Abstract: Starting device for an internal combustion engine including a rope pulley (10), a freewheel coupling having a driving coupling part on the pulley, and a driven coupling part on a flywheel of the engine. The driving coupling part includes a ratchet wheel (14) and the driven coupling part includes a movable pawl (18) adapted to engage the ratchet wheel. The ratchet wheel is frusto-conical and has its relatively smaller diameter end facing the flywheel. An outer leg of the pawl is angled to correspond to the taper or cone angle of the ratchet wheel.

Abstract: A lubrication system for an overriding starter clutch assembly includes an axial input passage through the clutch shaft to radial passages supplying the oil to the inlet of the clutch working unit. A centrifugal pump created by vanes in the clutch housing end face pulls the lubricating oil axially through the clutch.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a cranking motor for turning the crankshaft to start the engine, a coupler is attached to the crankshaft and serves as a carrier for a ring gear that is engaged by the cranking motor. The coupler, in effect, disconnects the ring gear from the crankshaft when the crankshaft is operating under its own power, so that the crankshaft is not encumbered by the inertia of the ring gear and thus will accelerate quite rapidly. The coupler includes a hub, which is attached to the crankshaft and is provided with outwardly opening notches, and also includes a drive ring which surrounds the hub, such that it is capable of rotating with respect to the hub. A flexplate is attached to the drive ring, and the ring gear is in turn attached to the flexplate.

Abstract: A starter drive for use in machine-building and more specially in transport machine-building for starting internal combustion engines. The starter drive is with a simplified construction, increased reliability and loading capacity. The starter drive consists of plurality of wedging sprags (1), placed in rectangular unilaterally opened holes in an outer (2) and an inner (3) cages. Between the two rigid cages is disposed a smooth band cage (4). The cage (2, 3 and 4) together with the sprags (1) are disposed between the inner contact surface (5) with circular cross-section of the shaft (6) of the driving gear (7) and the outer contact surface (8) with circular cross-section, which is worked out in casing (9) of the starter drive.

Abstract: In an engine used for a portable working apparatus such as a brush cutter, there are arranged a drive gear rotated by a starter motor, and a driven gear engaging with the drive gear and connected to a crankshaft through a nonreturn clutch. The driven gear is fixed to the crankshaft until the starter motor starts the engine and released from the crankshaft after the start of the engine and after a rotational speed of the crankshaft exceeds that of the starter motor.

Abstract: A starter head for an internal combustion engine features a starter pinion, a driving head, two half rings and a securing cap. In a method of making this starter head: a set of chamfers is formed on the outer periphery of the securing cap so as to form, by local flow of the material of the cap, a set of internal projecting nibs in alignment with the chamfers; the starter pinion is positioned with respect to the driving sleeve; the two half rings are positioned against a camming cage associated with the driving sleeve, thereby completing a sub-assembly; the securing cap is positioned on the said sub-assembly; and the securing cap is reformed in such a way that the half rings become embedded in the nibs.

Abstract: A lubricator for lubricating the drive shaft of engine starting apparatus. The lubricator has a housing that is comprised of two plastic parts that are secured together by means of locking arms that are integral with one of the parts and which engage the outer part. The housing contains a wick that is saturated with a lubricating oil. The lubricator is assembled to the driving member of an engine starter overrunning clutch by press-fitting it to an internal surface of a tubular portion of the driving member. The inner surface of the wick engages a starter drive shaft and as the overrunning clutch is shifted relative to the drive shaft, the wick deposits a thin film of oil to a length of the drive shaft.

Abstract: An overrunning clutch which exhibits improved resistance to wear owing to grease filled thereinto which exhibits resistance to thermal oxidation even at increased temperatures due to overrunning. The overrunning clutch has a plurality of cam cases formed between its outer and inner members and also has a plurality of rollers arranged one by one in the cases. The cases are filled with a grease containing a first extreme pressure additive which is liquid and a second extreme pressure additive which is solid and yet melts at a prescribed temperature. Below the prescribed temperature, only the first extreme pressure additive functions as a lubricant, so that the rollers permit the engagement of the outer and inner members for the transmission of turning force from one member to the other. When the prescribed temperature is reached in the overrunning state, the second extreme pressure additive melts to function as a lubricant, thereby preventing the rollers from wearing.

