US1605090A

US1605090A - Engine-starting apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1605090A
Application number: US79025A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bijur Joseph
Original assignee: Eclipse Machine Co
Current assignee: Eclipse Machine Co
Priority date: 1916-02-18
Filing date: 1916-02-18
Publication date: 1926-11-02
Anticipated expiration: 1943-11-02

Description

Nov. 2 1926. 1,605,090

J. BIJUR ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed Feb/18, 191 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTOR/VEY Nov. 2 1926. 1,605,090

J- BIJUR ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed Fe 18, 1916 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I M a? A TTOB/VE Y Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

JOSEPH BIJUR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGEN'OB, BYJMIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ECLIPSE MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK.

ENGINE-STARTING APPARATUS,

Application filed February 18, 19.16.. Serial No. 79,025.

This invention relates to engine-starting apparatus, and with regard to certain more specific features, to motor-operated eng1nestarters in which a motor-driven pinion is shifted into and out of engagement with a gear connected with the engine shaft.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide starting apparatus for internal 'com bustion engines, which shall be of simple construction and efficient and reliable action Another object is toprovide a simple and compact engine-starting apparatus 1n winch the danger of damaging the parts by 1amming or otherwise, is minimized or eliminated.

Another object is to provide apparatus of this general type, in which one of the gears relatively movable axially, is automatically forced into meshing condltion 1n case the teeth of the two gears tend to meet end to end.

Another object is to provide, in a movable pinion starter, practical and efficientmeans for preveting the accidental rotationof the pinion, as, for example, when the 0 engine is running.

Another object is to provide an inexpensive and efficient construction of sleeve and motor-driven pinion, enabling the parts to be easily assembled and readily disassembled in case of inspection or repair.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and

art pointed out hereinafter.

e invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which are to be exem lified in the structure hereinafter desori ed, and the scope of the ap lithreaded sleeve.

tate under its own line 5-5 of Figure 1, omitting certain parts to show the construction more clearly.

Similar reference characters indicate similar arts throughout the several views of the rawings.

This invention relates to apparatus for starting engines such as internal combustion engines, which are ordinarily incapable of starting without the assistance of external power. In a preferred form of the invention, the fiy-wheel of the engine is provided with a gear, which, at appropriate times, is meshed with a pinion driven from an electric motor. To start the engine, power is applied to the motor, and the rotation of the motor effects both the meshing of pinion and gear and the rotation of the engine shaft through the medium of the pinion and gear. When the engine has started to ropower, the pinion and gear are disengaged g an action similar to that shown in my atent No. 1,095,696, dated May 5, 1914, and the power is out off from the motor either manually or automatically, as may be desired, these features of construction in themselves forming no part of the present invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 an engine 1 comprising a casing 2 and shaft 3, upon which is mounted a fly-wheel 4, carrying a gear 5, hereinafter referred to as the enginedriven or fly-wheel gear. A motor shown conventionally at 6, has mounted upon its shaft 7 a gear 8 meshing with the gear 9, which is fixed upon and revoluble with a sleeve 10 externally screw-threaded as at 11. Mounted upon the sleeve 10 for rotation and axial movement with respect to said sleeve is a pinion 12, hereinafter referred to as the sliding or motor-driven pinion. This pinion is provided with internal screw-threads 13 registering with the external screw threads 11 of the sleeve 10. From this it will be clear that if there is relative rotation between sleeve and pinion, there will be relative axial movement between these two elements, owing to the screw-threaded connection between them; and conversely, if relative rotation be prevented, relative axial movement will likewise be prevented. In the operation of the apparatus, power is applied to the motor to set its shaft 7 and gear 8 in rotation; this transmits motion to the gear 9 and sleeve 10; the pinion 12 does not atonce acquire the speed of rotation of the sleeve 10, due to the the jamming of the teethof inion and gear inertia of said pinion; and the pin 15 is almost instantaneously re ieved and any mounted in thepinion 12 snaps over a fairly damage to the parts of the apparatus is prestiif leaf or blade spring 16 mounted as herevented by the prompt relief afforded by the inafter described. Thus the sleeve 10 rotates co-operation of spring 20 and associated faster than the pinion 12, and this relative parts.

rotation of sleeve and pinion causes the lat- The leftward movement of the sleeve 10 ter to travel axially of the former, toward. is limited by a fixed portion 30 of the frame, the left in Figure 1, and into engagement into which is mounted the fixed pin or shaft with the teeth 17 of the fly-wheel gear 5. 31, carrying the sleeve 10.

