US1243455A

US1243455A - Starting mechanism for internal-combustion engines.

Info

Publication number: US1243455A
Application number: US11201316A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gregory John Spohrer
Original assignee: MOTOR COMPRESSOR Co
Current assignee: MOTOR-COMPRESSOR Co; MOTOR COMPRESSOR Co
Priority date: 1916-07-29
Filing date: 1916-07-29
Publication date: 1917-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1934-10-16

Description

G. I. SPOHRER. STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION .FILED IUD/29. IBIS. 1,248,455, .Patented 001;. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET I- 6.1. SPOHRER. STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATlON FILED JULY 29. I916,

By WM Ana/Mr INVE/V TOR ATTORNEY G. I. SPOHRER.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

k APPLICATION FILED IULY'29. I916. 1,248,455. Patented Oct. 16,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 0 I W T a 6 H 5 1 122 MN 3d3? i MW k 1 0 1 -I .7 n 6 STATES GREGORY JOHN SPOHRER, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE MOTOR- OOMPRESSOR COMPANY, A CORPORATIGN OF'DELAWARE.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 16, 1917.

Application filed J u1y 29, 1916. Serial No. 112,013.

T 0 all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, GREGORY J. SroHRnn, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Startstarting an internal combustion engine of the'type employing a convertible pneui'natic motor compressor, a tank for the storage of compressed air and a controlling mechanism so arranged that compressed air may be admitted from the tank to the motor compressor to operate the latter as a motor for starting the engine and that the motor compressor be driven by the engine for compressing air and storing it in the tank.

The present invention relates more particularly to the construction of the controlling mechanism whereby the apparatus is regulated and operated as desired. The object of the inventionis to provide a simple and compact controlling mechanism which may be readily operated, whichmay be located in a position convenient for the operator, which occupies little space, which includes pneumatic means for-effecting the connection of the engine to the motor compressor for driving the latter as a compressor, which will automatically discontinue the compressing of air when a predetermined pressureis reached, which may be adjusted for this automatic operation at any desired point, which may be readily manufactured at a comparatively low cost and with which a connection for inflating tires may be. readily combined.

A controlling mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention includes a support upon which two operating devices are mounted, either of which may be readily actuated by the operator as,-for instance, by pressing upon a suitable button with his foot. By actuating one otthese operating devices, a connection is effected i'rornthe. storage tank to the motor compressor so that compressed air may flow to on to the storage tank.

the motor compressor to drive the latter as a motor for starting the engine. This mechanism is in the form of a check-valve which is raised from its seat against the tension of a spring on depressing the operating device. lVith such a construction the mechanism is simplified for the reason that when the motor compressor is operated to compress air, this air will serve to raise the check-valve from its seat and then pass The other operatingdeviceis arranged to control the supply of compressed air from the tank to a device for effecting aconnection of the engine to the motor compressor for driving the latter as a compressor to store air in the tank.

This operating device is provided with an automatically actuated latch so that when it is operated to eiiect the desired connection'it will be held in the position to which itis moved until it is released by the latch, whereupon it is restored by suitable springs. The latch is pneumatically controlled so that whenthe air in the storage tank has been compressed to the desired degree it will be operated in response to the air pressure and effect the release of the operating device by which the connection of the engine to the compressor was established so that this connection is discontinued and the compressor comes to rest. By reason of the provision of such an automatically actuated latch. when the air )ressure in the stora e tank'is reduced by drawing air therefrom for starting the engine, it is only necessary for the operator to depress or otherwise actuate the appropriate operating device whereupon the engine will be connected to the compressor and the connection maintaine'd without further attention of the operator until the desired pressure of the air in the storage tank'has been reestablished, whereupon the compression of air inthe storage tank is automatically discontinued. This mechanism includes adjustable parts which may be so set that the compression of air in the tank will be discontinued when bodiment of the invention. In these drawings- Figure 1 is a view showing the motor compressor in plan, the transmission partially in horizontal section and the controlling mechanism in perspective;

Fig. mission and a portion of the motor compressor Fig. 3 is a top view of the controlling mechanism; r

Fig. 1 is a section of the controlling mechanism on the line of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are sections of the controlling mechanism on lines and 6--6 re spectively of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a section of the controlling mechanism on line 7-7 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a section of the controlling mechanism on line 88 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 9 is a section of a modified form of controlling mechanism which may be employed when the motor compressor is adapted foroperation either as a simple or compound motor, as desired.

