US1506265A - Engine starter - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26, 1924.

B. J. STEEN ENGINE STARTER Filed Jurie 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug, 26, '19240 B. J. STEEN ENGINE STARTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F1 1 ed June 52,111,923

Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES H j f 1,505,265

PATENT OFFIEE.

BUFORD J. STEEN, OF CHRISTINE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GUIBERSON CORPORATION, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, A CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

ENGINE STARTER.

Application filed June 5, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BUFORD J. STEEN, citizen of the United States of America, residing at Christine, in the county of Atascosa and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine Starters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in engine starters.

This invention has particularly to do with single cylinder steam engines which are equipped with a fly wheel and which frequently, particularly after a period of use, stop on dead center and must be moved oif of said center before the piston will start its stroke.

Various devices have been evolved for the purpose of imparting a partial rotation to a fly wheel and a few have been particularly designed for imparting suflicient movement to a wheel to move the crank out of line with the piston rod whereby the piston will start its stroke.

The object of the invention is to provide means of a particular type for mechanically imparting a partial rotation to a fly wheel for moving the crank of the shaft off of dead center.

A further object of the invention is to provide a starter in the form of an attachment which may be readily placed on an engine which has been already installed; and to do so without alterations or additions other than the attachment itself.

Another object is to provide an engine starter attachment arranged to bolt into the pillow block of the crank shaft so as to be readily attached in an easy manner by using the bolts and nuts of the block to hold said starter in place.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a starter having an open bearing at the point where it engages the crank shaft or fly wheel hub, which possesses the advantages of a slip-on connection with the shaft and the reduction of frictional contact when the starter is not in use and the fly-wheel is rotating.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for supporting and adjusting the lever-arm which engages crank shaft.

Serial No. 643,548.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an eccentric member or cam normally free from engagement with the face of the fly-wheel, but arranged to functionally engage the same when the starter lever is serving to rotate the wheel.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, to gether with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1, is a side elevation of an attachment constructed in accordance with my invention and mounted on the fiy-wheel and crank shaft which are shown in dotted lines,

Fig; 2, is an end elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the guide and associated parts,

Fig. 4, is a detail of the mounting block,

Fig. 5, is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention,

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the same, and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the attachment.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates the crank shaft of a steam engine, 11 the pillow block and 12 the fly-wheel. In carrying out my invention I provide a leverarm 13 which is provided with a hook 13, at its lower end, said hook engaging under the shaft 10 and constituting an open bear-- ing member. The arm XtQDClS radially of the wheel from its shaft to a point beyond the rim of the said wheel. I

In order to support the arm in an upright position and hold the hook in engagement with the shaft, a stud 14 is fastened to said arm just above the hub of the wheel. A bracket 15 is provided with a foot 16 bored to receive the bolts 17 of the pillow block 11, whereby said bracket is fastened in position. In the horizontal upper portion of the bracket is mounted a tension screw 18 which receives a nut 19 whereby it is supported on the bracket.

A coiled spring 20 has its upper end fastened to the screw and its lower end engaged in the/stud. By adjusting the nut 19 the screw may be raised to increase the ten sion of the spring and lowered to decrease said tension. The spring supports the arm 13 and may be adjusted so that the hook either engages the underside of the shaft 10 or hangs slightly below the same. A horizontal guide 21 substantially parallel to the side of the arm 13 is carried by the bracket and has stop lugs 22 at each end projecting into the path of the arm, when the latter is swung, said arm normally standing nearer one of said lugs.

The upper end of the arm has a central slot 23 and the arm is seated in a guide channel 2% in the face of a mounting block 25. A bolt 26 passing through the lower portion of the slot and the block, receives a nut 27 on the rear side of the block, whereby the block is fastened on the arm. A fulcrum bolt 28 passes through the upper portion of the slot 23 and the block and is confined between nuts 29. The bolt 28 over; hangs the face of the fiy-wheel and has fulcrumed thereon an eccentric 30. The outer end of the bolt 28 is bent downwardly at right angles to form a keeper 31, beyond the outer side of the rim of the wheel.

