US1828709A - Engine starting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 20, 1931. w. H. TEETER ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed June 14, 192s :5 sheets-,sheet 1 Oct. zo, 1931. w H TEE-TER 1,828,709

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed June 14, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 20, 1931. w. H. TEETER ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed June 1,-4, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ywmanually operable means Patented Oct, 20, 193i` n winroiai) H. TEETER, on'iinYToN, joiiio', ss'ifivonifio 'perico-REMY eoioRATioN, 0F

DAYTON, ori-ro, AcoitroiiiTioirorJunin/awaits' i Y PENGTNE sTAitT'iNG ArreIATUs Applieatanmea nine 14, 192s: vserenita. assied. i

This invention relates kto apparatus for starting. an internalcombustio'n englllend P f Y f ,A further object of the invention is t'o comparticularlyto thetype of apparatus which comprises an electric motor vwhich operates a rotatable drivingv member, such as a pinion,

which is moved by manual operation intor op-A erative connection with a part of the enginev to be started, vsuch as the engine flywheel gear. l Y Y l .V lOne lof the objects of.theinvention'x is to place the driving member substantiallyrin complete driving connection'with the engine part before operating the starting motor. Accordingly, the present invention provides driving member or pinion along a rotatable operating device, such as a shaft, with which` the driving member or pinionis operatively `connected and forA rotating the driving mem- .20 ber or pinion while it is pressed against the engine part or flywheel gear in case obstruction is encountered before thedrivingmemvber and engine part are operatively connected. The driving member is normally spacedfrom the engine part, and, whilethe manualmeans is moving the driving member-toward the en gine part, there is relativelylittle tendency to rotate the driving member. :If obstruction such as gear tooth abutment is encountered v, before the driving-memberand engine part are operatively connected, continuing the manual effort to engage ythe driving -member with the engine part will materially increase the tendency of the manually operable means to rotate' the driving member while it is pressed against the engineypart. vThis-increase tendency to rotate kthe driving-member is proportional to the force `applied to the manually operable means `for'"conneeting"the driving member and engine part'.v1 A' i The present inventiov l plying yielding pressure to maintain the driving member against the engine part whilel it is being rotated so that in case rotationof the driving member is undii-lyresisted by reason of the coaction ofroughened engaging surfaces of the driving member and engine part, the driving member may recede from 5u the engine part slightly in 'orderftopermit vheretofore with an enginestarter drive hav-V Further objects and advantages oflthe pres-l entinvention will lbe apparentvfrom the foll for moving the VVmanually operable startery control means .has ,been released.

controlled switch contained within a art. f

bine the features which have been described a fnig means `for automatically disconnecting lie drivingL member, vfrom the engine part f when the engine becomesself operative.

lowingrdescription, Y eference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of'emb'odiment of the present inventionkis clearly'shown.` .u

Inthe drawings: I

.. Fig. f1 isxa fragmentary' sid-e elevation l partly Vin longitudinal section showingl en-k gine starting apparatus .embodyingthe present invention.

yFigsQ and 3 are sectional views ytaken rie-.17,9

spectively on 'the linesQ--Q and 3-3 of Fig. l.

y Fig. ,4 isa vv iew similar to Fig.l showing thedriving. member or pinion abutting the engin-e part of fiywheel gear.,

' Figg isay View vsimilar, to Fig. t showing the `condition of the apparatuswhen the pin? ion hasfbeen turned tomesh with the flywheel gearl but just before meshing has taken place.`

Fig. is a view simi ar to Fig.v l showing the condition of the apparatus while crankfing the engine. p,

Fig.;7 ,is a view similar tok Fig.4 showing the condition of the apparatus; after the enf i gine lbecomes self-operative but beforev ythe 4'Reterring to Figs. l, 2, and, 20. designates the Held frameiof an, electric vmotor which is switch :housinf: 21 r`'n d operated by a plunger 90 shaft-into engagement with an engine part or flywheel gear 27.y The 'shaft 24: is supported by end bearings one ofiwhich is shown atV carried'by-a gear housingV 29 connected with the 4field'jfra:ine 20. End thrust ofthe ypinion f 100 'l Y" Ve;"drivlingi` member to. vpast the engine i Y 26 while driving the gear 27 is transmitted to the shaft through a wire split-ring proof the engine frame 36 which encloses the flywheel gear 27 The part of the housing 29 which is exterior of the engine frame is pro-4 vided with a side opening 37 through which certain parts of the starting apparatus may be passed when the apparatus is assembled.

