Abstract: In a starter motor for an internal combustion engine, the starter motor being of the type including a cranking motor, a clutch assembly rotatably connectable with the cranking motor and including a pinion gear slidably mounted on a pinion shaft for engagement with a ring gear of the internal combustion engine, and a solenoid assembly and shift lever for slidably moving the pinion gear into engagement with the ring gear and for rotatably connecting the pinion gear with the cranking motor, the starter motor includes a circumferential groove formed in the distal end of the shaft; a split ring positioned in the groove and including first and second part-annular rings which form, in combination, a circular configuration in the groove extending for an angular extent of approximately 360.degree.; and a retaining ring positioned on the shaft in abutting and surrounding relation to the split ring for maintaining the split ring in the groove.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved starter for an internal combustion engine comprising a reinforced support made of plastic or metal which is not fully rigid. A metal shell covers the nose element of the support so that said shell absorbs the stresses to which the support is subjected. The shell comprises a flange which is fixed to the base plate of the starter by the screws which mount the starter to the casing of the engine. For this purpose, bushings are disposed between the flange of the shell and the metal base plate of the starter so that the non-rigid support is not subjected to the compressive stresses exerted by the screws. The invention is more particularly applicable to the automobile industry.

Abstract: A starting system for an internal combustion engine, comprising a stator; a cylindrical rotor which is arranged on an inner peripheral side of the stator with a predetermined gap therefrom; an overrunning clutch which includes a first cylindrical clutch body that is mounted on an inner peripheral surface of the rotor, and a second cylindrical clutch body that is clutch-coupled with the first clutch body; a rotary shaft which is penetratingly arranged on an inner peripheral portion of the second clutch body of the overrunning clutch, which is axially movable relative to the second clutch body and which rotates along with the second clutch body; a pinion which is disposed at one end of the rotary shaft and which is brought into meshing engagement with a ring gear of the engine being a first load device; a power transmission mechanism which is disposed at the other end of the rotary shaft and which transmits power to a second load device; and a shift lever which slides the rotary shaft in the axial direction the

Abstract: An engine starter drive adapted to engage an engine ring gear is disclosed. The drive has a clutch connection to connect the driving sleeve member to the outer sleeve member. The outer sleeve member further has an external helical spline with a notch. A control nut is threadably mounted on the helical splines of the outer sleeve member and has a spring loaded detent which engages the notch. The control nut is connected to the pinion gear by means of a barrel member. Rotating the power shaft causes the control nut to move along the helical splines to traverse the pinion gear into mesh with the engine ring gear and crank the engine. Further rotation of the power shaft causes the control nut to move axially to compress an annular resilient member which is interposed the barrel member and the control nut. Further compression of the resilient member causes torque to be transmitted from the power shaft to the pinion gear to rotate the ring gear.

Abstract: A reduction gear type D.C. starter motor for an internal combustion engine including a planetary type reduction gear system mounted in a front bracket at a faucet joint portion between it and a rear bracket, the rear bracket and the yoke being integrally formed.

Abstract: A permanent magnet type motor having a stator which comprises a yoke, a plurality of main magnetic poles made of permanent magnets, and a plurality of auxiliary magnetic poles, each of the main magnetic poles and each of the auxiliary magnetic poles being juxtaposed on the inner peripheral surface of the yoke, wherein each of the auxiliary magnetic poles has an axial length larger than the thickness of an armature core and smaller than the axial length of each of the main magnetic poles, wherein each of the main magnetic poles has an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of each of the auxiliary magnetic poles, wherein each of the main poles, before being secured on the yoke, is machined to have the inner diameter smaller than the predetermined inner diameter by a thickness to be machined, and wherein each of the main magnetic poles is machined to have the predetermined inner diameter after it has been secured together with each of the auxiliary magnetic poles onto the yoke.

Abstract: A starter motor housing comprising a tubular housing formed by an annular wall having a thickened wall portion adjacent the stator winding of the starter motor. The stator cores abut against and are secured to the inner periphery of the thickened wall portion to increase the flux path and, thus, the effective flux energy produced by the stator windings. However, the thickened wall portion is disposed intermediate radially reduced wall end portions to reduce the weight and size of the motor housing. Preferably, the tubular housing is an iron casting.

