US1594825A - Engine-starting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 3 1926.

BEST AJMLABLE (30w G. w. ELSEY ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed July 28 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gnwnkn 5 5E333 AVARLABLE COP? G. W. ELSEY ENGINE! STARTING APPARATUS Filed July 28 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M 72 a @@,,MMM

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BEST AVAZLQBLE C5??? Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFI'CEQ GEORGE, W. ELSEY, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL MOTORS COB- PORATIQN', .A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ENGINE-STARTING ABFARATUS.

Application filed July 28, 192,4. Serial No. 728,586.

This invention relates to electrical starting apparatus for internal-combustion engines and more particularly to the type of apparatus which includes an electric motor and connections betweei-r the motor and engins including a pinion adapted to mesh with. a gear connected with the engine and including means whereby the pinion will be automatically disconnected from the gear when the engine becomes self oporative. In this type of apparatus, the pinion is moved into mesh with the engine gear by a pedal or other manually operable device which also operates the starting motor switch.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide for manually engaging the pinion with the gear andfor closing the motor switch only. after the pinion has been moved manually into substantially full driving engagement with the engine gear.

Further objects and advantages of the present inventionwill be apparent. from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein pre 'fcrred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown. 7 Figs. 1 and 2 of the-drawings are side views partly in section showing, respectively, the starting apparatus in normal or non-operating position, and in position for cranking the engine. Figs-. .3, 4 and 5, are fragmentary views on a; larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2, showing modified .forms of the mechanism for connecting the motor shaft with the engine. g

Referring to .the.drawings,- the engine to be started is represented by a ti wheel gear 20 having straight spur teeth ad apted-to be engaged by a-pinion 21 having threaded en gagement with screw threads 22 provided on the exterior-of a sleeve 23 having screwthreaded engagement with the spiral-splines 24 formed on the motor armature shaft 25. A sleeve 26 having fiangesQT and 28 defining a groove 29 is threadedly connected at 30 with the sleeve 23. The sleeve 23 is proyided with a flange 31, and sleeve. 26 with a flange 32. The. flanges 31 and.32 limit the endwise spiral movement of the pinion 21 relative to the sleeve 23.

The electric startingmotor 35 includes a field frame 36 attached to a gear housing 37 which provides a bearing 38 for the armature shaft 25, the left-end bearing of the shaft 25 being provided by a frame (not shown) attached to the left end of the field frame 36. The mechanism for shitting the sleeve 26, includes a pedal 3 attached by a rod 40- to alever ll which is pivoted upon r d 4.2 su ported by thehonsing A cupshaped member l is attached to the floor board lat of the automobile and surrounds the rod l0. A. spring i located between the cup member l3 and the pedal 39 for returning the pedal 39 and the ler'er ll to the position shown in Fig. l. Lever ll in cludes an arm 46 carrying a pivot stud for a latch lever 48 which extends through an opening l!) provided in the yoke 50 which connects two pinion-shifting lever arms 51, which are received by the groove 29 of sleeve 26. The lever 43. includes a book 52. which is normally biased into latching engagement with the yoke 50 by a spring 53 having one end 5-1 attached by screw to the housing 37, and having the other end 56 passing through a, hole. 51 proridcd in an arm of the latch lever 48. The pinion 21 is provided with a flange 58 for engaging a stop. plate 59 attached by screw 60 to the housing 37. The flange 5.8 is yieldingly maintained in contact with the plate 59, as shown in Fig, l, by a SPXl Qg 61 which is coiled around the rod aiid bears at one end 62 against the field frame 3,6, and hears z t-the other end against the oke 50 of .the levers .51. The spring 61 endsto move the levers 51 in a clockwise direction and, therefore, tends to move the sleeve 25 cndwisetoward the left to maintain the flange 58 in engagement with the stop59.

he swit h 65- for controll ng the motor, includes a case 66 attached by a screw 67 to motor frame 3.6. The case 66 houses stationary switch contacts, one of which is connected with the motor field windings and the other with the switch terminal 68. A movahlecontact located within the case 66 engages the stationary contacts. This movable contact is connected with a plunger 69 located in the path of movement of the lover .4= 1, .A Spring 70 tends to return the plunger 69 to switch-open position.

