US2041723A - Engine starting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

May 26, 1936. c. o. NYGREN ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Shet 1 2? 13 45 'Filed July 11, 1932 4 fizvn ior:

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7Zygrem May 26,1936. Q Q NYGREN 2,041,723

ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Filed July 11, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y fizz/en %r; @rZ 0. 7254921972 Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Carl 0. Nygren, Michigan City, Ind., assignor to Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 11, 1932, Serial No. 621,925

23 Claims.

This invention relates to engine starting mechanism oi the inertia type, and more particularly to improved manually operable starting mechanism for facilitating the starting of internal 5 combustion engines.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple, efiicient and reliable mechanism designed to eliminate direct hand cranking and electric starters, permitting, with a minimum of strenuous eifort, the safe and certain starting of engines which could not readily be started by an ordinary manual cranking operation. In a preferred embodiment, the invention may comprise a drive or transmission including an element adapted to be connected in driving relation to the ordinary ring gear of an engine fly wheel; inertia means, such as a fly wheel, gearing, as for example, planetary or epicyclic gearing connected with the inertia means for storing energy in the latter and transmitting the stored energy for starting purposes as aforesaid; starting means for actuating. the gearing and the fly wheel, and means for connecting the gearing with the starting element after the start- 25 ing element has been brought into mesh with the ring gear, or the like. Preferably, protective devices guarding against back-fire, and devices for automatically disconnecting the primary driving element from the ring gear will be employed, while a drive through the ring gear may be regarded for many purposes as preferable. The invention from some of its aspects may be of more general application. Other objects will hereinafter appear in the course of the following description and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings-there are shown for purposes of illustration two embodiments which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,-

Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view through the preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinally extending vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the other illustrative embodiment of the invention, the view being taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 7.

Fig 6 is a view partially in elevation and partially in section at right angles to Fig. 5, the section being taken through the axis of the starting mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the starting mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Figs. 8 and 9 are transverse vertical sectional views taken substantially on the plane of the lines 8--8, 9-9 of Fig. 6.

The preferred form of the improved engine starter shown in Figs. 1 to4 inclusive, as a whole is designated I and the ring gear of the fly wheel of an engine to be started is indicated in construction at 2. The starter is, as regards the gearing thereof, wholly enclosed within a pluralpart casing 3 which is secured to the fly wheel housing indicated in construction at 4 and which, with the latter, provides oil tight housings for all the mechanism, so that adequate lubrication of the gearing and protection of the operator from the gearing may be effected. While it will be evident that motor actuation of the engine starter may be resorted to, if desired, there is for simplicity herein shown only manual starting means for actuating the gearing and fly wheel. A hand crank 5 is connectible through a rolling pin and cam connection 6 (herein in the form of a ratchet) with a cranking shaft 1 rotatably supported in bearings 8 in a detachable closure member 9 forming a part of the starter casing 3. The starter casing also comprises an integral flange I0 for attachment to the fly wheel housing and has formed therein parallel communicating chambers II and I2. The casing structure also includes a cylindrical gear housing [3 arranged within the chamber l2 and maintained in position by a detachable end plate M as shown in Fig. 1. In this instance the inner end of the shaft 1 carries and rotates a bevel pinion l5 which meshes with a bevel gear l6 rotating on a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of the starter mechanism and parallel to the power shaft of the engine to be'started and preferably at right angles to the starting shaft 7. The hub of this bevel gear I6 is keyed to a weighted crank or arm I1 and the gear l6 and crank I! are journaled and, in a measure, supported by a large ball bearing 18 supported within the adjacent end wall of the cylindrical housing l3. The arm I! provides a bearing IQ for a planetary spur pinion 20 which meshes with elongated horizontal internal gear teeth 2i formed upon the interior of the cylindrical housing l3, these teeth extending from a point adjacent the outer side of a pinion 20 substantially to the outer end of the cylindrical housing i3.

