US1750300A - Engine starter - Google Patents

Description

March 11, 1930. J. B. DYER I ENGINE STARTER Filed Jan. 9, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a; Elm cantor lllllllllllllllllllll ll March 11, 1930. J DYER 1,750,300

ENGINE STARTER Filed Jan- 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN B. DYER, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO DELCO-REMY CORPORATION, .OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ENGINE STARTER Application filed January 9, 1928.

This invention relates to apparatus for starting internal combustion engines, and particularly to the type of apparatus which comprises a shaft operated by an electric motor and means for connecting the shaft with a gear of an engine to be started, said means including a pinion mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof into mesh with the engine gear and rotary movement Z0 therewith for driving the engine gear, said means including also provisions whereby the pinion. will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts. In the preferred form of engine starting apparatus of this type the shaft is provided with helical splines with which the pinion is connected and along which the pinion is slidable.

The present invention is applied to a mechanism which can be operated manually or by 29 foot pressure to move the pinion into mesh with the engine gear and afterward to close a switch which will cause the motor to turn the shaft, said mechanism including provisions whereby the pinion will be rotated into meshing registration with the engine gear, in case the teeth of the pinion collide with the engine gear teeth. The mechanism is so arranged that the pinion will be automatically demeshed regardless of whether the operator 39 fails to release the manually actuatable memher which controls the gear shifting mechanism. One embodiment of this mechanism is disclosed in the copending application of VVilliam A. Chryst and George WV. Elsey, Serial No. 199,596, filed June 17, 1927. This application discloses a sleeve mounted to slide upon the helically splined shaft in order to push the pinion into mesh with the engine gear. The sleeve and the pinion provide axially engag- 40 ing clutch elements so that rotation may be imparted from the sleeve to the pinion. The mechanism for moving the sleeve and rotating it includes a manually operable pivoted lever carrying a pin which moves longitudinally along the shaft and engages a slot in the sleeve which is oblique to the axis of the shaft. lVhen the pin is moved longitudinallv it tends both to move the sleeve toward the pinion and also to rotate the sleeve. A no yielding friction device tends to prevent ro- Serial No. 245,300.

tation of the sleeve from the time the sleeve begins its movement from normal position until it moves into such position that the pinion is pushed into the flywheel gear and can move no further. Then the friction means gives way to permit rotation of the sleeve due to the cainming action between the pin and that portion of the sleeve which defines the oblique slot. It is obviously desirable that the pin occupy that portion of the slot remotest from the pin when this camming action begins in order that sufficient rotation of the pinion may take place to mesh the pinion with the engine gear and also that sufficient movement of the pinion thereafter may be provided for moving the pinion into substantial meshing relation with the engine gear before the motor switch is closed. This relation of the pin and slot will be referred to hereafter as the normal relationwhich these elements should have when the process of gear meshing is initiated. It is possible with a trick manipulation of the starting apparatus'of the Chryst and Elsey application referred to, to initiate the gear shifting operation when the pin occupies that portion of the slot which is nearer to the pinion than that portion non mally occupied. The resultof this trick op'- eration is simply to push the pinion against the engine gear and to close the motor switch, thereby causing the pinion to rotate while the ends of its teeth are held against theends of the flywheel teeth. This results in objectionable noise and'great damage to the teeth of" the pinion and gear.

The chief object of the present invention is to render the device of Chryst and Elsey more fool-proof by the use of means which Will the pinion until the actuating member has been released, and under all conditions it will be impossible to have the pinion pressed against the engine gear while the motor switch is closed.

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

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, side view, partly in longitudinal section, of a starting apparatus embodying the present invention, the sectional view being on the line 111 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view looking in the direction of arrow 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view looking in the direction of arrow 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the condition of the engine starting apparatus v at the instant of bringing the pinion into meshing relation with the engine gear, the sectional view of Fig. 5 being taken on the line 5-55 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the condition of the apparatus at the instant of closing the motor switch.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the condition of the apparatus after the engine becomes self-operative and before the actuator has been released by the operator.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, sectional view on the line 1010 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary View looking in the direction of the arrow 12 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the sleeve element of the apparatus.

Fig. 14 is a plan view of a sheet metal blank used to form a part of the element shown in Fig. 13.