Referring to these drawings, 10 indicates a convertible motor compressor connected to a tank 11 for the storage of compressed air so that air may be admitted from the tank to the motor compressor to operate the latter as motor for starting an engine and the motor compressor may be operated by the engine as a compressor for compressing air in the tank 11. The driven shaft which may be the shaft of an internal combustion engine, is represented at 12 and it is in axial alinemcnt with'the shaft 13 of the motor compressor. On the end of this latter shaft is a pinion 11, the end of which constitutes a clutch member. The other member of this clutch consists of a gear 15 having internal gear teeth which are adapted to mesh with the teeth of the pinion 1 1. At its opposite end the hub of the, gear 15 is pro vided with internal gear teeth 16 which are always in mesh with the teeth of a pinion 1'7 integral with a pinion 18 with which internal teeth on the end of the shaft 12 are meshed. The gear 15 is movable in the direction or" its aXis withiu'a hushed bearing formed in the casing 19 of the transmission mechanism. It is so moved by a yoke 20 lying in a circumferential groove formed in the gear 15 as shown in F 2. This yoke has a link 21 (Fig. 1) secured thereto at one end and the opposite end of the link is connected to a lever 22 pi ot-ally 11101111t upon the casing 19. The opposite end of this lever is pivotally connected to the rod 23. of a piston adapted to reciprocate within a cylinder and moved in one direc tion by a spring 26 lying within the cylinder. A pipe 27 enters the cylinder 25. on the side of the piston opposite the spring 26. The admission of compressed air to cylinder 25 2 is a vertical section of the transincense through pipe 2'? moves the piston 21 against the tension of sprin 26, thereby rocking lever 22 and moving the gear 15 to the position eii 'ecting @116 engagement of the clutch members consisting of the teeth on the pinion 11 l the internal teeth on the gear 15. In this way a direct connection of the shaft 12 to the shaft 13 of the motor compressor is eti'ected through the

parts

18, 17, 15 and 1 1. hen the cylinder 25 is connected to the atmosphere through pipe 27, the spring 26 actnates the piston 24 and lever 22 to restore the gear 15 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, thereby disconnecting the shaft 12 from the shaft of the motor compressor.

The pinion 11 is at all times connected 2 through an idler gear 28 to a gear 29 mounted upon a counter-shaft 30 within the casing 19 of the transmission mechanism. The hub of the gear 29 is extended axially and on it is mounted a pinion3l. This pinion is connected to the hub of the gear 29 by a spiral thread 32 on the hub entering a spiral groove on the ii terior of the pinion 31. This pinion 31 is movable axially upon the hub of gear 29 to the position in which it is shown in Fig; 2 and to a position in which its teeth mesh with the external teeth of the gear 15, and this movement of pinion 31 is effected automatically by reason of the spiral thread 32 and the groove with which it cooperates.

hen the motor compressor is operated as amotor, it rotates the gear 29 through pinion 1-1 and idler 2S and the direction of rotation of gear 29 and the pitch of thread 32 are such that this rotation of gear 29 causes the pinion 31 to be moved axially upon the hub of the gear until the pinion comes into mesh with the gear 15, where-- I upon the connection of the motor comoressor to the shaft 12 is established through the parts 1%, 28, 29, 31, 15, 17 and 18. Through this connection the pneumatic motor drives the shaft 1 to start the engine and when the engine operates under its own power the shaft 12 is rotated by the engine at a higher speed than that at which it was driven by the motor compressor 10. This higher speed of rotation of the shaft 12 operates through the parts 18, 1? and 15 to rotate the pinion 31 at higher speed han that at which the gear 29 is rotated and under these conditions the spiral thread 32 causes the gear 31 to be moved axially upon the hub of the gear .29 until the pinion is carried out of mesh with the gear 15, the parts being thus stored to their initial positions.

The control of the supply of air from the tank 11 to the motor 10, and from the com pressor 10 to the tank 11, and the supply of air from the tank 11 to the cylinder 25 is eiiected by means of the controlling mechanism shown in perspective at 33 in Fig. 1,

andiillustrated inidetail i'n-Figs. 3 to 8, inclusive. Casting 33; forming the: supporting structure of this controlling mechanism consists of a plateadapted to be mounted upon a; suitable-support and casings for valves formed integral therewith. In thecasting are two cavities: adapted to receive lcheckvalves 34 ancl,,35, each of which is held yieldinglyupon itsuseat by a spiralspring 36 and each of which is provided with a stem, movable in a bore provided in a' plug iii-closing the-end of the cavity for. the check-valve. The check-valve 34 is adapted to be moved from its seat iagainst the tension of its spring 36 by, amoperating device 3.8 in theform of alrod provided with a button 39 above the surface of the casting 33; The rod 38 is normally/held in-the raised position by a spring 40 coiled about its inner end. The casting 33 is provided withac-threaded opening leading: to :;the space below the checkvalve 34 and pipe 41 leading from the storagetank 11 is connected to this opening, as shown in Fig. 1. Above the checkvalve 34,tlie casting 33 is provided with two openings whichare; connected by