A'spur gear 23 is arranged coaxially with the bevel gear I5 and is keyed to a shaft, hereinafter referred to, journaled at its ends within bearings supported within the starter casing. Thisshaft to which the gear 23 is keyed has keyed thereto a spur pinion 24 with which the pinion 20 meshes, and also a counter-balanced crank or arm 25, the latter carrying a bearing 26 for a planetary spurpinion 21. The pinion 21 also meshes with the internal gear teeth 2| and likewise meshes with and drives ,a gear 28 coaxial with the gear 24 and which is rigidly secured to a. counterbalanced crank or arm 29. This counter-balanced crank supports 'a bearing for another planetary spur gear 3| likewise meshing with the internal gear teeth 2|. The pinion 3| engages a gear 32 coaxial with the gears 24 and 28 and secured to a counter-balanced crank or arm 33, and this crank 33 carries a bearing 34 for a planetary spur gear which, in its turn, meshes with the internal gear teeth 2| and also meshes with spur gear teeth 35 upon a sleeve 31 coaxial with the gears 24, 28 and 32. Supported on and keyed at 38 to this sleeve is a fly wheel 39, this fly wheel being supported by the sleeve and the sleeve being rotatably supported within a large ball bearing in turn supported within the detachable end plate l4 of the cylindrical gear housing l3. The shaft to which the gear'23 is secured is numbered 4| and the hearing within which the outer end of this shaft is journaled is supported within the sleeve 31, as shown in Fig.

1, this bearing being indicated at 42; and this shaft also serves to center and support a number of roller bearings which provide the journals for the several cranks heretofore referred to. The spur gear 23 meshes constantly with a gear 45, which is journaled on a roller bearing 46 in turn supported on a shaft 41 herein arranged within the chamber 1 and also parallel to the axis of the ring gear 2, and this shaft is rotatably supported at its ends within bearings supported within the starter casing 3. The shaft 41 is connected by a pin and slot connection 49 at its end near the ring gear 2 and also by a pin and slot connection 50 near its opposite end respectively to a spur pinion 5| and a jaw clutch member 54. The pinion 5| is adapted to mesh with the ring gear 2 and maybe moved along the shaft 41 while driven thereby, due to the pin and slot connec-- tion 49, into engagement with and out of engagement with the ring gear 2. The gear carries jaw clutch teeth 52 which are engageable with jaw clutch teeth 53 formed on the clutch member 54. The face of each of the teeth 52 is of asmall angle to a plane including the axis of the shaft 41, so as to permit, in the event of a backfire, the breaking of the driving connections between the inertia starter and the engine fly wheel. There is also provided a comparatively flat surface having a large slipping angle so as to effect a gradual and smooth release between the gear 45 and the clutch member 54 when the engine is started. The pinion 5| and the clutch member 54 are secured by the pins of the pin and slot connections 49 and respectively to a longitudinally reciprocable shaft 56 slidable in a bore 51 formed centrally in the shaft 31. Arranged within the bore within the shaft 41 is a coiled spring 65 acting between a plug 65 threadedly secured within the end of the shaft 41 and the end of the slidable shaft 56 to maintain normally the shaft 56 in the position shown in Fig. 3. A pivoted operating lever 61 has a slot and pin connection 68 with a trunnion member rotatably supported on a ball bearing member 69 engaged between a shoulder 10 on the shaft 56 and a screw and washer connection 1| secured to the shaft. Obviously, on movement of the lever 61 in the proper direction the members 54 and 5| will be moved toward the left, the member 5| engaging with the ring gear 2 and the member 54 effecting engagement of the teeth 53 with cooperating teeth 52 on the gear 45.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive, the gearing is substantially the same as that described in the preferred form, the main difference residing in the location of the axis of the bevel gear l6 and its associated gearl2. The inner end of the shaft 1 carries and rotates a bevel pinion l5 which meshes with a bevel gear I6 rotating on a vertical axis lying in the same plane with the axis of the shaft l and carrying at its upper end a crank or arm H. The gear l6 and crank H are journaled and, in a measure, supported by a large ball bearing l8 supported by the lower end of the casing member H The crank or arm |1 provides a bearing IQ for aplanetary spur gear 2|] which meshes with elongated vertical internal gear teeth 2 l formed upon the interior of the cylindrical portion M of the starter casing, these teeth extending from a point adjacent the lower end of the pinion ill substantially to the upper end of the cylindrical portion H of the casing. Another bevel gear 23 is arranged coaxially with the bevel gear I6 and carries near its upper end a pinion 24 with which the pinion 2|) meshes, and also a counter-balanced crank or arm 25*, the latter carryin'g a bearing 26 for a spur planet gear 21. The pinion 21 also meshes with the teeth 2| and likewise meshes with and drives a spur gear 28 which is rigidly secured to a counter-balanced crank or arm 29. This counter-balanced crank supports a bearing 3|) for another spur planet gear 3| 8 likewise meshing with the teeth 2|. The gear 3| engages a spur gear 32 secured to a crank 33, and the crank 33* carries a bearing 34"- for a spur planet gear 35 which, in its turn, meshes with the internal gear teeth 2|, and also meshes with spur gear teeth 36 upon a sleeve 31". The sleeve 31 has keyed thereto at 38 at its upper end a fly wheel 39 and is journaled within a large ball bearing 40, this ball bearing also supporting the fly wheel against downward axial movement. A long bolt 4| rotatably mounted within the sleeve 31 through a bearing 42 at its lower end supports the pinion 23 and also serves to center and support a number of ball bearings which provide the journals for the several crank arms heretofore referred to. The pinion 23 meshes constantly with a bevel gear 45 which is journaled in a bearing 46 with its axis parallel to the axis of the ring gear 2. A shaft 41, also parallel to the axis of the ring gear, is rotatably supported within the gear 45 and is splined at 4-9 at its end near the ring gear, and also at 5|! near its opposite end. A spur pinion 5| adapted to mesh with the ring gear 2 is splined to the shaft 41 rotation of the crank arm 29.

