Improvements in Starting Devices for Motors.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Starting Devices for Motors.
I, EDWARD JOEL PENNINGTON, of the City of Racine, in the County of
Racine and State of Wisconsin, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to devices chiefly intended for use in connection with
internal combustion engines for the purpose of starting the engine.
The said device comprises a pulley rotably mounted in a suitable carrier in
combination with springs, weights or other means for storing energy, and with
meaus for locking up the energy when so stored until it is required for use in
starting the engine. The pulley is intended to be applied to and pressed against
the rim of the fly wheel or other rotary part of the engine while the said part is
revolving and to be rotated by frictional contact with said rotary part by which
means energy is stored up in the springs, weights or other devices and is retained
until required. When it is desired to start the engine the pulley is again pressed
to the fly wheel or other rotary part of the engine and the locking device is thrown
out of action whereupon the energy stored in the springs or weights operates
to turn the pulley which by friction then rotates the fly wheel and so starts the
engine.
In one form of my invention the pulley is carried by a shaft supported by a
forked arm or rod which is mounted with a capability of sliding in a fixed bracket
so arranged that when the arm is pushed forward the pulley will make contact
with the rim of the fly wheel of the engine. A spring is arranged between the
said bracket and a collar on the forked rod to return the rod to its normal position
after it has been pushed toward the fly wheel and then released.
Fixed to the rod is a drum or two or more drums each of which encloses a
coiled spring one end of which is fixed to the drum and the other end to the shaft
that carries the pulley. A ratchet wheel fixed on the shaft and a pawl for
engaging the teeth of said wheel serve to prevent the backward rotation of the
wheel. The said pawl is controlled by a link and spring lever by which the pawl
can be disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet wheel or thrown into gear again
when desired.
The coiled springs within the drums are wound up by pushing the pulley against
the fly wheel while the latter is revolving and are maintained wound by the pawl.
To start the engine, the pulley is pushed against the fly wheel and the pawl is
withdrawn from engagement with the ratchet wheel whereupon the springs begin
to uncoil and in so doing turn the fly wheel by reason of the frictional contact
between said wheel and the pulley and thus start the engine.
It is obvious that weights may be substituted for the springs.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Starting Devices for Motors.
I, EDWARD JOEL PENNINGTON, of the City of Racine, in the County of
Racine, and State of Wisconsin, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in starting devices chiefly for use in
connection with internal combustion engines, the said devices being applicable for
starting the engine either in the forward or backward direction.
My improved device comprises a drum or pulley or two or more drums rotatably
mounted in a suitable carrier, a spring or springs, or weights for storing energy,
and means for locking up the energy when so stored until it is required for use.
The drum or pulley is intended to be applied to and pressed against the rim of the
fly wheel or other suitable rotary part of the engine while the said wheel or part
is revolving and to be rotated by frictional contact therewith by which means
energy is stored up in the springs or weights and is retained until required to be
given up again. When it is desired to re-start the engine the drum is again
pressed against the fly wheel of the engine and the locking device is thrown out of
action whereupon the energy stored in the springs or weights operates to turn the
drum or pulley which by friction then rotates the fly wheel and so starts the
engine. The rotation of the fly wheel will be in the forward or backward
direction according to the direction of rotation of the drum or pulley when applied
to the fly wheel.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a convenient form of
my invention in which a single drum is employed,
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation, and
Figure 2 is a sectional front elevation of the device.
The drum or pulley A runs loosely upon a spindle B which is supported by a
forked carrier C mounted with a capability of sliding and of turning in the
arms D, D of a fixed bracket which serves as a guide for the carrier.
The said bracket is so arranged that the carrier C can be pushed through its
guide until the periphery of the drum A makes contact with the rim E of the fly
wheel of the engine. The drum is covered with leather, wood, or other suitable
material A' to increase the friction between it and the fly wheel. A spring F
is provided to return the carrier C to its normal position after it has been
released.
H is a
The drum or pulley A encloses a coiled spring G one end of which is fixed to
the interior of the drum and the other end to the shaft or spindle B.
ratchet wheel fixed to or formed with the drum and J is a pawl pivoted at J to
the carrier C and adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The
said wheel H and pawl J serve to lock the drum A after the spring has been
wound up.
For releasing the drum when required I provide a link K connected
to the pawl and to a spring controlled lever L pivoted to the carrier C by which
means the pawl can be disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet wheel and thrown
into gear again when desired..
The action of the device is as follows, that is to say: When the dium or
pulley A is pushed against the rim of the fly wheel while the latter is revolving it
is rotated by frictional contact therewith and the coiled spring within the drum or
pulley is wound up, and maintained in that state by the pawl. To re-start the
engine the carrier C is turned in its bearings or guide through half a revolution
aud the drum A is then pushed against the fly wheel and the pawl J withdrawa

page_text: from engagement with the ratchet wheel H whereupon the spring G begins to.
uncoil and in so doing turns the drum A and the fly wheel and thus starts the
engine. If the drum A after its spring is wound up is applied to the fly wheel
without first turning the carrier C through half a revolution as above described
the engine will be reversed or started in the backward direction.
I sometimes employ two or more drums arranged side by side or otherwise as
may be desired, and the springs may be placed alongside the drums instead of
inside. In some instances I substitute weights for the springs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A starting device comprising a friction drum controlled by a spring or weight
and mounted in a carrier which is capable of sliding and turning in a fixed guide,.
and means for locking the drum when the spring or weight is wound up and for
subsequently releasing it, substantially as described.
2. A starting device, constructed substantially as described with reference to..
the accompanying drawings and operating as specified.
Dated this 11th day of January 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..