The eccentric has a broad face and is enlarged outwardly from its pivot. The bolts 26 and 28 and the block are adjusted so that the eccentric will be immediately above the face of the fly-wheel and to one side of the vertical axis thereof. The hook 13 causes the arm 13 to normally occupy such a position as to correctly position the eccentric with relation to the vertical axis of the wheel.

A lever 32 extends upwardly from the cam at a point between the fulcrum and enlarged outer end thereof. This lever has an eye 33 at its upper end for receiving the end of a hand rod 34:. The hand rod is of suitable length and is supported in any convenient manner. A handle 35 on the end of the rod is placed within convenient reach of the engineer, whereby the rod may be pulled to swing the lever in the direction of the arrow. A coiled spring 36 has one end pivoted to the lever and the other end screw threaded, passing through a support 37 and receiving a nut 38. By adjusting the but the spring may be tensioned and the lever held in an upright position and the eccentric elevated slightly above the face of the wheel 12. Owing to the scale of the drawing, it is impossible to show the space between the eccentric and the face of the wheel,'but when the eccentric is not in use it must not ride on the face of the wheel.

Should the engine stop on dead center, which it frequently does after a period of use, it will not start when the throttle valve (not shown) is opened. In such cases the engineer merely has to grasp the handle 35 and pull the rod 34: toward him. lVhen the rod is pulled the lever 32 is swung forwardly, whereby the eccentric 30 is rocked downward and engaged with the face of the fly-wheel 12 and at the same time the arm 13 is pulled upwardly so that all play between the hook 13 and the crank shaft 10, is taken up. Owing to its curved surface the eccentric will frictionally engage the face of the wheel.

As the forward movement of the lever is continued the arm .13 will be swung about the crank shaft. During this movement the lever 32 and the arm 13 act as a single member or starting lever. The lever 32 is swung against the tension of the spring and the arm 13 when swung to its limit will increase the tension of the spring 20,

and thus when the handle 35 is released the springs will return the parts to their normal position.

It may only be necessary to turn the wheel a short distance in order to start the engine. Just as soon as the engine starts under its own impulse, the face of the wheel will move away from the eccentric and the instant the handle 35 is released the spring 36 will cause the eccentric to be lifted from the face of the wheel, thus eliminating dragging thereon. An important feature of the invention is the simplicity and ease with which the attachment may be installed. By removing the two nuts from the bolts 17 on one side of the pillow block 11, the foot 16 of the bracket may be placed on the block and fastened by re placing said nuts. By engaging the hook 13 around the shaft 10, adjusting the block 25, and adjusting the spring 20, the installation on the engine proper, is completed. The spring 36 may be supported in any convenient upright member and the rod 3 1 likewise supported. If the starter is applied to the engine of a well drilling rig, the spring 36 may be attached to post driven in the ground and the rod may be mounted on the derrick.

Various changes in the size and location of the different parts as well as modifications and alterations, may be made within the scope of the claims appended hereto, as is evidenced by the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8;

In this form an arm 40 has a hook 11 at its lower end engaging around the crank shaft 10. Upright brackets 15, each hav ing a foot 16 fastened on the bolts 17 of the pillow block 11. Each bracket has a slot 42 receiving the screw threaded end of a U-shaped guide 4-3- and is confined between. nuts 14, whereby the horizontal guide may be vertically adjusted and fastened. The arm 40 extends up through the guide and has its upper end'bentupon'itself out wardly, to form a hanger 415 which engages over the guide. A bolt &6 mounted in the hanger, extends transversely and overhangs the face of the flywheel 12. The bolt is held in the hanger by its head and a nut l7, and is adjustable in a slot 47.