- driving relation to the engine fly wheel.

and may be moved along the latter into engagement with and out of engagement with the ring gear. The gear 45 carries teeth 52 which are engageable with teeth 53 on a clutch member 54 which is slidably engaged with the splines The faces of the teeth 52 are at a'small angle to a plane including the axis of the shaft 41 so as to permit, in the event of a back-fire, the breaking of the driving connections between the inertia starter and the engine fly wheel. In the present construction, as in the preferred form above described, there is also provided a comparatively flat surface having a large slipping angle so as to effect a gradual and smooth release between the member 45 and the clutch 54 when the engine is started. The pinion 5H and the clutch member 54 are connected by a lostmotion connection mechanism which includes a longitudinally slidable shaft 56 slidable in a bore 51 formed in the housing member I0 a forward arm 58 carrying a split bearing 59 cooperating with a groove in the pinion member 5H, and an arm 62 having a sliding connection in a groove 63 formed in a sleeve 66 which carries the member 54 Within the sleeve M a spring acting between the end of the shaft 41 and a'threaded plug 66, is provided normally to maintain the mechanism 55 in the position shown in Fig. 6. A pivoted operating lever fil has a slot and pin connection 68 with a ball bearing member I59 engaged between a shoulder til on the sleeve 6% and a flange i l on the plug member 66 Obviously, on movement of the lever 61 in the proper direction, the members 54" and 5| will be moved toward the left, the member 5P engaging with the ring gear 2 and the member 54 effecting engagement of the teeth 53 with their drive surfaces 52 From the description given, the mode of operations of both forms of the mechanism will be clearly apparent. In the preferred form of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the

