Abstract: A mounting apparatus for an assembly including an internal combustion engine and a transmission includes an elongated member having a first portion interconnected with the engine housing of the engine adjacent the cylinders and above the crankcase of the engine. The elongated member also includes a second portion mounted on a bell housing or crankcase cover portion of the engine housing. The elongated member may include an overhang portion extending over an engine fan. The elongated member may be disposed between a first and a second cylinder of the engine. The elongated portion may also include lifting portions defining apertures for facilitating raising and lowering the engine.

Abstract: A fuel shutoff system that is usable on engines without a battery, and is inexpensive to manufacture. The fuel shutoff system operates without interfering with the engine governor, and effectively blocks the fuel flow downstream of the fuel bowl upon engine shutdown. The invention is a fuel shutoff system for an internal combustion engine, wherein the engine has a carburetor with a fuel bowl and a fuel nozzle, an intake valve, and a fuel conduit between the fuel bowl and the intake valve. The engine also includes a gas passageway through which a gas may pass to an intake valve of the engine. The engine has a throttle valve disposed in the passageway, and the blocking apparatus is distinct from the throttle valve. The invention includes a blocking member disposed in the gas passageway.

Abstract: A composite gear includes one or more metal stamped plates, and two thermoplastic layers disposed on opposite sides of the plates. Apertures are provided in the stamped metal plates so that the molten thermoplastic material may flow through the apertures and anchor the two thermoplastic layers to each other as well as to the metal plates. The composite gear has composite gear teeth which consist of one or more metal gear teeth portions sandwiched between two thermoplastic gear teeth portions. The thermoplastic gear teeth portions extend outwardly from the metal gear teeth portions so that the thermoplastic teeth portions absorb loads under normal operating conditions. Under abnormal conditions such as when an abrupt stop occurs, the thermoplastic portions of the gear teeth are compressed and the higher torque forces resulting from the abnormal condition are absorbed by the metal gear teeth portions.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tool used to make a composite gear, the method including forming a cavity in a plate, the cavity being partially defined by a surface in the plate. The surface has a plurality of tool teeth. The method further includes machining at least some of the tool teeth such that some tool teeth have opposed first and second side sections and a central section disposed between the first and second side sections. The central section is larger than the side sections in a circumferential direction. The method further includes creating at least one centering protrusion on the surface. Preferably, the cavity forming step includes forming an aperture in the plate and electric discharge machining the surface of the cavity using a current carrying wire. The machining step preferably includes orbiting an electrode in a first position of the cavity to create the first side section and orbiting the electrode in a second position of the cavity to create the second side section.

Abstract: A control system for an engine low oil sensor prevents engine starting if the oil level is below a predetermined level, but thereafter enables the engine to run uninterrupted even if the oil level becomes low during engine operation. After the engine is shut off for any reason, the control system resets so that the low oil switch is operable during the next attempted restart of the engine. The control system also includes a visual or audible indicator that indicates when engine starting is prevented due to a low oil condition.

Abstract: A remote priming device that is particularly adaptable to a working machine having a handle section and an internal combustion engine with a resilient primer bulb, may be designed as a kit and retrofitted onto the working machine. The remote priming device includes a housing attachable adjacent the primer bulb, and a linearly movable member constrained to move within the housing such that the primer bulb is depressed in response to movement of the movable member. The resilient primer bulb has a vent hole and the movable member includes a bulb depressing surface. The remote priming device also includes an actuation device with a first end positioned adjacent the handle section and a second end positioned adjacent the housing. When a manually actuable member of the actuation device is actuated, the bulb depressing surface of the movable member covers the vent hole and the movable member moves linearly within the housing to depress the primer bulb.

Abstract: A composite gear includes one or more metal stamped plates, and two thermoplastic layers disposed on opposite sides of the plates. Apertures are provided in the stamped metal plates so that the molten thermoplastic material may flow through the apertures and anchor the two thermoplastic layers to each other as well as to the metal plates. The composite gear has composite gear teeth which consist of one or more metal gear teeth portions sandwiched between two thermoplastic gear teeth portions. The thermoplastic gear teeth portions extend outwardly from the metal gear teeth portions so that the thermoplastic teeth portions absorb loads under normal operating conditions. Under abnormal conditions such as when an abrupt stop occurs, the thermoplastic portions of the gear teeth are compressed and the higher torque forces resulting from the abnormal condition are absorbed by the metal gear teeth portions.