pipes

42 and 43 to the, cylinders of the motor compressor; Thus, by depressing thebutton 39, the rod 38 engages the check-valve 34 and moves it against the tension of the spring 36 so that air may flow from a the tank 11 through pipe 41 past the check-valve 34 and through

pipes

42 and 43 to theqcylinders of the motor-compressor tooperate the latter as a motor. Also, when the button 39 is held in elevated position by spring 40 and the motor compressor is driven by the engine as a, compressor, the air compressedfiows from the compressor through pipes 42 and 43- to the checkeva lve 34 and moves the latter from its seat againstspring 36 so, thatthe air may fiowpast thechcck-valve through pipe 41 to the tank. 11. j

The check-valve 35 is similar to. the valve 34 and isoperated by a rod 44 provided with a button 45 andnormally held, in the raised position by a spring 46 Below thecheck valve 35 thecasting 33 is provided with a passage leading to thespace below the valve 34 andinto an openingforcthe reception of the end of a pipe 47 which leads to a pressure gage. Aboveathe check-valve 35 the casting 33 is providedwith another opening for the reception of the end of the pipe 27 a leading to the cylinder 25 foroperating the clutch as above described. The lower end of the rod 44 is provided with a central passage 5.0 from which a radial passage leads to a circumferential groove 48 formed in the rod 44. \Vhen the rod is in its elevated position in which it is shown in Fig. 4, this circumferential groove registers with a passage 49 through thecasting 33. \Vhen the button 45 is depressed, the check-valve35 is moved from its seat against the tension of itsispring 36 sorthat'air may flow 'from the tank 11, throughpipe 41, past the checkvalve35 311d? through pipe 27 to the cylinder 25 to operate the clutch as above described. The depression of rod 44 for this purpose carries the; circumferential groove 48' out of registry with the passage 49." When the rod 44ais released and raised by-spring 46, check- .valve 35 is, closed by its spring 36 and the airpressure: upon the valve and the upward movement of-rod 44 carries groove 48 into registry with passage 49 so that-the air in cylinder 25i-maywthen escape to the. atmosphere through pipe 27, passage-50,- groove 48and passage 49. I

The rod 44 is provided with a circumferential groovenear-its upper-end adapted to receivethe end of aspring actuated latch 51, pivotally mounted; upon aystandard 52 secured-uponithe casting 33 and actuated by a spring53. dVhen button 45 is depressech-the latch 51 :is actuated by spring 53'to carry the end of thevlatchinto the groove in rod 44, and the-rod is thusheld in its'gdepressed position against .tlieteiision otthe springs-46 and 36. This is the position of the parts while the engine is operating the motorcompressor to store air in the tank, and this relation is maintained until the desired pressure within the tank is attained, whereupon the latch 51 is operated automatically to release rod 44-and allow it and the checkvalve to he raised by their springs.

The outer end of the pivoted latch 51 lies directly over aplun'ger 54 (Fig. 8), the end of which has .a piston reciprocating in a cylinder formed in the casting-33. On the end of the piston 55 is a projection 56 adapted toclose apassage leading into the CYllIlClQI'fODthG piston 55.- The piston- 55, projection 56 and'rod- 54'are normally held in thepositions in which they are shown in Fig. 8 by a spring 57 coiled about the plunger .54, in which position the projection 56 closes apassage 58, (Figs. 5, 6 and 8) communicating with the space directly below the check-valve :34, and", therefore, with the tank 11 through! pipe 41. When. the air pressure in tank .11, pipe 41 and passage'58 rises to a predetermined point, it acts upon the projection 56 to raise the latter and the plunger 54 enough to admit the air to the cylinder of the piston 55,whereupon the air acting upon the largersurface of the piston 55, forcesthe piston and plunger 54 upwardly,-.thereby rocking the latch 51 :and causing it to releasethe rod 44.v I Itwill be noted that the spring 57 bears at its. upper end; against a sleeve 59 threaded intothe upper-end of the cylinder for the piston 55' and {having its upper end 60 formed to facilitate turning the sleeve in either direction. By turning the sleeve 59' one way orthe other, the tension. of the spring 57 maybe increased or diminished as desired thereby irs regulating asdesired the degree of compression of .air in tank 11, which will be effective to raise the plunger 5% and to operate the latch 51.