mode of operation is as follows. When it is desired tostart theengine, the crank 5 will be turned in the proper direction to cause the roller pin and cam connection 5 to effect driving relation between the crank and the starting shaft l. The shaft 1 will then be rotated and will drive the pinion l5, and the latter will drive the pinion i6 and cause the crank arm ill to rotate. This will cause the planet gear 29 to roll around in engagementwith the internal gear teeth 25 and thereby drive the gear 24. The latter will drive the crank arm 25, and rotation of the arm 25 will cause the planet gear 2'? to be rotated through its engagement with the internal gear teeth 2!, thereby to rotate the gear 28 to effect Rotation of the crank arm 29 will cause orbital movement of the planet gear 30 and, by virtue of the mesh of the latter with the internal gear teeth 2!, rotation of the gear 32. The gear 32 will rotate the crank arm 33 which will cause the planet gear 35 to be rotated on its axis as it rolls around in mesh with the internal gear teeth 2! and thereby there will be effected rotation of the sleeve 37 with corresponding rotation of the fly wheel 39 at a very high speed, due to the great multiplication effected through the gearing described. The gear 23 will also be rotated during rotation by the hand crank 5, but will not be connected in When the fly wheel 39 has been brought up to speed, hand cranking will be discontinued andthe fly wheel 39, through its momentum, will become the driving member and will transmit a very slow but powerful rotation to the initial element of the train of gearing described and cause the large spur gear 23 to drive the spur gear 45. Upon movement of the lever 61 to the left in Fig. 3, the pinion 5| will be brought into driving engagement with the ring gear 2 and the teeth 53 into engagement with the surfaces 52. The engine will therefore be cranked. As soon as the engine starts, the shaft 41. will tend to rotate faster than the pinion 45 and will effect automatically disengagement between the teeth 53 and the teeth 52 and force the system controlled by the shaft 56 to the right to interrupt drive between the inertia starter and the pinion 5!. On release of the lever 67, the pinion 5| will be moved completely out of engagement with the ring gear 22 and the parts of the inertia starter may come to rest.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5

to 9 inclusive, the mode of operation is substantially identical to that described above. In this form of the invention the hand crank 5 when it is desired to start the engine, will be slid along the starting shaft I to effect driving relation of the pin and slot connection 6*. The shaft 1*- will then be rotated and will drive the pinion I5 and the latter will drive the sleeve li and cause the crank ill to rotate. efiects rotation of the fly wheel Z119 through the pinion 20 gear 24 crank arm 25 gear 21", gear 28, crank 29 gear 3i, gear 32 crank arm 33 gear 35 and sleeve 3'! to which the fly wheel 39 is fixed. The bevel gear 23* will also be rotated during rotation by the hand crank 5% but will 'not be connected in driving relation to the engine fly wheel. When the fly Wheel 39 has been brought up to speed, hand cranking'will be discontinued and the fly wheel 39, through its momentum, will transmit a very slow but powerful rotation in a cranking direction through the gearing above described and cause the gear 23 to drive the bevel gear 35*. Upon movement of the lever 57 to the left in Fig. 7, the pinion 5 will be brought into driving engagement with the ring gear 2 and the teeth 53 into engagement with the surfaces 52 The engine will therefore be cranked and as soon as the engine starts the shaft ill will tend to rotate faster than the bevel gear t5 and will effect automatically disengagement between the inertia starter and the. pinion Rotation of'this crank 5!. Upon release of the lever 67 the spur pinion 5i is removed out of mesh with the ring gear, thereby disconnecting the starter mechanism from the engine.

As a result of the invention, it will be noted that there is provided a very simple, rugged, well protected inertia starting mechanism particularly adapted for use with fly wheel starters. It will further be noted that there is provided an improved starter mechanism which is extremely compact, which may be mounted on the, engine casing and which may be operated with facility,

the provision of the improved gearing, between the hang. crank'and the fly wheel enabling an extremely powerful energy source to be obtained. These and other uses and advantages of the improved starter mechanism will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there are in this application specifically described two forms which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims. 1

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an engine startingapparatus of the type in which a ring gear or the like on the engine is engageable during the starting operation by a terminal gear of the starter and such engagement is thereafter interrupted, a gear member adapted to mesh with and drive the engine gear, an inertia wheel, manually operable means including a reduction gear train comprising intermeshing reduction gearing for storing energy in said inertia wheel, and means for manually shifting said gear member into meshing engagementwith said engine gear while said inertia wheel is rotating and thereafter connecting said gear member for drive by said inertia wheel through said gear train.