Abstract: An inertia starter for an internal combustion engine comprises a driving shaft driven by a DC motor and provided with a one-way clutch which includes an axially movable driving member rotating and axially moving as the driving shaft is rotated and a driven member driven by the driving member to be axially displaced together with the driving member, a pinion secured to the driven member, an engine ring gear adapted to removably engage with the pinion, a return spring for returning the one-way clutch together with the pinion to the original position, a rotatable holder plate provided on the one-way clutch, and an electromagnet mounted on a stationary portion in opposition to the holder plate with a predetermined distance therefrom. The electromagnet has a coil connected in parallel with the field winding of the DC motor or with a part of the armature winding thereof.

Abstract: An electric starter apparatus for small internal combustion engines wherein engagement of a starter pinion gear with engine flywheel gear teeth is produced by the axial translation of a nut member mating with helices formed on the motor shaft. An elastomer drive and cushion member is interposed between the nut and pinion gear wherein axial displacement of the pinion gear is through the elastomer, as is the transmission of torque to the gear. The elastomer includes an annular axially extending projection received within an annular recess defined in the pinion gear whereby the recess partially confines the elastomer during torque transmission and engine cranking, and concentrically locates the elastomer relative to the motor shaft.

Abstract: A starter drive for internal combustion engines. The starter drive is mounted within the starter housing and connected to the motor driven shaft. The shaft has a screw thread formed thereon near the armature of the starter and a cylindrical end portion. A screw sleeve member cooperatively engages the screw thread of the motor driven shaft. A ring armature member is centrally mounted to the threaded screw member. A unidirectional clutch member connects the screw sleeve member, the ring armature member and the pinion gear. An engaging member holds the ring armature member to the starter housing when the pinion gear is advanced axially along the motor driven shaft by the rotation of the motor when the motor is activated. Thus, the pinion gear engages the engine ring gear such that the pinion gear is held in mesh with the ring gear and the total motor torque is transmitted to the ring gear until the motor is deactivated.

Abstract: An apparatus combination for improving the starting mode of a starter for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The combination comprises a supporting means effective to support the starting motor armature, both for rotary movement about an axis within the field winding and for axial movement in response to the axially directed magnetic forces of the winding. Friction means are employed to sequentially engage each of two conical surfaces carried by the member to be driven by the starter motor, such sequential engagement being in response to the axial movement of the armature. Means are also disclosed to assist the frictional engagement between the conical surfaces of the driven member by use of a resilient ring which allows full metal-to-metal contact between the friction means and driven member, but also provides extended interengagement with the friction means by distortion of the ring along a tangent to the friction means.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for restarting and re-engaging an internal combustion engine in a vehicle in which the engine is disengaged from the transmission and turned off when the vehicle is coasting. The engine is coupled to an automatic transmission which includes a hydraulic pump driven by the transmission input shaft that supplies fluid to the control elements of the transmission. Means are provided for actuating a starter motor to start the engine and drive the hydraulic pump, thereby powering the control elements to re-engage the engine.

Abstract: A compact starting motor device for an engine of improved durability capable of ensuring a smooth and quick engagement of a pinion gear, operatively connected to an electric motor, with a driven gear of the engine upon actuation of an electromagnetic device without generating any substantial shock. The motor is connected through a one-way clutch to an output shaft so that a driving force is transmitted unidirectionally from the motor to the output shaft. The pinion gear is splined to a projecting end of the output shaft for relative axial movement and axially moved thereon to engage and disengage the driven gear by means of a rod which extends coaxially within the output shaft. The rod is connected through an over-load spring to the electromagnetic device having a stationary core and a movable core. A switch for energizing the electric motor is provided on the movable core.

Abstract: An engine starter drive device having a sleeve member slidably and mounted for rotation on a power shaft of a motor is disclosed. The sleeve is connected to a mounting shaft which is mounted adjacent to the power shaft. A pinion gear is mounted on the mounting shaft. A driving clutch member is mounted on external helical splines formed on the sleeve. The driving member is connected in one direction of rotation to a driven clutch member by axially extending clutch teeth. The driven member is connected to the pinion gear for rotation therewith. Between the driving and driven clutch members is a centrifugal separator member which moves the driving clutch member away from the driven clutch member above a predetermined rotational speed. The pinion gear thus is mounted on that portion of the mounting shaft that is isolated from the outer environment.

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: A pinion gear assembly for a starter motor which may be assembled utilizing a simple and convenient assembly process. The pinion gear assembly includes a pinion gear, a cup, a rubber washer, and a spline follower. The closed end of the cup has an opening which passes the body and teeth of the pinion gear, but does not pass intertooth fillets at one end of the pinion gear, thus keeping the pinion gear retained in the cup. The rubber washer is retained between the pinion gear and the spline follower, and acts to absorb shock and allow some movement to align teeth of the pinion gear with teeth of a mating ring gear or flywheel. In assembly, the spline follower is held in alignment with the pinion gear, and the material of the cup is pressed radially inward over the rear surface of the spline follower, forming retaining step portions for retaining the spline follower in the proper alignment.

