Abstract: A driving pinion fixed on the shaft of a first motor meshes with a toothed wheel mounted to rotate freely with respect to the casing of the starter and which includes a bore having helical grooves with which cooperate corresponding grooves made on the periphery of the shank of an actuator pinion which is engagable with the crown wheel of a combustion engine. The spur toothing of the actuator pinion are in mesh with the inner toothing of a bore of another pinion which is actuated by a second motor. Resilient members are provided to normally urge the actuator pinion out of engagement with the crown wheel of the combustion engine.

Abstract: A starter includes two electric drive motors (1, 2), with parallel axes (3, 4), coupled to the same reduction gear (11, 14) whose output shaft (15) is connected to a single Bendix starter (18). Shaft (6) of one of the motors (1) exhibits a reversible thread (23) on which is mounted a nut pinion (7), engaged with a gear wheel (11) of the reduction gear and further connected to control lever (27), which is connected to Bendix starter (18). When first electric motor (1) is started, nut pinion (7) is braked in rotation by passive resistances, and therefore moved axially, which, by lever (27), causes the advance of Bendix starter (18), bringing pinion (21) of the latter to engage with ring gear (22) of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: An electric starter comprising a base plate supporting the housing of its electric motor and the yoke of its contactor, wherein the base plate has a central bore in which is placed a bearing maintained in position by means of a disc of plastics material moulded over the plate and which further constitutes the outer ring gear of an epicycloidal reduction gear placed between the electric motor and the shaft of the starter actuator. The disc may further include a lateral lug constituting support for the pin of the actuator lever. A flange made around the ring may form a seal between the housing of the electric motor and the base plate. The invention is more particularly applicable to electric starters for internal combustion engines.

Abstract: An engagement control of the starter pinion for an internal combustion engine starter comprises a solenoid (16) whose mobile core (17) is connected by a helical spring (18) working with traction, to one end of a lever (19) axially moving the starter pinion of the starter for its engagement with the ring gear of the flywheel. Connecting spring (18) comprises an end turn (38) brought close to the preceding turn in a plane perpendicular to the axis (14) of spring (18), and widened, which is supported and held against an annular shoulder (40) of the central bore (39) of the mobile core (17).

Abstract: A brush-holder for the disc commutator of rotating electric machines, in which axially-disposed brushes are maintained in abutment against the disc commutator by a spring constituted by two windings housed in a cavity located in the brush-holder opposite the brush guides. The two windings are separated by a median loop which engages elastically behind a retaining catch. The invention is particularly applicable to electric starters for internal combustion engines.

Abstract: An arrangement for cooling an electric rotating machine such as an alternator of an automotive vehicle by means of a fan which is intermittently driven in accordance with the cooling requirements of the electric rotating machine. A heat source is associated with the electric rotating machine which is representative of the degree of heating of the rotating machine. The heat source may be the radiator of the rectifier diodes of the alternator. A heat sensitive means in the form of a spring of "memory alloy" controls the coupling/uncoupling with respect to the shaft of the rotating machine of the fan which is mounted free for rotation coaxially of the shaft of the machine. The heat sensitive means is in heat exchange relation with the heat source. The spring, for example, operates a lever which activates a control rod passing through the hollow shaft to control the coupling or clutching of the fan with respect to the rotating shaft.

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: The invention relates to a system for controlling the advance and rotation of the actuator of a starter for a heat engine. The shaft of the electric motor rotates a dish provided with an inner thread cooperating with a screw bearing a toothed tail. The latter actuates satellites which rotate the bell and the pinion via a free wheel. When the screw reaches the stop, the pinion rotates and actuates the engine. When the latter has started up, the free wheel stalls and the clutch rotates the bell so that the screw returns to its initial position. The invention is more particularly applicable to an electric starter.

Abstract: An internal-combustion starter assembly has a starter motor whose axially displaceable output gear meshes in a forwardly advanced position with an engine gear and which is out of mesh with this engine gear in a backwardly retracted position. Operating mechanism for this gear includes a control motor having a rotary output shaft carrying a cam with a noncircular cam periphery. A cam follower is radially engageable with this cam periphery and is coupled by means of a control rod and a link to the starter-motor gear to displace this gear between its advanced and retracted positions on rotation of the cam through 360.degree.. A control arrangement includes a start switch for operating the control motor to displace the starter-motor gear from its retracted position into its advanced position and then back into its retracted position, and for energizing the starter motor when the starter-motor gear is in the advanced position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an actuator for an electric starter, comprising a thin sleeve of which the periphery comprises two flanges between which a two-piece collar is placed. The lugs of this collar engage in a notch in the lever to prevent rotation of the sleeve. The invention finds particular application in the automobile industry.

Abstract: A control lever assembly for the actuator of a starter for internal combustion engine, the pivoting of which is effectuated by means of a member which is hinged freely with respect to said lever, said member being provided with two heads comprising each a convex lateral surface which cooperates with complementary recess of the casing of said starter.