Referring to the drawings, the field frame 20 of the starting motor is secured in any suitable way to a bracket and gear housing frame 21 which is adapted to be secured in the usual manner to that part of the engine frame which encloses the engine flywheel which is provided with a gear 22. The starting motor includes an armature shaft 23 ournalied in a bearing 24 provided by the frame 21 and at the opposite end, in a similar bearing, supported by the field frame in the usual man ner. The shaft 23 is provided with helical splines 25 which, between shoulder portions 25 and 25*, are less in external diameter than other portions of these splines for a purpose to be described. A pinion 26 is provided internally with spiral splines adapting the pinion to slide endwise along the shaft splines 25 into mesh with the engine gear 22, and adapting the pinion to be driven by the shaft 23 for the purpose of cranking the engine. lVhen the pinion 26 is in normal position out of mesh with tie engine gear, its internal splines are supported upon that portion of the splines 25 between the shoulders 25 and 25 Since the pinion must be elevated in moving from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 5 in passing over the shoulder portions 25 it is evident that the pinion will be yieldingly retained in normal position thus overcoming a tendency to drift into engagement with the engine gear due to vibration of the engine or vehicle propelled by it. [is the pinion is moved into mesh with the engine gear by a mechanism to be described, an internal annular shoulder 27 provided by the pinion will engage a resilient wire split ring 28 a d will cause it to be contracted within a groove 29 which the shaft 23 provides for receiving the ring. The internal diameter of the shoulder 27 is such that the shoulder will be permitted to move toward the right past the ring 28 while the ring is being squeezed into the groove. After the shoulder has moved past the ring 28, the ring will expand within an internal annular groove 30 in the pinion and will therefore yieldingly retain the pinion in gear meshing position. lVhile the pinion is being operated by the motor to crank the engine, the conical surface 31 provided by it, will abut the ring 28 which delivers the end thrust from the pinion to the shaft 23. End thrust is delivered from the shaft 23 to the frame 21 through a washer 32 received by a groove 32 in the shaft 23 and bearing against a machined surface provided by the frame 21.

The manually operable mechanism for moving the pinion into mesh with the engine gear and for causing the motor thereafter to operate comprises a pedal rod which slides through a floorboard 41 of an automobile and is connected at 42 with a lever 43 pivoted upon a screw 44 attached to the frame 21. The lever 43 is arranged to contact with a switch actuating plunger 45 supported by a case 46 which is attached by screws 47 to the field frame 20 and which encloses the switch contacts. When the switch actuator 45 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the switch is open and when in the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 9 the switch is closed. A. spring 48 moves the actuator 45 from the switch closed to switch open position. The lever 43 carries at its lower end a pin or stud 50 adapted to be received by the oblique slot 51 provided in a sleeve 52 which is formed by bending the sheet metal blank 53 shown in Fig. 14 into cylindrical form. A tubular rivet 54, which is slidable along the shaft 23,

cooperates with apertured discs and .56 as shown in Fig. 1 in order to hold the sleeve 52 in concentric spaced relation to the tubular rivet 54. The blank 53 used to form thesleeve 52 is. provided with notches 557 and 58 which, after the sleeve 52 has been formed into a cylinder and assembled with the parts 54, 5'5 and 56, receive respectively lugs 59 and 60 which are struck from the discs 55 and 56 respectively as shown in Figs. 4 and. 13 respectively. By the conventional staking operations, the disc 55 is connected with the rivet 54 and the rivet 54 with the disc 56. The staking of the rivet 54 to the disc 56 is indicated at 61 in F ig. 13. In this way the sleeve .52 is drivingly connected with the disc 56 which is provided with clutch teeth 62 adapted to engage clutch teeth 63 provided by shaping the. adjacent ends of the teeth of the pinion 26. In this way the sleeve is provided with a drivingmember, and the pinion with the driven member of an axially engageable clutch which is employed for transmitting rotation from the sleeve 52 to. the pinion 26.

