Abstract: An engine starter gearing for starting an engine having a starter gear includes a power shaft and a housing affixed on the power shaft. The housing retains an axially displaceable driven clutch member. An internal groove is provided within an open end of the housing. The driven clutch member has an enlarged external diameter portion that fits within the housing. The driven clutch member is held in position by a compressed spring retained within the housing. An installation groove is formed in the driven clutch member spaced away from the enlarged diameter portion. A lock ring is positioned within the housing by first inserting it in the installation groove. The driven clutch member is axially depressed inwardly within the housing, compressing the spring until the locking ring snaps in position in the housing internal groove.

Abstract: Centrifugally disengageable engine starter gearing for selectively starting an engine having a starting gear. The engine starter gearing includes a power shaft, a sleeve slidably secured to the power shaft, a pinion gear slidably mounted to the power shaft and movable into engagement with the starting gear, a driven clutch member secured to the pinion gear and having a circular recess therein, a driving clutch member mounted to the sleeve, and mutually engageable clutch teeth on the driving and driven clutch members. A housing having an open end and a closed end is fitted over the driving and driven clutch members. An abutment confines the driving and driven clutch members within the housing. A radially inwardly extending shoulder is located on the driving clutch member adjacent the circular recess. An annular thrust washer having an inner conical surface abuts a loose washer which abuts the radially inwardly extending shoulder.

Abstract: A centrifugally disengageable engine starter gear of the positive shift type that has a clutch to provide for driving and indexing of the starter gear, an internal mechanism keeps the clutch teeth in engagement during the indexing function, and a centrifugal separator separates the clutch teeth in an overrunning condition. The separator includes a plurality of flyweight members disposed in a like plurality of flyweight recesses provided in a driven member of the clutch. Radial displacement of the plurality of flyweight members axially displaces a thrust washer to separate the clutch teeth. A projection extending longitudinally from each web which separates the flyweight recesses prevents the flyweight members from disengaging from the flyweight recesses during an overrunning mode.

Abstract: A starter drive for an internal combustion engine having a clutch to provide rotary torque from a starter motor to a pinion gear connectable to a gear associated with an engine. The clutch has means for indexing the pinion gear to engage the gear associated with the engine, means for maintaining the teeth of the clutch engaged during the indexing function, means for automatically separating the clutch teeth when the engine starts and for maintaining separation of the teeth as long as the rotational speed of the pinion gear is greater than a predetermined speed. The starter drive includes two serially arranged resilient members between a driven clutch member and the sleeve on which the starter drive is slidably mounted. The housing is resiliently suspended between the two resilient members.

Abstract: An annular thrust ring for use in a mechanism that causes the confronting teeth of two clutch members to automatically separate when the driven clutch member has sufficient speed to overtake the drive clutch member. The annular thrust ring has a V-shaped cross-section formed by progressive dies to facilitate lower production cost.

Abstract: Centrifugally disengageable engine starter gearing selectively starting an engine having a starting gear. The engine starter gearing includes a power shaft, a sleeve slidably secured to the power shaft, a pinion gear slidably mounted to the power shaft and movable into engagement with the starting gear, a driven clutch member secured to the pinion gear and having an annular or circular recess with an inclined or conical surface therein, a driving clutch member mounted to the sleeve, mutually engageable clutch teeth on the driving and driven clutch members, a barrel housing having an open end and being at least partly fitted over the driving and driven clutch members, an abutment confining the driving and driven clutch members within the housing, a resilient member biasing the driving and driven clutch members into mutual engagement, and a radially inwardly extending shoulder on the driving clutch member adjacent the circular recess.

Abstract: A centrifugally disengageable engine starter gear of the positive shift type that has a clutch to provide for driving and indexing of the starter gear, an internal mechanism keeps the clutch teeth in engagement during the indexing function, and a centrifugal separator separates the clutch teeth in an overrunning condition. The separator includes radially movable centrifugal flyweight members circumferentially spaced in a circular recess that contains individually formed flyweight guides that cooperate therewith to prevent excessive circumferential displacement of the flyweights during their radial movement. The method of forming flyweight guides from the clutch housing is also disclosed.

Abstract: Centrifugally disengageable engine starter gearing selectively starting an engine having a starting gear. The engine starter gearing includes a power shaft, a sleeve slidably secured to the power shaft, a pinion gear slidably mounted to the power shaft and movable into engagement with the starting gear, a driven clutch member secured to the pinion gear and having a circular recess with an inclined or conical surface therein, a driving clutch member mounted to the sleeve, mutually engageable clutch teeth on the driving and driven clutch members, a barrel housing having an open end and being at least partly fitted over the driving and driven clutch members, an abutment confining the driving and driven clutch members within the housing, a resilient member biasing the driving and driven clutch members into mutual engagement, a radially inwardly extending shoulder on the driving clutch member adjacent the circular recess. A plurality of centrifugal flyweight members are annularly arranged in the circular recess.

Abstract: Centrifugally disengageable engine starter gearing selectively starting an engine having a starting gear.

Abstract: Centrifugally disengageable engine starter gearing selectively starting an engine having a starting gear.

Abstract: An engine starter drive adapted to engage an engine ring gear having a tooth driving clutch member which cooperates with a tooth driven clutch member. The driven clutch member further comprises a helical screw shaft with two circular grooves. A control nut threadably mounted on the screw shaft has a spring loaded detent which engages the circular grooves. The control nut is connected to the pinion gear by means of a retaining cup. Rotating the screw shaft causes the control nut to move along the screw shaft to traverse the pinion into mesh with the engine ring gears and crank the engine. When the engine fires, the acceleration of the pinion causes the control nut to move back on the screw shaft until the detent engages the first circular groove. After the engine starts and the pinion rotates to a predetermined speed, the detent withdraws from the first groove in the screw shaft and the control nut withdraws the pinion gear from engaging the engine ring gear.

Abstract: An electromagnetic clutch has a driving member and a driven member with rollers positioned between opposing non-parallel surfaces on the members. An armature operated by an electromagnet has fingers for moving the rollers into frictional engagement with the surfaces when the electromagnet is energized to engage the clutch and for moving the rollers out of engagement with at least one opposing surface when the electromagnet is deenergized to disengage the clutch.

Abstract: An electromagnetic clutch device for transmitting torque from an input means to an output means. The clutch actuating means includes an electromagnetic winding, a driving plate, an armature coaxially disposed with the input means and threadedly connected to a driving friction ring member, said armature responsive to said electromagnetic winding and said friction ring member being allowed to advance on said armature for driving the ouput means. The relative rotational motion between the armature and the driving friction ring member causes the friction ring member to advance on the thread until full engagement with the drive output means is attained. The relative position between the armature and the driving friction ring member is maintained by a retarder disposed between the armature and the driving plate.