Y The opening 37 is closed by a cover 38 which Vgear 27.

is lattached by screws 39 to planefbosses 40 and 41 provided by the housing 29, and which supports one endy of a stud 42 having its other end 43 supported bythe housing 29 as shown in Fig. 2. The stud 42 supports an operating lever 44 having a hub 45 journalled upon the stud. The upper arm of the lever 44 is located so as to actuate the switch plunger and is attached to apedal rod 46 which passes through a cup member 47 extending through an openinor 48 in the floorboard 49 of the automobile. spring 50 located between the bottom of the cup member 47 and the head 5l of the pedal rod 46 serves normally to maintain the lever 44 in the position shown in Fig. l.

The shaft 24 supports an engagement-effecting member 60 which slides axially along the shaft in order to move the pinion 26 into engagement with the gear 27, and which is manually rotatable for the purposeV of rotat ing the pinion 26 into meshing rel-ation with respect to the engine gear 27. Rotary motion is transmitted `from the member 60 to the pinion 26 by clutch teeth 61 provided by member 6() and engageable with clutch teeth 62 provided by a disk 63 attached to the pinion 2,6. In order that downward movement of the pedal 51 may cause the member 60 to move axially and to rotate when necessary to effect registration of the pinion with the gear, the lever 44 Vils-connected with the member 60 in a manner such that while Vthe pinion 26 'is Ybeing moved by the member 60 into contact with the gear 27 there is relatively little tendency to rotate the member 60, but the tendency to rotate the member 60 will'increas'e with increasing pressure upon the pedal 51 while the pinion 26 is pressed against the This effect isaccomplished by connecting the lever 44 to the member 60 by a collapsible link comprising telescopically engageable tubular like members 64 'and 65 which are normally maintained' in extended relation by a spring 66 contained within these portions. A screw pin 67 attached to the member 64 and passing into a slot 68 in the member limits the extent to which the members 64 and 65 can be separated. The

f meshing relation with respect to the link member 64 carries a stud 69 received by a hole in the lower end of the lever 44. The link member 65 is connected with the engagement-effecting member 60 by a stud 70 which is shaped so as to permit rotation of the member 60 while the link moves bodily along the shaft 24, and so as to retain the link member 65 in cooperative relation with the mem ber 60, asshown in Fig. 2.

Normally the members 64 and 65 of the collapsible link are extended and the link is normally located at a relatively small angle relative to the anis 24. Therefore, when the pedall is pressed to start the engine, the lever 44 and the collapsible link transmit movtion from the pedal in such a manner that the tendencyto rotate the 'member 60 is relatively small in comparison with the tendency to move it axially along the shaft 24. The pressure upon the pedal 5l lirst causes the link to move from the position'shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 4 in order to Icause a finger member 7l provided by the link member 65 to engage the disk 63 and to move the pinion 26 into Vcontact with the gear 27. lf gear tooth abutment occurs, continued pressure upon the pedal 5l will cause the link to collapse and shorten the ydistance between the aXes of the studs 69 and 7 O as will be apparent from Figs. 4 and l5. While the link is thus shortening and changing its angular relation to the shaft 24 the linger 7l will be so moved as to permit engagement of the clutch teeth 6l and 62 so as to transmit rotary motion from the member 60 to the pinion 26. The shortening of the link changes theangular relation between the axis of the member 60 and a center line joining the ailes of the studs 69 and 70. Therefore, as the lever 44 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5' the component of the force transmitted bythe link to the member 60 which 'will berotated cluringinovement of the lever 44 from the position shown in Fig. 4to that showninF 5.' Sufficient rotation is impartedmanually to the pinion 26 to cause it to move from an abutting relation to a gear At the instant the gear meshing relation is accomplished the spring 66 will be released in orderto assist the pedal 51 in moving the pinion-26 into mesh with the gear 27 Before the, motor switch will have been closed by the lever 44 enacting with the switch plunger 22, the pinion 26 will have been moved a substantial distance into mesh with the gear 27. The closing of the switch will cause the motor/to turn the shaft 25 in the direction vof the arrow 75 and will move the pinion endwise against the stop ring 30 so that'the pinion will be fully meshed with the gear as shown in Fig. 6. It will be noted that the clutch teeth 62 are free of the clutch teeth gear 27. i

