US1437069A - Westinghouse electric & manufacturing company - Google Patents

Description

A. NYNIAN. STARNNG MECHANISM FOR AVUToMoBiLgS.

l APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20.1920. 1,437,069.

Patented Nm'. 28, 1922,

' INVENTOR ATTORN EY To all whom, it 711mg/ concern.

Patented Nov. 2S, i922.

ALEXANDER NYMAN. F ILKINSBURG, HEFI'III'SYLV'ANIA;v SSIGNOR TO YVJEIS'KINGFA HOUSE ELECTRIC t MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION-OF PENNSYL- VANIA..

STARTING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed November 20, 1920. Serial No. 425,407.

Be it known that l, .-LnxANnnn NYMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a'resident of lVilkinsburU, in the county ot Allegheny and State of liennsylvania, have invented a new' and useful Improvement in Starting Mechanisms for Automobileaof which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to starting mechanisrns for automobiles and, particularly, to starting mechanisms wherein pinions are moved axially into mesh vwith engine gear wheels. y' I @ne object of my. invention is to provide a starting mechanism that shall comprise a lat coil `spring for connecting a pinion to the motor armature and for effecting axial movement of the pinion and that shall.

lalso comprise centrifugally-operated levers 'which normally. lock the pinion against rotation when the motor is standing still.

In automobile-starting mechanisms of the type having a motor pinion that is-movahle axially into mesh with van engine gear'wheel, considerable trouble has been experienced heretofore in effecting axial movement of the pinion without damaging the gear teeth.v ln a starting mechanism having a spiral thread formed on the armatureshaft for effecting axial or longitudinal Inove-A -ment of the pinion, the gear teeth are often damaged by reason of pinion teeth meeting the engine-gear-wheel teeth end to end. Moreover, lit is necessary, in such systems, to operate the motor within certain speed limits to obtain meshing when the pinion teeth register properly with the geaiw'l1eel teeth.

In a starting mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention, apinion is rotatably and sl'idably mounted upon the shaft of the starting motor. which is mounted on the armature shaft be'- tween the pinion and the frame of the motor, serves to effect axial movement ot the pinion upon ystarting of the motor.: One end of the spring member isdirectly connected to the armature shaft and the other end thereof is direetlyconnected to the motor pinion. v

The frame ofthe starting motor is provided with an end bracket having' slots cnt therein adjacent to the pinion..v A plurality of levers, which are pivot'allyv mounted on the mot-or pinion, are-.biased to register A flat coil spring.,

withthe slots in said end bracket when the starting motor is de-energized. Upon energlzation of the motor, the pinion is prey'vented from rotatingl by the levers which engage the slots in the end bracket. However, the relative movement between the armature shaft and the motor pinion so expands the flat spring as to' force'the pinion into mesh with the engine gear wheel. Upon meshing ofsuch members, the pivotally mounted leversl become disengaged frointhe slots in said end bracket and are held by centrifugal torce .away from the motor shaft. y

In ,the accompanying drawing,

Figure l is a side elevational View ot a starting mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention;

F ig. 2 is a side elevational view showing the positions of various parts of the starting` mechanism upon meshing of the pinion with the engine gear wheel;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a' modivication of my invention, and

Fig. 4 is a side View o the spring member which is utilized or effecting axiail movement of the motor pinion. Referring to the'accompanying drawing, a motor L of any suitable type, is provided for operating an engine gear wheel 2 to start an internal-combustion engine (not shown). The motor 'l comprises a frame 3 having end brackets 4 and 5 andan armature shaft 6 which is provided with any suitable bear` ings in the end brackets. The end bracket 5 is provided with a plurality of slots 7 for a purpose to he hereinafter set forth.

A motor pinion 8 is slidahiy and rotatably mounted upon the armature shaft ti and is adapted to he moved axially into mesh with the engine gear wheel .2 upon energization ot the motor. l'lhe pinion 8`is provided with a' collar 9 which is preferably formed integral therewith. The collar member 9 is provided with a'plurality of axially extending supports l0. A dat c oil spring l1 is mounted on the armature shaft 6 between the pin-v ion 8 and the armature l2- ot' the 'inotor. ()ne end of the spring member ll is ixedly connected to the armature l2 and the other end thereof isfixedly connected to the collar member 9. The diameter of the coil of the spring member is somewhat greater than the diameter ot' the armature shaft in order that. the coils may' be separated somewhat apen relative movement between the armature shaft and the motor pinion.

Each of the supports 10 is provided with a pivotally mounted lever 13 Which is biased to register with one of the slots 7 in the end frame by means of any ber 14. ,Il i, i

Assuming the startin mechanism to befin the position shown in ig. l and the .motor 2 to be energized, relative movement is produced between the armature shaft 6 and the motor pinion 8 by reason of the levers 13 co-operatin with the slots 7 in the end bracket 5. uch relative movement between the motor pinion and the armature shaft effects an uncoiling movement of the spring member 11 which reacts on the collar member 9 to move the motor pinion axially into mesh with theepgine gear Wheel` 2, Upon meshing of the pinion with the gear Wheel, the levers 13 are Withdrawn from Athe slots 7 the end frame and, consequently, the pinion is rotated for 'cranking theengine (lnot shown). TheA rotative .movement of tie pinion 8 and the collar member-9pmduces a centrifugal-^foce which holds`4 the levers 13 away from the armature; shaft 6, as shown in Fig.` 2' of the drawing. It should be noted that, byutilizing a flat spring member fory connecting the motor pinion to the lmotor armature,;a larger amount of axialI movement ofthe pinion is eliected f tween'the shaft and the pinion thancould be effected byany other Referrinv to Fig. A3 of thej,filiawingg` a motor 20` avin ture 22, is provided foi-'operatinganeiikrine gear Wheel 23'tocrank an internal-com 'iis'- tion engine, (not shown). is provided Withfa shaft-24 Whic icarriesa motor pinion 25. lThe pinion 25 mounted upon the armature yshat and'is movedA axially into' mesh Withthe teeth on theengine gear wheel 23 upoi'rener 'zation of the motor. In this modification, t e complete motor is moved axiallyifrin place of moving the pinion along the shaft, as in the mechanism shown in Figs'. 1 and 2.