2. In an engine starting apparatus of the type in which a ring gear or the like on the engine is engageable during the starting operation by a terminal gear of the starter and such engagement is thereafter interrupted, a gear member adapted to mesh with and drive the engine gear, an inertia wheel, manually operable means including a reduction gear train comprising intermeshing regear member with said engine ring gear while with said supporting shaft.

said inertia member is rotating and thereafter connecting said gear member for drive by said inertia wheel through said gear train.

3. In an engine starting apparatus of the type in which a ring gear or the like on the engine is engageable during the starting operation by a terminal gear of the starter and such engagement is thereafter interrupted, aterminal starting gear, a shaft parallel with the shaft of the engine to be started and supporting said terminal starting gear, said terminal starting gear being reciprocable along its said supporting shaft between positions of engagement with and disengagement from the engine, manually operable inertia means for storing up energy, and means operable at will and including a clutch coaxial with said terminal starting gear supporting shaft for con-' necting said inertia means in driving relation 4. In an engine starting apparatus of the type in which a ring gear or the like on the engine is engageable during the starting operation by a terminal gear of the starter and such engagement is thereafter interrupted, a terminal starting gear, a shaft parallel with the shaft of the engine to be started and supporting said terminal starting gear, said terminal starting gear being reciprocable along its said supporting shaft between positions of engagement with and disengagement from the engine, inertia means for storing up energy including a driving shaft parallel with said first shaft, gearing for connecting said first shaft and said parallel driving shaft in driving relation, and means operable at will and including a clutch coaxial with said first shaft for connecting said inertia means in driving relation with said first shaft.

5. In an engine-starter, a starting member, reduction gearing, including a reaction gear coaxial with said flywheel, for transmitting torque from said flywheel to said engine starting member, releasable means for connecting flywheel, an engine said gearing to said engine starting member, and gearing for transmitting energy to said flywheel through said first mentioned reductiongearing including a further gear meshing with said reaction gear, said last mentioned gear being outside the train of torque transmission from said flywheel to said engine starting member.

6. An engine starter including, in combination, a plural stage speed changing mechanism including coaxial members arranged in train and of which, when one is rotating at one speed, a second rotates at a different speed and a third at an intermediate speed, said second coaxial member arranged in the train of power transmission outside the train between the first and third, an inertia member operatively connected with the first of said coaxial members and arranged to drive the same during starting'of the engine, a.

driving device for imparting energy to said starter for storage in said inertia member operatively connected with the second of said coaxial members to drive the latter, an engine starting member, and means distinct from said train of power transmission aforesaid for operatively connecting said engine starting member with the third of said coaxial members. J

'7. In an engine starter, a casing, a shaft rotatable within said casing, an internal gear within said casing, an arm carried by said shaft and carrying a gear meshing with said internal gear, gearing rotatable by said secondmentioned gear, a flywheel rotatable by said gearing, a gear fixed to said shaft, a gear meshing therewith and also meshing with said internal gear, an arm carrying said third mentioned gear, means for manually effecting rotation of said arm for effecting the storage of energy in said flywheel, and means including another gear also fixed to said shaft for transmitting a starting torque to an engine to be started 8. In an engine starter, a casing, an internal gear therein, a flywheel, reduction gearing for rotating said flywheel including a gear, an arm driven thereby, a gear carried by said arm and meshing with said internal gear, a gear meshing with said last mentioned gear, an arm driven by said last mentioned gear, a gear carried by said last mentioned arm and meshing with said internal' gear, a gear driven by said last mentioned gear, an arm driven by said last mentioned gear, ai'gear carried by said arm and meshing with said internal gear, a gear driven by said last mentioned gear, and connections between said last mentioned gear and said flywheel, and an engine starting member, said starting member being rotatable by said flywheel through a train'including all'of said gears except the second and third.

9. In an engine starter, a flywheel, a pair of coaxially arranged rotatably supported gears, manual driving means for one of said gears, an engine driving gear operatively connected with the other of said gears, a stage of speed changing gearing between said coaxially arranged gears whereby they rotate constantly ,at angular rates means operatively connecting said gears whereby a predetermined difference in angular rate of rotation is maintained between them, engine starting gearing driven by one of said gears, driving means for the other of said gears, and inertia means driven by said last mentioned gear for storing energy and delivering the same to the second mentioned bevel gear having a power transmitting train connecting it with the latter of which the means operatively connecting said bevel gears for rotation at different rates forms no part.

