Abstract: An engine starting and stopping device for an internal combustion engine includes an energy storing mechanism having at least one elastic member such as a spring, an input element engageable with the elastic member and movable during engine coast down to load the elastic member, and an output element that is movable in response to the energy storing mechanism. The output element is movable in response to the energy storing mechanism as the elastic member unloads from the loaded state, to thereby move a rotatable member (i.e., a crankshaft and/or flywheel) of the engine during starting of the engine. An input control device is also provided for positioning the input element into engagement with the rotatable member of the engine such that rotation of the rotatable member moves the input element to load the elastic member during engine coast down and also to brake the engine.

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: 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: 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 low cost speed governor is used to provide stable device speed over a wide range of selected reference speeds and loads. The speed governor includes a means for changing the pulse width of a pulsed reference signal as a function of the selected reference speed and the load applied to the device. Operational stability is achieved at low reference speeds by automatically increasing the speed droop as the selected reference speed is lowered and as the applied load is increased. Overall governor cost is reduced by an arrangement that uses the same potentiometer to both vary the selected reference speed and to automatically change the speed droop.

Abstract: The low cost speed governor for internal combustion engines may be completely powered by the ignition coil. The governor receives a periodic signal from the primary ignition winding that is indicative of the actual speed of the engine. A pulsed speed signal is generated that is functionally related to the periodic signal. The pulsed speed signal has a pulse width that is functionally related to the actual engine speed. A pulsed reference signal is generated by a timer circuit, and has a pulse width that is functionally related to a predetermined reference speed. The pulsed speed signal is then compared with the pulse reference signal by a comparator circuit, and a pulsed error signal is generated that has a pulse width which is functionally related to the difference between the speed signal pulse width and the reference signal pulse width. The speed of the device is then changed by a transistor bridge network as a function of the error signal.

Abstract: A camshaft assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a rotatable camshaft and a cam lobe mounted on the camshaft for rotation therewith. The cam lobe includes first and second axial ends and an integral crowned cam profile formed in its periphery which includes a radially extending shoulder located between the first and second ends. The shoulder may be formed by a pair of axially extending parallel tapered surfaces in the cam profile.

Abstract: A device for amusing animals and teaching animals not to chew on undesirable objects such a furniture and clothing comprises a chewing device suspended from the neck of the animal. The animal will choose the suspended device to chew. The chewing device may be flavored. Medication may also be administered through the device.

Abstract: A pour spout for conducting a liquid, such as fuel, from a portable ventless container to a tank which includes a mechanism for enabling a user to readily determine when the tank is full and when fluid flow from the portable container into the tank has stopped. The mechanism includes a window in a wall of the container and a deflector connected to the pour spout which extends into the interior of the container for directing air bubbles entering the container through the pour spout toward the window. The window permits a user to visually determine when the displaced air bubbles stop flowing which is an indication that the tank is full and flow of the liquid has stopped. The window may be in the form of a translucent thin wall section, a transparent pane mounted in the wall, or the container itself may be translucent throughout so that the displaced air bubbles may be seen when directed to a location adjacent a wall.

Abstract: A speed controller for a DC motor minimizes speed droop and load droop through pulse width or frequency modulation. The controller provides an extra power increase upon engine starting or whenever a heavier load is temporarily encountered. The control circuit also has a current limiter, overload indicators, and a battery recharger. The controller is very inexpensive, primarily because all of the timing components are contained on a single integrated circuit timer chip such as a 556 timer. The controller contains other features, including a circuit for limiting the pulse width of the control signal from the pulse width modulator.

Abstract: A camshaft assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a rotatable camshaft and a cam lobe mounted on the camshaft for rotation therewith. The cam lobe includes first and second axial ends and an integral crowned cam profile formed in its periphery which includes a radially extending shoulder located between the first and second ends. The shoulder may be formed by a pair of axially extending parallel tapered surfaces in the cam profile. A method of molding the camshaft assembly includes the steps of providing a mold including a die component closable to define a mold cavity having a first portion in the shape of a camshaft and a second portion in the shape of cam lobe which includes a crowned cam profile, filling the mold cavity with a shrinkable fluid plastics material, waiting a predetermined period of time to permit the plastics material in the second portion of the mold cavity to harden and shrink, and moving the die component in an axial direction to open the mold.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor blade includes an airfoil joined to a dovetail. The dovetail includes a shank from which extends two pairs of dovetail tangs being defined by a bifurcating slot disposed therebetween. The dovetail is configured for retention in a complementary dovetail groove in a rotor disk with the bifurcating slot remaining empty for reducing weight of the blade while transferring centrifugal loads from the blade to the rotor disk.

Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil, platform and dovetail. The platform has top and bottom surfaces, with a plurality of pockets disposed in the bottom surface for reducing weight of the platform, with the pockets defining a plurality of continuous beams extending along the platform which provide structural stiffness to the platform to avoid resonance vibration thereof during operation.

Abstract: A pour spout for pouring a fluid, such as fuel, by gravity from a container to a tank. The spout includes a conduit having one end connected to the fuel container and having a second end to be positioned within the neck of the tank. A sleeve is mounted for sliding movement within the conduit and the outer end of the sleeve carries a closure which closes off the discharge end of the conduit. A vent tube is disposed within the conduit and has an inlet end which is adapted to communicate with the fuel tank when the closure is in the open position. A check valve is mounted within the vent tube and permits the flow of fuel vapor and air from the tank through the tube to the container, but prevents flow of fuel in the opposite direction. An annular collar is mounted on the conduit and with the collar engaged with the neck of the fuel tank, a downward force applied through the container on the sleeve will open the closure to admit fuel through the conduit to the tank.

Abstract: A platform spacer is joinable to a rotor disk between adjacent rotor blades having dovetails retained in a circumferential dovetail groove therein. The spacer includes a platform having a flat upper surface sized for abutting adjacent blade platforms to form an inner flowpath, and first and second hooks extending downwardly from the platform lower surface. The first and second hooks are configured for insertion radially inwardly through first and second loading recesses in the rotor disk for retention thereto.

Abstract: Golf course aesthetics and golf course maintenance procedures are enhanced by the use of a novel compact rake head that is detachably secured to the golfer's sand wedge to smooth the surface of sand traps following sand shots. The use of the rake head permits the removal of the hundreds of conventional rakes which are typically positioned around the sand traps on a golf course and permits the maintenance of the sand traps and the grass adjacent the sand traps by the golf course maintenance crew without regard to the continuous moving of conventional rakes.

Abstract: A lawnmower handle assembly is disclosed for manually-starting lawnmowers in which the starter rope handle is retained by the bale lever. The rope handle is preferably retained by an aperture in the bale lever, with the starter rope passing through the aperture. The handle assembly enables the starter rope handle to be more accessible to the operator during starting, and decreases the time required for the lever to engage an ignition or blade stopping mechanism when the lever is released.

Abstract: A clutch/brake mechanism designed to reduce the possibility of its clutch and brake components being engaged simultaneously that includes axially fixed clutch and brake members (80 and 33) spaced from one another relative to the drive shaft (21) of a power source, and an axially movable carrier (65) arranged about the drive shaft. The carrier has wall surfaces defining a movable brake element (75) and a movable clutch element (76), the former being engageable with the fixed brake member (33) when the carrier is in one position and the latter being engageable with the clutch member (80 ) when the carrier is moved to another position.