US2041861A - Engine starter - Google Patents

Description

- May 25, 19.36. w M. EESE 2,041,861

ENGINE STARTER Filed Deo. l16, 193.?.A 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 9 o u a! I f o@ d cb .,1 n" f az 76 7 Ia s' I s' am f /7/ *27 05'/ l. J6 l l l -I :l /5' 4 i 55 -az x /a 4 4s 7 l I` 7,2 l' .3044 j 25 9': Lr N Kp-r u,

May 26, 1936.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 (By f f May 26, 1936- l w. M. REEsE 2,041,861

ENGINE STARTER Filed Deo'. 16, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 /V VEN T012 May 26 1936 fw. M.I REEsE 2,041,861

ENGINE sTARTER v Filed Deo. 1e. 1932 s sheets-sheet 4 rllllllll'1111111111111'O May 26, 1936. w. M. REESE 2,041,861

ENGINE STARTER Filed Dec. l, 1932 5 sheets-sheet 5 QM 59@ 89@ 59 59 if '4 i di i 505i l JNVENTO/P Patented May 26,1936

AUNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE ENGINE STARTER William M. Reese, Collingdale, Pa.

Application December/16, 1932, Serial No. 647,590

9 Claims.

The invention relates generally to electrical power generating equipment and particularly to starters for internal combustion engines, land more specically to the provision of a full automatic or semi-automatic mechanical-electric unit' which may be used for emergency'purposes to provide an emergency source of electric current supply to automatically supply electrical translating devices with electricity when the main source of electric currentsupply fails or is interrupted.

An object of the invention is to provide mechanical means which when released or placed in condition to function will automatically start the engine to which it is connected, said mechanical starting means being automatically reset by the operations of the engine when placed in condition to be reset and thereafter normally maintainedin a non-functioning condition, and the iinal resetting operations stopping the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical starting means connected with the crank shaft of an internal combustion engine and normally maintained in a non-functioning condition due to means controlled by a source of electric current, said latter means upon failure or interruption of the current causing the mechanical starting means to be released so as to function and thereby start the engine and the actua' tion of said electrically controlled means due to the return of the electric current supply placing the parts in condition to cause the engine to reset the starting means and the final resetting operations stopping the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical starting means connected with the crank shaft of -an internal combustion engine and normally maintained in a non-functioning condition by manually operative control means, the operation of which will release the starter f or initially rota-ting the engine crank shaft, said starter being reset by the engine after the control means has been again manually actuated and the final resetting operations .resulting in stopping the engine.

A further object of the invention is to provide e a unit including an internal combustion engine,

an electric generator operated by said engine and a mechanicall starter normally maintained in a non-functioning condition, said starter being released or placed in condition to function by an. electrically governed control means upon interruption cr failure of a main source of electric current supply with which said control means as well as translating devices are connected, the electric generator thereafter being operated by the engine to supply current to the same or other translating devices, said starting means being automatically reset by theoperations of the engine when placed in condition to be reset due to operation of the control means upon the return of the main source of current and the .final resetting operations stopp'ng the engine and shutting o the supply of current from the generator.

With these' and other ends in view, this invention consists in the details' of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set lforth and then specifically designated by the claims. In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction iny detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming apart of this application, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a view of the unit, partly in elevation and partly in section looking toward a side of the engine and diagrammatically illustrating one way of making the electric connections.

Fig. 2v is a top' plan view thereof with the starter casing in section and the electrical connections eliminated.

Fig. 3 is a view looking at the inner end of the starter which is broken away to show details of construction.

Fig. 41s a. face view of one train of gears in the starter.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the unit opposite to the illustration in Fig. 3, and on a slightly smaller scale, with the weight housing in section.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the upper gear shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the lower gear in the train illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 isan enlarged fragmentary section of the clutch on the line 8-8 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the starter mechanism with the casing in vertical section and parts broken awayy and shown in section to illustrate details of construction.

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a spring as a substitute for the weight. Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical connections between the main supply lines, the switching mechanism, the solenoid and the generator.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatical view of a double pole double throw switch and its electricall connections.

Fig.' 13 is a fragmentary view partlyin elevation and partly in section with a diagram of a modied arrangement of electrical connections.

