated with said annulus for projecting it in a direction to bring the pinion into driving registration with the engine gear, hydraulicallyactuated means for driving said shaft, valve means for governing the admission of the hydraulic pressure medium to and its discharge from said annulus-actuating means, one of said valve means being normally closed and the other open, manual means operatively connected to said valve means for jointly actuating them to their respective open and closed positions, a normally-closed valve for governing the admission of the pressure medium to said shaft-driving means, and an operative connection between said annulus and said last-named valve for actuating the latter to its open position at a predetermined time in the registration of the pinion with the enginegear.

JOHN CHESTER MOLYNEUX. CLARENCE E. BOURNIQUE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,055,769 Lipman Mar. 11, 1913 1,104,058 Marr July 21, 1914 1,974,870 Lansing Sept. 25, 1934 2,446,691 Clyde et a1. Aug. 10, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,202 Great Britain Sept. 25, 1914

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