Abstract: An automatic engine stop-restart system responsive to throttle position is disclosed in which the starter motor is energized and the forward drive clutch engagement force is slowly increased in response to a throttle opening commanding an automatic standing start and the starter motor is energized and the forward drive clutch engagement force is rapidly increased in response to a throttle opening commanding a driveaway start.

Abstract: A starting device for an engine wherein a drive shaft associated with a starting motor is connected through a one-way clutch to a pinion gear for driving a ring gear of the engine. The device comprises a first sleeve slidably fitted on the drive shaft, a second sleeve slidably fitted on the first sleeve, a drive clutch member for the one-way clutch slidably fitted on the second sleeve, and a buffer spring between the first sleeve and the one-way clutch. The first helical spline between the drive shaft and the first sleeve imparts a great forward thrust to the pinion gear by utilization of the turning force of the drive shaft into complete engagement with the ring gear so as to positively drive the latter. An excessive load may be absorbed by compressive deformation of the buffer spring.

Abstract: The invention pertains to electric starters for internal combustion engines, and in particular, to electric starters for small engines such as used with yard equipment, for instance, lawn tractors, snow blowers lawnmowers, and the like wherein the starter includes a pinion gear having cushioning means associated therewith which is of a variable characteristic such that soft cushioning is initially produced to protect the initial engagement of the pinion gear with the engine flywheel teeth, and stiffer cushioning occurs during high torque transmission during engine cranking. Preferably, the resiliency of cushioning achieved is proportional to the radius of contact between the cushioning means and the starter pinion gear.

Abstract: A helical sliding drive starter with a freewheel unit having a multiple disc clutch configured to drivingly engage and disengage a starter motor shaft and a pinion shaft. Certain ones of the discs have outer teeth that engage toothed channels in the motor shaft and certain other ones of the discs have inner teeth that engage toothed ribs on the pinion shaft. The discs, toothed channels and toothed ribs cooperate to cause axial engagement and disengagement of the freewheel unit with the motor shaft and pinion shaft.

Abstract: An engine starter drive assembly is disclosed of the type including a pinion gear moveable from a rest position to a driving position to engagement with gear teeth formed on an engine flywheel, the pinion adapted to be rotated by the starter motor in order to start the engine after engaging the flywheel teeth. In order to be properly located with respect to the flywheel gear teeth, the pinion gear moves axially into engagement with a fixed stop located at a predetermined position to produce proper engagement of the pinion with the flywheel teeth. The starter also includes an antidrift compression spring and washer assembly biasing the pinion gear against axial movement out of the retracted position. The disclosed starter assembly features a shielding cup supported on the fixed stop and extending towards the pinion gear hub extension to enclose the space therebetween, preventing the build-up of foreign matter tending to interfere with the axial movement of the pinion gear.

Abstract: A starter device for an internal combustion engine which includes a starter motor, a pinion shaft rotated by the starter motor, a movable cylindrical member fitted on the pinion shaft and coupled thereto by a helical spline coupling, a pinion gear fitted for free rotation on the pinion shaft, a unidirectional clutch provided between the pinion gear and the movable cylindrical member, and the pinion gear and movable cylindrical member being coupled together for axial movement in unison with each other.

Abstract: A starter including a one-way clutch threadably connected to an output shaft of an electric motor and having an inner member, and a hollow pinion shaft having a pinion secured thereto and loosely fitted at its forward end portion in the inner member of the one-way clutch in such a manner that there is a slight clearance between the inner periphery of the inner member and the outer periphery of the hollow pinion shaft in connecting the inner member to the hollow pinion shaft. By this arrangement, the reaction produced by the pinion when the starter is actuated to start an engine is prevented from being directly transmitted to the inner member of the clutch to thereby inhibit an eccentric motion of the inner member of the clutch.