It is highly desirable and often essential that the electric current supply be practically uninterrupted in places of public gather'ings, such as theatres, schools, hospitals, hotels and dance or other halls, because should the main or outside current supply fail, the exit lights in the theatres, schools and the like, or other necessary lights in hospitals and the like would be extinguished and electrically operated apparatus stopped, possibly resulting in panics and death, or injury to persons attempting to leave the buildings in darkness.

In such cases it is really necessary to have an Aemergency source of electric current supply derived from a source separate from and independent of the main or outside normal supply and that said emergency source of supply be automatically placed in operation immediately upon failure or interruption of said main or outside normal supply. This result is attained by the use of the full automatic starter as will be obvious from the description below.

Whenever the unit is to be used only for electrical power generating purposes rather than as an emergency plant in places, such as farms or smallsettlements, which are not supplied with electric current from a public service or central commercial supply plant, the semi-automatic device may be used. In any such instance the unit may be placed in Aoperation with practically no eort'whatsoever on the part of the person desiring to start the device, and likewise, said person may place the equipment in condition to reset the starter and stop the engine so that it will be ready to'again function when desired. In fact a small child can carry outthe acts necessary to start and stop the plant:

To accomplish either of the above outlined pur; poses, a generator is driven by an internal ccmbustion engine which is started bymechanism including a weight or equivalent means, such as a spring, to be released or placed in condition to function, either automatically or manually, whenever it is necessary or desirable that the unit operate. In connection with the automatic device there is also provided a control means for releasing the holding mechanism which control means functions in yaccordance with failure of the main, usual or outside source of electric current supply, said control means being normally held and returnable to a neutral position upon restoration of the normal, usual or outside source of'current supply to permit return of the released holding mechanism to lts normal position whereby the starting mechanism will be reset and cause the engine to stop. The elimination of the control means provides the semi-automatic device and makes the same manually operative.

In carrying out the invention, I5 represents any internal combustion engine or prirne mover which requires separate means for giving an initial start thereto. For purposes of illustrating the invention said internal combustion engine is illustrated as one of the gasoline type provided with aj fuel intake manifold I6, an exhaust manifold I1, a spark plug I8 for each cylinder and a crank shank shaft I9 on one end of which'is mounted the ily wheel 20. If necessary, the engine may be provided with some means for cooling it and to this end there, has been shown an intake 2I communieating with a water v:lacket and an outlet 22 also- A communicating fwith the water jacket at apoint distant to the intake 2'I.

The referencey numeral 23 denotes any suitable electrical generator driven by the engine either directly or indirectly, and for purposes of illustration only said generator is shown as directly coupled to the crank shaft of the engine by means of the coupling 24.

In order to supply the necessary high tension current to thespark plugs for igniting the fuel charges drawn into the engine, a magneto 25 has -been shown, for purposes of illustration, suitably mounted in any desirable location and driven by ly for purposes of illustration said generator is shown as being actuated by a belt 28 or its equivaient which belt passes around the ily wheel 20 and a pulley 2-1 -on the magneto.

The starter for giving the initial rotation to the crank shaft of the engine is represented by the numeral 28 and preferably comprises a frame 29 which may be in the form of an enclosure or casing for housing certain parts of the mechanism, 'particularly the two sets or trains of gears; In this frame is journalled the main shaft 30 which is suitably connected with the crank shaft of the engine, either directly or indirectly and may even be an extension of the crank shaft.

While the starter is illustrated as connected with the end ofthe engine opposite the generator, this 'is not absolutely necessary since it could be connected to the outer end of the generator shaft and likewise the generator could be connected with or, mounted on the main shaft 30.- These are merely details of assembly, but it is desirable that it be known that the invention is not limited to any specific relative locations of the parts. f A countershaft 3l is also journaled in the frame 29 and has a sheaveA 32 fixed thereto as by a key 33, Fig. 9,`and on this sheaveis wound any suitable flexible cable 34, such as rope, chain. wire-or belt of any cross sectional shape, and said cable may pass over a guide pulley 35 mounted in any sultable and'desirable location with a weight 3B secured to the free end of said cable whereby the downward movement of said weight will impart a rotary motion in one direction to the countershaft 3|. The weight and related parts constitutes a mechanical power means and' any'other power means, for instance a spring, may be substituted therefor, as will be later again mentioned.