Abstract: PCT No. PCT/FR78/00013 Sec. 371 Date Mar. 19, 1979 Sec. 102(e) Date Mar. 19, 1979 PCT Filed July 19, 1978 PCT Pub. No. WO79/00061 PCT Pub. Date Feb. 22, 1979A lever for controlling the actuator of an electrical starter, for internal combustion engine, the connection between each friction block and the corresponding arm of a fork of the lever of the starter actuator being made by means of the ends of a single elastic stirrup member which is a part separate from said lever.

Abstract: PCT No. PCT/FR78/00012 Sec. 371 Date Mar. 15, 1979 Sec. 102(e) Date Mar. 15, 1979 PCT Filed July 19, 1978 PCT Pub. No. WO79/00052 PCT Pub. Date Feb. 8, 1979Unidirectional drive device comprising a cage inside which a shaft rotates so that, in a certain direction it drives this cage, of the type comprising grooves of which the section on one of its faces is smaller than the one which they determine on the other face, the grooves made in the bore of the cage being defined as each being obtained by penetration in the wall of this bore of a cylinder inclined with respect to the geometrical axis of this bore and which is displaced parallel to a longitudinal diametrical plane of this latter, while balls, known per se, are introduced in the passage determined between each groove and the shaft with a view to constituting members for wedging between the cage and the shaft.

Abstract: A starter motor for an internal combustion engine has an electromagnetic switch (11) and a "tooth against tooth" safety spring (37) to deform to allow the switch core (14) to move into a switch closing position even if the teeth on the starter pinion (10) and the starter ring gear of the engine are coincident rather than meshing as the pinion (10) contacts the starter ring gear. The "tooth against tooth" spring is a leaf-spring (37) serving as a yieldable fulcrum for the yoke, and the moving core (14) of the switch accommodates slidably a contact-bearing rod (15) of the switch which rod also passes slidably through the fixed core (13) of the switch.At its end remote from the contact, the rod (15) engages a yieldable stop (34) which biases the rod towards a "contact closing" position. The fixed core is thus devoid of a contact-closing spring and has a more massive flux path than it would otherwise do.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an electric motor comprising a system of locking employing balls disposed between at least on ramp and a cage, wherein the displacement of the cage which retains the balls is directly controlled by the member actuating the translation of the actuator. Means are provided so that, when the actuator is in rest position, the locking system comprising balls provides connection of this actuator and the shaft.

Abstract: A starter motor assembly for an internal combustion engine wherein a yoke is connected between an electro-magnetic switch and a pinion engaging device connected by a helical drive with an armature shaft. At the point of energization of the electro-magnetic switch the yoke causes the pinion to advance into a position to engage an engine drive gear. In the rest position of the starter motor the yoke is resiliently retained between the device and a cap which is itself retained over the end of a case secured against axial movement to the armature shaft. A pinion return spring engages between a stop on the device and the cap.

Abstract: An electric starter for internal combustion engines has a drive pinion unit with gear teeth for engagement with a gear ring of the engine and is driven by an electric motor so as to rotate the engine. The motor has a rotating laminated armature and an armature shaft; the drive pinion unit is mounted on the shaft so as to be freely slidable and rotatable relative thereto, and splined drive means fixed to one end of the laminated armature engage splines on the drive pinion unit whereby to transmit drive to the latter. The drive means may take the form of an internally-splined sleeve co-operating with a tail portion of the drive pinion unit; the splines are preferably helicoidal.

Abstract: A "bell-shaped" type of bearing of swaged sheet metal in the form of a container bordered by a cylindrical skirt having a central duct for the accommodation of a bearing bush is held to a rotor magnetic circuit of an electric machine by at least two tie rods passing through the bearing in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the duct for the bushing. The support zones on the bearing against which the heads of the tie rods abut are provided with at least one swaged rib extending continuously across and between the zones and up to the skirt of the bearing to form a box girder.

Abstract: An improved starter solenoid for an internal combustion engine has magnetic yoke, designed to eliminate gaps in magnetic flux, which supports two switch windings for pulling and holding a movable core acting on the starter gear and on the movable switch contact. The yoke, in the form of a rectangular frame without gaps, has two short sides, one of which supports a fixed core to support the two switch windings, while the other contains an opening, coaxial with the fixed core, to allow passage of the movable core. A sleeve is fitted with one end on the fixed core and the other end inside the opening, and serves as a bearing for the movable core.

Abstract: In order to hold the shaft of a starter motor against undue movement or whipping as a result of vibration communicated to it by the engine with which it is associated, the drive pinion assembly on the shaft is held steady by forming on it a conical surface which, when the starter is not operating, fits into a conical surface formed on a member which is fixed in position intermediate the ends of the drive shaft.The member may be a plate-like member with an opening lying at the bottom of a conical depression. It may be gripped between the yoke of the field magnet and the nose casing of the starter and may have locating means for positioning the yoke. Where a solenoid is used the member may carry a block forming a seal between the yoke and the solenoid casing, or it may be constructed to be gripped between the solenoid casing and the nose portion.