US1591508A - Engine-starting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 6 1926.

Z. C.- BRADFORD ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 6, 1926.

2. C. BRADFORD ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES LEE-M508;

'PNIENT OFFICE,

ZERBE G. BRADFORD, OF DAY'IOIJ; 01-110, ASSIGN OR TO THE DAYTON ENGINEERING LABORATOEIESGOMl -ANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ENGINE-STARTING ABPARATUS.

Application filed November 18, 1924. Serial No. 750,667.

This invention relates to engine starting apparatus which comprises an electric motor which drives apinion normally disconnected from a gear connected with the engine to be started. The pinion provided with internal spiral splines, is axially movable into engagement with the engine gear along a spirally splined shaft driven by the motor. ,A pedal operated device moves the,

pinion into contact with the engine gearand closes the motor switch. Operation of the motor causes the pinion to be threaded into complete engagement with the engine gear and the motor thereafter to crank the engine. During this latter movement of the pinion the pedal is automatically unlatched from the pinion so that after the engine becomes self-operative the pinion will be automatically disengaged from the engine gear regardless of the status of the pedal.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved device for automatically unlatc-hing the pedal. from the pinion.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings are fragmentary views partly in section showing the starting apparatus in two positions of operation;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig; 4 is a top view of part of, the apparatus shown in Fig. 3; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are side views of parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The startingapparatus includes a gear housing or bracket which may be attached to the engine crank ease and which supports a motor field. frame 21. The frames 20 and 21 support the motor armature shaft 22 carrying an armature 23 and provided with spiral splines 24. A plate 25 secured to the frame 20 provides a stop collar 26. The pinion 27 is provided with internal splines 28 cooperating with the spiral splines 24 of the shaft 22. Pinion 27 is adapted to engage and drive the engine gear 29. Pinion 27 is provided with a tubular hub or sleeve 30 carrying spaced flanges 31 and 32 which define a groove 33.

A pinion shifting lever 34 includes arms 85 carrying rollers 36 which are received by the groove 33 and an upwardly extendmg portion 37 which isadapted to be engaged by the 110011.38 of a latch 39 which is pivoted upon a rod 4Q hich i PP- W l at one end upon the main portion of an intermediate lever 41. Lever 11 includes a yoke, 42 provided with an extension 43 which supports the other end of the rod 40. The levers 34-. and 41 are supported by a stud 44 attached to .a bracket 45 extending upwardly from the frame 20. i

The pedal lever which includes bifurcations and 51 joined by yoke, 52 is also pivot-ally supported by stud 4A. The lever 50 is connected with the lever 41 by spring 53. The lever yoke 52 carries a button 54 for engaging the plunger 55. of a motor switch contained within the switch case 56. A. spring 57 niaintainsthe plunger normally in the position shown in Fig. 1. r The branches 50 and 51 are provided with aligned apertures 58 for receiving a pin, not shown, which connects the branches. 50 and 51 with a pedal rod 59 which passes through a cup-shaped member 60 supported by the automobilefloor board 61 and carries at its upper. end a pedal. 62.v A spring 63 located between the cup 60. and the pedal 62 maintains the lever 50 in the position shown in Fig. 1. l i

The pinion shifting lever 34 is maintained normally in the position shown in Fig. l by a spring St bearing at one end against the stud 65 carried by lever 34 and at the other end against the frame 20. The intermediate position of the spring '64 is coiled about the stud 4A.

The mechanism for. automatically discon necting the latch 89 from the lever or extension 37 includes an unlatching lever 70. hava camming projection 71 for engaging a stud 72 carried by the latch 39. .The lever is provided with an ear 73? adapted to be connected with a spring 73 which is at tached to a stud 74 carried by the latch 39. The latch 39 includes the bifurcations 39 and 39" which are spaced so that one end of i the spring 73 may pass between the bifurcations and be connected with the stud 74: which extends betweenthese bifurcations. The turningof the lever 70 in a clockwise direction is limited by providing the lever with a stop arm 75 for engaging the frame 20. The lever 70 is also rotatable upon the stud 44.

The normal position of the apparatus is as shown in Fig. l in which the pinion is disconnected from the engine gear 29. To start the engine the pedal 62 is depressed to cause motion to be transmitted to the pinion 27 through the following elements rod 59, lever 50, spring 53, lever 41, pin 40, latch 39, latch hook 38, lever extension 37, lever 34, roller 36, flange 32 and sleeve 30. This motion causes the pinion 27 to be moved into engagement with the gear 29. During the counterclockwise movement of the lever 41 the stud 72 is engaged by the camming surfaces 71 of the unlatching lever 70. Movement of the lever 70 in a counterclockwise direction is restrained by spring 73, therefore there is a tendency during this movement of lever 70 for the lever 7 O to move the latch 39 out of engagement with the lever extension 37. This unlatching is restrained by the operation of spring 73 which tends to move the latch 39 toward the lever exten sion 37. As the lever 50 moves from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 2 the leverage of the spring 73 upon the lever 39 decreases so that the tendency of the lever 7 O to unlatch or disconnect the latch 39 from the lever 34 gradually increases. After the pinion 27 is brought into engagement with the gear 29 the motor switch will be closed by engagement of the button 54 with the plunger 55 and depression of the plunger 55. As soon as the motor starts the pinion 27 will be threaded into complete engagement with the gear 29. This movement of the pinion 27 due to motor operation being independent. of downward motion of the pedal 62, pressure at the engaging surface of parts 37 and 38 will be relieved. Just before the event of relieving pressure at the surfaces 37 and 38 the operation of the spring 73 would cause the lever 70 to move the latch39 out of engagement with the lever extension 37 if it were not for the friction between the engaging surface of the parts 37 and 38. As soon as the pressure producing this friction is relieved, the spring 73 will be released to cause lever to cam the stud 72 away from the stud 44 and thereby to disconnect the latch 39 from the lever 34.