An eccentric lS is fulcrumed on the bolt and confined over the face of the wheel by a cotter key 49. The eccentric has a broad curved face adapted tofrictionally engage with the face of the wheel. A lever 50 extends upwardly from the eccentric and is pivoted at its upper end to a forwardly extending rod 51 having a handle 52 on its forward end. A coiled spring 53 has one end pivoted to the lever and the other end screw-threaded and passing through an upright or post 54. A nut 55 mounted on the end of the spring bears against the post and places said spring under tension, whereby the lever is held in an upright posi tion.

lVhat I claim, is:

1. In an engine starter attachment, a bracket arranged for attachment to an engine, an arm supported by said bracket and having a bearing member at one end for engaging a crank shaft, an eccentric pivoted on the outer end of the arm, a lever extending outwardly from the eccentric, a connection for manually operating the lever to swing the eccentric and the arm, and a resilient connection for returning the parts to their normal position.

2. In an engine starting attachment, an upright bracket arranged for attachment to the pillow block of the crank shaft of an engine, an arm supported by said bracket and having a bearing member at one end for engaging a crank shaft, an eccentric pivoted on the outer end of the arm, a lever extending outwardly from the eccentric, a connection for manually operating the lever to swing the eccentric and the arm, and a resilient connection for returning the parts to their normal position.

3. In an engine starter attachment, a bracket arranged for attachment to an en gine, an arm supported by and movable relatively of said bracket, said arm having an open bearing member at its inner end for engaging the crank shaft of an engine, an eccentric pivoted on the outer end of the arm and adjustable longitudinally of the arm, a lever extending outwardly from the eccentric, a connection for manually swinging the lever and also the arm, and a resilient connection for returning the parts to their normal position.

4. In an engine starter attachment, a bracket arranged for attachment to an engine, an arm supported by and movable relatively of said bracket, said arm having an open bearing member at its inner end for engaging the crank shaft of an engine, an eccentric pivoted on. the outer end of the arm, a lever extending outwardly from the eccentric, a connection for manually operating the lever to swing the eccentric and the arm, and a resilient connection for returning the parts to their normal position.

5. In an engine starting attachment, an upright bracket having a. foot for attachment to the pillow block of an engine crank shaft, an arm supported by and movable relatively of said bracket, a hook at the inner end of the arm for engaging a crank shaft, an eccentric pivoted on the outer end of the arm, a lever extending outwardly from the eccentric, a pull rod connected with the upper end of the lever, and a coiled spring having one end attached to the lever.

6. In an engine starter, the combination with the fiy-wheel and crank shaft of an engine, of a support, a lever carried by and movable relatively of said support, and provided with a bearing member for engaging said crank shaft, a friction eccentric fulcrumed on said lever and overhanging the face of the fly-wheel, manually operated means connected with said eccentric through which the latter may be actuated into frictional engagement with said fly-wheel and through the further actuation of which said lever may be swung on the crank shaft to turn said fly-wheel.

7. In an engine starter, the combination with the fly-wheel and crank shaft of an engine, of a support, a lever carried by and movable relatively of said support and provided with a bearing member for engaging said crank shaft, a friction eccentric fulcrumed on said lever and overhanging the face of the fly-wheel, manually operated means connected with said eccentric through which the latter may be actuated into frictional engagement with said fly-wheel and through the further actuation of which said lever may be swung on the crank shaft to turn said fly-wheel, and resilient-means for raising said eccentric from said fly-wheel and returning the parts to normal position when said actuating means is released.

8. In an engine starter, the combination with the fiy-wheel and crank shaft of an engine, of a support arranged to be attached to said engine, an arm carried by and movable relatively of said support, an eccentric pivoted on said arm and overhanging the face of the fly-wheel, the support having means for limiting the swing of the arm, a lever attached to the eccentric, a member on the inner end of .the arm engaging the crank shaft, a connection attached to the lever for initially rocking the eccentric to grip the face of the fiy-wheel and subsequently for swinging the arm to turn the fiy-wheel, and a resilient connection attached to the lever for restoring the parts to their normal position.

9. In an engine starter, the combination with the fly-wheel and crank shaft of an engine, of a support, a swinging arm having a hook at its inner end for engagement around the crank shaft, means car tied by the support for holding the hook in engagement with the crank shaft, an eccentric fulcrumed on the arm and overhanging the face of the fly-Wheel, a lever extending from the eccentric an actuating member connected with the lever, and a resilient returning member also connected with said lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

BUFORD J. STEEN.

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