On the countershaft 3| is mounted a gear wheel 31 of a gear train 38. Said gear may be fixed to the shaft or it may be revolved in one direction with the shaft and be freed from said shaft when the latter is revolved in the opposite direction. 'I'his can be accomplished by the use of any suitable ratchet mechanism, and for purposes of illustration, a number of balls 38, Figs. 6, 7, and 9, have been shown as suitably recessed within some part of the gear wheel 31 between the circumference of the shaft v3l and arcuate surfaces 40, eccentric 'to the axis of the gear whereby ball receiving pockets are formed which taper from onefend to the other between the surface 40 and the circumference of the shaft so that the balls can wedge between the surface 40 and the circumference of the shaft to bind or connect the gear wheel with the shaft when either is revolved in one direction and wherebythe balls can also be freed to permit rotation of either the shaft or gear wheel independent of the other. In order to insure the functioning of the balls regardless of their positions about the shaft, they may be normally forced toward the smaller ends of the ball receiving pockets by springs Il. The advantage of using a ratchet mechanism in conthe engine either directly or indirectly, but mereaccusa jtamme gear s1 isjtofpermit the gear train. to remain still under certain conditions which `will be-apparent from later description.

L When the fcountershaft* 3| is revolved by 'the' fallingfweight, the gear-wheel `31gand shaft will be revolving in the direction of the arrow adjacent they gear in Fig. 9. The gear 31 meshes Vwith an intermediategear 42 which is mounted upon a stubor trunnionfshaft 43 carried by the frame 23 sojthat, said intermediate gear will be revolved in thejshaft and gear to revolve together when either vis revolved in one direction and permitting either toy revolve independently of the `other when rotatedin'theopposite direction, andV since the ratchet mechanism is the 'same as above described,`fexcept for the .direction of operation.

rference numerals vwm be applied a) the 'ratchet in Figs. 6 and 7. The difierenc'ein'the direction of operation will be obvious by-referencesto Fig. v4.

'me einem; revolved mme @ummm of ithearrow theretojin-'Fig 9, when the said, gearis'connectedfn lthe shaft 30, said shaft will begrevolvedin the same direction and impart the necessary initial rotation to' the crank shaft ofthe; engine jfor starting the latter and also causingthe'magneto 2l to function to supply the electric'currentto'the spark plugs for firing the lchargesoflfueldrawn into the engine cylinders through intake manifold i3 from'any source `ofsupply, such-as aireservoir tank.

hs'soon as the engine begins to operate due to theailrins of the fuel fedthereto 'and the speed ofxthefshaft exceeds that of the geartrain, the revolve independently lof the said searftrain the ratchet mechanismin the gear'44'will free the latter from the shaft 34 and willcontinue to operate without in :wfayailecting' the starter, and the gear train will fas soon'as the prime mover has spent itsforce,'and saidl gear train will remain motionless theoperation is started toreset the prlmefmover, and if the gear 31 has a ratchet -mechanismsaid gear train 3 3 will remain motionless(` during theftim'e that the prime' mover is being reset, or the "ratchet 'may be eliminated from gear311in whichicase the geartrain 3B will revolve Whilethe prime'fmover is being reset, but in either casefaaidfvgear'train 33 will 4 not aifectthe shaft 33 while the 'prime mover is being reset'. The operation of the engine `will actuate the generator `23.1 andjcause itto generate electric current for VIn'forder to return the weight to-its elevated position` or reset the mechanical power means, theoountelrshaft 3| has a gear 45 mounted thereonfsoas-to revolve :independently thereof at certainatimesgand'undercertain conditions is connectedor clutched to .the shaft 3| whereby the twqwillrevolvertogether, and for this purpose. I hav shown a ball race 46 connected withhsaid shaftj' 3 I, through l theI medium of the sheave' '32, whiclig-has been done only for convenience of illustratin.' "A 'tapered or cone clutch member 41 is` movable longitudinally of the shaft ,3| -forto and `fromovement within the ball race and said clutchmember 41] revolves with thegear 45, and forjthis purpose itis shown as spllned at 4 3 to the hub ofthe gear 45, and said clutch member is normallyforced in 'an inward direction relative to the ball race by a spring 50. i

