Patent ID: 7275508

Claim:
A pull-cord start system for a combustion engine comprising: an engine start assist device; a housing; a recoil pulley disposed rotatably in the housing and connected to a crankshaft of the engine; a coupling disposed in part in the housing and constructed and arranged to interact with the recoil pulley; a linkage operably connecting the coupling with the start assist device; a cord having a first and last winding wound about the recoil pulley, a first end adjacent the first winding for gripping by an operator, and a second end adjacent the last winding and engaged to the pulley; wherein unwinding of the first winding by a manual pull of the cord by the operator causes the recoil pulley to rotate and the coupling to move relative to the housing which actuates the start assist device; a circumferential surface of the recoil pulley; a groove of the recoil pulley opened radially outward for receiving the cord; a channel defined radially between the housing and the circumferential surface; and wherein the coupling is disposed in part in the channel.