Патент USA US2379428

July 3, 1945.‘
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_j_ w. FlTZ GERALD‘
ENGINE
STARTER,
_2,379,428
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Filed May 20, 1942
2 Sheets-Sheet 1
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wjiw ‘ a
July 3, 1945. '
J. W. > FITZ GERALD
2,379,428
ENGINE STARTER
Filed May 20, 1942
2 Sheets-Sheet 2
Patented July 3, 1945
2,379,428
9UN-ITED ‘STAT-ES.
~ _ ENGINE
NT OFFICE '
STARTER
_
John W. Fitz‘G‘erald, Milwaukee, Wis, as'signor to
Briggs & , Stratton Corporation,
Wis, a corporation of Delaware
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, Milwaukee,
Application May 20, 1942, Serial No. 443,731
8 Claims.
v (0]. 74-6)
This invention relates to engine starters and
refers particularly to so-called manual starters
wherein the pinion is manually moved into mesh
with the ring gear before the starter motor
starts.
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Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 showing
the pinion fully meshed; and
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Starters of this type are generally preferred for
engines that do not start readily, for by holding
the starter pedal “in”.the pinion can be held-in
mesh notwithstanding initial starting spurts
which would demesh a starter of the automatic
type,
tween the pinion and ring gear teeth is yield
ingly accommodatedj
"
However, this feature of the manual ‘type of
starter has its disadvantage in that the starter
Figure 4 ‘is a detail cross sectional View
through Figure 1 on the plane of the line 4-4.
Referring now particularly to the accompany-v
ing drawings, in which like numerals indicate
like parts, the numeral 5 designates the ring gear
of an engine to be started with which a pinion 6
is adapted to be meshed upon manual depres
sion of a starter pedal 1.
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It is to be understood, however, that in place of
mechanism and starting motor are apt to be sub
the manually depressible ‘ pedal '1 suitable elec
jected to excessive strain and wear if the starter 15 'tro‘magnetic-means or its equivalent may be em- '
is kept in mesh after the engine starts, which
often occurs at the hands of inexperienced
drivers.
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ployed to shift the pinion into mesh with the ‘ring
gear.
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The pinion 6 is carried by a sleeve 8 freely slid
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to
provide a starter of the manual type which'in
ably splined. to the shaft 9 of the starter motor
corporates means for automatically demeshing
ll equipped with. bearings l2 and I3’at its oppo
site ends to support the motor shaft,'the latter
bearing also serving to mount the sleeve 8 which
the pinion upon proper starting of the engine.
More speci?cally it is an object of this inven
tion to provide a starter of the character de
l0. The'motor I0 is mounted withi'nahousing
carries the pinion.
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scribed wherein a centrifugally responsive latch 25 Between the bearing [3 and the adjacent end
holds the pinion in mesh (providing, the starter ‘ of'th'e motor It, the sleeve 8 has an enlargement
pedal is kept depressed) until the pinion driven
M'which is transversely slotted to receive dia»
by the engine attains a predeterminedspeed of
, metrically opposite ribs I5. The ribs 15 may- be
an integral part of the motor shaft, but/prefer
rotation.
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It is also an object of this invention to pro 30 ably. consist of axial projections‘on' a collar l6
vide a starter of the character described having
keyedgor otherwise secured to the motor shaft.
means incorporated therein for yieldingly com
The interengagement vof the ribs l5 and the slots
pensating for accidental collision of the teeth on -
in theenlargement l4 provide the splined driving‘
the pinion and ring gear.
connection‘ between the motor shaft and the
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. With the above and other objects' in _ View, 35
pinion sleeve.‘
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which will appear as the description proceeds,
Enclosing the enlargement I4 is a barrel mem
this invention resides inthe novel construction,
ber ll'the‘clo'sed end‘ I8 of whichis bored and
notched tov ‘receive the shaft 9 and the ribs l5 of
the
collar l'6. The'barrel thus revolves with the
40
motor shaft and pinion. Inside the barrel a com
larly de?ned by the appended c1aims,-i't being
pr'ession spring "I9 is con?ned between the inner
understood that such changes in the precise em,
walls of the barrel and the enlargement I ion
bodiment of the herein disclosed invention may
the pinion sleeve. The ends of this springbear
be made as come within the scope of the claims.
The accompanying drawings illustrate one com 45 against a spring ring 20 ?xed on the enlargement
M and a ?ange 2| secured to the open end of. the
plete example of the physical embodiment of the
barrel and extending across the annular space
invention constructed according to the best mode
between the mouth of the barrel and the enlarge
so far‘ devised for the practical application of the
combination and arrangement of parts substan
tially as hereinafter described and more particu
principles thereof, and in which:
ment I4.
