US1309722A - of westminster - Google Patents

Description

T. S. DUNCAN. STARTING OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR,25,191.9.

1,809,722. Patented Jul 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

-- T. S. DUNCAN.

smmne or INTERNAL CIOMBUSHON ewmwes.

APPLICATON FILED APR,25 1919 Patented July 15, 1919.

2 suzns-snen 2.

residing at Vickers House,

THOMAS SMITH DUNCAN, OI

WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOB T VICKEBS LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND. v

STAB-TING O1 Specification of Letters Patent.

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Application filed April 25, 1919. Serial No. 292,053.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS SMITH Dun-- can, a subject of the King of Great Britain,

Broadwa ,Westminster, in the county of London, 11 land, have invented certain new and usefu Improvements in or Relatin to the Starting of Internal-Combustion ngines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates starting internal combustion engines of the kind in which a clutch member is moved into engagement with a clutch member on the engine shaft, by means of a helically grooved or screw threaded spindle or the like, the arrangement bein such that after the engine has been starte it will over-run "the helically grooved spindle so that the enaging clutch members are automatically disengaged. The present invention has par ticular reference to the starting of aircraft engines, which are arranged in" pairs, for example one pair on eachside of the fuselage naselle.

Accordin to this invention we interpose between eac pair of engines a starting apparatus com rising two co-axially arrang clutch mem rs adapted to move into engagement with clutch members associa with engine shafts, by means of a hel cally ooved or screw threaded spindle which is rotated in any appro riate manner. The helically grooved spin 1e may be rotated in eitherdirection by an electric motor through worm gearing and one or other of the said clutch members w1ll be moved into engagement with the clutch members on the engine shaft according to the direction of rotatlon of the electric motor and the helically grooved spindle. Thus the engines may be started in succession and after. each e 'ne has started, the en g clutch mem ers will be automatically disc ed by the engine overrunning the helica grooved spindle and the electric motor. In some cases the clutch members may be moved together inopposite directions to engage simultaneously with the engine shaft, so that the engines are started together.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will now be described-more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which to apparatus for Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of one construction for starting in succession a pair of engines having coaxial shafts.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modified Patented July 15,- 1919.

construction also for successivel starting a pair of engines having co-axial s afts.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

In the examples shown A and B repre sent the co-axial shafts of the two engines. Between the two ends of the shafts A, B and co-axial therewith is a worm wheel C mounted in a suitable bearing and adapted to berotated by a worm D which is actuated in any suitable manner such as for example by a small electric motor (not shown in Fig. 1). In Fi 1, a screw s indle E having a helical threa or groove of quick pitch extends through and engages with a screw threaded portion at the center of the worm wheel C. On the ends of the screwed spindle E are friction cone clutch members F and G, adapted to engage respectively with clutch members H I on the ends of the engine shafts A B. Supposing it is desired to start the engine, the worm wheel'C is rotated in one direction and the spindle E is thereby moved longitudinally so as to cause the clutch member (say F) to engage with the memberH on the shaft 'A thus start the engine.

When the engine has been properly started the shaft A will over-run the starting motor and the spindle E .in rotating faster than the worm wheel C moves in the opposite longitudinal direction and the clutch mem- .ber F is thereby automatically disengaged from the member H. The other engine can then be started by rotating the worm wheel in the opposite d rection whereupon a simi,

lar operation takes place to that above described.

v Spring brakes J bear on the clutch members G actually engages with either the members i H or I. -In this arrangement the shafts of wheel so as to provide a frictiondrive for F G to prevent rotation of the spindle I .E until either of the clutch members F or transmitting the motion of the worm wheel to the spindle when the worm is operated by the electric motor K which is conveniently supported in a part of the casing of the gearing, see Fig. 3. The spindle E is provided at its ends with helically grooved portions E with which engage suitabl formed sleeves F, G having end teeth F, forming dog or jaw clutch members forengaging with similar clutch members H and I on the ends of the co-axial shafts'A and B of the two engines, when the worm wheel is rotated in one direction or the other.

Spring brakes J J bearon the said clutchsleeves .to prevent rotation of the same until actually in engagement with the clutch members H I. The rotation of the spindle E in one direction auses one of the clutch sleeves say F, to be thrust outwardly into engagement with the member H by reason of the interengaging helical grooves or the like and when engagement 1s effected the sleeve is no longer held against rotation by the springs with the result that the engine shaft A is rotated and the engine started. When the engine shaft A overruns the starting motor K the clutch member F, in rotating faster than the spindle E is automatically disconnected from the engine shafts. When the motor K and the spindle E is rotated in the opposite direction, the other clutch sleeve G is moved outwardly to start the other engine and is automatically disengaged in the manner aforesaid.

The apparatus may be devised for start ing two engines simultaneously in which case portions such as E are formed with oppositely cut helical grooves and the clutch sleeves are formed accordingly, so that rotation of the spindle in one direction moves the clutch members simultaneously to effect starting of the engines together.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. Starting apparatus for a pair of internal combustion engines, comprising two co-axially arranged clutch members adapted to be moved into engagement with clutch members associa-ted'with' the engine shafts by means of a helically grooved or screwthreaded spindle, which is adapted to be rotated to effect the necessary movement of the clr ch members when starting the en or the like for moving the clutch members into engagement with the engine shafts,

and an electric motor for rotating the spindle to cause the one or other of the clutches to engage with the corresponding engine shafts accbrding to the direction of rotation of the motor substantially as described.

3. Starting apparatus for a pair of internal combustion engines comprising a spindle having screw threads or helical grooves at its ends to receive clutch members which when the spindle is rotated will be moved longitudinally to engage with the engine shafts, substantially as described.

4. Starting apparatus for a pair of internal combustion engines comprising a spindle, two clutch members mounted on opposite helically grooved ends of the spindle, and means for holding the members against rotation until said clutch members engage other clutch members on said engine shafts, substantially as described.

5. Starting apparatus for a pair of coaxial internal combustion engines comprisin a screw threaded or helically grooved spindle adapted to be rotated by plates carried thereon, said spindle having clutch members mounted on its ends adapted to move longitudinally and engage the engine shaft when the s indle is rotated, substantially as described? 6. Starting apparatus for a pair of 00- axial internal combustion engines comprising a spindle having screw threads or helical grooves at its ends upon which clutch members are mounted, one of said members adapted to engage the clutch member of one of said engines, when the spindle is rotated in one direction, and the other of said clutch members adapted to engage the clutch mem ber of the other of said engines when the spindle is rotated in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS SMITH DUNCAN.

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