The motor frame21is slidablywmountedin a housing 26 of any suitable. constructioiif'f ,i'sjattached to such housingjby means',l

and of/a spring member 27,0ne endoi1 the springI member being ixedly connected to the house, ing 26 and the other end ofthe springl inem be'r `beingfixedly connected to any siiitable pointpon themotor frame 21;y The armaturesha'ft 24 carries a centrifugal block 28, and the'fblook serves tosu'pport a plurality of pivotally mounted levers 291; The7 leversv29 are biased by means of-slpring' `members 30 to register with slots 31,t at are formedl in a, stationary block 82, The stationary block 32 is preferably mounted on the housing 26.

suitable springmemt.

for a4 given relative movement be-- ytype of spring member.

Thear animee iis many` 4uypon energizing the motori axial movement of the pinion upon 1 ,437,oee

meshing between the motor pinion and the engine gear Wheel. Upon meshing between the pinion and the gear wheel, the levers 251 are Withdrawn from the 'slots 31. and, consequently, the pinion 25 is rotated for operating the engine gear wheel to crank the erigine. During such operation, the spring member '27 prevents any rotative movement by the frame of the motor. When the engine is started and the motor is cle-energized, the spring member 27 moves the compiete motor and the pinion 25 towards the left, as shown in the drawing, to demesh the pinion and gear wheel.

yIn the preferred starting mechanism above described, a fiat spring member is provided, not only for connectin the motor pinion to the armaturebut also ior effecting axial movement of the pinion into mesh with the engine gear Wheel. Moreover, the spring member serves to Withdraw the motor pinion from mesh with the engine gear wheel upon with the engine gear Wheel and, accordingly,

is not liable to be damaged in case the pinion teeth meet the enginegear-wheel teeth the arrangement and location of parts may be made within the spirit and scope of my invention and such modifications are' inu tended to be covered by the appended dennis.

claim as my invention r-- 1. In a starting mechanism, the combination With a motorand a pinion mounted on the shaft of said motor, of a spring member connected between the motor shaft and said pinion, and centrifugally operable means for locking said pinion against rotation until the pinion occupies a predetermined position relatively to said motor shaft. 2." In a starting mechanism, the combina- 'tion with ya motor'havinga shaft 'and a pinion mountedI orisa'idl shaft, of a Het spring l'Wound on`said yshaft and connected between said pinion andthe shaft,asaid spring serving to movev the'pinion axially into mesh with the enginei'gear wheel upon starting o? the motor, and centri'fugaly operated mem bers for preventing rotation of the pinion.

f f3. In a starting mechanism, the combina 'tion with a motor and a pinion, or means comprising a spring member for 'connecting saidpinion to the motorvv and for effecting starting lil@- levers norma ,of the motor, and centrifugally operablel means for preventing rotation of the pinion until the pinion occupies a predetermined position along the axis of said shaft. k4. In a starting mechanism, the combination with :i motor having a shaft, a pinion, and an engine'gear wheel, of means comprising a flat'spring member `for connecting said pinion to the motor and for efectin axial movement of the pinion into mesh withthe engine gear Wheel, and centrifugally operated members for locking said pinion to the motor frame when the motor is (ie-energized. 5. In a starting mechanism, they combination with avmotor and a pinion,of means comprising a spring member for connecting the pinion to-the motor and for effecting -axial movement of the pinion, land means mounted on said pinion for preventing its rotating until the motor has been energized a vpredetermined length of time. l

6. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a motor, and a pinion, of means comprising a .fiat' spring member for connecting said pinion to the motor and for effecting axial movement of the pinion, and Hivotally mounted on said pinionand ofthe motor.

7. In a starting mechanism, the combina-,i tien with a motor, the frame ofy said motor p pivotal having an end bracket with slots out therein, and a pinion, of means comprising a flat lspring for connecting said pinion to .the shaft of the motor, levers pivotally mounted on said pinion, and mea-ns for biasing said levers into the slots in the motor frame when the motor is de-ener ized.

8. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a motor, the rame of said motor'v having an end bracket with slots formed thereirn'and a motor pinion mounted on the motor shaft, of a flat spring. mounted on the motor shaft and connected to the motor shaft and said pinion, said spring serving to effect axial movement of the pinion upon starting of the motor, a plurality of levers y mounted on said pinion, and means for biasing ,said levers to positions in said slots when the motor is stationary. 9. In a starting mechanism, the combination with a motor, and a motor pinion, of a at spring member for connecting said pinion to the motor and 4ttor effecting axial .movement of the pinion, a pair of eentrifugally operated levers mounted onsaid pinion, and means for biasing said levers into locked engagement with the frame of the motor. y extending into slots inthe frame In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this first day of No vember, 1920. y/f/ ALEXANDER

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