US1205709A - Safety cranking device for motor-vehicles. - Google Patents

Description

J. P. CARSON.

SAFETY CRANKING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.23. 19.15.

Patented Nov. 21, l916.

nur i JOSEPH P. CARSON, 0F RICHMOND, VIRGNA..

SAFETY CRANKING DEVICE FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patentet'i Nov. 2i?, italo..

Application filed December 23, 1915.' Serial No. 68,385.

ing Devices for lVlotor-'Vehiclcs; and I do hereby 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 appertainsto make and use the same. l

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which l have shown one form or embodiment of my invention selected by me for purposes of illustration, and the said invention is .fully disclosed in the following description and claims. l

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view partly insection of the front portion of a motor vehicle showing a portion of Y the crank shaft of an internal combustion engine, and my improved safety crank mechanism, applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic drawing, showing perspec tive views of the crank ratchet Wheel and cam lug and a sectional view of a portion of the lug track or guide. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view, partly in section, of the operating parts assembled and showing the same in po# sition to commence cranking the engine.

ln cranking upl or starting an explosive engine, by means of the ordinary hand crairk, there is great danger of the charge igniting and exploding prematurely, as the piston is approaching the head of the cylinbetween the engine shaft and hand crank, A

mechanism including as one of its elements, a loose pawl which will automatically throw the cranlc'foutof engagement with the engine shaft when a back-fire or the like occurs in the engine cylinder or cylinders.

lV ith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of my improvement is better understood, the irc vention resides in the novel combination and arrangement 'of parts hereafter described, it being understood that changes in the precise details of the construction disclosed may be made, Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

V Before proceeding with a more detailed description, it may. be stated, that in the form of my improvement herein shown, l employ a crank shaft and crank for the vehicle, vof ordinary construction, special means, preferably a loose pawl, being eniployed for throwing out the crank when-the engine shaft reverses, whereby accidents will be prevented. The construction and organization of the usual parts of the vehicle, to which my improvement may be applied, does not require alteration or change in any way, since my improvement is practically in the nature of aii attachment, adapted for use in connection with almost any type of motor vehicle. y

In the drawing the reference numeral l designates the engine shaft of an internal combustion engine, employed for driving a. motor vehicle, and 2 represents the ordinary rclutch member upon the front end of the same. i

3 is the usual starting crank, which is mounted to rotate in a bearings, in the frame of the vehicle and is provided at its rear-end, with a clutch member 5, which is secured to the same by means of a pin. 6.

The mechanism i ust described is that or dinarily employed and my improvements which will now be set forth, are applied thereto. Mounted upon the crank 3, and adjustably held thereon by a screw 7, is disk 8, provided on its rear face near its periphery, with ratchet teeth 9. A. spring 10, is coiled around said shaft between said disk, and the front of theveliicle, for normally maintaining the clutch member 5, of the crank, out of engagement with the clutch member 2, of the engine shaft. By adjusting said Adisk along the crank, the tension of the spring may be varied, as desired.

Secured to thehood or .front of the vehicle, by any suitable means and surrounding the crank, is an annular ring ll, which is provided on its front face with. a circular recess or channel 12, having in its bottom, the ratchet teeth 13, and a movable tooth vor pawl la is mounted iii-said' channel, and

.to start the engine, the handle 16 ofthe crank is grasped by the operator, and moved longitudinally against'the tension of the spring 10, until the members 2 and 5 are unitech'at which time the teeth 9 of the disk 8 will also be brought into engagement with the loose paWl or .tooth 14. Now., When the crank is turned, in the usual manner, the loose paWl 14 Will be readily moved around its track or guide by the teeth of the disk 8. This will be vcontinued until the motor has started, When the rapid turning of the engine, shaft Will throw the crank back to its normal position. however, if there should be a back-fire in the engine and the engine shaft reversed, the nose 15, of the tooth 14C, would immediately lock on the tooth 13 of the channel ring 11, over which it is traveling, and the tooth 9 of the disk 8, with which the loose pawl 14 Was in engagement, would be released from said. pawl and the inclined face of the adjacent tooth 9 would ride over 'said pawl and automatically force the disk 8 away from the pawl and the clutch member 5 away from the clutch member 2 of the engine shaft, in a manner which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I do-not restrict myself to the particular During the cranking,k

arrangement of mechanism illustrated, inasmuch as any skilled mechanic after having been shown the possibility of automatically disconnecting the crank 'and engine shaft, can devise other mechanism for the same purpose, but still within the scope of my invention.

lWhat l: claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with an internal combustion engine and its shaft, of a clutch member provided on said shaft, a crank provided With a clutch member for engaging said shaft clutch member, a ratchet device mounted on said crank, a ,channel shaped toothed ring rigidly mounted adjacent to said ratchet device, and a loose pawl mounted in said channel ring and adapted to be moved in one direction over the teeth of said ring by said ratchet device and to lock in engagement with the teeth of said ring when said ratchet device is moved in the opposite direction.

2. The combination with an internal combastion engine and its shaft, of a clutch member provided on said shaft, a crank provided with a clutch member for engaging said shaft clutch member, a ratchet Wheel rigidly mounted on said crank, a channel shaped ring rigidly mounted adjacent to said ratchet Wheel and provided in the bottom of its channel with teeth and a loose pavvl provided With a nose adapted to be moved in one direction over the teeth of said ring by said ratchet wheel and its nose to lock in engagement with the teeth of Said ring when said ratchet Wheel is moved in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOSEPH l. CARSON.

Images