On the shaft 30 is fixed a gear B4, as by a key 85, which gear meshes with the gear 45 so that when the clutch member 41 is moved inward it 'will slightly clamp the balls 51 between the cone portion of said clutch member andthe walls 53 of the ball race. As soonas a slightpressure is applied to the balls and due to the fact that thegear 45 and the clutch member 41 are revolving in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 9, the

balls will be moved toward the smaller ends of the ball receiving pockets so as to clutch said 'clutch member 41 to the ball race which, in effect,"

is clutching the gear 45 to the shaft 3| which will cause -said shaft 3| to revolve with the gear 45.A The gear train will operate from the shaft 3| but if the ratchet mechanism is used in the .gear 31, the shaft 3| will be free to revolve without actuating the gear train 33.

The main shaft 30 being revolved by the engine, the gear 64 will be revolved in the same direction and will transmit motion to the gear 45 andwhen the latter is freed from the shaft 3| 1 4Wihll/ iuerely revolve freely thereon, but when tched to said shaft 3|, as herein shown, due to the inward movement of the clutch member, said gear45 will revolve the countershaft 3| in the direction opposite to the way it was revolved bythe falling of the weight 36 and therefore the cable A34 will be wound upon the sheave 32 andthe weight elevated. As soon as the weight vreaches its highest elevation and is stopped by contact withsome stationarvelement. to be' presentlydescribed. the engine will be "choked" or stopped and everything will remain at a standstill until such time as the gear 45 may be again freed from the shaft 3|.

After the weighthas been elevated and the engine stopped, all of the parts will be at rest and since the gear 31 may be and the gear 45 is, in effect, thenfastened to the shaft 3| and since the gear 4 4 is,in effect, and the gear 34 actually is locked to the shaft' 30, the apparatus will be held in the at rest position with the weight ele'- vated until such time as the clutch element is moved outward.

As the weight 33 is elevated, lit is advisable to gradually lessen its speed and cushion the shock against the stop which may be any Stationary l element, such as rafters, cross bars or equivalent means 66 and the cushioning meansV may be a y spring 61 orany device' that will accomplish the obiect. For instance, it might be a block of rubber. 'I'he weight should be-also slowly arrested in its downward movement, which can be accomplished by a spring 63 or other suitable means or 'by a dash-pot 33 having a relief valve 10.

It is obvious that the weight may freely move up and. down in .any open space or any suitable enclosure. For convenience of illustration only, I have shown said weight as housed in a tube 1| and said tube maybe located on a building, within a building, on the ground or even below the ground, and such tube may be of solid mate-l rial or it may beforaminous, wire screening or lattice work.` l l In order to move the clutch men'ber 41 in a direction opposite to that imparted by the spring 50, said clutch member is shown as provided with a groove 5| withwhich coactsthe shifting fork 52 fixed to the axle 53, the latter carrying a` lever 54 positioned in the path of travel of the core B5 of. a solenoid 53 suitably supported inblade with the movable core of the solenoid. as by 'a link 84.

As shown in Fig. 1, this switch may have two contact terminals 85 and 88 with which the knife blade coacts and' one of the main supply lines, as conductor 6|, is connected to one of said contact terminals, as 85whlle the other contact terminal as 86, is connected by a conductor 81 with one side of the generator 23 and the knife blade is connected by a conductor 88 with one side of the electrical' translating devices 88, such as electric lamps. The other side of the translating devices is connected to the main supply line conductor 68 and the other generator lead or conductor 98.

'I'he above arrangement permits the normal supply of electric current to pass through the conductor 6|, contact terminal 85, knife blade switching element 82, and conductor 88, as well as the conductor 88 to the electrical translating devices 88, since with the normal current supply being fed to the lines the movable core of the solenoid will be in its elevated or raised position, but upon failure of the normal current supply, the solenoid will be de-energized and its core will drop thereby withdrawing the knife blade switching element 82 from the contact terminal 85 and throwing it into the contact terminal 86, and as soon as the generator begins to function at a suicient speed to producev electric current, said current will be supplied to the translating devices 88 through the conductors 88 and 81, the latter forming a part of the circuit through the contact terminal 86, knife blade 82 and conductor 88.