Obviously the force applied by the pin 50 to the sleeve '52 tends notlonly to move the sleeve endwise but also to rotate it. Since it is desirable to begin the operation of'gear meshing by simply pushing the sleeve 52 en-dwise in order to move the pinion 26 into engagement with the engine gear 22 and to reserve the operation o-frotatin-g the sleeveuntil the time it is needed in order to bring the pinion into meshingregistration with the engine gear, the apparatus provides for resisting rotation of the sleeve so that the relation of the slot 51 and the pin 50 will be maintained at least during that portion of the movement of the sleeve which is required to push the pinioninto contact with the engine gear. The means which resists rota-tion of the sleeve under these conditions is provided by a plunger '70 which is slidably supported radially of the shaft 23 by a recess 71 provided by the frame 21, and which 1s pressed by a spring 72 against a projecting portion 73 of the sleeve which defines a longitudinally extending relatively gradual ridge 74. The projection 73 is formed by 'artially shearing away the metal of the lank 53 along the line a-b and 0-(Z shown in Fig. 14 and in shaping'this portion as shown in perspective in Fig. 13. The projection 73 therefore provides a surface 75 against which the plunger 70 normally rests,

the ridge 74 which is at a greater distance radially from the center of the shaft 23 than the surface 7 5, and a surface'76 which extends from the ridge 74 to the main cylindrical portion of the sleeve 52. Movement of the pin 50 toward the right in the drawing for the purpose of pushing the pinion 26 into engagement with the engine gear 22, will tend to rotate thes'leeve "52 in 'a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2. It is obvious that due to the engagement of the plunger 70 with the ridge 7 4 rotation of thesleeve 52 will be' yieldingly resisted.

The blank 53 is cut out along the curved lines (Z 9 and ghd to form an opening and the metal is sheared along the lines g--f and f-ein order to permit the formation of a lug 77 which may be described as startingv from the ridge 74 and so shaped as to provide a portion 78 which as shown in Fig. 2,-ex-. tends away fromthe sleeve 52 and which as shown in Fig. 4, slopes from a portion 78 most remote from the sleeve 52 over to the portion. 78 which merges with the sleeve. The edge portion 7 9 of the lug 77 provides a stop for engagement with the plunger 70 for a purpose to be described. From the portion 7 8 to the free end. of the lug 77 the lug diminishes inwidth as shown particularly in Figs. 11 and 3 in order to provide clearance for the motion of. the lug 77 relative to the plunger 70 without the lug touching the plunger. 1

In orderthat there may be a tendency for the sleeve to rotate with the shaft, the sleeve isprovided with a hole 80 (see Fig. 14) for receiving the shank 81 of av plunger 82 extending through a hole 83in the tube 54 and pressed by a spring 84 against the shaft 23 as shown in Fig. 2. By connecting the shaft and sleeve with a friction coupling the shaft causes the sleeve to be automatically retracted from the pinion in a manner and for a purpose-which will be apparent hereafter.

The pedal 40 is yieldingly retained in nor mal position as shown in Fig. 1 by a spring 90 retained by a recess 91 in the frame 21 and pressing the headi92 of a plunger 93 surrounded by the spring into engagement with the lever 43' tending to rotate the lever clockwise.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

To start the engine, the operator will press the pedal 40 causing the lever 43 to move clockwise and the sleeve 52 to move into engagement with the pinion 26 and the pinion to move into engagement with the gear 22 as shown in Fig. 5. During this motion of the sleeve endwise the plunger 70 remains in engagement with the surface. 7 5 and the ridge 74 and thereby yieldingly resists rotation of' the sleeve 52 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, although, during the endwise movement of the sleeve 52, the pin 50 coacts with the sleeve in such manner as to tend to rotate the sleeve in this direction. By the time the pinion has been pushed by the sleeve against the gear 22 the relative motion between the plunger'70 and sleeve will be such that the plunger will occupy the position-indicated by the dash and dot line circle 70 in Fig. 3. Assuming that the ends of the pinion teeth abut the ends of the gear teeth CIl 22 before meshing, endwise motion of the sleeve 52 will be arrested. If the operator continues to press the pedal 40, the sleeve will be rotated due to the cooperation of the pin and the walls defining the oblique slot 51. By reason of the clutch teeth 62 and 63, rotation is transmitted from the sleeve 52 to the pinion 26. The lug 77 will therefore rotate relative to the plunger in order to bring the plunger 70 in new relation to the sleeve. At the instant the pinion has been located in meshing registration with the gear, the plunger will be located relative to the lug 77 as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 It will be seen that the plunger is located upon substantially the highest partof the surface 78 or that part most remote from the shaft. Relative to the sleeve 52, the plunger 70 has moved from the position '70 in the direction of the arrow 95 into the position represented by the dash and dot line circle 7 O As the operator continues to press the pedal 40, the sleeve and pinion will move from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 8, and during this movement, the lug 7 7 will slide from contact with the plunger 70. The relative motion of the plunger and sleeve is indicated by the arrow 96 in Fig. 3, and when the plunger is located relative to the sleeve as shown in Fig. 8, the plunger will be located as represented by the dash and dot line circle 70 in Fig. 3. During the movement of the sleeve from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 8, the inclined surface between the parts 78 and 7 8 of the lug 77 will be engaged by the plunger. Therefore as the sleeve moves toward the right in the drawings, the plunger will be permitted to approach the shaft. lVhen the surface 78 is well lubricated the plunger will actually assist to move the pinion into engagement with the gear.