The valve mechanism above described is preferably provided with a connection for a tube through which the tire of a vehicle upon which the mechanism is mounted, may beinflatedwith air from tank 11. For this purpose the casting 3-3 may be provided with an interiorly threaded opening to receive a threaded valve member 61, as shown in .Fig. 8. This valve member has a tapered point for closing the outlet from a passage 62 (Figs. 6 and 8) connected to the space below the check valve 3%. The upper end of the valve member 61 above the upper surface ofthe casting 33 is provided with an operating handle 63 and is threaded as shown at'6l to receive the coupling of a tube by which connection is made to the tire to be inflated. After the tube is connected to the threaded end 64:, the handle 68 may be turned slightly soas to allow air to flow from passage 62 up through a central opening65 in the valve member 61 to the tire;

Fig. 9 shows a modification of the apparatus illustrated in the preceding figures, whereby the controlling mechanism is adapted for use with a multi-cylinder motor compressor arranged for either simple or compound operation when employed as a motor. Such a convertible motor compressor is illustrated in Patent No. 1,132,22l granted to me March 16, 1915. The construction shown in Fig. 9 diflers from that shownin thepreceding figures only in the addition of another valve mechanism and a foot-operated lever 'which may be depressed to operate two valve mechanisms in succession. The valve 34: and the parts associated therewith are the same in construction as that-illustrated in Fig. at, except that the rod 38'isnot provided with a button at its end. A pivoted lever 66 overlies the end of rod 38 and is normally held in a rais'ed'post tion by a spring 67. This lever 66 also overlies the end of another rod 68 which, when depressed by lever 66, operates to open a check-valve 69, similar in its construction to the check-valve 34. Between the two valves and 69isa chamber 70 from which a conduit leads to the cylinders of the motor compressorfor supplying air to those cylinders in succession to cause the mechanism to operate as a compound pneumatic motor. By partially depressing the pedal 66, valve 34: only is opened and air passes from the storage tank past valve 34: to the chamber 70 and then to the motor compressor for compound operation. But if pedal 66 is depressed to its full extent, the

valves

69 and 34 are opened. Air then flows from chamber '70 past valve 69 to the mechanism for effecting the change from compound to simmasses ple operation and certain of thecylinders of the motor compressor are supplied with highpressure air flowing thereto around the valve 69 while other cylinders are supplied with high pressure air flowing thereto from the chamber 70. The rod 68 for operating the valve 69 is provided with a central passage similar to that described above in con nectionwith valve 35 so that when 'lever66 is released and the lever and rod 68' are raised by their springs, air may be exhausted from the space above the checkvalve 69 so as to permit that valve to close. I

The operation of the apparatus thus constructed may be summarized as follows:

To start the engine the operator presses the pedal 39, thereby moving the check-valve from its seat and permitting air to flow from the tank 11 through pipe ll past valve Elland throughpipes i2 and 4.3 to the cylinders of the motor compressor for operating the latter as motor. Immediately the shaft of the motor rotates and drivesthe gear 29 on the counter shaft 30 and the thread 32' on the'hub of gear 29 causes the pinion 31 to move axially into mesh with gear 15, which latter rotates the double pinion 17, 18 by which the shaft 12- is driven. The connection to the driven shaft is thus established automatically immediately upon starting of the motor and the motor then drives the engine shaft to start the engine. hen the engine has been started, the shaft 12 is driven by the engine at higher speed than that of the motor shaft and, therefore, the pinion 31 is turned upon the hub of gear 29 resulting in axial movement of the pinion outof mesh with gear 15. Thus, the connection of the motor to the engine shaft is automatically broken. Usually, the operation of starting the engine takes but a few seconds, so that itis only necessary for the operator to hold the that length of time l v'hen the pressure of the air in tank 11 has been reduced, the operator depresses pedal +15 and'the latter isheld in its depressed position. by the automatic latch 51. The check-valve35 is thus opened so that air may flow from tank 11 through pipe all, past valve 35, and through pipe 27 to the cylinder This actuates the piston 24, lever 22, link 21 and yoke 20, so as to shift the gear 15 axially. This movement of the gear 15 carries the internal teeth thereon into clutching relation to the teeth on pinion 1%, so that the shafts l2 and 13 are directly connected. The engine, therefore, drives the motor compressor and the latter (1011111188888 air and stores it in tank 11. The air thus compressed is forced through pipes 12 and d3, raises the check-valve 34 from its seat, and flows through pipe a]. to tank 11. This operation is continued until a predetermined pressure of air in tank 11 is'reached,

pedal 39 depressed for 7 Cit whereupon the piston 55 is raised by the air pressure thereon and operates the latch 51' to release the rod-i4. Rod stat and checkvalve 35 are then returned to their normal positions by their springs, the supply of air to cylinder 25'is cut off by the check-valve, the air in the cylinder 25 escapes through. passages; 50, a8 and i9, and; thegear 15- is returnedto its initial position. by spring 26, thus disconnecting the engine from the compressor automatically.