Of course it will be obvious that theA translating devices 88 can be supplied directly' by current from the main source of supply, and other translating devices may be supplied with current directly from the generator 23. For instance, as

shown in Fig. 13, the translating devices 89 may be the lamps in a normal lighting system of a buildyet with the generator 23 so that when the normal lights 89B are extinguished due to failure of the main or usual source of supply and the generating plant is started, the emergency lights will be lit by the current from the generating plant.

Also if desirable, a double pole double throwY switch 86, Fig. 12, can be used for connecting one set of electrical translating devices with either the main or generator sources of supply. In the latter instance the main supply lines 68 and 6| terminate at the contacts 91. and 98 of the switch and the conductors 81 and 88 from the generator 23 terminate at the contacts 98 and |88 of said switch while conductors |8| and |82 connect with the switch blades |83 and |84. The switch blades are connected by the link 84 with the core of the solenoid 56.

As intimated in the beginning of this description, any suitable or equivalent operating means can be used in place of the weight 36, and one such means that is suggested is a spring similar to a clock spring having one end xedto the shaft 3| as the movable element and the other end fixed to someipart of the frame 29 as the anchorage or stationary element so that when said spring is wound up in the same manner as the cable 34 is wound, it will upon release revolve the shaft A 3| so as to impart motion through the gear train 38, the main shaft 38 for revolving the crank shaft of the engine and when said shaft 3| is revolved in the reverse direction from the engine V- through the gears 64 and '45, said spring will be rewound for a future starting operation. The

enable a manufacturer to produce a compact self-contained and simple unitary starter structure'that may be shipped to the location where it is to be used in a completely assembled condition so that it will be only necessary to make the electrical connections and attach the main shaft 38 `with the crank shaft of the engine.

In the full automatic electrical generating apparatus when the main or ordinary source of current supply fails or is interrupted, the solenoid 56 will be de-energized and its movable core 55 will drop and strike the free lend of the lever 54 causing the cone clutch member 41 to be moved outward relative to the ball race for releasing the balls therein, thereby freeing the gear 45 from the shaft 3| thus, in eifect, unlocking or unclutching the starting mechanism. Immediately the means for rotating the shaft 3| will function to revolve the same and transmit motion through the gear train 38 to the shaft 38 and since the latter is connected with the crank shaft of the engine, said engine will be given the initial start necessary to cause it to operate.

simultaneously with the starting of the operations of the starting mechanism, the magneto 25 will be actuated so as to supply the necessary electric current to the spark plugs for firing the charges of fuel drawn into the engine and there- A`after the engine will continue its operations so long as it is supplied with fuel or until such time as another condition arises, which will purposely but automatically stop the engine, as will be presently referred to. The operation of the engine will drive the generator 23 so .that it will supply a suitable emergency electric current as a substitute for the main or usual supply.

With the beginning of the operations of thr starting device, the electrical translating devices will be switched over from the main supply lines to the generator supply lines, if switching mechanism is utilized, but Where no switching mechanism is used, such translating devices as are connected with the generator supply lines will be caused to function when the translating devices connected with the main supply lines stop functioning due to failure or interruption of the main current supply. i

Likewise, as soon as the starter mechanism has its initial movement. means is operated to supply a cooling mediumto the engine and the supply of said cooling medium is to be discontinued at the time the starting mechanism is reset.

So long as the engine continues to run, the cooling medium if from a practically inexhaustible source ofv supply will keep the enginey cool and the power generated in the generator 23 will bev fed to the generator supply line for use as desired.