The sleeve is now free of the pinion and is prepared to be automatically retracted from the pinion so that when the pinion is thrown out of mesh with the engine gear it will not be hindered by the sleeve.

By the time the lever 43 has been moved sufliciently to locate the sleeve and pinion as shown in Fig. 8, the motor switch will be closed to cause the shaft 23 to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in the direction of the arrow 8 in Fig. 8. Due to the helical splined connection between the pinion 26 and the shaft 23, the motor will automatically move the pinion from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 8 to the dot and dash line position 26, thereby moving the pinion into engagement with the stop ring 28 and connecting the pinion for rotation with the shaft. The pin 50 of the lever 43 being stationary during the engine cranking operation, the sleeve 52 Will be automatically moved from the position shown in Fig. 8 to that shown in Fig. 9 due to the cooperation between the pin 50 and the sleeve walls defining the spiral slot 51. The sleeve 52 tends to follow the shaft since it is frictionally connected with it by the spring pressed plunger 82. \Vhen the sleeve is in the position shown in Fig. 9 and before the pedal is released, the relation of the sleeve and plunger is as shown in Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12. During the movement of the sleeve 52 from the position shown in Fig. 8 to that shown in Fig. 9, the relative motion between the plunger and sleeve is indicated by the arrow 97 in Fig. 3. The location of the plunger 70 relative to the sleeve as shown in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive is represented by the end portion 70 of the plunger indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 3. Since the path of relative movement of the plunger as indicated by the arrow 97 is necessarily parallel to the oblique slot 51 in the sleeve 52, it is apparent that the lug 77 must be tapered as shown in order to avoid contact between the plunger 70 and lug 7 7 while the lug moves relative to the plunger.

hen the engine becomes self-operative, the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear due to the fact that there is a reversal of torque transmission between the gear 22 and pinion 26 since the gear is driving the pinion faster than it can be driven by the motor. The pinion will therefore be automaticaly moved into the position shown in Fig. 9 after the engine becomes self-operative. However, before this occurs the sleeve will have been moved into the position shown in Fig. 9 so that the pinion may be automaticaly demeshed without colliding with the sleeve. \Vhen the operator releases the pedal 40, the spring 90 will be released to move the lever 43 clockwise and to restore the normal relation between the pin 50 and sleeve 52 as shown in Fig. 1. While the pin 50 moves from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 1, the sleeve 52, being resiliently urged against a stop member 100, will be rotated from the position shown in Fig. 9 to that shown in Fig. 1 or in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2. During this motion of the sleeve relative to the plunger 70 the inclined surface 76 will first engage the plunger and then the ridge 74L; and, when the rotation of the sleeve ceases, the plunger 70 will be located in normal position against the sur face 7 5 and the ridge 74. The relative motion between the plunger 70 and sleeve 52, as the sleeve 52 returns to normal is represented by the arrow 98 in Fig. 3. Relative to the sleeve 52, the plunger moves from the position represented at 70 in Fig. 3 to the nor mal position 70. All of the parts of the apparatus have been restored to normal position after the pedal has been released.

