US1280961A

US1280961A - Starting device for internal-combustion engines.

Info

Publication number: US1280961A
Application number: US14093717A
Authority: US
Inventors: John S Clarke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1917-01-06
Filing date: 1917-01-06
Publication date: 1918-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 1935-10-08

Description

I. S. CLARKE.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES APPLICATION FILED IAN-6.19M.

4 $HEETS-SHEET I. J x) Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

Quorum J. S. CLARKE.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-6.1911.

1,280,961. Patented Oct. 8, I918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET ifO/lil/ 5. Claw/Q6 @II M J. S. CLARKE.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6. I917.

1,280,961. Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

4 sIIEETs -sIIEEI 3.

abbounm fz J. S. CLARKE.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.6. I91

Patent-ed Oct. 8, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

lwuewtoa s Elia h I:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHNS. CLARKE, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed January 6, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to manually operated starting devices for internal-combustion engines, and more particularly to such engines as are employed for propelling automobiles and other motor vehicles.

The invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient mechanism whereby the engine may be started from the drivers seat, thus obviating the necessity ofthe driver getting out of the car to start the same.

The invention also has for its object to provide a powerful starting mechanism of the kind stated, and one which is safe, provision being made for preventing injury to the operator or to the mechanism if the engine fires prematurely or kicks back.

A further object of the invention is to provide a starting mechanism which can be readily applied without any changes or modifications in the structure of the car.

The objects stated are attained by means of a novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is had to the accompan ing drawings forming a part of this speci cation.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the application of the invention to a motor vehicle, a fragment only of the latter being shown dotted and partly in section;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of certain drive gears, the housing inclosing said gears bein shown in section;

ig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section,

showing a drive gearing between the starting shaft and the engine shaft;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the gears shown in Fig. 2, with certain parts in section;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation showing another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of said mechanism, partly in section;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

Serial No. 140,937.

Fig. 7 is a detail in perspective;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the drive gearing between the starting shaft and the engine shaft of the modified structure, and

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a pawl-andratchet mechanism.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 denotes the crank shaft of the engine. At the front end of the car, in axial alinement with the crank shaft, is a starting shaft 11 provided with a crank handle 12 as usual. The adjacent ends of the shafts are provided with cooperating means for coupling said shafts together, said means being engaged by pushing the shaft 11 forward until its ratchet 13 takes hold of the pin 13 on the shaft 10. This is a conventional form of starting device, necessitating the driver leaving the car to start the engine, and in order to eliminate this inconvenient starting method, the mechanism which will now be described has been devised. It will be understood that the crank handle 12 may be left off, and it need be employed only in the event of the mechanism getting out of order, in view of which it will be detachably connected to the shaft 11.

On the shaft 11 is loosely mounted a spur gear 14 which is in mesh with a gear 15 fixed on a shaft 16. On one side of the car 14 is an outstanding annular flange 1? having a series of slots 18 running obliquely to the axis of the shaft 11. Alongside the gear 14, the shaft 11 carries a crown gear 19 which seats inside the flan 'e 17 and has projecting pins 20 on its perip hery extending into the slots 18 and provided with friction rollers 21. The gear 19 is fast on the shaft 11. The slots 18 are inclined in such a direction that when the gear 14 turns in the direction in which motion is to be given the shaft 10 to start the engine, the shaft 11 is advanced to engage its ratchet 13 with the pin 13 of the shaft 10, whereupon the shafts are coupled together, and as the gear 14 continues to turn, its motion is transmitted to the crown gear 19 through the pin-and-slot connection, and the crown gear imparts motion to the shaft 11 and the latter turns the shaft 10 as the two shafts are now coupled together. 1V hen the engine starts, the shaft 10- turns much faster than the shaft 11, whereupon the ratchet is automatically disconnected, this action being aided byv a spring. 22 tending to back the shaft 11. The gear 14 is held against longitudinal movement on the shaft 11, it being located between the gear 19 and a bearing 23 for said shaft 11.