inname 61during thee'ngin'e cranking operationand thatthenger 71-providedf bythe collapsible pinion 26 Will be automatically fdemeshed from the engine gear 27 due to the reversal of end thrust produced by thespline's upon the 'pinion When the engine r'otates the pinion.

astertha-n it can be rotated by the starting motor. As the pinion isWhirled rapidlyout of mesh With the engine gearthe disk 63 will engage the linger 7l to move it forcibly from' the position shovvn in Fig. 6 to that shown in Figu. In order to maintain the clutch teeth 61 out offengagement With the .clutch teeth-62 While the motor` shaft is still rotatl ing, the Vcollapsiblelink` is maintained automatically in the position yshovvn in Fig. 7 byV a compression spring 80 Which has been located as shown in Fig. `7 so thatitfexertsa yforce tending to rotate thelink in a counter clock- Wise direction about its pivot stud 69. The spring 8O surrounds an arm 8l'pivotally connected With the link member 64by a .pin 82 and the upper end 'of the arm 8l is xslidably connected vWith, a bushing 83 carried by the hub of the lever 44. The u peren'd of the spring bears against a Was er '84 bearing against the lower end of the bushing 83, and the lower end ofthe spring bears against the washer 85 bearing against a shoulder 86 provided by the link 81. Normally the line of action ofthe spring 80 is located'to the right of the axis of the pivot 'stud169 as. shown in Figs; 1,4, 5, and`6; but when' thepinionfis automatically demeshed from'A the 'gearg the spring 80' is located so'that its line ofaction is located to the left of the stud`69 as shown in Fig; 7. When the :pedal 51 is releasedthe spring 50 will return the lever 44 to norfmal position and the spring 80jwill be reconditioned for biasing the link in a clockwise direction and for tending to resist rotation of the engagement-effecting member 60.

l The pinion 26 is hindered. vfrom ac'ciden f.

tally movinginto mesh with the gear 27 by reason of the `fact that thel pinion normally is supported by ,a splinedportion 25a, of lesser outside diameter than the splinedportion 25?) Which receives the .pinion While it is cranking the engine.; Theportions 25a and 255 are separated by conical, ,interrupted shoulderl portions 250 which provide sufficient obstruction to hinder -movementof the pinion accidentally intocontact with the engine gear v While the 'engine isrunning.

n Win be noted that motion is transmitted through a yielding spring 66 to theengagenient-effecting member 60 in order that the pinion Will be yielding'ly pressed against theV engine gear While attem ating to rotate it into meshing registration t ereWith. This fea-r ture is important especially in case of a cony dition Avvherethe teeth of the pinion interlock with the abutting teeth of the gear so thatit nected with `an enginejto be started.;