Provided the. pin 50 and sleeve 52 are in normal relation before the pedal 40 is pressed,

the motor switch cannot be closed until after the pinion 26 has been substantially meshed with the engine gear 22. This feature is due to the fact that the lever 43 is not permitted to engage the motor switch actuator 45 until after the sleeve 52 has pushed the pinion 26 against the gear 22, has rotated the pinion into meshing registration with the gear and has pushed the pinion into substantial mesh with the gear as shown in Fig. 8. This feature insures a substantial engagement of the gear before the motor switch is closed and thereby avoids the breakage of gearteeth which would be likely to occur if the area of tooth contact pressure were but very slight at the time the full power of the motor comes 011. Provided that the pin and sleeve 52 are at normal relation when the-starting operation is initiated, the plunger will cooperate with the sleeve in such manner as to cause the sleeve to perform the functions described. One of the improvements made by the present invention in the type of apparatus represented by the Ghryst and Elsey application, is the means for com pelling the operator to restore to normal the relation between the pin and the sleeve before the operation of starting can be repeated. It will be noted that if the operator releases the pedal at least sufficiently to effect the rotation of the lug 77 from the position shown in full lines to the position 77 in dot and dash lines in Fig. 10, depressing the pedal againin order to move the sleeve endwise toward the pinion will cause the lug 77 to engage the plunger 70, thereby preventing further movement of the sleeve toward the pinion. Therefore if the lever has been released tothis extent the operator cannot-repeat the starting operation unless the first releases the pedal to permit the normal relation of the sleeve and plunger and pin and sleeve to be restored or in other words, to remove the obstruction provided by the side edge 7-9 of the lug 77. If, however, the pedal '40 is released only slightly, for example, sufficiently'to open the motor switch but not enough to locate the lug 77 in longitudinal alignment with the end of the plunger 70, depressing the pedal again will not move the sleeve sufliciently to move the pinion into contact with the engine gear, although, the closing of the motor switch will be permitted. The sum of the clearances between the sleeve and the pinion and the pinion and gear shown in Fig. 9 is such that counterclockwise rotation of the lever 43 is stopped by the motorswitch before the pinion can be moved into contact with the gear. Therefore, under no condition can a trick manipulation of the pedal be performedin order to bring about the closing ofvthe motor switch while the ends of thepinion teeth are only pressed into en agement with the ends of the gear teeth. The lug 7'2 is therefore effective in pre venting the re-engagement of the pinion with the enginegear unless the sleeve 52 has first been returned to a position permitting the re-engagement of the plunger 70 with the portions 7 5 and 74 of the sleeve extension 73, or unless the pin 50 and oblique slot 5l-have been restored to the normal relation which is necessary before the sleeve can be caused to perform its usual functions, namely, moving the pinion endwise into engagement with the engine gear, rotating the pinion into gear meshing registration with the engine ear and then pushing the pinion part way into mesh with the engine gear before closing the motor switch.

lVhile the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims" which follow; I,

hat is claimed is as follows:

1. Engine starting apparatus-comprising in combination, a motor; a shaft'operated by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started ineluding a pinion mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and formtary movement therewith; a manuallyoperable actuator; means operated by the actuator for moving the pinion longitudinally of the shaft and for rotating the pinion in case of gear tooth abutment while the pinion is abutting the engine gear; and means for preventing the remeshing of the pinion with the gear until after the. actuator has been returned to normal position.

2. .Engine starting apparatus comprising incomb'ination, a motor; a shaft operated by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started including a pinion mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and for rotarymovement therewith and including provisions whereby the pinion will be'automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine becomes self-operative; a manually operable actuator; means operated by the actuator for moving the pinion longitudinally ofthe shaft and for rotating the pinion in case of gear tooth abutment while the pinion isabutting the engine gear; and means for preventing the remeshing of the pinion with the gear untilafter the actuator has been re turned to normal position.

3{ Engine starting apparatus comprising in combination, amotor a shaft operated by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started including a pinion mounted on the shaft "for longitudinal movement thereof and for rotary movement therewith and including provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshedfrom the engine gear when the engine becomes s'elf-operative; a manually opera-bl e actuator {two members movablelongitudinally along the shaft, one being connected with the actuator, and the other member being movable into engagement with the pinion; means for so connecting the two longitudinally movable members that the movement of the member connected with the actuator will cause longitudinal movement of said other member and also rotary movement thereof in case of gear tooth abutment; means for connecting said other member with the pinion to impart rotation thereto; and means for preventing the remeshing of the pinion with the engine gear until after the two members have been returned to normal positiOn.

