US1176929A - Automobile-starter. - Google Patents

Description

F. W. SMITH.

AUTOMOBILE STARTER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1915. RENEWED FEB. 11,1916.

1,176,929. E Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

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N 1 1| I O F. W. SMITH.

AUTOMOBILE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19. 1915. RENEWED FEB. 11,1916.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

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FLOYD W. SMITH, F DAYTON, OHIO.

' AUTOMOBILE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

Application filed April 19, 1915, Serial No. 22,276. Renewed February 11, 1916. Serial No. 77,793.

'. To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FLOYD W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Automobile- Starters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to; improvements in starting mechanism for explosive engines and comprises a spring-propelled mechanism, and spring rewinding mechanism to be heree inafter fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The object of the invention is primarily to provide a type of spring-actuated starter which enables the transmission of one or more revolutions to theengine shaft in starting the same and which may be transmitted at the will of the operator.

Other objects and advantages are accomplished, such as effecting a rewinding of the motor spring, all due to a construction and arrangement of the mechanism as will appear from a particular description of the mechanism hereinafter set forth in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional elevation of my'improved engine starting mechanism; Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line b-?) of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view on the line-cc ofFigl ;Fig. 4 isa similar sectional view on the line d-d of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified form of locking means for the spring Winding shaft; Fig. 6 is a detail VlGW showing the means i for cushioning the escapement member; and

Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of said es- -capement member through'means of which the spring is released to apply the necessary force for the starting operation. In a detail description of the invention, similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts both in the description and the drawings.

The starting shaft 1 is journaled in a suitable casing 3 and has connected to one end thereof the inner terminal of a convolute power spring 2 whichisinclosed within; a

drum 4 to a suitable point of which the other end of said spring is attached. The drum 4 has a. suitable connection with an interiorly screw-threaded member or nut 5. The said drum 4 has also connected to the inner face thereof an outer ring 6 which forms one member of a roller clutch. The other member of said clutch consists of an inner member 7 which is stationary, being attached to the casing 3, and in theperiphery of which there is a series of recesses 8 within which lie a seriesof gripping rollers 9. The other end of the starting shaft 1 has a chain wheel 10 running loose thereon and receiving a chain through means of which a transmission connection is made to the engine shaft; neither the chain nor the engine shaft being shown asth'ese are well known elements and it is thought need no illustration or more than incidental mention. Also running loosely upon the shaft 1 is a gear 11 and an inner roller clutch member 12. These members 10, 11 and 12 are shown connected one with the other so that they-move in unison. Cooperating with the inner clutch member 12 is an outer clutch member 13 which is pinned or otherwise rigidly connected to the shaft 1 and between these two clutch members a series of gripping rollers 14 are lo cated within recesses 15 formed in the periphery of the member 12. On the said shaft 1 adjacent to the clutch member 13, an escapement member lGismounted to rotate with said shaft, the mounting being by means of a series of feathers 17 which enter corresponding recesses in said member. The escapement member 16 has a peripheralcam groove 18' therein which extends to form a shoulder 19. Cotiperatingwith said peripheral groove 18 is a pin 20 on an arm 27 which is loose upon a telescopic shaft 28 which fits over the reduced shaft portion 22'. The shaft portions22 and 22' constitute one integral member and the telescopic shaft 28 is connected with an operating lever 29. The hub 27 of the arm 27 has a recess 30 forming a shoulder which is adapted to engage a plunger 31 carried in a pocket in an actuating member 32 and normally pressed outward by the spring- 33. The actuating member 32 is mounted on the telescoped shaft 28 to rotate therewith.

The movement of the operating lever 29 from the first position to the second position, shown in Fig. 1, causes the plunger 311toengage.thexsh'oulder formed by the. re.-

cess and the continued movement of said lever 29 to the third position relea'sl's tlie" pin 20 from the shoulder '19 of the cam groove in the escapement member and gives the shaft 1 over to'the influenceof the spring 2 at which time power is transmitted from said shaft to the shaft of the engine (not shown). It will be understood that the shaft 1 receives a complete rotation from themotor spring during which a floating screw 26 is moved to the extent of one thread by the nut 5. From this operation the lever 29 is moved from the second position to the third and to repeat the number of revolutions to be given the shaft 1 when necessary, such movement of the lever 29 from the second to the third position is repeated. 7 x

Within the escapement member 16 is placed cushioning springs 49 located be tween the said feathers 17. These springs are fixed to the feathers on opposite sides thereof and serve to cushion the escapement member'when any excessive movement might be' imparted thereto. The gear 11 meshes with a gear 34: which is fast upon a counter shaft 35 journaled in the casing-3.