At such time as the current is restored in the main supply line, the solenoid will be re-energized and its movable core will be drawn upward or elevated, thereby relieving the pressure from the lever 54 permitting the spring 58 to act for moving the cone clutch element 41 inwardly relative to the ball race 46, which will place the balls 51 under a slight pressure between the circumfere'nce of said -clutch element 41 and the walls 58 in the ball race. Thisslight pressure in connection with the action'of the springs on the balls will cause the latter to clamp or clutch the gear 45 to the countershaft 3| and since the gear 45 is revolving at the time of the actuation of the clutch element 41 as above outlined, said countershaft 3| will begin to revolve therewith but in a direction opposite to the direction to which it was first revolved so as to rewind or reset the means which revolved the cuntershaft for starting the engine. Any other suitable clutch can be used. During this reverse movement of the countershaft the ratchet mechanism in gear 44 will permit the gear train 38 to revolve free from the shaft 30, but if the gear 31 is provided with a ratchet mechanism, as shown, then lsaid gear train 38 will remain stationary during said reverse movement of the countershaft.y As the means for revolving the countershaft in a progressive direction nears the reset position, it will gradually form a drag upon said countershaft and when the dragging or hold-back action has increased to such an extent that the engine can no longer function against the same, said engine .will come to a standstill and al1 of the parts will 'I'o utilize the invention-as a semi-automatic' apparatus, particularly where there is no main supply of current, the solenoid, switch and component parts may be eliminated. With such an arrangement the lever 54 may be actuated manually and means provided to hold said lever in a dep'essed position against the action of the spring 50 unless said spring is eliminate'd so that the lever 54 can be manually operated in either direction.

It is thus seen that in the full automatic or the semiautomatic device the starting mechanism after being released or placed in a condition'to actuate will start the engine and then remain inactive until such time as the mechanism is placed in condition for winding up the means that the parts of the generating plant may bef mounted or supported in any suitable manner, the frame of the starter, the engine and the generator have all been shown with bas'e cleats or flanges 9 I 92 and 93 respectively, which may be used to support said parts upon a base 94.

In4 lieu of the weight and its flexible cable a spring 95 may be moimted within the sheave `32 with one end of said spring connected to the hub of said sheave and the other end xed to any suitable part of the casing or housing 28.

Of course it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from. the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new land useful is:-

l. In a device of the character described," an internal combustion engine, means normally at rest but when in motion imparting an initial movement to the internal combustion engine, and mechanism to transmit motion from the engine to said means for resetting said means to its normal at rest position afterisaid means has functioned to impart the said initial movement-to the engine and the same mechanism stopping the engine by 'the counteraction of said means after said means has reached its at rest position beyond which said means cannot go.

2. In a device of the character described, an internal combustion engine, mechanical Apower means normally at rest, mechanism to transmit a 9 progressive motion from the mechanical lpower bustion engine when the mechanical power means is set in motion, and other mechanism to transmit motion from the engine to'the mechanical power. means in a retrograde direction for resetting said mechanical power means after it has functioned to impart the said initial movement to the engine, the said other mechanism stopping the engine by the counteraction of said mechanical power means after it has reachedits at rest position. each of said mechanisms being inoperative during the time theI other is functioning. l

3. In a device of the character described, a shaft, an engine, mechanical power means for revolving the shaft, lmechanism for transmitting motion from said shaft to the crankshaft of the engine in one'direction only and capable of being freed from said shafts to permit the first men' 1 tioned one to revolve in a reverse direction and to permit the crankshaft to revolve independently of said mechanism, and other mechanism for transmitting motion from the crankshaft to said first mentioned shaft to reset said mechanical power means by revolving said rst mentioned shaft in y a reverse direction to the direction it is revolved by the mechanical power means and said second named mechanism being freed from the ilrst mentioned shaft while the rst named mechanism is functioning, said mechanical power means through the medium of said second named mech-l anism stalling and stopping the engine by counteraction of said mechanical power means when said mechanical power means has been completely reset.

,4. 1n c device of the kind described, c nmain shaft, a countershaft, mechanical power means to revolve the countershaft, mechanism connected with said shafts, said mechanism having means for clutching the same to the shafts whereby a progressive motion may be transmitted from the countershaft to the main shaft but which will permit release of the mechanism from said shafts when the direction of motion of the countershaft is reversed or the speed of the driven element exceeds that of the driving element, other mechanism for transmitting motion from the main shaft to the countershaft, and clutch means for clutching said second named mechanism to the countershaft when the latter is to be revolved in a reverse direction to reset themechanical power lpower means through the medium of said otherv mechanism after said mechanical power means has been reset.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4, in combination with a source of electricity, means controlled by said source of electricity to actuate the clutching means for unclutching the reversing mechanism from the countershaft upon failure of the supply of electricity, and means to clutch the reversing mechanism to the countershaft upon the restoration of the supply of electricity.

