Patent ID: 6968821

Claim:
A starter assembly for a model engine which is adapted to engage a coupling pin on a crankshaft of the model engine, the starter assembly comprising a starter shaft carrying a starter pin and having forward and rearward end portions defining therebetween a shaft axis; a hub having a bore in which said forward end portion of the starter shaft is received to allow for rotation of the starter shaft relative to the hub, and a guide groove which is slanted at a predetermined angle with respect to the shaft axis; and an actuator attached to said rearward end portion of the starter shaft which is adapted to being brought into and out of engagement with the coupling pin of the model engine crankshaft, wherein said guide groove includes an open proximal end and a closed distal end and is defined by opposed front and rear guide faces each of which is slanted at said predetermined angle relative to the shaft axis, wherein said guide groove further includes a transition face which is parallel to the starter axis and is joined to said rear guide face and extends toward said proximal open end of the guide groove, wherein said front guide face terminates at said open end of the guide groove, and the rear guide face terminates at the transition face, and wherein said starter pin carried by said starter shaft is received within said guide groove so as to be moveable therewithin along said front and rear guide faces in response to rotation of the starter shaft relative to the hub so as to responsively move the starter shaft in a direction of the shaft axis and thereby move the actuator into and out of engagement with the coupling pin of the model engine crankshaft.