The teeth 17 of the fly-wheel gear 5 and the In the usual action of the apparatus, that teeth 18 of the motor-driven gear 12 preferis, when the

teeth

17 and 18 mesh without ably have their adjacent edges tapered, as appreciable abutting end to end, the leftward indicated in Figure 4, so that unless the teeth shifting of thepinion is cushioned and limmeet almost exactly end to end, said teeth ited by the spring 26 and adished washer 33 will satisfactorily mesh with one another, of spring steel surrounding the sleeve 10 adthe tapered surfaces effecting a slight rotajacent the outer or right-hand face of the tion of the inion, if necessary, to insure the collar 25. In this action, the washer 33 is meshing of teeth. Usually in the operaflattened out and the spring 26 compressed tion of the starting apparatus, the pinion 12 to such an extent as will cause the pinion to thus start the" and gear 5 will be brought into mesh withturn with the sleeve and out any difficulty, either with or without the engine. aid of these tapered end surfaces of the teeth l/Vhen the engine has begun to rotate un- 17, 18. However, the teeth 18 might jam' der its own power, the pinion 12, now driven against the teeth 17 and in order to prevent from the gear 5 instead of driving it, rothe trouble that would ensue in such a case, tates faster than the motor-driven sleeve the present invention contemplates the pro- 10, and this excess of speed causes the pinion vision of certain mechanism, a preferred to travel along the sleeve toward the right, type of which will now be described out of engagement with the gear 5. As the In the starting operation, as the motorpinion 12 approaches the rightward limit driven pinion 12 travels toward the left, of its travel, the pin 15 thereon begins to there is no appreciable axial thrust on the strike against the projecting apex 34 of the sleeve 10, because there is no opposition to fixed blade spring 16, as indicated in solid the axial travel of the pinion 12. If, howlines in Figure 3; the spring yields, to ever, the inion teeth 18 should jam against allow the pin to pass by the apex 34 thereof. the fly-w eel gear-teeth 17, the pinionwill A loose washer 35 prevents the pinion 12 be unable to travel further toward the left, from jamming against thegear 9 or parts and since the sleeve is at this time rotated by revoluble therewith. By this time the the motor at considerable speed, there will power may be shut off from the motor and be considerable end-thrust toward the right, the motor-driven sleeve 10 come to rest. upon the sleeve, since said sleeve is unable .The spring 16 offers enough resistance to to push the pinion axially toward the left. the pin 15 so that the pin does not pass by The rightward movement of the sleeve 10 is the spring without the exertion of consider opposed by the compression of a relatively able torque upon the pinion 12 and hence light coil spring 20 mounted between the this acts as a detent, and serves to prevent end-plates 21 on the gear 9, and a suitable the accidental rotation of the pinion 12 and portion 23 of the fixed framework. As the the consequent possible contacting of gear sleeve 10 moves toward the right, the sleeve and pinion, owing to the vibrations of the carries with it a collar 25, surrounding the apparatus when the engine or car is running. sleeve and connected to a stiff coil spring 26, whose other end bears against the end flange gear 9 has been referred to as being mounted 27 of said sleeve. The collar is, of course, upon the sleeve 10. A preferred mounting rotating at the same speed as the sleeve and for the gear is illustrated in Figures 1,2

as the collar abuts against the left end 28 of and 5 as com rising a pair of end-plates the motor-driven pinion 12, the frictional 21, each bolte as at 36 to the gear 9, the