\Vhat I claim is:

l. The combination of a convertible motor compressor, a shaft adapted to drive and be driven by the same, a tank, a conduit for supplying air from the tank to the motor compressor, controlling mechanism in the conduit, pneumatically actuated means for connecting said shaft to the shaft of the motor compressor for driving the latter as a compressor, a conduit connecting the tank to said connecting means, a valve member controlling the flOW of air in the last named conduit, a latch for holding the valve member in the position for supplying air from the tank to said connecting means, and automatic means for actuating the latch to re lease the valve member in response to predetermined pressure conditions in the tank.

2. The combination of a convertible motor compressor, a shaft adapted to drive and be driven by the same, a tank, a conduit for supplying air from the tank to the motor compressor, controlling mechanism in the conduit, pneumatically actuated means for connecting said shaft to the shaft of the motor compressor for operating the latter as a compressor, a conduit connecting the tank to said connecting means, a valve member controlling the flOW of air in the last named conduit, a latch for holding the valve member in position for supplying air from the tank to said connecting means, automatic means for actuating the latch to re lease the valve member in response to pre determined pressure conditions in the tank, and means for effecting an adjustment of the automatic means for varying the pressure conditions under which the automatic means operates.

3. The combination of a convertible motor compressor, a shaft adapted to drive and be driven by the same, a tank, a conduit for supplying air from the tank to the motor compressor, controlling mechanism in the conduit, pneumatically actuated means for connecting said shaft to the shaft of the motor compressor for operating the latter as a compressor, a conduit connecting the tank to said connecting means, a valve member controlling the flovv'of air in the last named conduit, a latch for holding the valve member in position for supplying air from the tank to said connecting means, a pneumatically actuated plunger for operating the latch, and means whereby the initial move. ment of the plunger to operate the latch exposes an enlarged area of'the plunger to-the air Which actuates the plunger to. release the latch.

- 4. The combination of a convertible motor compressor, a shaft adapted to drive and be driven by the same, a clutch for connecting said shaft to the shaft of the motorcom-i pressor, a tank connected to the motor compressor, a cylinder and piston for operatingthe clutch, a conduit connecting the tank to said cylinder, a valve member controlling the flow in said conduit. a spring for moving the valve member to a position for permitting the exhaust of air from the said cylinder, a latch for holding the valve member in position for supplying air from the tank to the cylinder, and automatic means for operating the latch in response to predetermined pressure conditions in the tank.

5. The combination of a convertible motor compressor, a shaft adapted to drive and be driven by the same, a tank connected to the motor compressor, pneumatic means for connecting the shaft to the motor compressor for operation of the latter as a compressor, a conduit connecting the tank to said pneumatic means, a valve in the said conduit movable to one position for permitting the flow of air from the tank to said pneumatic means and to a second position for permitting the exhaust of air from said pneumatic means, a latch for holding the valve in the first named position, means for operating said latch automatically in response to predetermined pressure conditions in the tank, and means for effecting an adjustment of the means for operating the latch to vary the pressure conditions under Which the latch is operated.

6. The combination of a convertible motor compressor, a shaft adapted to drive and be driven by the same, a tank, a conduit connecting the tank to the motor compressor, a check-valve in the conduit raised from its seat by air compressed in the motor compressor to permit the compressed air to How into the tank, means for moving the checkvalve from its seat to permit air to flow from the tank to the motor compressor, pneumatic means for connecting said shaft to the motor compressor to operate the latter as a compressor, a conduit connecting the tank to said pneumatic means, a valve in the last named conduit movable to a position for supplying air to the pneumatic means and to a second position for permitting the exhaust of air therefrom, a latch for holding said valve in the position first named and means for automatically operating the latch in response to predetermined pressure conditions in the tank.

7. The combination of a convertible motor compressor, a shaft adapted todrive and be messes driven by the same, pneumatically actuated erating the other check valve to connect the 10 means for connecting the shaft to the motor tank to the pneumatically actuated means, compressor to operate the latter as a coma latch for holding the second check valve pressor, and controlling mechanism connectin the open position and automatic means 5 ed to the tank, the motor compressor and for operating the latch in response to pre- 7 the pneumatically actuated means and indetermined pressure conditions within the 15 cluding two check valves,lmeans for operattank. ing one of the check valves to connect the In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

7 tank to the motor compressor, means for op- GREGORY JOHN SPOHRER.

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