11. In an engine starter, inertia mechanism, a driving shaft, a gear driven by said inertia mechanism, a gearsupported on said driving shaft and engaged by said last mentioned gear, an engine driving gear slidably mounted on said driving shaft, sliding clutch means between said first mentioned gear on said shaft and said shaft, and means for sliding said sliding gear into driving position on said shaft and thereafter connecting said clutch means.

12. In an engine starter, inertia means, a terminal starting gear, a shaft on which said terminal gear is slidably -mounted, intermeshing reduction gearing adapted to connect said inertia means with said shaft, a clutch for connecting said gearing to drive said shaft, actuating means for said clutch, and means actuated by the actuating means for said clutch for moving said terminal gear longitudinally of said shaft.

13. In an engine starting apparatus of the type in which a ring gear or the like on the engine is engageable during the starting operation by a terminal gear of the starter and such engagement is thereafter interrupted, a gear member adapted to mesh with and drive the engine gear, an inertia wheel, manually operable means including planetary reduction gearing for storing energy in said inertia wheel, and means for manually shifting said gear member into meshing engagement with said engine ring gear while said inertia wheel is rotating and thereafter connecting said gear member for drive by said inertia wheel.

. 14. In an engine starting apparatus of the type in which a ring gear or the like on the engine is engageable during the starting operation by a terminal gear of the starter and such engagement is thereafter interrupted, a gear member adapted to mesh with and drive the engine gear, an inertia wheel, manually operable means including planetary reduction gearing for storing energy in said inertia wheel, and means for manually shifting said gear member into meshing engagement with said engine ring gear while said inertia wheel is rotating and thereafter connecting said gear member for drive by said inertia wheel, said gear member being driven by said inertia wheel through only a portion of said planetary gearing.

15. In an engine starting apparatus of the type in which a ring gear or the like on the engine is engageable during the starting operation by a terminal gear of the starter and such engagement is thereafter interrupted, a gear member adapted to mesh with and drive the engine gear, an inertia wheel, manually operable means including planetary reduction gearing for storing energy in saidinertia wheel, and operator controllable means including a connection automatically releasable when the engine is started for effecting engagement of said gear member with said engine ring gear while said inertia ing energy in said inertia wheel, and operator controllable means including a connection automatically releasable when the engine is started for effecting engagement of said gear member with said engine ring gear while said inertia member is rotating and thereafter connecting said gear member for drive by said inertia wheel, said gear member being driven by said inertia wheel through only a portion of said planetary gearing.

1'7. In an engine starting apparatus of the type in which a ring gear or the like on the engine is engageable during the starting operation by a terminal gear of the starter and such engagement is thereafter interrupted, a shaft parallel with the engine crank shaft, a gear member splined to said first shaft and adapted to mesh with and drive the engine ring gear, a parallel shaft, gearing for connecting said first shaft with said parallel shaft, an inertia wheel coaxial with said parallel shaft, manually operable means for storing up energy in said inertia wheel including reduction gearing, elements of which are arranged coaxially with said parallel shaft and operatively connected to said inertia wheel, said parallel shaft being driven by said inertia wheel through a portion of said gearing, and means for manually shifting said gear member relative to said first shaft into meshing engagement with said engine gear while said inertia wheel and parallel shaft are rotating and thereafter connecting said gear member'for drive by said inertia wheel through said parallel shaft.