If the engine should fire back, resulting: in the shaft 10 being given a backward impulse, the shaft 11 is automatically disconnected from the shaft 10 by the following mechanism V Opposite the teeth of the crown gear '19, and in mesh therewith are toothed dogs 24 pivoted. to the frame of the car and held in. mesh-by. springs 25. These dogs extend obliquely between the crown gear and the fixed support to which they are pivoted, and their inclination is such that they slip over the teeth of the crown gear when the latter is turning in the proper direction to start the engine. However, when the engine fires. back and the shaft 11 is thus given an impulse in a backward direction, the dogsbecome locked to the crown gear and swing in a direction to extend in a straight line between the latter and the support to which they are pivoted, with the result that the crowngear is pushed back, and as it is fixed on the shaft 11, said shaft backs away from the shaft 10 sothat the driving connection between the two shafts is b'roken. The spur gear 14 is operatedmanually fromthe car by the following mechanism:

Beneath the floor'26 of the car, is mounted a suitable support27 to which is journaled a shaft 28- having a flexible connection 29 Witha rearwardly extending portion of the shaft 16. On the shaft 28 are loosely 'mounted two

bevel gears

30 and 31, respectively, which-are in mesh 'with abevel gear 32. Adjacent to the bevel gear 30 a ratchet wheel 33 is fixed on the shaft 27, and a ratchet wheel 34 is fixed on said-shaft adjacent to the bevel gear 31. The bevel gear 30 carries a pivoted pawl 35 engaging the ratchet wheel 33, and the bevel gear 31 car ries a "pivoted pawl 36 engaging the ratchet wheel 34.

The-bevel gear 32 is made fast tothe lower end ofthe shaft 37 extending upward through the floor 26 of the car, and having at 'it's upper end two oppositely extendingcrank handle or lever arms 38. The shaft 37 is in-two pivotally connected sections, the

pivot39 being above the floor 26 and close thereto,so that-the upper end of the lever may be swungforward out of the way, as shown dotted'in Fig. 1, when it is not'in'use. It will be understood that the parts will be so positioned-thatthe upper end of the'shaft 37-is within convenient reach o'f'the driver.

Upon oscillating the shaft 37, a continuous rotary motion in one" direction is imparted -to the shaft28, which motion istransmitted to the gear 14 through theshaft 16. This motion is obtained through the tween the bevel gears 30 and 31 and the shaft 28. V

The support 27 forthe drive gearing of the shaft 28 is mounted on the bottom of the car floor 26 entirely. out of the way, and the parts can be readily applied without any change in the structure of the car. The for. ward endof the shaft 16 is journaled in a support 40 fastened to the frame of the machine. This support may be in the form of a housing inclosingthe gears Hand-15.. Thesupport-Q)? may also be a housing to inclose' the 1 gears and ratchet devices whereby the shaft 28 is driven. The support '40'is formed with-a bearing'23 for the shaft 11.

Figs. 5 to 9' illustrate another embodiment of theinvention, the same being shown applied to the well known Ford car. The means whereby the-motionofthestarting shaft 1 1 is-tra'nsm'itted to theengine shaft 10 is the same as. that hereinbefore described, with the exception that a sprocketand-chain gearing is substituted for the

gears

14 and 15, a sprocket wheel 41. being loose on the shaft 1 1 and connected by a chain42 to a-sprocke't wheel 43 "on the shaft 16. This gearing is inclosed in a housing 44 provided with aibearing=45 forthe shaft 11, said housing being integral with the bearing, andth'e latter being moun'ted on; the cross member46 at'the'front end of the car frame. This cross member is'found on all Ford carsand'carriesa bearingiirwhich the shaft of the'starting crank is supported, and: in applying the invention this-bearing and the starting-crank will be removed, and the bearing 45, and the parts carried thereby,. substitutedtherefor. I I

The shaft 37 is notconnected directly -to the bevel gear*32, but is provided with a'sector gear '47 which-is in'mesh with a pinion- 48'on a-shaft 49carrying theigear-3f2b It will also be noted in Fig.6 that the shaft 16-is in two 1 sections connected by a univ'en sal joint 50, and the connection: with-the shaft 28 is also made by auniversal jointas shown at 51. I

The paWland-Tat'chet connection between the bevel gears-30 and '31 and the shaft 28' has also been slightly modified. Thesegearscarry a ring having an internal ratchet 52, and on the shaft QSismade fasta support 53 carrying pivotedpa'wls 54.