F or receiving the thrust of the sleeve while the motor is cranking the engine, there are rovideda stop collar 71 pinned to the she t 25, and a thrust washer 72 located between the collar 71 and a plane surface 73 on the housing 3 3E8"? AVAllABLE CQFJ The invention is used in the followingGood results are obtained if the threads 2-1 manner: Pedal 39 is depressed to cause the lever 41 to move counterclockwise. Motion from lever 41 to lever 51 is transmitted through latch 48, thereby causing the sleeves 26 and and the pinion 21 to move toward the right. If the teeth ofthe pinion 21 register immediately with the tooth spaces of the gear 20, the pinion 21 will continue to move into mesh with the gear 20. l Vhen the meshing of the pinion 21 withthe gear 20 has been substantially completed the motor switch will be closed due to the engagement of the lever 41 with the plunger 69. The motor shaft 25 will then turn to cause the pinion 21 to be urged against the stop flange 31, and the flange 31 to be urged against the stop collar 71. When these parts have been located in the positions shown in Fig. 2, the motor will operate to crank the engine.

-l)uring movement of the lever 41 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2 the spring 53 will be moved into a position wherein it is conditioned for biasing the latch: 48in a clockwise direction. Whenthe motor begins to turn the shaft 25 and move. the flange 31 against the stop 71', pressure: between the' engaging sur faces of the latch hook 52 and the lever yoke 50 will bevreli'eved. Then tlre'spring 53 will be released to cause 'the 'la-tch 48"150' 'imove into the position shown in Fig. 2. The pedal 39is then disconnected from the pinion 21. Therefore', when the engine becomes self-operative, the pinion 21 will be automaticallydemeshedf from the engine gear due to the spiral'driving connections between the motor and engine, and this demeshment will take place regardless of failure to release the pedal 39. 'f

Due to thefspiral'conneetionsbetween the pinion 21 and the sleeve 23, tlie pinion will be whirled against: the stop' flange 32 "due to the superior rotation "of the engine gear 20.

' Then thesleeve' 23will be driven spirally along the shaft'25. During this'motion the flange 58 will strike the stop plate 59. and further motion of the pinion 21 to the left will be prevented. Due as, its own momenturn the sleeve 23"will 'conti 'riue to' m' ove spirally until thelstop flange 3 I'eii'gagesthe pinion 21';

If. during movement of tliehileeve 23 to} ward the right,'the pinion 21 .is"'no t brought into registration with the gear 20 but tooth abutment occurs and prevents movement of the p'inion"21 to' the right," thesleeve 23 may continue to move spirally until the' stop flange 32 engages the pinion. :21; D uring this further movement of' the'sleeve 23the pinion 21 will be' rotated'sligh'tly to bring its teeth into registration with the tooth spaces of the gear 20. The spiralsplines or threads 24 have a much greater lead than the threads 22 on the exterior' of sleeve 23.

vide a lost-motion connection between the sleeve 23 and pinion 21 so that there may no relative motion between these parts, and also provide a very satisfactory driving conmotion for transmitting the cranking torque of the motor to the pinion.

In the form of the invention represented in Fig. 3, the connecting devices between the motor and engine include a pinion 21 having skew or spiral teeth adapted to mesh with the corresponding spiral teeth of an engine gear 20. The other parts connected with the sleeve 23 are identical with those shown in Figs. 1 and 2 xcept that 23 is splined on 24 It will be apparent that the motor is automatically disconnected from the engine when self-operative, on account of the spiral gear teeth connections between the pinion 21 and the gear 20.

The form of the invention indicated in Fig. 4 is substantially the same as that shown 'in Fig; 1 with the exception that'the pinion 21 is returned to normal position against the stop flange 31 by a spring surrounding the sleeve 23 and located, as shown, between the flange 32 and the pinion 21; Motion of the sleeve 26 to the left is arrested by a stop collar SIsurronnding shaft 25, and the sleeve is maintained against the collar by the operation of spring 61.

The form of invention shown in Fig. differs from that shown in Fig. 3 in the same manner thatthe form shown'in lfig'. 'diifers from that shown in Fig. 1.