18. In an engine starting apparatus of the type in which a ring gear or the like on the engine is engageable during the starting operation by a terminal gear of the starter and such engagement is thereafter interrupted, a shaft parallel with the engine crank shaft, 2. gear member splined to said first shaft and adapted to mesh with and drive the engine gear, a parallel shaft, gearing for connecting said first and last mentioned shafts in driving relation, an inertia wheel coaxial with said parallel shaft, manually operable means for storing energy in said inertia wheel including reduction gearing, elements of which are arranged coaxially with said parallel shaft and operatively connected to said inertia wheel, said parallel shaft being driven through a portion of said gearing, and operator controllable means including a connection between said first mentioned gearing and said first shaft automatically releasable when the engine is started for eifecting engagement of said gear member with said engine ring gear while said inertia member is rotating and thereafter connecting said gear member for drive by said inertia wheel.

19. In an engine starting apparatus of the type in which a ring gear or the like on the engine is engageable during the starting operation by a terminal gear of the starter and such engagement is thereafter interrupted, a shaft parallel with the engine crankshaft, a gear member splined to said first shaft and adapted to mesh with and drive the engine gear, a parallel shaft, gearing with and rotatable relative to said first shaft, a

' clutch for connecting said last named gear to said first shaft, an inertia wheel coaxial with said parallel shaft, manually operable means for rotating said inertia wheel including a hand crank and planetary gearing connecting said crank with said inertia wheel, said parallel shaft being driven through a. portion of said planetary gearing, and means for manually shifting said gear member into meshing engagement with said engine ring gear while said inertia wheel and parallel shaft are rotating, said gear being connected to said first shaft by said clutch only after said gear member is in meshing engagement with said engine ring gear.

20. In an engine starting apparatus of the type in which a ring gear or the like on the engine is engageable during the starting operation by a terminal gear of the starter and such engagement is thereafter interrupted, a shaft parallel with the engine crank shaft, a gear member splined to said first shaft and adapted to mesh with and drive the engine gear, a parallel shaft, gearing for connecting said first and last mentioned shafts in driving relation including a gear coaxial with and rotatable relative to said first shaft, a clutch for connecting said last named gear to said first shaft, an inertia wheel coaxial with said parallel shaft, manually operable means for rotating said inertia wheel including a hand crank and planetary gearing connecting said crank with said inertia wheel, said parallel shaft being driven through a portion of said planetary gearing and means for manually shifting said gear member into meshing engagement with said engine ring gear while said inertia wheel and parallel shaft are rotating, said gear being connected to said first shaft by said clutch only after said gear member is in meshing engagement with said engine ring gear, said clutch for connecting said gear to said first mentioned shaft being automatically releasable to disconnect said gear from said first mentioned shaft when the engine is started.

21. In an engine starting apparatus, the combination of a terminal starting element, a shaft parallel with a line parallel with the shaft of the engine to be started and supporting said terminal starting element, said starting element being reciprocable along its said supporting shaft between positions in engagement with and disengagement from the engine, manually operable inertia means for storing up energy, and means operable at will and including a clutch coaxial with said terminal starting element supporting shaft for connecting said inertia means in drivin relation with said terminal starting element supporting shaft.

22. In an engine starting apparatus, the combination of a terminal starting element, a shaft parallel with a line parallel with the shaft of the engine to be started and supporting said terminal starting element, said starting element being reciprocable along said terminal starting element supporting shaft between positions of engagement with and disengagement from the engine, inertia means for storing up energy including a driving shaft parallel with said first shaft, gearing for connecting said first shaft to said parallel shaft in driving relation whereby the latter may drive the former, and means operable at will and including a clutch coaxial with said first mentioned parallel shaft for connecting said inertia means through said gearing in driving relation with said first mentioned parallel shaft.

23. In an engine starter, the combination of an inertia mechanism, a driving shaft, a gear driven by said inertia mechanism, a gear supported on said driving shaft and engaged by said last mentioned gear, an engine starting element slidably mounted on said driving shaft, sliding clutch means between said first mentioned gear on said shaft and said shaft, and means for sliding said starting element into driving position on said shaft and thereafter connecting said clutch means.

CARL O. NYGREN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,041,723. May 26, 1936.

CARL O. NYGREN.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 6, first column, line 55, claim 20, after the word "gearing" insert a comma; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office),

Signed and sealed this 8th day of September, A. D. 1936.

Leslie Frazer Acting Commissioner of Patents.

(Seal)

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