US1102091A - Starting mechanism for internal-combustion engines. - Google Patents

Description

O. L. SHOGKLEY & H. E. STRALEY.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1912.

1 102 091 Patented June 30,1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CD.,WASIHINGTDN. D. c.

G. L. SHOOKLBY & H. E. STRALEY. STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION IILED JULY 24, 1912.

1,102,091. Patented June 30,1914.

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UNITED srn'rns Parana nrrrcn CLEMENT L. SI-IOOKLEY AND HARVILA EBER STRALEY, 0F SPRINGFIELD, OI-TIQ.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 11 9141.

Application filed July 24, 1912. Serial No. 711,282.

To all whomit may concern Be it known that we, CLEMENT L. SHOCK- Lnr and l-l xnvni-i Ennn S'rn-imiy, citizens of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Starting Mechanism for Internal- Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means of the nature of an attachment which may be fitted to an engine of the internal combustion type for starting the same without requiring the usual manual cranking, which is objectionable because of the danger incident thereto and the inconvenience and annoyance resulting therefrom.

The invention contemplates means for positively charging the cylinders of a mul tiple engine with a gaseous mixture so that when throwing the switch the charge in the cylinder having the piston farthest advanced will be ignited, thereby overcoming inertia of the parts and starting the engine.

T he invention provides means which admit of training the terminals of the spark plugs as well as supplying a decarbonizing agent to the cylinders for loosening and re moving soot and like carbon residue.

The invention furthermore has for its object the provision of a novel form of spark tures, details of construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the specification, Figure 1 is a detail view, showing the application of the start ing mechanism to'a multiple engine adapted for driving an automobile. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the tank containing the pumps, the liquid fuel and the decarbonizer. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one of the spark plugs.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by

' thesame reference characters.

The attachment comprises a tank 1, feed pipes 2 leading therefrom to the cylinders of the engine and actuating means for the pump mechanism, the same comprising a flexible shaft 3and a hand wheel 4-. This attachment may be applied to any make or variety of internal combustion engine utilizing an ignition system of the electric type. In order to adapt the attachment for various types f explosive engines spark plugs of special design have been devised, said spark plugs being fitted to the cylinders of the engine in the ordinary way and adapted to have the feed pipes connected thereto, whereby the gaseous mixture or other agent may be supplied to the cylinders of the engine as required. The tank 1 may be conveniently located as also the hand wheel 4. When the starting mechanism is fitted to an automobile the tank 1 is preferably attached to the dash 5 and the hand wheel 4 is secured to the steering post 6 within convenient reach of the hand wheel and control levers.

The tank 1 is of a size to contain a small quantity of liquid fuel, such as gasolene, and receives the pumping mechanism and 'the reservoir for containing the decarbonizwithin the tank and have connection with the manifold 7, a valve 9 being arranged Within each connection so as to prevent back flow into the pump cylinders or barrels. A plunger 10 is arranged to reciprocate in each pump barrel, each plunger having a head 11 with which an'eccentric 12 cooperates'to effect a reciprocating movement of the plunger. The eccentrics 12 are secured to a shaft 13 and have a progressive arrangement so as to charge the cylinders of the engine in rotation. The flexible shaft 3 is made fast to the shaft 13. A valve 14 is located in the length of the manifold 7 so as to shut off communication between the feed pipes and the inlets of the decarbonizing agent and gaseousmixture. A rod 15 connected with the valve liextends through the cover of the tank and is provided with a button or knob for convenience of operating the valve. An air pipe 16 depends from the cover of the tank and extends within a short distance of the bottom thereof and v has a" plurality of small openings 17 in its lower portion for the discharge of air into the gasolene or liquid fuel in a number of small jets. A second pipe 18 is connected with the cover of the tank and is attached at its lower end to the manifold T. A plu rality of openings 19 are had in the sides of the pipe 18 above the level. of the gasolene or liquid fuel of the tank. at second set of openings 20 are formed in the lower portion of the pipe 1.8. A hollow stem 21 is located within the pipe 18 and extends through the cover of the tank and has screwthread connection with the pipe 18. The projecting end of the stem has a button or finger piece to be grasped when it is required to turn the stem to effect a longitudinai, movement thereof. The lower end of the hollow stem 21 is made tapering, as indicated at 22, and constitutes a valve for closing thelower end of the pipe 18, thereby preventing the liquid fuel from passing into the manifold. Vv'hen the valve 22 is seated the gaseous mix ture may be drawn from the upper portion of the tank 1 into the pumps and forced therefrom into the cylinders of the engine preliminary to starting.