Abstract: Cam surfaces are formed in the inner periphery of a cylindrical body of a shell. Rollers are moved against action of springs in the lock direction in which the space between the cam surfaces and a drive shaft becomes narrower, whereby the shell and the drive shaft are locked to transmit power from the drive shaft to a driven shaft. After transmission of the power, the rollers are radially and outwardly pressed against the inner periphery of the cam surfaces in the unlock direction in which the space between the cam surfaces and the drive shaft is wider, by co-action of a centrifugal force and a component force, thus a "dancing phenomenon" is prevented. A flange of the shell is spline-engaged with the driven shaft, an annular abutment plate in the inner periphery of the flange is held between a step of the driven shaft by an axially movable sleeve fitted around the small diameter portion of the driven shaft and the drive shaft without an axially loose condition by a fixing member.

Abstract: A pneumatic starter (10) incorporates a pawl and ratchet clutch assembly (50) having a ratchet member (46) mounted to a drive member (40) powered by an air expansion turbine (20), and a plurality of pawls (48) disposed circumferentially about the ratchet member (46) and operable in engagement therewith to transmit rotational drive torque from the drive member (40) to a driven member (60). Each of the pawls (48) is supported on a pivot pin (54) for pivotal movement into and out of engagement with the ratchet member (46) and translation between a engaged and drive position and a disengaged and retracted position to effectuate a change in the location of the center of gravity (93) of the pawl relative to its pivot axis (55). Preload springs (54) are provided for biasing the pawls (48) to pivot radially inwardly into engagement with the ratchet member (46).

Abstract: A pneumatic starter (10) incorporates a pawl and ratchet clutch assembly (50) having a ratchet member (46) mounted to a drive member (40) powered by an air expansion turbine (20), and a plurality of pawls (48) disposed circumferentially about the ratchet member (46) and operable in engagement therewith to transmit rotational drive torque from the drive member (40) to a driven member (60). Each of the pawls (48) is supported on a pivot pin (52) for pivotal movement into and out of engagement with the ratchet member (46) about its pivot axis (55). Preload springs (54) are provided for biasing the pawls (48) to pivot radially inwardly into engagement with the ratchet member (46). A weight ball (82) is disposed in a slot (80) extending along each pawl (48) so as to define a travel path between the toe end (47) and the heel end (48) thereof.

Abstract: An electric starter having an electric motor with a rotatable shaft, a pinion gear for driving a flywheel, and a friction clutch for transmitting torque which includes a drive plate connected to the shaft and a friction coupling for frictionally transmitting torque between the drive plate and pinion gear wherein the coupling is compressible and a stop limits compression to a predetermined maximum compression so as to set a predetermined slip torque or limit torque transfer to a predetermined maximum torque.

Abstract: The specification discloses a starter drive for starting engines. In one embodiment, a drive gear having a recess on a side thereof transfers motion from a starting motor to a sprag and a rim located in the recess. The rim is integrally formed with an idler gear which in turn transfers its motion to the crankshaft of the engine. After startup, the sprag permits the idler gear and rim to turn independently of the drive gear.

Abstract: A pawl and ratchet clutch and an air turbine starter having such a clutch is provided in which a single, torsion shaft simultaneously forces each of a plurality of pawls into engagement with the ratchet. The torsion shaft is coupled to a cam having radially extending arms with involute surface portions. Each pawl has a radially extending member that has an involute surface. The pawls and cam are disposed within the clutch so their respective involute surfaces are in rolling contact with each other. The torsion shaft is coaxially disposed within the clutch so as to be readily accessible, which permits its twist to be adjusted without dismantling the starter.