The operation of the starting mechanism; lastdescribed isthe same as the oneL-shown in Figs. 1 -to-4, and while the mechanism is especially applicable to F 0rd cars, it? is not limited thereto, but may, witlrequal facility, be appliedto other types and makes of'motor vehicles. 1

I claim 1. The combination with the-shaftof an internal-combustion engine and a longitudidriving nally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining a driving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction and uncoupled from said shaft when slid in the opposite direction; of a driving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the driving shaft and the starting shaft, said gearing ineluding a rotatable member loose on the starting shaft and provided with oblique slots, and a member fixed on the starting shaft and having radially extending pins seating in said slots, and actuating means for the driving shaft.

2. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, and a longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining a driving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction and uncoupled from said shaft when slid in the opposite direction, of a driving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the shaft and the starting shaft, said including a rotatable member loose on the starting shaft and provided with oblique slots, and a member fixed on the starting shaft and having radially extending pins seating in said slots, actuating means for the driving shaft, and means for sliding the starting shaft to uncouple from the engine shaft when the latter turns backward.

3. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, and a longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining a driving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction and uncoupled from said shaft when slid 1n the opposite direction; of a driving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the driving shaft and the starting shaft, said gearing including a rotatable member loose on the starting shaft and provided with oblique slots, and a member fixed on the starting shaft and having radially extending pins seating in said slots, actuatin means for the driving shaft, and means for sliding the starting shaft to uncouple from the engine shaft when the latter turns backward, said means comprising a pivoted dog and a fixed support carrying the dog, said dog extending obliquely between the support and the aforesaid member which is fixed on the starting shaft.

l. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, and a longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining a driving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction and iuicoupled from said shaft when slid in the opposite direction; of a driving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the driving shaft and the starting shaft, said gearing including a rotatable member loose on the starting shaft and provided with oblique slots, and a member fixed on the starting shaft and having radially extending pins gearing seating in said slots, actuating means for the driving shaft, and means for sliding the starting shaft to uncouplc from the engine shaft when the latter turns backward, said means comprising a pivoted dog and a fixed support carrying the dog, said dog extending obliquely between the support and the aforesaid member which is fixed on the starting shaft, said member being a crown-gear, and the dog having teeth which are in mesh with the teeth of said gear.

5. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, and a longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining a driving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction and uncoupled from said shaft when slid in the opposite direction; of a driving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the driving shaft and the starting shaft, said gearing including a rotatable member loose on the starting shaft and provided with oblique slots, and a member fixed on the starting shaft and having radially extending pin seating in said slots, actuating means for the driving shaft, and means for sliding the starting shaft to uncouple from the engine shaft when the latter turns backward, said means comprising a pivoted dog and a fixed support carrying the dog, said dog extending obliquely between the support and the aforesaid member which is fixed on the starting shaft, and a spring holding the dog in engagement with said member.

6. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, and a longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining a driving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction and uncoupled from said shaft when slid in the opposite direction; of a driving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the driving shaft and the starting shaft, said gearing including a rotatable member loose on the starting shaft and provided with oblique slots. and a member fixed on the starting shaft and having radially extending pins seating in said slots, bevel gears loose on the driving shaft, a pawl-andratchet driving connection between the bevel gears and the driving shaft, a bevel gear in mesh with the aforesaid bevel gears, and an oscillatory shaft operatively connected to the second-mentioned bevel gear.

7. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, and a longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining a driving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction and uncoupled from said shaft when slid in the opposite direction; of a driving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the driving shaft and the starting shaft, said gearing including a rotatable member loose memes-1 0n the starting shaft and provided with in inesh with the aforesaid bevei gears and oblique slots, and a member fixed on the an oscillatory shaft operativeiy connected starting shaft and having radially eXtendto the second-mentioned bevel gear, saiding pinsseatinginsaid slots, bevel gears oscillatory shaft being inpivotally conloose on the driving shaft, a pawl-andnected sections.

ratchetdriving connection between the bevel In testimony whereof I :aifix iny-signature. gears and the driving shaft a bevel gear JOHNS. CLARKE.

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five" cents each, by'addressing the Commissioner of liitents, Washington, D; C.