US2002405A

US2002405A - Engine starting mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2002405A
Application number: US566127A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond P Lansing
Original assignee: Eclipse Aviation Corp
Current assignee: Eclipse Aviation Corp
Priority date: 1931-09-30
Filing date: 1931-09-30
Publication date: 1935-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 1952-05-21

Description

May 21, 1935. R. P. LANSING V ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 30, 1931 Q N a L. g s a F \N 1 Q H5 1 .4 II sw g vk m N k R H m b a Q 0 m B QM R an n F a & NT

M H. Wm [M m Patente dMay 21,1935

UNITE-D STATE Enema s'rAa'rmG'MnonAmsM Raymond P.

Lansing, Montclair, N. 1., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange,

1 New Jersey N. J., a corporation of Application September 30, 1931, Serial No. 566,127 9.01m... (c1. 123-179) Thisinvention relates to engine starting mechanism, and particularly to mechanism of the type employing a member adapted to impartan initial rotary movement to the crankshaft or .5 equivalent member of an internal combustion engine. n An object of this invention is to provide, in combination with a cranking member of the foregoing type, novel means for supplying the engine with ignition current in response to rotation of said cranking member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hand operated cranking gear mechanism having associated therewith novel means for maintaining the ignition system in operation notwithstanding a diminution in, or even complete cessation of the manual effort applied to the hand operated mechanism. In this connection a feature of the invention is the provision of 20 novel inertia'mechanism operatively connected to the ignition control means, whereby energy accumulated therein may be utilized to insure continuance of the ignition action during the periods of greatest compression in the engine cylinders, even though the operator should either deliberately or involuntarily stop cranking at such a point in the cranking process.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in conjunction with an engine starting mechanism of the type having associated therewith a magneto or similar ignition control device, a oneway driving connection between the starting mechanism and ignition'controlling device, to permit rotation of the latter relative to the 5 rotating members of thestarting, mechanism.

The use of manually operated cranking mechanism'of the type to which this-invention relates has created something of a problem in the matter of obtaining and maintaining proper speed of rotation of the magneto or equivalent ignition facilitating device, it being necessary in practice to obtain and maintain a. speed of at least 200 R. P. in order to get sufficient current flow, or spar to produce combustion in the engine cylinders. Theoretically, with sufficient speed multiplying gearing between the hand crank and the magneto, this should be readily attainable. In practice, however, difficulty results from the natural tendency of the operator to slacken to a. certain extent the effort he is applying to the handcrank when the crank reaches {a positioncorresponding to the compression point of one of the engine cylinders.

As a result of such slackening of effort, the handcrank is brought to rest at a position where it is most essential that the cranking operation continue without interruption, since the point of greatest compression in theengine occurs at, or just prior to, the point of ignition.

The present invention contemplates the provision of means for overcoming this difliculty. Broadly stated, such means takes the form of a flywheel, or equivalentinertia device, disposed in operativerelation to the rotor of the magneto or other ignition facilitating device, and also operatively related to ,the starting mechanism through a one-way driving connection whereby the magneto may continue to operate without being affected by the retarding tendency produced by the. compressing action in the engine cylinders.

These and other objects and features of the invention will'become apparent upon considera-- tion of the following detailed description, and upon reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention. It isto be understood, however, that the drawing is illustrative only, and. is not intended as definitions of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for such a definition of the limits.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view along the line 2-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Fig. 1, the invention is shown embodied in a housing constituted by an inner section 4 adapted 1 to be bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the rear end of an engine crankcase 5, and anouter portion 6 adapted to be secured to section 4 by suitable means such as screws 1. Rotatably mounted at ,right angles to each other in section 6, are manually operable shafts 9 and i0, either of which is adapted to rotatea starterjaw H which, in the embodiment herein shown, is normally out ofengagement with, but is movable to engage a corresponding jaw I2 formed on the crankshaft of the engine tobe started or on an extension of said crankshaft. r

In the embodiment herein shown the shaft 9 has an end projecting from the housing and provided with a pin it whereby the shaft may be rotated upon application of a suitable handcrank (not shown). On the inner end of shaft 9 is a bevel gear l5 rigidly secured to the shaft 9 by suitable means such as the lookout It engaging bevel gear I5 meshes with a corresponding gear |8 rigidly secured to a keyed or milled section of the cranking shaft ||l above referred to. This section 20 of the shaft H] is rotatably mounted, with the assistance of a ball bearing member 23, in a wall 24 formed in section 5, and is drivably connected to a spur gear 25 and also to a central or sun gear 26 of an assembly of planetary gears, to be further described.

The means for drivably connecting gear 25 to the engine-engaging member preferably comprises a driving barrel 30 rotatable within a bearing sleeve or liner 3| and inwardly flanged at its right hand end, which is riveted or otherwise secured as shown at 32 to a rotatable plate 33 with which the driving pins 34 engage. On each of these pins is mounted one of the gears 36 of the planetary system, each gear being adapted to mesh with gear 26 and with an internally toothed annulus gear 31 which is rigidly mounted in the housing 4 by suitable means such as the screws 39, a dowel member 40 being preferably provided for convenience in assembling and locating the gears in proper position with respect to the housing.

