743,954. Turning-gear. C.A.V., Ltd. Oct. 12, 1954 [Oct. 27, 1953; May 24, 1954], Nos.. 29644/53 and 15181/54. Class 7(5) CONSTRUCTION In an engine starter comprising a cylindrical rubber-member a, Fig. 1, a manually-operable straining-device, such as members h, g, f, c and d connected to one end of the member a, an axially and rotatably movable pinion o for engagement with an engine part means for example a toothed annulus k connected to the other end of the member for actuating the pinion, and a catch such as a pawl r engageable with a ratchet wheel p on the pinion shaft n, an engine engaging movement is imparted to the pinion o through the member a when the pawl r is in its initial inoperative position, and when the pawl is operative the member a can be strained, the energy so stored being released upon the pawl returning to the initial position. A number of annular sections a of rubber or rubberlike material are formed into a sleeve by bonding metal discs b thereto and securing the discs together; the shaft c passing through the sleeve and secured to one end thereof carries the gear f that meshes with the toothed wheel g operable upon oscillation of the hand lever h, the latter member being connected via a spring-loaded ratchet. The annulus k engages a gear m on the shaft n upon which latter the engine engaging pinion o is threaded; the pawl r is normally held in the inoperative position shown by a spring-loaded bolt t connected to a lever v. A pawl x is provided to prevent rotation of the pinion o during its translation. In a modification, the discs b, Fig. 3, may be clutched together by claws on the outer edges thereof and each section a is reinforced by a bush. 'The sleeve is secured to the shaft 4 and a worm wheel 2, the latter engaging a worm 5 rotatable by a hand lever 6; the shaft 4 carries a gear 7 meshing with a wheel 8 in a counter-shaft 9 which, also supports a toothed wheel 10 that engages a gear 11 on a tubular member 12 rotatably supported on the shaft 4 and having the pinion o threaded thereon. A catch 16, Fig. 4, is normally forced out of engagement with the gear 11 by a spring 17, and held in that position by a peg 20 ' on the catch abutting a pinion flange 14; engagement of the catch with the pinion is effected by a spring 18 acting on lever 19. Between the worm wheel 2, Fig. 3 and the gear 7 is arranged a lost-motion coupling-. consisting of a disc 21 freely mounted on the shaft 4 having projections 22, 23 which co-operate with lugs 24, 25, respectively;. on the worm wheel 2 and a disc 26 fixed to theshaft 4. According to the first Provisional Specification the pinion may be threaded on. a sleeve that is. splined to the shaft, the sleeve being spring-loaded at the end; a catch is located near the latter to engage a catch or gear on the sleeve. OPERATION A . single stroke of the lever h, Fig. 1, sufficiently rotates the shaft n / to cause translation of the pinion o into mesh with an engine gear after which bolt t is manually retracted to allow the pawl r to engage the ratchet wheel p under the action of a spring w. The lever h is then oscillated to torsionally strain the sleeve until the effort exerted thereby ,on the shaft c causes the return of the pawl r to its original position where it is engaged by the bolt t; the energy stored in the elastic sleeve is then imparted to the pinion. In the modification, the catch 16, Fig. 4, is out of engagement when the apparatus is in the initial position so that actuation of the lever 6, Fig. 3, will rotate the member 12 through the.sleeve, shaft 4 and gearing 7, 8 and 10 and translate the pinion o into mesh with the engine gear. Upon the pinion o nearing the end of its axial movement its flange 14 leaves the peg 20 and enables the catch 16 to engage the gear 11 under the action of the spring 18 so preventing further rotation of the shaft 4. Continuedmovement of the lever 6 strains the sleeve by rotation of the worm wheel 2 to an, extent determined by the disc 21 of the lost-motion connection. Upon actuating the lever 19, against the spring 18, the spring 17 retracts the catch 16-from the gear 11 and permits release of the energy in the sleeve.