- The shaft 35 is the rewinding shaft for the spring. The inner surface of the gear 3%li's tapered to provide a clutching surface thatcoijperates with an inner clutch member 36 having a sleeve extension 37 which is recessed to receive an expansion spring 38 surrounding that portion ofthe shaft 35. The said spring exerts a force on the clutch member 36 to cause it to engage the gear 34. The said clutch member 36 and its sleeve ex? tension are mounted to rotate with the shaft 35but to have slidable movement thereon to disengage the clutch members. The spring 38 is maintained within the sleeve 37 by a washer 39 and a nut 40, the latter being threaded to the shaft 35 and of a' diameter to permitthe sleeve 37 to slide thereon. Engaging said sleeve is a stud 4:1 carried on a shiftinglever 21"journaled on the enlarged portion 22 of the shaft 22'.

The lever 21 "terminates at its upper end in a sleeve 23 which is ournaled upon said enlarged shaft portion 22. An arm 2 1 also extends from the sleeve 23 of the lever 21 and may be an integral part thereof. The lever 21, sleeve '23 and arm'2et move in unison. The arm 24 carries a roller 25 that lies in the path of the 7 giveaoveria the infliienceof said spring 2.

Tlie' c ounter shaft 35 carries a pinion 12 which m'esh'es with a gear 43 fast on the nut ripheral recess 44-, best shown in Fig. 1, and

the sleeve portion 23 of the arm 21 has a recess 45 which is adaptedto r'eceiveaclutch ball d6. -The actuating member 32 carries 0. Theenlargedshaft portion 22 has a pe-' an arc-sl1aped portion 47 which extends over" the clutch-ball 46:and is provided with'a recess %8 which is adapted to move out of alinement-with the recess 4A in: the shaft 22 and to clutch theball 16 against the shaft portion 22. V i r s i V \Vhen the recesses 44 and 48 are in alinement,'the clutch-ball 46 will not lock the shaft 22 and at such timethejinner clutch member 36 is thrown into engagement with the clutch surface ofthegear 34s by the action of the spring 38. The counter shaft 35 is then driven from the shaft l torewind the spring 2. 7 When the part 4:7 of the actuating member 32'is in the position shown j in Flg. 1, the arm 21 is held 1n POSltlOIl j with the clutch member 36 separated from the gear 3% during which time the motor spring2f-is free to turn the shaft 1 to furnish'the starting power. V

In Fig. 5,1 have illustrated a modification of the means for controlling the rewindingoperation. 1 Instead of the arm 21 andthe parts cooperating therewith in con'- trolling the clutch member 36,;a, series of" toggle 'connections are' incorporated; The slidable clutch member'36 has connected to the sleeve37 thereof a shifting lever 57O'pivoted at '51 to: a suitable part of the casing.

The said lever 50 is pivoted at'52 to the sleeve 37 and also to toggle levers 53, and 5a, the adjacent ends of which are pivoted to the endof an angularleverc55. Theangular lever 55 is pivoted at 56 and engaging the under surface thereof 1s a' roller 57 the journal of which lies withinan elongated slot 58 in the end of a lever59. The 'lever59 performs substantially the same function as the. arm 21and is pivoted at 60 to a suitable part. The lever59 has a crank arn1f61f1id V is operated fromthe floating screw 26. 111 a V manner similar to the operation of the arm 24 and arm 21, hereinbefore described. The

floating screw 26 engages an arm-6l;which 7 H 1s fixed to the p1vot'60 andas said screw enj gages the arm 61 the lever 59 is mofvedon -one side of thepivot 56 Zof theang-ular lever 55. The roller 57 is mounted at the lower end of a spring 64, the other end of whichisf secured to a suitable part of thecasing. When said roller 57 V is on one side of the pivot 56, thetoggleconnection 5354 shifts the clutch member 36 in one direction and when said roller is on the other side'of. the pivot 56,the said clutch member is shifted in the opposite direction and thus the engagement and disengagement of -the rewinding clutch members are controlled. The pin 20 operating in'connectio-n with the escapement member 16, moves the operating lever back to the second position. The purpose of the lever is to. afford means for throwing the pin over. to the opposite side of the cam groove thereby releasing the escapement member and allowing the starting shaft to make another complete revolution when necessary for starting purposes.