The driving connections between the barrel 30 and member ll preferably include a yielding friction clutch mechanism which in the embodiment herein shown is constituted by a multiple disc clutch, certain of the clutch discs being splined or otherwise operatively connected to corresponding splines or slots in the surface of the barrel "30, and in interleaving relation with the discs 45 are the remaining clutch discs 46 which are similarly splined at their inner peripheries to the outer surface of an internally threaded nut 41. Suitable means, herein shown in the form of springs 49 and an adjusting nut 50,-which latter is threaded to the outer threaded end surface of the member 41, are provided for adjusting the frictional pressure and hence the torque transmitting capacity of the assembly of. discs.

Mounted for longitudinal and rotary movement within nut 41 is a threaded shaft 5| which carries a nut 52 that acts as a stop to limit the outward movement of shaft 5| relatively. to nut 41. The outer end of shaft 5| is lonigtudinally splined to receive the internally splined hub of starter jaw Interposed between the inner face of the hub portion of jaw H and the adjacent recessed end of shaft 5| is a coil spring 53 which surrounds a pin or rod 54, the spring 53 yieldingly resisting movement of the jaw toward shaft 5|.

Rod 54 is concentrically disposed relative to the starter jaw shaft 5| and sleeve 41, and

' slidably extends through these elements, the outer end of said rod terminating adjacent the end of shaft ID. The engine end of rod 54 is threaded to receive a nut 55 which abuts the outer face of the hub portion of jaw H, and in conjunction with the head on its opposite end maintains the jaw II in operative relation with shaft 5|. The jaw II is held yieldably against, rotation as it advances by virtue of its splined engagement with a split collar having an annular groove on its outer surface for reception of a coiled encircling spring 56, the collar 69 being supported on the circumferential lip 51 of the baffle plate or hood 58, the latter being held to the casing by the means shown at 59.

The ignition controlling mechanism preferably comprises a unit 19 held in place on a plate 16 by suitable means 11, the plate 16 being in turn supported on a flattened portion 18'of thethe threaded end ll of the shaft 9. As shown, the

extension 19 in which the handcrank I0 is journalled. Associated with the magneto 10, which may be of any suitable type, is a flywheel or equivalent inertia device suitably connected to a shaft 8|, the latter constituting an extension of the rotatable element of the magneto. At the opposite end of the unit, a pinion 82 has a hollow extension 83 constituting the outer race of an overrunning clutch mechanism which is best indicated in Fig. 3, the inner race being shown at 84 as constituted by a central extension of a. gear supporting plate 85. Said plate is also provided with a stub shaft 84a journalled within a sleeve 95. A plurality of angularly spaced tapering recesses 86 are provided in the outer race 83, each having a ball or roller 81 adapted to be urged by springs 88 into position to constitute a wedging one-way drive between the inner and outer races. The plate is provided with pins 86 upon which is rotatably mounted pinions 89 and 99 constituting part of the planetary gear assembly which also includes the stationary annulus gear 92 which is preferably held in place on the upper housing sections 93 and 94 by means of suitable bolts 9|; the 7 gear 92 being in effect an annular track about which the planetary pinions 89 and may revolve, the latter being constantly in mesh with a sun gear or pinion 95 connected to or integral with a hollow sleeve or socket 96 drivably connected to magnetoshaft 91 through suitable key means 98.

In operation, in response to manual rotation of either the shaft 9 or ID, barrel member 30 will be rotated at a speed bearing a ratio to the speed of rotation of the handcrank which is determined by the reduction ratio of the planetary unit. Rotation of the barrel 30 will in turn produce a corresponding rotation of the sleeve 41 and screw shaft 5|, the latter first moving forward by reason of the nature of its connection with the sleeve 41, such forward movement causing the jaw member l to engage the engine member l2 and thereby crank the engine through rotation of the member I2, the friction clutch mechanism 45 taking care of anyexcessive load occurring during the cranking process. At the same time the driving connection shown at 25 and 82, in conjunction with the one-way driving connection shown in Fig. 3, will produce operation of the magneto 10. Also, the simultaneous rotation of the flywheel 80 will cause a storage therein of a reserve supply of driving energy which may be utilized to maintain the rotor of the magneto in operation at the desired speed to continue production of sufficient ignition current in the engine cylinders, even though the manual operation lags or is completely discontinued on one or more occasions during the cranking process.