' move slight amount to the left relative to rt'he'gea-r in 'ord-er that they interlockingcondition. may bereli'eved and that the pinionfmay continueto-rotate. l i: f Y n y i/Vhile the form of "embodimentofthepresT entfinvention as herein disclosed, constitutes av preferred form, itisto; bef-.understood that otheriorms might be adopted,1all/coming within the scop'efo-tthe claimsy which follow. 'What-is claimed as follovvs: y l.. :An engine v starterv y`drive 4comprising a rotatable driving member :axially movable into enga-gementwith a rotatable'part conand manually operabley meansgfor moving the driving member axially and for-` turningit when lnecessary to eEectits. engagement .With the engine part', said meansincludingadevice forlenggingsaid drivingmember to axially 290 move andturn the same,a part movable longi# tu'dinally VWith respect to the axis ofthe driv-L ing member, a springfor,transmitting motion fom the part to -thef-deviceinay direction oblique to and eccentric to the y,axisV of the drilv.

kfor movlngy said part'.` A

i 2. An engine starterdriveicomprising a rotatableH driving member.axiallyl movable intoenga-gement with aV rotatable' part connected with an 'engine to be started an axially and rotatably movable device v:"lor.- effecting.. engagement ofthe driving member-,With the `engine part; means .for transmitting rotary v'movement from theqdevice to the; driving member, and manually operablemeans/for exerting force upon the;engagement-effecting device in ardirection lobliqueand eccentric to its-line ofaxial movement in `order to tend tol axially moveland to rotate 'the engagement 1;10 effecting device, said-[means includinga part movable: longitudinally with respect ytothe a'Xis of the drivinginember, aspringgli'or transmittingfmot-ion from the part tothe device in adirectionobliqueto andeccentricto `i the axis ofthe device andmanuallypprable `move and turn the same, an actuator lmovable f v along ytheqaxis of the :driving member, anda yielding-link connecting` thefactuator and w .device and',extending'obliquetoandeccentric Y Y* to the axis of the driving member, an actuator anda link including a spring force transmitting member variable in lengthl according to the amount offorce transmitted `by it for applyinga force from the actuator upon the driving member oblique andeccentric to its axis, the variation in length of the link cagesing the angle between the direction of :force application and the axis of the driving member to increase in response kto continuing the movement of theactuator after the driving member meets with obstruction by the engine part before connecting therewith.

4. An engine starter drive according to claim 3 in which the variable link comprises two telescopically-engageable, tubular members, and in which the compression spring is enclosed by the tubularmembers and tends to maintain 4said members extended.

5. An engine starter drive comprising a rotatable driving member' axially movable into engagement with a rotatable part connected with an engine to be started; and manually operable means for moving the Vdriving member axially and for turning it when necessary to efect'its engagement with the engine part, said means including an actuator, an engagement-'e'ecting member movable axially and rotatively for connecting said driving member with the engine part, and a link connected With the actuator and engagement-effecting member and. movable along the axis thereof and eccentric and oblique thereto, saidl link including a spring force transmitting member varying in length according to the force transmitted by it in order to cause an increase inthe angle between the directionl of force application through thevlink and the axis of the engagement-effecting member in response to continuing the movement ofthe actuator after the driving member meets With obstruction by the engine part before connecting therewith. A l

6. An engine starter drive comprising a rotatable driving member axially movable into engagementwith a rotatablefpart connected with an engine to be started; andimanually operable meansV for movingthe driving member axially and for turning it when necessary to effect its engagement withv the engine part, saidv means including anv actuator, an yengagement-eflecting memberr movable axially and rotatively and coaxial with the driving member, axially-engageable, normally-disengaged clutch members provided respectively by the engagement-effecting member anddriving member, and a link connected with the actuator and'engagement-effecting member and movable along the axis thereof and eccentric and oblique thereto, said link including a spring force transmitting member varying in length according'to lthe force transmitted by it in order tol cause an` increase in the .angle between the directionv of `force application'through the link Lees/e and the f axis of the engagement-effecting member in response to continuing the movement of the actuatorA after the driving member meets With obstruction by the engine part before connecting therewith.