WVhile the forms. of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow. 1

WVhat is claimed is as follows:

1. Engine startmg apparatus comprising,

in combination, a motor; means for connecting the motor with a gear of an'engine to be started, and including an enjdwise movable "and rotatable member driven by the motor, a. pinionmovable'endwise with the member and adapted to mesh with the engine gear, connections between the pinion'and'memher 'proi' iding limited'rel'ative endwise movenient of the. pinion and member and providing for the turning of the pinion by en'dwise movement of the member in case motion of the pinion is'arrested' by the teeth of the engine gear, said means tonconnecting the motor and engine including con'ner-ting devices which provide for a.ntoi-.iaticall moving the pinion and member togethcr in a1 direction to demesh the pinion when the engine starts; means for manually moving the member to mesh the pinion and gear; and

means for causing the pinion to return to normal position endwise relative to the member.

52. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; means for connecting the motor with a gear of an engine to be started, and including an endwise movable and rotatable member driven by the motor, a pinion mounted on said member and having driving connections with said men'iber providing limited spiral movement of the pinion relative to said member where by the pinion will be turned by endwise movement of the member in case motion of the pinion is arrested by the pinion abuttin; the engine gear, said connecting means including connecting devices which provide for automatically movingi the pinion and member together in a direction to demesh the pinion when the engine starts; means for manually moving the member to mesh the pinion and gear; and means for causing the pinion to return to normal position endwise relative to the member.

3. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; means for connecting the motor with a gear of an engine to be started, and including a pinion driven by the motor and movable into mesh with the engine gear, and provisions whereby the pinion will be automaticallydemeshed when the engine starts, said means including connections between the pinion and motor com prising a shaft driven 'by the motor and a sleeve splined to said shaft and connected by spiral splines with the pinion, the sleeve having stops for limiting the spiral movement of the pinion relative to sleeve, whereby, in case motion of the pinion endwise is arrested by the pinion abutting the engine gear, endwise movement of the sleeve will impart rotation to the pinion, the connections between the pinion. and sleeve causing motion to be transmitted from the pinion to the sleeve to move the latter endwise when the pinion is automatically demeshed; means for manually moving the sleeve to mesh the pinion with the gear; and means for restoring to normal the position of the pinion relative to the sleeve.

l. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; an engine gear connections between the motor and engine gear including a shaft driven by the motor, a sleeve spirally splined to said shaft, a pinion mounted on the sleeve and having driving connections with the sleeve providing spiral movement relative to the sleeve; means for manually moving the sleeve to mesh the pinion with the engine gear; and means for restoring to normal the position ofthe pinion relative to the sleeve.

5. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; an engine gear connections between the motor and engine gear including a shaft driven by the motor, a sleeve spirally splined to said shaft. a pinion spirally splined to the sleeve and movable between two stops provided by the sleeve; means for manually moving the sleeve to mesh the pinion with the engine gear; and means tending to maintain the pinion normally in engagement with the stop of the sleeve located nearest the engine gear.

6. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; connections between the motor and engine including a pinion adapted to mesh with agear operated by the engine to be started, means including spiral driving connections whereby the pinion will be automatically disconnected from the engine when the engine starts, and a pinion-carrying member driven by the motor and having spiral driving connections with the pinion providing limited spiral movement of the pinion relative to the engine gear. the first-mentioned spiral connections having greater lead than the secondmentioned spiral connections; manually controlled means for moving the pinion-carrying member to mesh the pinion with the engine gear; and means for restoring the pinion to one limit of its movement relative to the carrying member.

7. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combinatioma motor; means'for connecting the motor with a gear of an engine to be started, and including a pinion driven by the motor and movable into mesh with the engine gear, and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed when the engine starts, said means including con-- nections between the pinion and motor comprising a. shaft driven by the motor and a sleeve splined to said shaft and connected by spiral splines with the pinion, the sleeve having stops for limiting the spiral movement of the pinion relative to sleeve, whereby, in case motion of the pinion endwise is arrested by the pinion abutting the engine gear, endwise movement of the sleeve will impart rotation to the pinion, the connections between the pinion and sleeve causing motion to be transmitted from the pinion to the sleeve to move the latter endwise when the pinion is automatically demeshed; means for manually'moving the sleeve to mesh the pinion with the gear; and a spring bearing against the pinion for urgin the pinion against the stop nearest the engine gear.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

GEORGE W. ELSEY.

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