As the motor continues to operate the pinion 27 will be automatically moved into complete engagement with the engine gear 29 and the engine will be cranked by the operation of the motor. When the engine becomes self-operative the pinion 27 will be automatically disconnected from the engine gear 29 due to the spiral-splined connection between the pinion 27 and the shaft 22 and due to the superior rotation of the engine gear 29 relative to the pinion 27. While the levers 50 and 41 and the latch 39 remain in the position shown in Fig. 2 the lever 34 and its extension 37 may be restored to the position shown in Fig. 1. This restoring action is assisted by the spring 64 which tends to maintain lever 34 as shown in Fig. 1.

When the pedal 62 is released the motor switch will be opened and the levers 50 and 41 and the latch 39 will be returned to the position shown in Fig. 1.

In case the ends of the pinion teeth should abut the ends of the teeth of the gear 29 during downward motion of the pedal 62, counterclockwise motion of the lever 50 is continued until the motor switch is closed. During the movement of the lever 50 aft-er tooth abutment occurs, the spring 53 will be stretched beyond its initial state of tension. Therefore when the motor is rotated to register the pinion 27 with the gear 29, the sprin 53 will he suddenly released and the pinion 27 will be quickly moved into ongagement with the engine gear 29.

In case the engine should fail to start after the gears have been meshed the motor switch may be opened by the release of the pedal 62. Provision has been made for allowing the levers 50 and 41 and the latch 39 to return to normal position shown in Fig. 1, although the lever 34 may remain in position shown in Fig. 2.

hat is claimed is as follows:

1. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, an electric motor; means for connecting the motor with the engine to be started including a pinion adapted to mesh with and drive a gear connected with the engine, and devices whereby the pinion will be moved by operation of the motor into complete engagement with the engine gear after having been partly meshed as the result of manual operation and whereby the pinion may be automatically demeshed from the engine gear after the engine starts and L drives the pinion, and means for manually effecting the engagement of the pinion and. gear including a pedal operated lever, a pinion shifting lever, a latch for connecting the pedal lever and the pinion shifting lever, an unlatching lever for engaging the latch during pinion meshing movement of the pinion shifting lever, all of said. levers being coaxially pivoted, and spring means tending to cause the unlatching operation of the unlatching lever and to restrain the disconnection of the pedal operated lever and the pinion shifting lever, the engaging surfaces of the latch and pinion shifting lever being arranged so that the connection of the pedal lever and shifting lever is maintained until after the motor operates to mesh the pinion completely with the engine gear.

2. Engine starting apparatus comprising, 1n combination, an electric motor; means for connecting the motor with the engine to be started including a pinion adapted to mesh with and drive a gear connected with the engine, and devices whereby the pinion will be moved by operation of the motor into complete engagement with the engine gear after having been partly meshed as the re-- sult of manual operation and whereby the pinion may be automatically demeshed from the engine gear after the engine starts and drives the pinion; and means for manually effecting thev engagement of the pinion and gear including a pedal operated member, a pinion shifting member, a latch for connecting said members, an unlatching memher for engaging the latch during pinion meshing movement of the shifting member, the pedal member and unlatching member being coaXia-lly pivoted, and spring means tending to cause the unlatching operation of the unlatching member and to restrain the disconnection of the pedal operated mei her and the pinion shifting member, the en gaging surfaces of the latch and pinion shifting member being arranged so that the connection of the pedal member and shifting member is maintained until after the motor operates to mesh the pinion completely with the engine gear.

3. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, an electric motor; means for connecting the motor with the engine to be started including a pinion adapted to mesh with and drive a gear connected with the engine, and devices whereby the pinion will be moved by operation of the motor into complete engagement with the engine gear after having been partly meshed as the result of manual operation and whereby the pinion may be automatically demeshed from the engine gear after the engine starts and drives the pmion; and means for manually eii'ecting the engagement of the pinion and gear including a pedal operated member, a pinion shifting member, a latch for connecting said members, an unlatching member for engaging the latch during pinion meshing movement of the shifting member, and a single spring attached at one end to the latch and at the other end to the unlatching member tending to cause the unlatching operation of the unlatching member and'to restrain the disconnection of the pedal operated member and the pinion shifting member, the engaging surfaces of the latch and pinion shifting member being arranged so that the connection of the pedal member and shifting member is maintained until after the motor operates to mesh the pinion completely with the engine gear.

4. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, an electric motor; means for connecting the motor with the engine to be started including a pinion adapted to mesh with and drive a gear connected with the engine, and devices whereby the pinion will be moved by operation of the motor into complete engagement with the engine gear after having been partly meshed as the result of manual operation and whereby the pinion may be automatically demeshed from the engine gear after the engine starts and drives the pinion; means for manually eliecting the engagement of the pinion and gear including amotor switch operating lever, a latch carrying lever, a pinion shifting lever, a latch pivoted on said carrying lever and adapted to engage the pinion shifting lever, spring motion-transmitting means between the switch lever and latch carrying lever, an unlatching lever for engaging the latch during pinion meshing movement of the pinion shifting lever, all of said levers being coaXially pivoted, and spring means tending to cause the unlatching operation of the unlatching lever and to restrain the disconnection of the pedal operated lever and the pinion shitting lever, the engaging surfaces of the latch and pinion shifting lever being arranged so that the connection of the pedal lever and shifting lever is maintained until after the motor operates to mesh the pinion completely with the engine gear; and

a motor switch operated by the switch lever. In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my s1gnature.

ZERBE o. BRADFORD.

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