304,277. Eclipse Machine Co., (Assignees of Lansing, R. P.). Jan. 18, 1928, [Convention date]. Turning gear.- In an engine starter in which the crankshaft is rotated by a flywheel 33 acting through reduction gearing including planetary gearing, and clutch mechanism, a two - step reduction gearing, comprising a pinion 26 and a gear 27 preferably integrally formed, constitutes the sole driving connection between a pinion 29 rotating with the fly-wheel and the planetary gears. As shown, a casing member 4 adapted to be bolted to the engine casing 5, has bolted to it another casing 7 to which is attached a hand-crank housing 8 by means of bolts 9, Fig. 1, whereby the housing may be secured in any desired angular position. Within the housing 8 is a bevel wheel 13, Fig. 2, fixed to a shaft 10 adapted to be rotated manually through pins 11, Fig. 1. The wheel 13 gears with another bevel wheel 14 carried by a sleeve 15 mounted in a ball bearing 16 held against movement relative to the sleeve by a nut 16a. The inner end of the sleeve is secured to a barrel 17 rotatably mounted in ball bearings 18, 19 and provided with a flange 20 which carries three sleeves 21 spaced at 120‹ and secured by screws 21b and a retaining ring 21a. Ball bearings 22 on the sleeves rotatably support three planetary gears 23 which mesh with a fixed internal gear 25, and also with a sun gear 26 rotatably mounted on the sleeve 15. The sun gear is formed integrally with a spur gear 27 positioned by spacing washers 28, and engaging a pinion 29 on a shaft 30 carrying the flywheel 33 the hub of which runs on ball bearings 32 located in a flange 31 projecting from the casing. The flywheel is protected by a light metal cover 35. The energy of the rotating wheel is transmitted to the clutch member 36 which engages a member 37 on the engine crankshaft. To prevent damage to the gearing in the event of a back-fire, or due to the resistance offered by the inertia of the engine parts at the moment of engagement, a multipledisc clutch 39 is interposed between the barrel 17 and the clutch member. Half of the clutch plates are splined to the inner surface of barrel 17, the remaining half being splined to a nut 40 provided with a flange 40<a> which, through an annular L-shaped ring 41, presses against the outer disc of the clutch. Pressure between the discs of the clutch is produced by springs 43 maintained in spaced relation by rods 55 mounted on a pressure-adjusting nut 54 threaded into the outer end of barrel 17. A shaft 56 threaded within nut 40 is splined to the clutch member 36 and has a stop-nut 56<a> for limiting its axial movement. In order to place the clutch member 36 in engagement with member 37 when the flywheel is rotating sufficiently fast, a rod 57 is secured at one end to the member 36 and at the other end to an arm 60 loaded by a spring 63 and mounted on a shaft 61 which has an exterior actuating arm 62. A shoulder on the rod 57 is normally in engagement with the shaft 56. A helical spring 58 is inserted between the members 36 and 56. In operation, the flywheel is rotated by hand through the shaft 10. bevel gears 13. 14. sleeve 15, barrel 17, and gearing 23, 25,26. 27, 29. The barrel 17 rotates the member 36, which is out of engagement with 37, the barrel, the member 36, clutch plates 39, nut 40 and shaft 56 rotating as a unit. By pulling the lever 62. the rod 57 is moved to the left and forces shaft 56 outwardly producing a rotary movement of member 36 relative to nut 40. Member 36, spring 58 and shaft 56 move outwardly as a unit until member 37 is engaged, whereupon spring 58 is compressed, the members 36, 37 are fully engaged and the flywheel rotates the engine shaft, some slip being provided for between the discs of the clutch 39. As soon as the engine speed exceeds that of member 36 the latter is forced back, and when the pull on lever 62 is released, the shaft 56 is threaded through nut 40 and the members 36, 37 are disengaged. In a modification, the flywheel is rotated by an electric motor the shaft of which is coaxial with that of the flywheel. The engagement and disengagement of the motor and flywheel are effected automatically by an inertia clutch member threaded on the motor shaft and adapted to be forced against and withdrawn from a clutch element carried by the flywheel.