US840694A - Starting and controlling internal-combustion-engine-driven launches and vehicles. - Google Patents

Description

, No. 846,694. 1 \PATENTED JAN. 8, 19017.. I

v M. W. I STARTING AND CONTROLLING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE DRIVEN? LAUNCHES AND VEHICLES.

APPLIOATION FILED r2124. mos.

WITNESSES;

I mvzn'roa useful Improvements UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE; MARSHALL WILFRED HANKS, OF'MADISON, WISONSIN. STARTINGAND CONTROLLING INTERNAL-COMBUSTION-ENGIN E DRIVEN LAUNCHES AND VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1907.

Application filed February 24, 1995. Serial No- 247,197

To all whom it may concern:

13c it known that I, MARSHALL WILFRED HANKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at' Madison, in the county "of Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and in the Starting and Controlling of Internal-Combustion-Engine- Driven Launches and Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of engines inwhich the initial rotation is brought about by some external power. This initial rotation is generally brought about by placing a detachable crank directly on the end of the engine-shaft, and by giving this crank a turn rotation is imparted to the engine. In launches and vehicles this method is not only troublesome, but is decidedly inconvenient, as it does not allow the operator to start his engine and guide the launch or vehicle from the same place.

I am aware of engine-starting devices that have been operated from a point convenient to the steering and controlling levers in launches and vehicles; but they have not always proved successful on account of the tendency to confuse the operator because of unnecessary levers, or the principles used were too complicated to allow the making of a good serviceable device.

, It is the object of the present invention to combine suitable means for starting, controlling, and stopping internal-combustion engines with the guiding or steering devices common to launches and vehicles carrying this class of enginein such a manner that-the number of levers will be reduced to a minimum, and the controller will be simple, positive of action, and of durable construction.

With acontroller of this sort'the operator can not only start and stop his engine from the operating-seat, but has complete control over the speed and. guidance of the launch or vehicle.

To 'thisend I drawings accompanying this specification.

This device provides 'for a combination steering-wheei and engine-starter in which the steering-wheel is normally interlocked with the steering-gear. The engine is started b simply pushing the steering-wheel forabout one inch and then giving it a turn. Upon the release of the forward pressure on the steering-wheel it automatically recoiled around the cylinder.

have provided a I device shown in elevation in Figures 1 and 2 of the turns to its normal position, thereby disconnecting the engine-starting device and again interlocking with the steering-gear.

Fig. 1 shows the controller partly in elevation and partly in section with a sprocket-- chain 7 connecting it with the shaft 8 of an internal-combustion engine.

lever connecting rods 13 and 14 also lead from the controller to the gas-controlling and spark devices on the engine. As the engine and controlling devices pertaining directly thereto are not a part of the invention, they have not been shown on the drawings. 2 shows the front elevation of Fig. 1 with the broken sprocket-chain 7 connecting the controller and engine-shaft 8.

Referring to Fi 1 of the drawings, 1 is the main supportingame, to which the hollow supporting-bearing clutch-cylinder and sprocket 4 are mounted so as to rotate on, the hollow supporting-bearing 10. The steering-drum 3 is rotatively mounted on the clutch-cylinder 5. The clutch-cylinder 5 is provided with an annular flange 5'', carrying oppositely-projecting pins 19 19, adapted for alternate engagement with holes respectively in the steering drum.

4, said cylinder being slidable 3 and sprocket on the bearing and moved byhand-presl sure on the wheel 2 to disengage the pins 19 from the drum and bring the pins 19 into engagement with the sprocket-holes, the movement being against the action of a spring 6, Pressure being removed, the'spring 6 expands to retract the cylinder and cause 19 and drum 3.- S rocket 4 has no longitudinal play, and t e steering-drum 3 does Gas and spark Fig.

10 is rigidly secured. The

rengagement of the pins not move longitudinally by virtueof the spring 6 holding it against the main supporting-frame 1.