creased friction at the pinion threads, or or socket for the left end of the spring' both, causes the pinion to rotate slightly, 20, whose resistance to compression keeps enough to bring the pinion teeth 18 into the end-plates21, gear 9 and sleeve 10 forced mesh with the fiy-wheel-gear teeth 17. ,Then toward the left in Figure 1. The pinion the spring 20, which at this time is under and end-plates are mounted on the squared considerable compression, forces the sleeve reduced portion of the sleeve 10, so that 10 and withit the pinion 12, leftward, so rotation of the gear 9 effects rotation of that the pinion is thus brought fully into the sleeve'10.' The gear 9 abuts the shoulder mesh with the fly-wheel gear 5. In this way, 37 on the sleeve 10. The end-plates have 12c contact between collar and pinion or the intwo end-plates together providing a cup internally projecting. flanges 38 engaging in a peripheral groove 39 in the sleeve,.so that when the end-plates are bolted in position as indicated in Figures 1, 2 and the flanges 38 together with the shoulder 37 of the sleeve 10 hold the gear 9 securely against sliding movement upon said sleeve.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the engine is to be started, power is applied to the motor, to set its shaft 7 and pinion 8 in rotation. This rotates the gear 9 and sleeve 10. The pinion 12 does not acquire thespeed of rotation ofthe sleeve 10, owing to the inertia of the pinion or other means. This relative rotation of sleeve and pinion, the former at a higher speed than the latter, causes the pinion to travel to the left until its teeth. 18 engage the teeth 17 onthe gear 5 mounted upon the fly-wheel 4 of the engine 1. Ordinarily, the

teeth

18 and 17 will mesh; and the leftward travel of the pinion 12 is cushioned and limited by the tapered coil spring 26,

or the dished spring Washer 33. Further rotation of the motor causes the rotation of the pinion 12, since further leftward movement of the pinion is prevented," this sets the fly-wheel gear 5 in rotation, and starts the engine. The tapering of the teeth 17 and 18 (Figure 4) facilitates the inter-meshing of the same. If, however, the

teeth

17 and 18 meet endto end, so that leftward movement of the pinion 12 is prevented, a rightward movement of the sleeve 10 is caused, since the pinion 12 and sleeve 10 must have a relative axial move ment owing to their relative rotation and the screw-threaded mounting of the pinion.

The rightward movement of the sleeve 1() is opposed by the light compression spring 20. The rightward movement of the sleeve and parts mounted thereon brings the spring washer 33 against the. left end 28 of the pinion 12 and the compression or flattening of the latter as well as a possible compression of the spring 26 exerts pressure on the pinion, and the increasing friction between the rotating collar 25 and the stationary pinion 12 or between the threads of the pinion and sleeve, or both, finally forces the latter to rotate slightly, enough to bring its teeth 18 into mesh with the teeth 17 of the fly-wheel gear 5. It may be noted that by this arrangement of using a light spring in conjunction with the relatively heavy spring 26, there is a complete cushioning of the shock occasioned not only by the rightward axial movement of the sleeve, but the application of torque to the pinion to relieve the jamming condition is also gradual. This is here accomplished without sacrificing the heavy spring action when the parts are gripped together in cranking the engine. It may be noted that if the spring 26 is of tapered cross section as shown in the drawings, with its lesser tion, its leftward movement is no longer opposed by the teeth 17 and it is shifted toward the left by the expansion of the spring 20. The

teeth

17 and 18 are thus brought into mesh, and further rotation of the motor serves to start the engine in the same manner as if no incipient jamming had occurred. hen the engine has begun to rotate under its own power, disengagement of the fly-wheel gear 5 and the pinion 12 is effected, preferably as set forth in my Patent 1,095,696, hereinbefore referred to; this movement being accelerated if at this time the power is shut off from the motor. When the pinion 12 approaches the rightward limit of its travel along the sleeve 10, the pin 15 on the pinion snaps over the spring 16 on the gear, and when the pinion has come to rest, the co-operation of spring 16 and pin 15 serves as a detent to prevent the accidental rotation of the pinion, due to the vibration of the apparatus while the engine or car is in motion.

From the above, it will be seen that there is provided apparatus in which the objects of the invention are realized, and other advantageous results obtained.

As various changes might be made inthe above construction, and as the above invention might be embodied in different forms, it is intended that all matter set forth in the above description and in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and'not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine, a driving connection therefor including normally disengaged gears relatively movable to bring theteeth of said gears into mesh, and means for automatically effecting relative rotation of said gears by movement into contact with one of them to bring them into mesh when their teeth meet end to end.

2. In'apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine, a driving connection therefor including a normally disengaged gear and pinion relatively movable to bring the teeth ofgear and pinion into mesh, and means movable into contact with the pinion and acting automatically upon the jamming of pinion teeth against gear teeth, to rotate the pinion into mesh with the gear.

3. Tn apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine, a gear connected to the engine, a pinion means whereby the pin- 1on is moved into engagement with the gear during the starting operation, and means .for

automatically rotating the pinion and actuated into contact therewith when the pinion teeth and the gear teeth meet end to end.

4. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a driving connection for an engine starting motor including a normally disengaged gear and inion relatively movable axially to bring t e gear teeth and pinion teeth into mesh, and means acting automatically upon an incipient jammnng of gear teeth against pinion teeth end to end, to eflect a relative rotation of. gear and pinion by operative contact with one of them to thereby bring said gear teeth and said pinion teeth into mesh.

5. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine-driven gear, a motor-driven pinion shiftable axially into and out of engagement with said gear, means effective after the meshing of gear teeth and pinion teeth, for limiting the axial movement of the pinion and simultaneously forcing said pimon to rotate, said last-named means being automatically effective to force the rotation of the. pinion when the pinion teeth and gear teeth meet end to end.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and longitudinal movement thereof, said shaft having a radially projecting member, and a substantially flat spring secured to one face of said member and having a hump portion, said spring being located in a plane at right angles to the axis of rotation of said shaft, said driving member having a projection adapted to be engaged by said hump portion when such driving member is in normal position.

7. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatable screw shaft, a pinion threaded thereon, a gear drivingly attached to the shaft, and a substantially flat spring secured to one face of the gear and having a hump portion, said pinion havin a pro ection adapted to be engaged by sai hump portion when the pinion is in normal position.

8. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine-driven ear, a motor-driven pinion slidably axial y into and out of engagement with said gear, means for limiting the axial movement of the pinion into engagement with the gear, and means for frictionally engaging the pinion to rotate the same when during a starting operation the pinion teeth and gear teeth meet end to end.

9. An apparatus of the class described, in

combination, an engine-driven gear, a motor-,

driven pinion axially movable into mesh which said pinion is mounted, means adapted to exert a relatively light cushioning effect to cushionand limit the axial movement of the pinion into engagement with the gear, and means offering a relatively heavy resistance to relative axial shifting of sleeve and pinion during a jammin of the teeth, wherebya relatively strong rictional drive between sleeve and inion is effected to rotate the pinion an break said -jam.

10. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine-driven gear, a motor-driven pinion axially movable into mesh therewith, a sleeve on which said pinion is mounted, and means adapted to exert a relatively light cushioning effect to cushion and limit the axial movement of the pinion into engagement with the gear, said means offerin a relatively heavy resistance to relative axial shifting of sleeve and pinion during ajamming of the teeth, whereby a relatively strong frictional drive between sleeve and pinion is eifected to rotate the pinion and thereby break said jam.

11. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine-driven gear, a motor-driven gear, a'sleeve having a reduced portion upon which said motor-driven gear is mounted, a pinion upon said sleeve adapted to travel into mesh with said engine-driven gear, and means fitting into a peripheral groove in said reduced portion to prevent relative axial movement of gear and sleeve.

12. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine-driven. gear, a motor-driven pinion shiftable axially into and out of engagement with said gear, a sleeve upon which said pinion is mounted, a motor-driven gear upon a squared end of said sleeve, a pair of end-plates secured to said gear and together forming a cup, internally projecting flanges upon said endplates engaging in a peripheral groove in said squared end of said sleeve, and a spring fitted in said cupand bearing against a fixed portion of the apparatus, whereby an axial thrust is maintained upon said sleeve.

13. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine driven gear, a longitudinally movable driven sleeve externally threaded, a pinion threaded on said sleeve for axial movement into and out of mesh with said gear, and means for limiting such axial travel of the pinion on the sleeve after such pinion has meshed with the gear and for rotating said pinion into mesh with the gear in case of the abutting of the gear teeth and the pinion teeth.

14. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine-driven gear, a motor-driven sleeve externally threaded and I mounted for axial movement, an internally therewith, an axially movable sleeve upon thereby threaded pinion mounted on said sleeve for axial travel of the pinion on the sleeve after the pinion has meshed with the gear, to

- force the pinion to rotate the gear, said said gear,

sleeve being mounted for axial movement against the action of a spring, whereby, when the pinion teeth and gear teeth meet end to end and further axial travel of the pinion on the sleeve is thereby prevented, the continued rotation of the sleeve efi'ects an axial movement of the sleeve to brin said resilient means into engagement wit the pinion to rotate the pinion into mesh with the gear, said spring thereupon restoring the sleeve to its initial axial posltion and therebysimultaneously movmg the pinion into mesh with the gear 15. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine driven gear, a motor, a pinion, a rotary member driven from said motor on which said p1I 110I1 1S mounted, means adapted to move said pinion into mesh with said gear, and means aside from said rotary member tendlng to apply a rotary force to said pinion asats teeth meet those of said gear in approaching meshing position.