When the engine controls the rewinding shaft, the train of gears on the starting shaft 1, to-wit, 10 and 11, and the clutch member 12 will run loose relative to the shaft 1, owing to the disengagement of the clutches l2 and 13. After the'engine becomes heated, the lever 29 is moved to the extreme left, as in Fig. 1, and the'spring 88 will set the clutch member 36 thereby effecting a rewinding of the motor spring 2.

. During the rotation of the drum 1,the floating screw 26 will be caused, by the nut 5, to travel along the shaft 1 until it rocks the arms 24 and 21 thereby resetting the clutch member 36, at which time the motor spring 2 is-completely rewound.

While I have with more or less particularity described my improved engine starting mechanism, I do not wish to limit myself. to unnecessary details which may be varied more or less without departing from the underlying principles of my invention. These contemplate the employment of a spring motor and cooperating mechanism through the instrumentality of which one or more complete revolutions may be imparted to the starting shaft from the spring; also, means for controlling the rewinding of the motor spring at will or after the engine has gained sufficient momentum to be able to rewind the spring without danger of stop ping the engine.

Having described my invention, I claim.

1. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a starting shaft, and a motor spring connected thereto, of escapement mechanism adapted to permit said shaft to intermittently rotate, and means for transmitting the movement from said starting shaft to' a driven shaft when the starting shaft is under the influence of said spring, substantially as described.

2. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a starting shaft, and a motor spring adapted to actuate said shaft, of a transmission gear loose on said shaft, an escapement mechanism mounted on said shaft and adapted to permit said shaft to intermittently rotate, and means controlled by said escapement member whereby the said transmission gear is locked to the shaft when said shaft is actuated by the motor spring, substantially as described.

3. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a starting shaft, and a motor spring for driving said shaft, of a loose transmission gear on said shaft, a clutch on said shaft connected with said gear, anescapement member mounted on said shaft and adapted to permit said shaft to intermittently rotate, and means for limiting the movement of said escapement member, substantially as described.

1. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a spring driven shaft, of an escapement member mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, means cooperating with said escapement member controlling the amount'of rotation given the shaft by said spring, a transmission gear loose on said shaft, and clutch members interposed between said escapement member and said gear by means of which the said gear is caused to move with the shaft, substantially as described.

5. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a starting shaft, and a motor spring for driving the same, of an escapement member mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith and adapted to permit said shaft to intermittently rotate, a loose running transmission gear on saidshaft, a clutch adapted to cause the gear and shaft to move in unison, and means cooperating with said escapement member and effecting a disengagement of said clutch whereby said shaft is limited in its movement, substantially as described;

6. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a starting shaft, and a spring motor for driving the same, of an escapement member rotatable with the shaft and a pin controlling the amount of movement imparted to said shaft by said spring, an operating lever, and means controlled thereby for placing the pin in a position to start said escapement member and said shaft after a complete rotation of the shaft, substantially as described.

7. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a starting shaft, and spring motor for'driving said shaft, of a transmission gear loose on said shaft, an escapement device moving with said shaft and limiting the amount of rotation thereof,

means for synchronizing the movement of said gear and shaft, and means for rewinding the motor spring from said transmission gear after the starting movement of the shaft is completed, substantially as specified.

8. In a mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a starting shaft and a spring motor for driving said shaft, of a transmission gear loose on said shaft, a

clutch controlling said gear when the spring i controls the shaft, escapement devices controlling the extent of rotation imparted to said shaft by said spring, and means operated from said transmission gear for rewinding the spring at the completion of a starting 'operation of 'said shaft, substantially as specified. is

9. In a mechanism of the classspecified, the combination with a starting shaft, a motor spring for'driving said shaft, a drum inclosing said spring and to which said spring is attached, a normally loose running transmission gear on said shaft, means for limiting the amount of rotation of said shaft by said spring, a floating screw on said shaft, means carried onthe spring drum to torotate with said shaft, an escap'ement de vice limiting the rotation-of said shaft, rewmdmg mechanism for said; spring including agear on the starter shaft rotatable by saidtransmission gear, a counter shaft, a clutch upon said counter'shaft, a floating screw, and means interposed between said counter shaft clutch and said floating screw controlling the said counter shaft clutch, substantially as described.

1 1. In mechanism of the class specified, the combination of an intermittently rotatable starting shaft, a transmission gear thereon, a driving spring connected to said shaft, escapement mechanism controlling the movement of said shaft, a rewinding shaft geared to said transmission gear, a clutch controlling the said gear connection, and means interposedbetween the rewinding shaft and said spring for rewinding said spring when said clutch effects an engagement between said rewinding shaft and said transmission gear, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FLOYD W. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 1 Washington, D. C. a i

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