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Figure 1 is a view partially in side elevation and 50 ' ‘Loosely'mounted on the barrel so as to be free
to move axially thereon is a spanner ring 22.
partially in horizontal section illustrating a start
- er embodying this invention and showing the
pinion in its inoperative position;
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' Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but show
This ring is preferably splined to the barrel in
any suitable manner as by a pin 22' carried by
the'ring and engaging in a longitudinal groove
I'l' but is restrained against axial motion on the
ing the manner in which- accidental collisionbe- 56 barrel by a weighted pin 23 slidable in a radial
2,379,428
2.
tuator is transmitted to the pinion part and con
sequently to the pinion, said centrifugally re
sponsive latch being operable to disrupt the con
nection between the actuator and said pinion
part when the pinion attains a predetermined
speed of rotation.
hole 24 in the spanner ring and projecting into
a socket 25 in the outer cylindrical surface of
the barrel.
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A leaf spring 26 anchored to the spanner ring
presses against the weighted pin to yieldingly hold
the same engaged in the socket 25 to secure the
2. In an engine starter of the character de
spanner ring and barrel against relative axial
movement.
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scribed, the combination of: a starting motor; a
pinion movableiaxially into and out of mesh with
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The spanner ring :22 also has an annular
the ring gear of an engine to be started; means
groove 21 with which a ‘fork 28 actuated by the 10 ,at
all times drivingly connecting the pinion with
starter peda1 ‘I cooperates to shift the entire pine
ion assembly axially to mesh the pinion with the “the starting motor; actuating means for moving
- thepinion into mesh with the ring gear; a re
ring gear upon depression of the starter ,pedal.
leasable motionvtransmitting connection between
During such axial shifting of the pinion assem
bly a heavy compression spring‘ ‘29 encircling the “the actuating means and the pinion, said releas
_ able'motion transmitting connection including a
collar 16 and con?ned between'th'e motor ill-and ,_ centrifugally responsive latch carried by a part
the adjacent end of the barrel is compressed or‘
revoluble withthe pinion, response of said latch
loaded.
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to centrifugal force upon the attainment of a
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In the event the pinion and ring gear teeth
collide as illustrated in Figure 2, depression of
predetermined speed of rotation of the pinion
disrupting said motion transmitting connection;
and yieldable means for moving the pinion out
of. mesh with the ring gear upon disruption of
the starter pedal may continue ‘by virtue of the
axial yieldability provided by the spring ‘19.
Upon ?nal and complete depression of the pedal
said releasable connection between the pinion
1 the circuit to the starter motor In (not shown)
is closed by depressionuof a switch plunger 30. 25 and ‘said actuating means.
, ‘3. In an engine starter of the character de
In the eventof improper engagementvas- indicated
scribed:
a motor driven power shaft; a ,pinion
in .Figure 2, the initial startingofthe motor
movable axially to and from an operative posi
promptly aligns the’ pinion and ringgear teeth.
tion meshing with the ring gear of an engine to
After proper engagement » of the pinion and
gear and thestarter'motor begins to turn over the .30 be started; means at all times drivingly con
necting the pinion with the power shaft; an ac
engine, the pedal 1 may be held in indiscrimi
tuatorfor moving the pinion axially to its oper
nately without danger of-damage to ‘the starter
ative position; a spring biasing the, pinion axial
mechanism for the instant the speed of rotation of
ly out of its operative driving position, said spring
the pinion driven by the ring gear exceeds a pre
being
loaded by movement of the pinion to op
determined value, centrifugal force acting on the
erative position; an axiallyslidable, but non-ro
weighted pin 23 disengages the pin from thesocket
tatable, connection between the actuator and a
25 and releases the pinion assembly for projec
tion to its normal demeshedposition by the loaded
compression spring 29.‘ It is,’ of course, under
stood that thespanner ring 22 and consequently
the pin 23v revolve withthe pinion, so that it is the
speed of rotation of-the pinion which determines
when the pinion is released for disengagement
from the ring gear.
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. ~Re-engagement of the pin '23 in the socket 25 to
again couple the spanner ring to the barrel is
accomplished by the starter ,pedal sliding the
spanner ring back along the barrelras the “pedal
is restored to its normal position where iti‘s held
by aspring (not shown).
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From the foregoing description, taken in con
nection with the accompanying drawings, ,itwill
be readily apparent to thoseskilled in__.the art,
that this invention provides an engine starter of
part movable with the pinion; and a releasable
motion transmitting connection between said
part and, the actuator including a .centrifugally
responsive latch carried by the actuator so as to
be rotatable with the pinion, response of thelatch
to the centrifugal force prevalent when the pin
ion attains .apredetermined speed of rotation dis
rupting the motion transmitting connection and
freeing the pinion for demeshing under the in- ,
fiuence of said biasing spring.