16. In apparatus of the-class described, 1n combination, an engine driven gear, a motor, a pinion driven from said motor, means adapted to mesh said pinion with said gear, and a device having separate resilient means providing different resistances to compression, into operative relation With which said pinion is brought as it goes into mesh.

17. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine driven gear, a motor, an endwise movable threaded member driven from said motor, a pinion threaded on said member in position to move thereon into mesh with said gear, and a device actuated by endwise movement of said threaded member adapted to move said pinion relatively to said gear into meshing position upon the teeth of said pinion and gear meeting end to end.

18. In apparatus of the class described, in

combination, an engine driven gear, a motor,

a threaded member driven from said motor, a pinion threaded on said member 1n posltion to travel on its threads int-o mesh with ing end of said pinion a apted to apply a rotary force thereto upon the teeth of said pinion meeting those of said gear end to end.

19. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine driven gear, a

motor, a non-rotary spindle, a threaded sleeve. mounted on said spindle and freely rotatable and driven from saidmotor, and a pinion threaded upon said sleeve in position to enter into mesh with the teeth of said gear.

20. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine driven gear, a motor, a rotary threaded member driven and means engaging the enter-' member driven from said motor in position to enter into mesh with said gear, and a single device adapted to cushion the shock of entry of said pinion within said gear and actuated by the threaded member to appl a rotary force to said pinion upon the teet theireof meeting those of said gear end to en 22. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising normally disengaged gears relatively movable to bring the teeth of said gears into mesh, and means movable relatively towards and into contact with one of said gears and adapted to slightly rotate the latter. in the event of the abutting of said teeth,

23. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising normally disengaged gears relatively movable to bring the teeth of said gears into mesh, and means operative as an incident to the abutting of said teeth and movable into contact with one of said gears to slightly rotate it to overcome such abutting condition.

24. In apparatus of the class described, a dr1ve comprising normally disengaged gears relatively movable to bring the teeth of said gears into mesh, and friction means" movable into contact with one of said gears to rotate it upon the abutting of said teeth.

25. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising normally disengaged ears relatively movable to bring the teeth 0 said gears into mesh, and means normally out of contact with but adapted to apply a gradually increasing rotative pressure to one of said gears upon the abutting of said teeth.

26. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising normally disengaged gears relatively movable to bring the teeth of said gears into mesh, and means for applying a gradually increasing frictional rotative pressure to one of said gears upon the abutting of said teeth.

27. In apparatus of the class described,

a drive comprising normally engaged gears,

one of which is moved axially to bring the teeth of the two gears into mesh, and rotatable means movable relatively to and into contact with the axially movable gear to slightly rotate the latter in the event of the abutting of said teeth.

28. In apparatus of the class described,

'a drive comprising a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and means carried by said shaft and movable into engagement with the driving member to slightly rotate it in the event of the arrest of its longitudinal movement during the rotation of said shaft.

29. In apparatus of j the class described, a drive comprising a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, said shaft being mounted for longitudinal movement, and means carried by said shaft and moved by the longitudinal movement of the shaft into engagement with the driving member to slightly rotate it in the event of the arrest of its longitudinal movement during the rotation of said shaft.

30. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatable screw shaft, a pinion threaded on the shaft for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and neans carried by said shaft and movable into contact with the pinion to slightly rotate it in the event of the arrest of its l6ngitu'dinal movement during the rotation of said shaft.

31. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatable screw shaft, a

"pinion threaded on the shaft for rotary -movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and

means for cushioning the full longitudinal movement of the pinion in its engagement with the engine member and for slightly rotating such pinion in the event of its partial longitudinal movement due to the arrest thereof.

32. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatable screw shaft, a pinion threaded on the shaft for rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal .movement thereof into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, said shaft being mounted for longitudinal movement, and means mounted on the shaft and forming astop for the full longitudinal movement of the pinion and a rotatable actuating device adapted to slightly rotate the pinion in the event of its partial longitudinal movement and the. longitudinal movement of the shaft.

33. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatable screw shaft,

a pinion threaded on the shaft for rotary JOSEPH BIJUR.