4. Engine starting apparatus comprising in combination, a motor; a shaft operated by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started including a pinion mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and for rotary movement therewith and including provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically clemeshed from the engine gear when the engine becomes self-operative; a manually operable actuating member movable along the shaft; a clutch member movable endwise upon the shaft into engagement with the pinion to impart axial and rotary motion thereto; means for connecting the actuating member with the clutch member and includ ing a pin connected with one of the members and received by a slot provided by the other member oblique to the shaft; and means for preventing remeshing of the pinion with the engine gear until after the normal relation and positions of said two members have been restored.

5. Engine starting apparatus comprising in combination, a motor; a shaft operated by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started including a pinion mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and for rotary movement therewith and including provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine becomes self-operative; a manually operable actuating member movable along the shaft; a clutch member movable endwise upon the shaft into engagement with the pinion to impart axial and rotary motion thereto; a pin connected with the actuating member; means for connecting the clutch member with the pinand including a part having a slot oblique to the shaft for receiving the pin; and means for preventing remeshing of the pinion with the engine gear until after the normal relation and positions of said pin and slotted part have been restored.

6. Engine starting apparatus comprising in combination, a motor; a shaft operated by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and including a pinion mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and for rotary movement therewith and including provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; means for shifting the pinion endwise into mesh with the engine gear and for rotating the pinion in case the pinion teeth collide with the engine gear teeth, said means including a sleeve movable along the shaft and provided with a slot oblique to the shaft, and a pin movable longitudinally of the shaft and engaging the slot, whereby the pin and sleeve may move together to move the pinion into mesh with the engine gear and whereby the sleeve may be rotated'in case movement thereof is obstructed, said sleeve and pinion having clutching means for imparting rotation to the pinion; and means for preventing the re-engagement of the pinion with the engine gear unless the pin has first been returned to normal position relative to the sleeve.

7 Engine starting apparatus according to claim 6 in which the sleeve and shaft are frictionally connected so that when the shaft rotates to crank the engine, the sleeve will be retracted from the engine gear due to the coaction between the pin and oblique slot of the sleeve, and the sleeve thereby returned to normal position longitudinally of the shaft, and in which a lug connected with the sleeve is rotated during the return of the Pin to normal position into alignment longitudinally of the sleeve with a stationary stop, the lug being engageable with the stop until the sleeve has been substantially restored to normal position angularly of the shaft.

8. Engine starting apparatus comprising in combination, a motor; a shaft operated by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and including a pinion mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and for rotary movement therewith and including provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engme gear when the engine starts; means for shifting the pmion endwise into mesh with the engine gear and for rotating the pinion in case the pinion teeth collide with the engine gear teeth, said means including a sleeve movable along the shaft and provided with a slot oblique to the shaft and a pin movable longitudinally of the shaft and engaging the slot, whereby the pin and sleeve may move together to move the pinion into mesh with the engine gear and whereby the sleeve may be rotated in case movement thereof is obstructed, said sleeve and pinion having clutching means for imparting rotation to the pinion; means tending to resist rotation of the sleeve, and comprising frictionally engageable parts, one being stationary and the other being connected with the sleeve, said parts being separated during engine cranking; and means for preventing the re-engagement of the pinion with the engine gear unless the sleeve has first been returned to a position permitting the re-engagement of said frictionally engageable parts.

9. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 8 in which a lug connected with the sleeve is rotated, during the return of the pin to normal position, into alignment longitudinally of the shaft With the stationary frictional parts, said lug being engageable with the stationary frictional part substantially until the pin has been restored to normal po sition.

10. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 8 in which one of the frictionally engageable parts is a plunger urged by a spring in a direction radially of the shaft, and in which the sleeve provides a surface which is normally engaged by the plunger and a surface forming a ridge located at a greater distance from the shaft and extending longitudinally of the shaft so that the plunger may initially resist rotation of the sleeve while the sleeve moves longitudinally and in which the sleeve provides a lug which is so located relative to the ridge that some portion of it will be aligned longitudinally of the shaft with the plunger until after the plunger has been restored to normal position relative to the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

JOHN B. DYER.

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