Abstract: A two stage positive shift starter drive system for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. A pair of electrical switches are sequentially actuated by an actuator solenoid engaging the starter drive's pinion gear with the engine's ring gear. The first switch actuated after a predetermined displacement of the solenoid's armature applies electrical power to the cranking motor through a resistance connected in series with the cranking motor and connected in parallel with the solenoid's pull in coil. The resistance reduces the electrical power applied to the cranking motor and the potential across the solenoid pull-in coil thereby reducing the rotational speed and the engagement force applied to the pinion gear. The end of the armature travel closes the second switch applying full power to the cranking motor permitting normal cranking of the engine with the pinion gear fully engaged with the ring gear.

Abstract: A starting motor pinion gear assembly comprises a powdered metal pinion disposed and retained within a castellated drawn metal cup having axially extending tangs which are staked between adjacent pinion teeth. The tangs are staked against a plurality of fillets or projections which extend radially outwardly from the bottom land of the pinion and form a discontinuous web between the pinion teeth adjacent one end of the pinion. Also disposed within the drawn cup is a splined drive collar which engages a mating spline on the output shaft of the starting motor and a torque limiting friction clutch. The pinion gear assembly mounts on the output shaft of the starting motor and momentarily engages a ring gear on the flywheel of an internal combustion engine to effect cranking of the engine.

Abstract: An engine starter drive assembly is disclosed of the type including a pinion gear moveable from a rest position to a driving position in engagement with gear teeth formed on an engine flywheel, the pinion adapted to be rotated by the starter motor in order to start the engine after engaging the flywheel teeth. In order to be properly located with respect to the flywheel gear teeth, the pinion gear moves axially into engagement with a fixed stop located at a predetermined position to produce proper engagementof the pinion with the flywheel teeth. The starter also includes an antidrift compression spring and washer assembly biasing the pinion gear against axial movement out of the retracted position. The disclosed starter assembly features a shielding cup supported on the fixed stop and extending towards the pinion gear hub extension to enclose the space therebetween, preventing the build-up of foreign matter tending to interfere with the axial movement of the pinion gear.

Abstract: A starting system for a compression ignition engine includes an auxiliary engine in combination with a conventional cranking motor arranged so that either the auxiliary engine or the cranking motor may be used for starting, or both may be used in tandem. When the auxiliary engine is selected torque is transmitted therefrom to the main shaft of the cranking motor through a transmission including an epicyclic reduction gear train and a releasable clutch. The auxiliary engine is started from the cranking motor through a Bendix drive mechanism driven from a sprag gear which is in constant sliding mesh with a drive gear of the cranking motor and connected to the Bendix drive mechanism by a cushion spring.

Abstract: An air starter includes a housing having a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally thereof. A gear is connected in a longitudinally extending helical groove on the shaft so that when the gear is moved along the shaft it engages an engine flywheel whereby the flywheel may be rotated by an air motor connected to the shaft. Piston means surround the shaft and sealably and slidably engage within a cylinder formed in the housing and the housing is provided with inlet and exhaust air passages for conducting air to the cylinder and discharging air therefrom. First spring means abut the piston means and the housing to urge the piston means to a first position in the housing. Annular means extend into the helical groove on the shaft and is arranged to rotate with the gear, therebeing second spring means between the gear and said annular means to retain said annular means disengaged from the gear when the piston means is in the first position.

Abstract: A starter motor wherein a seal is provided between the casing and the pinion assembly. The pinion assembly carries a cylindrical component which does not rotate but which moves axially with the assembly. The seal is annular and is carried by the casing with its inner periphery engaging said component throughout the range of axial movement of the assembly.

Abstract: The invention is an engine starting mechanism comprising first and second frictional gripping members carried by a sleeve member mounted to the shaft of a starting motor. The first and second frictional gripping members are adapted to engage an engine flywheel disc which is beveled to provide angular disposed opposed faces. Upon initiation of rotation of the starter shaft by the starter motor, the first frictional gripping member is adapted to move along an axial spline between the sleeve member and the frictional member thereby engaging one face of the beveled engine flywheel disc. The second frictional gripping member is caused to move axially with respect to the first member by the same helical spline on the sleeve member, thereby gripping the opposite face of the engine flywheel disc and causing the rotary movement of the starter motor shaft to be imparted to the flywheel disc.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an engine comprising a starter pinion and a flywheel assembly including a generally circular member having a peripheral surface including a radially outwardly extending lip. A ring gear is secured to the peripheral surface and includes teeth adapted for engagement with the starter pinion. The flywheel assembly also includes a flexible annular member secured to the circular member between the lip and the ring gear. The flexible member is located adjacent the ring gear to prevent access to the ring gear teeth by an engine operator, and is displaceable away from the ring gear teeth during engagement of the ring gear teeth with the starter pinion.