US2753015A - Starter for internal combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 1956 P. TORRE 2,753,015

STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 1v, 1952 INVENTOR P/ER u/G/ TORRE ATTORNEYS STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Pier Luigi Torre, Milan, Italy Application July 17, 1952, Serial No. 299,417 Claims priority, application Italy July 17, 1951 1 Claim. (Cl. 18S- 40) The present invention relates to a spring powered Semiautomatic starter for internal combustion engines for automotive vehicles, motorcycles and stationary plants.

The starter according to the invention makes it possible to obtain through the preliminary loading of a spring, a very powerful cranking impulse always constant, independently of the ability and the strength of the operator.

Such a device, that can be substituted for any application of hand or pedal cranking, permits by a very simple loading operation requiring no particular effort, a prompt starting under any condition.

The accompanying drawing illustrates diagrammatically and by way of example an embodiment of the invention, and namely:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view, partially sectioned, of the device,

Fig. 2 is a sectional View in a plane perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 1, and passing through the center-line of the shaft transmitting the motion to the engine crankshaft.

The device under consideration, as is clearly apparent from the drawing, comprises a sturdy spring 1, positioned inside a shell 2 and adapted to actuate the axial displacement of a rod 3 carrying a rack 4. Said rack 4 is adapted to effect, by its movement in a certain direction, the rotation of a shaft 10 that transmits the movement to the engine crank-shaft. Said transmission of movement from the rack 4 to the shaft 10, is effected with the aid of a pinion 6 keyed on a same shaft as a toothed sector 5 meshing with a pinion 12 journaled on shaft 10 so as to be fast with said shaft only for rotation in a certain direction, while it remains idle on same for rotation in the reversed direction. Said shaft 10 in its turn is connected through gear 13 with the engine crank shaft (not shown).

It is then apparent how, when the spring is released, the engine crank-shaft is cranked by the action of the rack 4 on the pinion 6, that rotates together with the toothed sector 5, meshing with pinion 12, thus obtaining the desired starting of the engine.

The release of the spring 1 is obtained by means of the disengagement of the locking member 8, actuated through the lever 9, which may also be remotely operated by means of a flexible steel cable or the like.

2,753,015 Patented July 3, 1956 ICC Upon the complete release of the :spring 1, sector 5 will have over stepped the meshing point with pinion 12 whereby this last one is no more engaged with said sector and can freely rotate.

The loading of the spring for the next starting operation is obtained, in the example of embodiment illustrated in the drawing, by acting on sector 5 by means of a gear 7, which will preferably be a speed reducing gear so as to require a minimum effort. The actuation of said gear 7 may be etiected through a pedal 11, shown in dotted lines in the drawing, or through a handle capable of successive limited radial travels or else by means of a cranking handle operable through one or more complete revolutions.

As soon as the spring 1 has been compressed, the locking member 8 automatically cornes into engagement with the rack 4 so as to lock the spring in its loaded position. The device is thus ready for a new starting cycle which will be effected, as the previous one, by acting on lever 9. ln particular, each loading of the spring 1 may eventually also be obtained by the very power of the engine, as soon as it is started, thus avoiding every hand operation or eiiort for the starting.

It is evident that all the construction details, the shape and sizes of the several parts may practically Vary according to needs, without therefore departing from the iield and scope of the present invention.

What I claim s:

A spring powered semi-automatic starter for internal combustion engines comprising a housing, a rod carrying a rack positioned in said housing, a spring that can be loaded by compression surrounding said rod within the housing for actuating said rod upon its release, a pinion meshing with the rack and mounted for rotation about a iirst tixed axis, a toothed wheel mounted for rotation about said iirst axis and being fixed with respect to the pinion whereby rotation of either will cause rotation of the other, an engine starting pinion mounted on a second fixed axis and meshing with the toothed wheel, a gear mounted on a third fixed axis and meshing with the toothed wheel for rotating the toothed `Wheel to load the spring, releasable means for retaining the rod and rack in position against movement under the action of the spring, a one way clutch having a meshing connection with the engine starting pinion for transmitting cranking motion in one direction only, and means for automatically actuating the releasable retaining means upon the rack and rod reaching the position in which the spring is fully loading, said pinions, toothed wheel, gear, releasable retaining means for the rod and rack and clutch are all retained within the housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 944,316 Cantono Dec. 28, 1909 1,049,206 Cantone Dec. 31, 1912 1,142,889 Knapp June 15, 1915 1,217,563 Cantono Feb. 27, 1917

Images