A receptacle 23 is located within the tank 1 and is adapted to contain a quantity of decarbonizing liquid. The lower portion of the receptacle 23 is connected with the manifold 7. A valve 2% is adapted to close the discharge opening of the receptacle, said valve having its stem extending above the tank and provided with a button or linger piece. .Vhen the valve 25 is open the decarboiiizing liquid may be forced into the cylinders of the engine by operating the pumps through the hand wheel at. The spark plug designed as a part of the startino' mecl'ianism comprises a shell which is externally threaded to make screwthread connection with the engine in the usual The bottom of the shell consists of a cup 26 which is adapted to hold a small quantity of gasolene or other liquid fuel. The centrally disposed electrode is indicated at 27 and its sparking terminal extends into the cup 26 so as to be immersed in the gasolene or other liquid fuel contained therein. A passage 28 is formed in the shell and is arranged to deliver the gasolene into the cup 26. One of the feed pipes 2 connects with the passage 28 of each of the spark plugs.

When it is required to start the engine provided with mechanism embodying the invention the valve 1st is opened and the hand wheel 4 is operated. thereby rotating the shaft l3 and operating the series of pumps, each forcing a like quantity of gaseous mixture into a cylinder of the en gine. It being remembered that the pumps are of like capacity and each forces a like quantity of gaseous mixture into a cylinder of the engine, the mixture thus forced into the cylinder having the piston farthest ad vanced therein will be subjected to the great est pressure, hence upon throwing the switch to close the circuit explosion will take place in the cylinder of the engine having the piston farthest advanced, thereby startingthe engine. After the engine has started the valve 1% is closed. l Vhen the pumps are in. operation. within the ta Ck 1 air is drawn into the pipe 16 and is discharged therefrom through the opening- 17 into the gasolene or liquid fuel and passes upward through such fuel into the space in the upper portion of the tank. The gaseous mixture is drawn from the upper portion of the tank through the pipe 18 into the manifold and from thence into the pump barrels from which it is discharged into the engine cylinders by means of the feed pipes Gasolene or liquid fuel may be supplied to the engine cylinders by opening the valve 22. thereby permitting the gasolene to pass from the tank through the opening 20 into the pipe 18, thence to the cylinders of the engine through the manifold and feed pipes. quired to supply the decarbonizing liquid to the cylinders the valve 22 is closed and the valve 24- opened so that the decarbonizer may be drawn from the receptacle 23 and discharged into the cylinders of the engine so as to loosen and remove the soot or other residue resulting from combustion. The mechanism is such as to be readily applied to any make of internal combustion engine without requiring any special alteration or change in the parts thereof other than to replace the ordinary spark plug by means of the spark plug herein described.

When the engine is cold and requires a rich mixture to start readily a small quantity of gasolene is supplied to the cup 26 and is gasified by the mixture entering the cylinder through the passage 28 when the starting mechanism is broughtinto play. This operation also serves to keep the spark terminals free from soot and'carbon.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which. the invention appertains, and while we have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which we now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. In engine starting mechanism of the character described, the combination of a tank having a liquid fuel space in its lower If it be reportion and a gaseous mixture space in its upper portion, a pipe for supplying air into the lower portion of the fuel space, a second pipe having connection with both the liquid fuel and gaseous mixture space, a valve for closing the lower end of the second pipe, a pump for drawing air into the tank and adapted to draw either the gaseous mixture or the liquid fuel therefrom through the before mentionel second pipe, and means for delivering such fuel into the cylinder of the engine.

In an engine starting mechanism, the combination of a tank having a space in its upper portion and adapted to have its lower portion supplied with liquid fuel, a manifold at the lower portion of the tank, a plurality of pumps one for each cylinder of the engine having connection with the manifold and adapted to be operated to supply the cylinders of the engine in rotation, feed pipes connecting the pumps with the cylinders of the engine, a pipe arranged to supply air to the liquid fuel space of the tank, a second pipe having communication with both the upper and the lower portions of the tank and with the said manifold, and a valve for closing the lower end of the said second plpe.

3. In engine startin mechanism, the combination of a tank 1aving air and fuel spaces, a manifold, a plurality of pumps one for each cylinder of the engine having connection with the manifold, feed pipes connecting the pumps with the cylinders of the engine, means for supplying air to the fuel space of the tank, a pipe having connection with the manifold and in communication with the air and fuel spaces of the tank, a valve for closing the lower end of said pipe, a receptacle containing a liquid decal-bonizing agent connected with the said manifold, and a valve for controlling the discharge of the decarbonizer from the said receptacle.

' In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CLEMENT L. SHOCKLEY. H. EBER STRALEY. lVitnesses:

BEULAH STRALEY, T. J. McCoRMIcK.

Conic: of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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