The steering-wheel 2 and the clutch 5 are rigidly fastened together sotheyrotate as one. A pressure on the steering-wheel 2 to the left, parallel to the axis of rotation and sufficient to compress the coiled spring 6, will move the clutch from the drum 3 to the sprocket 4. A

rotation nowof the wheel 2 will cause the s rocket 4 to rotate, as well as the enginesliaft 8', as the engine-shaft 8 and sprocket 4 are connected by a suitable chain. When the engine starts, neither the sprocket 9 nor the chain 7'can rotate by reason of a pawland-ratchet means 9 or any-other suitable device well known to the art interposed .be-

and 12 (shown in Fig. 2-) through the connecting-shafts13 and 14. These-connecting with reference to the numbers on the left of vide means for automatically bringing the loo ely mounted in a slot out in the supportand back when the spring dpushes the wheel back into lace, but does not rotate with the is moved to the left by reason of its being pushed by the wheel 2, the forty-five-degree upper side of the slot moves along the pin 17 necting-cables for moving'the rudder.

tween the shaft 8 and the sprocket 9, which allows an interlocking only when the speed of the sprocket 9 exceeds that of the shaft 8. A

In order that the controllermay be complete in every detail, the. gas-regulating or gas-mixing valves on the engine and also. the device for changing the point of igniting the explosive charge in the engine-cylinders are connected with the gas and spark levers 11 shafts 13 and 14 pass through the hollow suporting-shaft 10. A movement of the gas ever 11 about its axis willchange the quantity or uality of gas flowing to the en-. gine, an this quantity or quality will be relatively indicated by the position of the lever the dial plate 15.1, In likemanner the point of ignition of the charge will be relatively indicated' by the position of the spark-lever 12.

It is also advisable and important to pro-.

spark-controlling devices to the starting positions before engine is started, as otherwise theengine may kick back and startrotating in theopposite direction from that intended. A device for accomplishing this is shown in section in the right of Fig.1. The key 16 is ing'- caring 10, so that it' travels forward with the wheel 2 when engine is to be started wheel. '1 e spark-lever rod 14 asses to one side of the key 16, as shown in t e drawings. Cut'in'the key 16' is a V-slot 16, into which projects a pin 17, ri idly fastened into the spark-controlling she 14. When the key-16 side of the slot comes in contact with the pin 17, and as there is no longitudinal play to this in it moves up, rotatingthe shaft 14 and oringing the spark-lever 12 to the zero position. When the pressure on the wheel 2 is released, the key moves to the right, and the until it comes to rest, with the pin in the upper left-hand corner. 7 A movement now of drawing the spark-lever to No. 5 on the dial 15 will bring the in 17 to the position shown on the 6 5 i 1. Other d vices for starting internal-combustion en ines by means of a steering-gear may readi be worked out, and the one shown in t e drawings accompanying this specification is simply one of many good methods, and I desire it to be understood that my invention is not limited to specific details of construction any further than such details are specifically set forth in the claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with a steering means,.of a start ing means, means for controlling the pointof gas ignition in the engine-cylinder, means ac- .tuating' the ignition-controlling .means to bring the point of ignition to the starting position by the operation of the starting means and an actuating element movable into posi tion for connection with said steering-means and said starting means and ignition-com trolling means alternately.

' 2. In an internal combustion enginedriven launch or vehicle, steering means, en.

glue-starting means, and-an actuatin element for said means movable into positions for connection with said steering means and starting means alternately.

3. In an internal combustion enginedriven launch or vehicle, steering means, engine-starting means, and an actuatin rota table element for said means movab e into positions for connection with said steering means and starting means alternately 4. The combination of a steering-shaft a starting member connected to the engineshaft, and a steering-wheel movable lengthwise on its shaft and having means to engage the starting member by such lengthwise movement and operate the same by its rotation. I

5. The combination of steering means including-a wheel, a support along which the wheel is movable, and engine-starting means actuated by said wheel in one position of the latter. v

6. In an internal combustion enginedriven launch or vehicle, the combination with a hand-wheel, a steering-drum and a starting means, said hand-wheel bein movable into position for connection wit said steering-drum and starting means alternately.

7. In an internal combustion enginedriven launch or vehicle, a hand-wheel, a

steerin -drum, a starting means, and a springpresse sliding clutch fixed to the wheel and arranged to engage the drum and startmg means alternately.

' MARSHALL WILFRED HANKS.

Witnesses:

J. F. O. PYRE, LUoIEN S. HANKS.

IIC

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