Patent GB-447129-A (GB)
Title: An improved mechanical starter for internal combustion engines
IPC: F02N5/02
Filed: 1934-11-12
Abstract: 447,129. Turning - gear. RUSSELL, F. C., Lundy, Warwick Road, Sale, Cheshire, and BRADBURY, J. H., 8, Broadway, Ashton-on-Mersey. Nov. 12, 1934, No. 32475. [Class 7 (v}] In a spring starter the spring is normally uncoupled from the engine shaft and cannot be stressed until it has been coupled to the engine shaft, allowing retaining means such as a detent or pawl to be engaged. In one form. Figs. 1 and 2, a starter shaft 12 supported in a two-part housing 10 has at one end a squared portion 13, to which is pinned a dog-clutch member 14 for engagement with a corresponding member 15 on the engine shaft. A sleeve 17 mounted on the shaft 12 has a squared portion 19 for engagement with the squared portion 13 of the shaft, and bearing portions 20 by which it is rotatably journalled on the shaft when the portions 19, 13 are disengaged, the portion 19 then registering with a reduced portion 13<a> of the shaft. A ratchet wheel 18 mounted on the sleeve 17 has a circular rim adjacent to the engine and a second rim of the same diameter and width having two or more notches 37 for engagement with a detent 39 pivoted eccentrically on a disc 40. One end of the detent is adapted to engage the notch and the other to lock against the shaft of the eccentric 40 with a toggle action. A pair of coiled or volute starter springs 23 are anchored at their inner ends to a hub 22 splined on the sleeve 17, and at their outer ends to a casing 32 rotatable in flanges 33 in the housing 10. A toothed rim 34 on the spring casing 32 is engaged by a pawl 36, and is adapted to be driven, for winding the spring, through a gear train 34a, 35 from a wheel 24 rotatably mounted on the shaft 12, and having square teeth 28 engaged by teeth on the hub of a starting handle 27. In operation, the handle 27 is pushed in to engage the clutch 14,15 and to engage the pinion 24 with the winding gear 35, the wheel 18 also being pushed back against a spring 38, so that the inner rim registers with the catch 39. On rotation of the handle 27, the wheel 18 is held by the catch 39 and the springs 23 are wound through the gearing 35, 34, the pawl 36 riding over the teeth 34. When the springs are wound, the handle 27 can be disengaged from the pinion 24, and when the springs are released by breaking the toggle of the catch 39 by means of a lever 42, they drive the starter shaft 12 through the hub 22 and sleeve 17. The handle 27 may be used to start the engine directly by moving it to bring a notch 29 into engagement with a pin 31 in the shaft 12. The shaft 12 is then pushed axially to engage the clutch 14, 15 and to disengage the squared portion 13 from the squared portion 19 of the sleeve 17, so that the shaft 12 is free from the gearing and springs. In a modification, the starter spring is helical and is secured at its ends to a wheel such as 18 and to an internally toothed wheel 57, Fig. 4, driven from the starting handle through a gear wheel 58 mounted on an eccentric hub 59 loose on the starting shaft and having dogs 60 on its outer face to engage with dogs on the starting handle. An arm 63 secured to the wheel 58 has a shaped end engaged between parallel webs 64 in an extension of the casing 43. In order to release the starter spring to start the engine after a predetermined number of turns of the handle, the lever 63 on each upward movement displaces a spring-pressed lever 65 and imparts step-by-step rotation to a shaft 66 by means of a pawl and ratchet 67, until a spring-pressed sleeve on the shaft 66 comes into engagement with a shaft corresponding to 43, Fig. 1, and further rotation causes release of the starter spring. In a further modification, Fig. 5, the ratchet wheel 70 is mounted on the engine shaft behind the dog clutch 71, and the catch 72, disc 73, and shaft 74 are mounted as shown. A helical starter spring 78 is secured at its ends to a sleeve 79 on the starter shaft 80 and to a pinion 84 meshing with a long pinion 85 driven from the handle 89 through gears 88, 86.