7. VVAn engine starter drive according to claim 6 in which the actuator operates a pivot pin along'v theaxis of the engagement-effecting member and in which the variable link .connects the pin with vthe engagementeffecting member at a point eccentric to its axis. 4

8. An lengine starter drive according to claim 6 in 'which the actuator operates a pivot pin along the axis ,of the engagementeffecting member and in which the variable link comprises two tubular telescopically, engageable members and a compression spring enclosed thereby, one member being connected with the pin and the other with the engagement-effecting member at` a point eccentric to its axis.

9. An engine starter drive comprising a drive shaft,` a pinion connected with the shaft and movable axially therealong into engagementwith a gear connected with the engine to be started, and manually operable means for moving the pinion axially and for turning it when necessary to mesh it with the engine gear, said means including an actuator movable along the axis of the pinion but spaced therefronniand mechanism for transmitting motion to the pinion oblique and eccentric to the axis of the pinion whereby to provide force-components tending, respectively, axially and rotatively, to move the pinion, said mechanism including a device for engaging the pinion to axially move and turn the same, and a yielding motion transmitting member connecting the actuator and device and extending oblique to and eccentric to the axis 'of the pinion.

l0. An engine starter drive comprising a drive shaft, a pinion connected with the shaft and movable axially therealong into engagement with a gear connected with the engine to be started, a rotatable clutch member movable along the shaft and axially engageable with a companion clutch member provided by the pinion; and manually operable means for moving the lclutch member axially in order to move the piniontoward thev gear and for rotating the clutch in Aorder to rotate the pinion to effect registration, said means including an actuator movable along the axis of the clutch but spaced therefrom and mechanism for transmittinfr motion oblique and eccentric to the axis of the clutch member whereby to provide force-components tending, respectively, axially and rotatively. to move the pinion, said mechanism including a spring motion transmitting member whereby the 'rotatively-movement force-component will increase relative to theother component 1 able along the shaft and axially engageable.

if movement of the actuator iscontinued after the pinion is obstructed by the gear.

11. Anengine starter drive comprising a drive shaft, a pinion connected with the shaft and movable axially therealong into engagement: with agear connected with the engine to be started; a rotatable clutch member movwith a companionclutch member provided by the pinion; and manually operable means for moving the clutch member axially in order to move the pinion toward the gear and for rotating the clutch in order to rotate thev pinion tov eect registration, said means including a pivot pin movable along the'shaft and a link extending oblique and eccentric of the driving member in order to m'ove it axially and to rotate it when necessary to f eii'ectl its driving engagement with the engine part., i y p Y -In testimony whereof I hereto aii'ix my signature,

y wr-Lronn TEEsTER. 1 3

fao

to the clutch member and -connecting the pivot pin witha part of the clutch eccentric thereto, said link including a spring force transmitting member varying in length according to the vforce transmitted through it n whereby the angle between the link andl axis of the clutch will increase if vmovement of 1 the pivot pin continues afterl the pinion is obstructed by the gear.

12. An engine starter a compression spring enclosed by two tubular, telescopically-engageable members, one

connected with the pinv and the other .with the clutch.

V13. An engine rotatable driving member axially movable into engagement with aV rotatable part connected with an engineto bestarted; and manually operable means including a spring mov tion transmitting member `for applying a and including a driving member and provisions whereby the driving member will be automatically demeshed from the engine part when the engine starts; and manually operable means including a'spring'motion transmitting member for moving the driving member against the engine part withyielding pressure and for turning the driving member y drive according yto claim 11 inwhich the variable link comprises starterl drive comprising a i in case it collides with the .engine part before being connected therewith( 15. Engine starting apparatus comprising a motor, means` for connecting the motor withy a rotatable part of the engine tol be started automatically demeshed from'the engine part f and including aA driving member andprovisions whereby the driving Vmember will be whcn'the engine'starts; and manually oper-` able means 'including a spring motion trans v Y mitting member for applying la'liorce yieldingly and oblique and eccentric to lthe axis 'i

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