Abstract: An automatic choke for a small internal combustion engine uses an air vane responsive to an air flow created by a radial fan to position the choke valve during engine starting. A return spring or gravity may be used to reset the automatic choke after the engine has been stopped. The automatic choke includes a thermally-responsive device that keeps the choke at least partially open during hot restarts of the engine.

Abstract: The automatic enrichment mechanism for an internal combustion engine is thermally-responsive and may also be centrifugally-responsive. The invention increases engine startability and minimizes stumbling and stalling of the engine during engine warmup. The thermally-responsive mechanism allows an additional reverse gas flow through the intake manifold to thereby increase the fuel discharged by the carburetor fuel nozzle. In several embodiments, the thermally-responsive mechanism, at low engine temperatures, causes a blocking or retaining member to keep an auxiliary cam member engaged with the cam follower of the valve assembly. As a result, the intake valve is partially unseated at low engine temperatures and a portion of the air/fuel mixture is fed back to the intake manifold. In these embodiments, when the engine temperature reaches a predetermined level, the thermally-responsive mechanism allows the auxiliary cam member to disengage from the cam follower in response to centrifugal force on the flyweights.

Abstract: The power head assembly for a cordless electric lawnmower has a removable upper housing that includes two spaced batteries, and a lower housing that is mounted to the deck of the grass cutting device. The upper housing has a handle, and at least one quick disconnect terminal that engages a mating quick disconnect terminal affixed to the lower housing. The lower housing includes an electric motor that is disposed between the two batteries when the upper housing is in place. A portion of the electric motor is located below the deck to further reduce the overall height of the device. The lower housing is mounted to the deck by several bolts which are placed in the same mounting pattern used to mount gasoline engines to a deck, so that the same decks may be used for both the cordless electric and gasoline-powered lawnmowers.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a lubrication system for an internal combustion engine including a lubricant reservoir, a lubricant dispersing device disposed in communication with the lubricant reservoir, and a lubrication apparatus including a recess integrally formed with an engine housing and an elongated trough disposed substantially within the recess and in fluid communication with a shaft bearing. The recess has an opening that extends radially outward relative to the shaft axis such that the lubricant dispersing device can disperse lubricant, during at least a portion of the engine cycle, along a direct and substantially unobstructed path into the recess. The trough is adapted to direct the lubricant received in the recess to the shaft bearing. The trough also extends radially outward and is inclined downwardly in a direction toward the shaft bearing.

Abstract: A composite gear includes one or more metal stamped plates, and two thermoplastic layers disposed on opposite sides of the plates. Apertures are provided in the stamped metal plates so that the molten thermoplastic material may flow through the apertures and anchor the two thermoplastic layers to each other as well as to the metal plates. The composite gear has composite gear teeth which consist of one or more metal gear teeth portions sandwiched between two thermoplastic gear teeth portions. The thermoplastic gear teeth portions extend outwardly from the metal gear teeth portions so that the thermoplastic teeth portions absorb loads under normal operating conditions. Under abnormal conditions such as when an abrupt stop occurs, the thermoplastic portions of the gear teeth are compressed and the higher torque forces resulting from the abnormal condition are absorbed by the metal gear teeth portions.

Abstract: An accelerator having a main body defining a main chamber, a movable member (e.g., a diaphragm) positioned within and dividing the main chamber into a pneumatic chamber and a fuel chamber, and a damping orifice (e.g., in the main body) interconnecting the pneumatic chamber with a gas source (e.g., ambient air). The damping orifice has a cross sectional area less than about 0.002 square inches. To inhibit contamination of the accelerator, a filter can be operatively positioned between the pneumatic chamber and the ambient air.