4. In an engine starter of the character de
scribed: a motor driven power shaft; a pinion
having a slidably splined driving connection with
the power'ishaft allowing for axial motion of the
pinion with respect to the power shaft; a spring
tending at all times to hold the pinion in a de
meshed non-driving position; and means for
the so-called manual type which incorporates .the v; 7 moving the pinion against the action of said
advantages of the manual starter with those of
the automatic starter and-in addition assures the
pinion being retained in mesh with the ringgear
until the engine actually starts. ,_ ~
What 1 claim as my invention is;
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1. .In an engine starter of the manual type
having apinion manually. meshed, with the ring
gear before the circuit tothe starting motor is
closed, the combination of: a spring urging the
pinion to an-out-of-mesh ipositionL-a manually
operable actuator; means for closing the circuit
of the starting motoriby ithe ?nal-movement of
the actuator; a releasable connection ‘between
the actuator and .av vpart inovableYbothvaxially-and
rotarily with the pinion whereby‘thetpinion may -
be moved into mesh by itheactuator andreleased
for demeshing independentlyzofthe actuator, said
releasable‘ connection includinga ,centrif'ugally
spring to an active driving position including
drivingly connected, but‘ relatively axially mov
able part's rotatable with‘ the pinion,and a cen
‘trifugally responsive latch carried by one of said
parts and releasably engaging the other part for
normally releasably holding said parts against
relative axial motion so that upon actuation of
said pinion moving means the pinion is slid into
driving position, response of said latch to cen
trifugal vforce, uponithe ‘pinion attaining a pre- ~
determined speed-0f rotation, releasing said parts
iorrelati've axial ‘motion and freeing the pinion
for projection ‘by said-spring to its inactive.non
driving position.
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V 5. In . an I engine starter of the character de
scribed: a :pinion imov‘ablei axially :to and from
{an} operative position; axspring reacting axially,
against the pinion-andcloaded during movement
' , of ‘the pinion-$0 voperative:position,so as to yield
responsive latch carried vby a :part- ‘revolving {with 715. ingly urge ‘the pinion: out :of its .operative posi
the pinion and: through ‘which. motion of ‘the ac
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tion; a barrel member coaxial with the pinion;
means connecting the barrel member with the
pinion so that the barrel member is movable with
the pinion; a movable actuating member slidably
splined to the barrel member; and a centrifugally
responsive latch carried by one of said members
. so as to rotate with the pinion and engaging the
other member to effect a motion transmitting
connection between the members so that axial.
motion of the actuating member in one direction
shifts the pinion to its operative position while
response of the latch to centrifugal force dis
rupts the motion transmitting connection and
frees the pinion for spring-propelled movement
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7. In an engine starter of the type having a
pinion at all times drivingly connected withv a
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starting motor: a member connected with the
pinion tobe movable therewith; means for shift
ing the pinion into mesh with the ring gear of
an engine to be started before the starting motor
begins to operate, said means including a ring
member slidably splined to saidvmember con
nected with the pinion, and a centrifugally re
sponsive latch carried by one of said members to
turn therewith and engaging the other member
to provide a releasable‘ motion transmitting con
nection between said members, response of the
latch to a predetermined speed of rotation of said
out of its operative position.
15 members and the pinion releasing the pinion from
6. In an engine starter: a power shaft; a pinion
the shifting means; and means at all times exert
movable axially of the power shaft to and from an
operative position; complementary telescoped rel
atively axially movable parts, one of which is ?xed
with respect to the pinion; means constraining
both said parts to turn with the power shaft while
leaving them free to slide thereon; stop means
' on said telescoped parts limiting relative axial
movement thereof in one direction; a, spring re
ing a biasing force on the pinion to'move the
same to its dcmeshed position upon such response '
of the latch.
8. In an engine starter‘of the character de
scribed: a pinion movable'axially to and from an‘
operative position; a spring loaded during move
ment of the pinion to operative position; a barrel
acting between said parts to normally hold the 25 member; means connecting the barrel member
with the pinion so that the barrel member moves
same in said relative positions de?ned by the stop a
with the pinion; another member slidably but
means, said spring allowingsaid parts to move
nonrotatably, connected with said barrel mem
axially with respect to each other in the event
ber so that said members at all times rotate to
of pinion tooth interference during pinion shift
ing movement applied to the other of said parts; 30 o gether and with the'pinion; actuating means con
nected to said other member for shifting the
a spanner ring slida-bly splined to said other one
same axially; and a centrifugally responsive latch
of said complementary telescoped parts; manu
carried by one of said members to be rotatable
ally operable means engaging the spanner ring for
with the pinion and engaging the other member
shifting the same in a direction to move the pinion
to its operative position; a, centrifugally respon
sive latch rotatable with and providing a releas
able connection between the spanner ring and said
part to which it is slidably splined, response of
the latch freeing the complementary parts and
to normally. releasably connect the members so
that the pinion maybe shifted to its operative
actuation of said other member, re
7 position by
sponse of the latch to the centrifugal force preva
lent at a predetermined speed of rotationof the
pinion disrupting said connection between said
the pinion for axial movement with respect to the
spanner ring; and a spring reacting axially against ‘ 40 members and releasing the pinion for movement
out of its operation position.
the complementary parts to move the same and
consequently the pinion out of operative position
the instant the centrifugal latch responds.
JOHN W. FITZ ’ GERALD.