There is thus provided a novel cranking and 1 plied to a particular engine cranking construc-- tion which has, per se, been used extensively, and in which the parts areso arranged as to permit rotation of the magneto shaft at a speed much higher than that of the cranking shaft. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the various parts, including the gearing, may be modifled in any suitable manner to secure any desired size and type of magneto employed toconform with such changes in speed, or to conform with the use of a power, or

means. i

Various other changes may be made in the details of construction of the apparatus and the arrangement of parts. Reference will therefore be had to the appended claims fora. definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an internal combustion engine having a crank-shaft and magneto for supplying ignition current, means for imparting rotation initially to both said magneto and crank-shaft comprising a gear train having high and low speed ends drivably connected with said magneto and crankshaft respectively and a member of intermediate speed interposed between said high and low speed ends, means engageable with said intermediate member for imparting rotation to both said crank-shaft and magneto, and means operable in response to such rotation to enable both said magneto and crank-shaft to simultaneously overrun said gear train, said last named means including a magneto driving element rotatable by said high speed end of the gear train and free to over-run upon every deceleration of said gear train during the cranking DIOCfiSSyfiHd a crankshaft driving element which is free to overrun the low speed end of the gear train whenever the crankshaft accelerates to a speed in excess to the gear train speed.

2. In an internal combustion engine having a crank-shaft and magneto for supplying ignition current, means for imparting rotation initially to both said magneto and crank-shaft comprising a gear train having high and low speed ends drivably connected with said magneto and crankshaft respectively, means engageable with said gear train for imparting rotation initially to both said crank-shaft and magneto, and means there \after operable to enable both said magneto and crank-shaft to simultaneously overrun said gear train, said last named means including a magneto driving element rotatable by said high speed end of the gear train and free to over-run upon every deceleration of said gear, train during the cranking process, and a crankshaft driving element which is free to over-run the low speed end of the gear train whenever the crankshaft accelerates to a speed in excess to the gear train speed.

3. In an internal combustion engine having a crank-shaft and magneto for supplying ignition current, means for imparting rotation initially to both said magneto and crank-shaft comprising a gear train having high and low speed ends drivably connected with said magneto and crank= shaft respectively, and means' thereafter operable toenable both said magneto and crank-shaft to simultaneously overrun said gear train, said last named means including a magneto driving element rotatable by said high speed end of the gear train and free to overrun upon every deceleration of said gear train during the cranking process, and a crankshaft driving element which is free to overrun the low speed end of the gear train whenever the crankshaft accelerates to a speed in excess to the gear train speed.

4. In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and magneto for supplying ignition current, means for imparting rotation initially to both said magneto and crankshaft comprising a gear train having high and low speed ends drivably connected with said magneto and crankshaft higher speed, cranking respectively and a member of intermediate speed interposed between said high and low speed ends, means engageable with said intermediate member for imparting rotation to both said crankshaftand. magneto, and means operable in response to such rotation to enable both said magneto and crankshaft to simultaneously overrun.

said gear train, said last named means including a clutch interposed between said gear train and magneto and free to overrun said gear train upon every deceleration of the latter during the cranking process.

5. In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and magneto for supplying ignition current, means for imparting rotation initially to both said magneto and crankshaft comprising a gear train having high and low speed ends drivably connected with said magneto and crankshaft respectively, means engageable with said gear train for imparting rotation initially to both said crankshaft and magneto, and means thereafter operable to enable both said magneto and crank shaft to simultaneously overrun said gear train, said last named means including a clutch interposed between said gear train and magneto and free to overrun said gear train upon every deceleration of the latter during the cranking process.

6. In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and magneto for supplying ignition current, means for imparting rotation initially to both said magneto and crankshaft comprising a gear train having high and low speed ends drivably connected with said magneto and crankshaft respectively, and means thereafter operable to enable both said magneto and crankshaft to simultaneously overrun said gear train, said last named means including a clutch interposed between said gear train and magneto and free to overrun upon every deceleration of the latter during the cranking process.

'7. In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and magneto for supplying ignition current, means for imparting rotation initially to both said magneto and crankshaft comprising a gear train having its ends drivably connected with said magneto and crankshaft respectively and a member intermediate said ends, means engageable with said intermediate member for imparting rotation to both said crankshaft and magneto, and means operable in response to such rotation to enable both said magneto and crankshaft to simultaneously overrun said gear train, said last named means including a clutch interposed between said gear train and magneto and free to overrun upon every deceleration of the latter during the cranking process.

8. In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and magneto for supplying ignition current, means for imparting rotation initially to both said magneto and crankshaft comprising a gear train having its ends drivably connected with said magneto and crankshaft respectively, means engageable with said gear train for imparting rotation initially to both said crankshaft and magneto, and means thereafter operable to enable both said magneto and crankshaft to simultaneously overrun said gear train, said last named means including a clutch interposed between said gear train and magneto and'free to overrun upon every deceleration of the latter during the cranking process.

9. In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and magneto for supplying ignition overrun said gear train, said last named means including a clutch interposed between said gear train and magneto and tree to overrun upon every deceleration 01' the latter during the cranking process.

RAYMOND P. LANSING.