US1515207A - Engine starter - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 11, 1924, 1,515,207

W. B. JASPERT ENGINE STARTER Filed Nov. 23, 1922 2 Sheets-Sh? 1 Fig.4. WITNESSES: INVENTOR Will/am 5. Jasper/ I v I v I ATTORNEY Nov. 11, 1924- B JASPERT ENGINE STARTER Filed Nov. 23, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES: INVENTOR William B. Jasperf Patented Nov. 111, 1924.

UNi-TE WILLIAM B. JASPERT, OF WILKINSBURG,

& MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- IHOUSE ELECTRIC VANIA.

memorrice.

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T WESTING- ENGINE STARTER.

' Application and November 23, 1922. Serial No 602,814.

a starting mechanism of the character de-' scribed above which shall embody few moving parts of relatively low inertia.

A second object of my invention is to provide a starting mechanism in which the member corresponding to the usual motor pinion is not bodily movable relatively to the engine member.

A further. -ob]ect of my. invention is to provide a starting mechanism of relatively few and simple parts' for controlling the operative connection of a starting motor'to an engine member according as the latter constitutes the driven or the driving member.

Starting mechanisms, as heretofore employed, usually comprised a pinion that was actuated longitudinally of the motor shaft by screw threads or equivalent means to engage the engine member upon the starting of the motor from rest. Such devices have the disadvantages that the moving parts have considerable inertia, whereby the coacting teeth-are damaged in case they do not meet in proper relation and that springs and other parts of the mechanisms are subject to breakage or derangement. I

According to the present'invention, I employ a motor member in the form of a sprocket-wheel having inclined teeth which coact with the roller members of a link chain that surrounds the'sprocket member. The usual engine fly wheel is provided with teeth of the form of the well-known ratchet which are automatically engaged by the roller link chain when'the motor is started from rest. When the engine starts under its own powe the lle mem rs f the chain are a tuated into the bottom portions of the recesses of the sprocket wheel, whereby the motor is disconnected from the engine.

In the accompanying drawings,

- Figure l is a side view, in elevation, of a starting mechanism constructed in accorda nce with my invention, the engine fly wheel anil the starting motor being shown in part on y;

Fig. 2 is an end view of a portion of the fly wheel and associated parts, the chain being in its'inoperative position;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 with the parts in operative position;

Fig. 4 is an end view of a modification;

Fig.- 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modification of the fly wheel teeth, the parts being in inoperative relation;

Fig 6 is a view of the'mechanism of Fig. 5, the parts being in engaging position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig.3 of a further modification; and

Fig. 8 is aside view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of the mecha nism of Fig. 7.

Referring particularly to the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, an engine fly wheel 1, only a portion of which is shown, is provided with teeth 2 similar to those of the well-known ratchet, each of which has a relatively steep side and an inclined side. A. starting motor 3, which may for example, be an electric motor, has a shaft 4 to which is secured a sprocket wheel 5 having teeth 6 similar to those of the fly wheel 1.

Surrounding the sprocket wheel 5 is a.

roller link chain having transversely extending rollers 8 which correspond in numher to the teeth 6 of the sprocket wheel 5. The rollers are connected by pairs of oppositely disposed link members 9 which hold the rollers 8 in spaced relation and prevent the lateral displacement of the chain withrespect to the sprocket wheel. The chain 7 is of such length that each of the rollers 8 may simultaneously engage the outer portion of the inclined side of the corresponding tooth 6.-

WVhen the sprocket wheel 5 is stationary and certain of the rollers 8 occupy the lower portions of the recesses between the sprocket teeth 6, certain other rollers are not in engagetoo the fly wheel is such that the rollers 8 are caused to engage the teeth 2 and thereby establish an operative connection between the motor and the engine. 4

When the engine starts, the fly wheel 1 is actuated in the direction of the arrow at such speed that the teeth 2 travel much faster than the teeth 6 and the chain 7 The rollers 8 of the chain are accordingly actuated into the deeper portions ofthe recesses between the sprocket teeth, and the driving connection between the fly Wheel and the motor is broken. In case succeeding rollers 8 should happen to be in operative positions when they are adjacent to the fly wheel 1, the teeth 2 actuate them into the lower portions of the corresponding recesses and no operative connection is established. The motor comes to rest when its circuit is opened by the operator. a

Reference may now be had to Fig. 4, which illustrates a modification. In this structure, the fly-wheel teeth 10, which are similar to those illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and '3, are located on the inner periphery of an annular flange 11 of the fly wheel. Since the operation of the mechanism is similar to that-of the structure previously described, no description thereof is necessary.

The mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6 diflers from the mechanism of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 only in that the fly-wheel is provided with teeth of difi'erent form and number. The teeth 12, which are double in number, as compared with the teeth 2, are symmetrical in form and are substantially sinusoidal in shape. The increased number of. teeth facilitates the engagement of the rollers 8 of the chain since the number of points that may be engaged thereby is correspondingly greater. This modification possesses the advantage, also, that the teeth may be formed more easily andconveniently than the teeth 2 of the structure previously described.

In the mechanism shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the fly-wheel gear teeth 14 are of conventional form and the chain 15 may be similar to the well-known Morse silent chain of the rocker type. The chain 15 is provided with inwardly-extending lugs 16, which coact with the recesses of the sprocket wheel 5 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the rollers 8 of the chain 7 The chain 15 15 also provided with inwardly-extending plates 17 which coact with circumferential grooves 18 to prevent lateral displacement of the chain. Since the operation of this mechanism is substantially identical with that of the mechanisms previously described, extended description thereof is unnecessary.

The advantages of a starting mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention are that no relative bodily movement between the engine fly wheel and the motordriven member is required and the flexible chain on the motor-driven member eflects the operative con-nection and disconnection of wheel is always in the plane of the fly wheel permits the use of a very short motor shaft,

which may be rigidly mounted. The few parts of my starting mechanism may be of such simple and rugged character as to have long life and be free from such damage as may cause frequent repair or replacement. It will be readily'understood that the chain is not placed under any considerable stress, since the force of the motor is transmitted to the fly wheel directly between the co-acting teeth by means of the rollers of the chain.

I claim as my invention:

1. An engine starter comprising a ro-;

tatable member having inclined surfaces thereon and a flexible chain having members movable outwardly on said surfaces beyond the periphery the latter is rotated.

2. An engine starter comprising a member having inclined recesses in its outer periphery, and a roller link chain surrounding said member and having members movable outwardly in said inclined recesses when the member is rotated.

3. In a starting mechanism, an engine member and a motor member in, the same plane, said members having spaced axes and. spaced peripheries, and means carried by the motor member and substantially coaxial therewith for engaging the engine member upon the rotation of the former.

4. In a starting mechanism, an engine member and a motor member inthe same plane, said members having spaced axes and spaced peripheries, and flexible means for automatlcally connecting said members upon the rotation of said motor member.

5. In a starting mechanism, an engine member and a motor member in the same plane, said members having spaced axes, and spaced peripheries, and means comprising a of said member when flexible chain for automatically connecting said members when the peripheral speed of the .motor member exceeds that of the engine member.

6. In a starting mechanism,'the combination with an, englne member havlng a recessed surface, a motor member in the plane of said surface and means comprising a flexible chain that is controlled in accordance with the speed of'said motor member for engaging said recessed surface. a

7 In astarting mechanism the combina; tion with an engine member having a recessed surface, a motor member in the plane of said surface and normally disconnected from said engine member and a flexible chaln carried by said motor member for engaging said recessed surface upon the rotation of the motor member.

8. In a starting mechanism, the combination with an engine member-having a recessed surface, a motor member in the plane of said surface and having inclined recesses in its periphery and a flexible chain carried by said motor member comprising elements disposed in said inclined recesses, said chain being of such length that said elements move outwardly in said recesses to engage said recessed surface when the motor member is actuated from rest.

9. In a starting mechanism, the con1bination with an engine flywheel having a recessed surface and a motor-actuated member in the plane of said flywheel, said member being permanently spaced from said flywheel and having inclined surfaces .in its periphery, of a flexible chain carried by 'said motor 'member having elements coacting with saidinclined surfaces to move outwardly thereon. to engagethe recessed surface of said flywheel when said member is startedfrom rest and to move inwardly thereon when theperipheral speed of the flywheel exceeds that of the motor member to discern nect the motor member from theflywheel.

In testimony wh'ereof,'I have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th day of October, 1922.

WILLIAM B. JAsrEnT.

Images