Abstract: The centrifugally-responsive compression release apparatus of the present invention is a compact unit which can be simply snap-fit to a position on the cam shaft during assembly and will retain that position during engine operation. The compression release apparatus relieves compression in at least one chamber of an internal combustion engine by utilizing a lift member engageable with a valve operating device and centrifugally-responsive means for changing the position of the lift member in response to engine speeds. The apparatus includes a base member which can be injection molded to a shape of a segmented cylinder thereby substantially corresponding to the shape of the outer surface of the cam shaft. The base member also provides means for integrating and retaining the dynamic components of the apparatus to the base member.

Abstract: The power head assembly for a cordless electric lawnmower has a removable upper housing that includes two spaced batteries, and a lower housing that is mounted to the deck of the grass cutting device. The upper housing has a handle, and at least one quick disconnect terminal that engages a mating quick disconnect terminal affixed to the lower housing. The lower housing includes an electric motor that is disposed between the two batteries when the upper housing is in place. A portion of the electric motor is located below the deck to further reduce the overall height of the device. The lower housing is mounted to the deck by several bolts which are placed in the same mounting pattern used to mount gasoline engines to a deck, so that the same decks may be used for both the cordless electric and gasoline-powered lawnmowers.

Abstract: An air intake system for an internal combustion engine has a vertical crankshaft and a pair of substantially horizontally disposed cylinders that extend outward from a crankcase to form a V-space therebetween. The air intake system includes an air inlet through a blower housing on top of the engine, an air cleaner housing that is disposed substantially directly above the V-space and that receives air from the air inlet, an air-fuel mixing device disposed substantially directly below the air cleaner, and an intake manifold adapted to deliver a combustible mixture from the air-fuel device to each cylinder. The air cleaner includes a filter supported such that air received from the air inlet flows through the filter in a substantially upward direction. The air cleaner housing and the blower housing are integrated into a single housing.

Abstract: A centrifugally-responsive compression release apparatus relieves compression in more than one cylinder of an internal combustion engine during starting. The compression release apparatus utilizes a centrifugally-responsive flyweight, a single shaft operable by the flyweight, and one or more lift members movable by the shaft and engageable with one or more valve operating devices. The compression release apparatus may employ a single lift member that is engageable with two valve operating devices upon rotation of the shaft, or alternatively, a pair of lift members each engageable with a distinct valve operating device. Thus, the compression release apparatus is particularly adaptable to reducing compression in two cylinders of a V-twin engine, but may be adapted to reducing compression in an engine having more than two cylinders.

Abstract: A carburetor prevents priming of a combustion engine under certain operating conditions. The carburetor includes a body member having a wall portion defining an orifice extending through the body member, a fuel nozzle positioned through the wall portion and in operative communication with the orifice, a fuel bowl positioned in operative communication with the fuel nozzle, a primer device in operative communication with the fuel bowl, and a primer lockout operatively positioned between the primer device and the fuel bowl. A method of controlling the carburetor during start-up and warm-up of a combustion engine is also described, including the steps of actuating the primer device to prime the carburetor, starting the engine with the external vent in open communication with the fuel bowl, disabling the primer device when the engine reaches a first operating temperature, and closing the external vent when the engine reaches a second operating temperature.

Abstract: A fuel tank including a generally hollow body defining an interior volume for accommodating fuel, and a hollow stud extending from a bottom portion of the hollow body. The hollow stud defines a first outlet having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end being in operative communication with the interior volume of the hollow body. An end cap is integrally formed with the hollow stud to seal the outer end of the first outlet. Preferably, the fuel tank includes two diagonally-opposed hollow studs and two corresponding end caps. The fuel tank further includes a centrally-located hollow member defining a second outlet having an inner end and an outer end. A wall member can be integrally formed with the hollow member to provide a seal between the inner end of the second outlet and the interior volume of the hollow body. Preferably, a mounting bracket is positioned adjacent to the bottom portion of the hollow body, and the mounting bracket includes an opening for insertably receiving the hollow stud.

Abstract: A multi-pass catalytic converter/muffler uses a single catalytic support bed without increasing the overall size of the catalytic converter/muffler. The outer surface area of the catalytic support bed is disposed adjacent to the outer wall of the catalytic converter housing, with only the mat in between. Secondary air may be provided upstream before the exhaust gases make their first pass through the catalytic support bed, or after the first pass but before the second pass or even after the second pass.