6. In an electrical systei.-l in combination with a main source of electrical supply, an emergency lighting unit including a generator, an internal combustion engine for driving the same, mechanb motion may be transmitted from the countershaft to the main shaft but which will permit release ot the' mechanism from said shafts when the direction of motion of the countershaft is reversed or the speed of the driven element exceeds that of the driving element, other mechanism for transmitting motion from the main shaft to the counvtershaft, clutch means for clutching said second -Y nism from the countershaft yupon failure of the supply of electricity, and means to clutch the reversing mechanism to the countershaft upon the restoration of the supply of electricity.

7. In a device of the character described, an engine, a countershaft, mechanical power means for revolving the countershaft, mechanism for transmitting motion from said countershaft to the crankshaft of said engine in only one direction, means to releasably connect said mechanism with said crankshaft whereby the latter may revolve independently of said mechanism and the rst mentioned shaft' revolve in a reverse direction, and other mechanism including electricallyv controlled meansfor automatically causing transmission of motion from the crankshaft to said countershaft for revolving the latter in a reverse direction for resetting said mechanical power means and-said second named mechanism being freed from the countershaft while the first named mechanism is functioning, and said second named mechanism stoppingthe engine by the counteraction of the mechanical power means after said mechanical power means has been reset.

8. In combination, an internal combustion engine including a crank shaft, a generator actuated thereby, a countershaft suitably journalled in a supporting frame, a weight, means to connect said weight with the countershaft whereby the descent of said weight will impart a rotary motion to the countershaft, means to transmit motion from said oountershaft to the crank shaft of the engine in one direction only for imparting an Ainitial starting movement to the engine, said means including mechanism whereby it will be freed from the crank shaft when th'e latter exceeds the critical speed of the.

countersha'ft and also permitting a reverse movement of said countershaft, means to transmit.

motion to the countershaft in a reverse direction from the crank shaft.' said means including mechanism for clutching said means to the countershaft whereby said means may be freed from the countershaft to permit its rotation in a progressive direction, the reverse movement of said countershaft elevating the weight, a main source of electrical supply, means ,for automatically eecting operation of the clutch means when the main source fails, said clutching means automatically clutching the means for driving the countershaft in a reverse direction to said 'countershaft tocause the weight to be elevated or reset upon the restoration of the main source of current, a magneto for supplying current to the firing means of the engine actuated by the revolving of the crank shaft, means to supply a cooling medium to the engine, means to control the supply of said cooling medium, and means to operate the last mentioned means at the beginning of the descent ofthe weight and again when said weight reaches approximately its highest elevation.

9. In combination, an internal combustion engine including a crank shaft, a generator actuated thereby, a countershaft suitably journalled in a supporting frame, aA spring to impart a rotary motion to the countershaft, means to transmit motion from said countershaft to the crank i shaft of the engine in one direction only forl imparting an initial starting movement to the engine, said means including mechanism whereby it will be freed from the crank shaft when the latter exceeds the critical speed of the countershaft and also permitting a reverse movement of said countershaft, means to transmit motion to the countershaft in a reverse direction from the crankshaft, said means including mechanism for clutching said means to the countershaft whereby said means may be freed from the countershaft to permit its rotation in aprogressive direction, the reverse movement of said countershaft rewinding the spring, a main source of electrical supply, means for automatically effecting operation of the clutch means when lthe main source fails, said clutching means automatically clutching the means for driving the countershaft in a reverse direction to said countershaft to cause the spring to be rewound upon the restoration of the main source vof current, a magneto for supplying current to the ring means of the engine actuated by the revolving of the crank shaft, means to supply a cool` ing medium to the engine, means to control the supply of said cooling medium,land means to operate the lastmentioned means at the beginning of the unwinding of the spring and again when said spring is approximately wound up.

i WILLIAM M. REESE.

Images