Abstract: In an engine used for a portable working apparatus such as a brush cutter, there are arranged a drive gear rotated by a starter motor, and a driven gear engaging with the drive gear and connected to a crankshaft through a nonreturn clutch. The driven gear is fixed to the crankshaft until the starter motor starts the engine and released from the crankshaft after the start of the engine and after a rotational speed of the crankshaft exceeds that of the starter motor.

Abstract: An overrunning clutch comprises a hollow drive shaft, a driven shaft including a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion loosely fit in the drive shaft, a cylindrical body having an inner peripheral surface in which cam surfaces are formed to function as an overrunning clutch and being splined to one end of the large diameter portion adjacent to the small diameter portion of the driven shaft, a retainer held within the cylindrical body, rollers held in roller pockets of the retainer, springs disposed in the roller pockets of the retainer to urge the roller, an annular abutment plate fit around the small diameter portion of the driven shaft and adapted to position the cylindrical body, and a fixing member fit around the small diameter portion of the driven shaft and adapted to fix the annular abutment plate in place. The overrunning clutch is thus simple and strong, and prevents "dancing phenomenon" of the rollers by firmly holding the rollers in such a position that the rollers are free to race.

Abstract: A rope starter working in such a way that a rope wheel (12) with a driver (25) rotates a fly-wheel by way of starting latches, and the fly-wheel being provided with support lugs as carriers (13,14) of the latches. When the engine starts the latches are swung out by the centrifugal force from the driver on the rope wheel. The support lugs are carriers of one of the latches as well as a stop for the other one.

Abstract: Improved pawl assembly for starting mechanisms of small engines mounted on the engine flywheel provided with a bore therein and includes an integrally molded, polymeric pawl, a U-shaped torsion spring and retaining means disposed in the bore of the flywheel. The pawl has a depending shank rotatably fitted into the bore of the flywheel and oppositely extending end portions. The outer end portion, or spur, is adapted to engage a fin or vane of the flywheel to orient the inner end portion, or toe, of the pawl to engage the teeth of the ratchet surface of a pulley type starter. The closed end of the torsion spring is fitted over the shank and urges the pawl to its ratchet engaging position. The spring includes leg portions fitted into the bore of the flywheel and each leg terminates in a laterally extending hook portion adpated to interfit within the retaining means disposed at the end of the bore opposite the end into which the shank is fitted.

Abstract: A pinion clutch for a starter is constituted such that a spline tube having first and second helical splines on the inner and outer surfaces thereof respectively is disposed on a drive shaft, the inner surface of the spline tube is engaged to the drive shaft by the first helical spline, while the outer surface of the spline tube is engaged to a clutch-outer by the second helical spline, and rollers are disposed between a clutch-inner which is integrally formed with a pinion and the clutch-outer so that a one-way clutch function is realized. The pinion clutch comprises a meshing spring and an impact torque absorbing spring urging the spline tube and the clutch-outer in a direction in which the spline tube and the clutch-outer move away from each other are in series disposed between the spline tube and the clutch-outer. The meshing spring and the impact torque absorbing spring have individual spring constants.

Abstract: An inertia sliding type engine starter motor, wherein an inner member 24b of an over-running clutch rotatable with an armature rotary shaft is axially forwardly immovably supported by a bearing 28 mounted to a front housing 22. The clutch inner member has helical splines 29 formed in its inner circumference, the pinion 30 is axially slidably mounted on the rotary shaft, and a rotational force is transmitted from the clutch inner member to the pinion through the helical splines. The pinion has formed at its rear portion a flange 30d having an outer diameter larger than a diameter of an opening in the front end of the front housing. The front end of the clutch inner member and the rear end surface of the pinion abut with each other when the pinion is disengaged with an engine ring gear, and the armature rotary shaft in front of the pinion is covered by a cover 34.

Abstract: A pawl for a recoil starters for internal combustion engines wherein the pawl radially extends into a driving relationship with the engine to be started during cranking and retracts during recoiling of the starter mechanism or upon engine starting. The invention utilizes a pawl having a non-linear configuration wherein an increased pawl angle is achieved with respect to the operating mechanism to rapidly position the pawl during the engine cranking operation, and the pawl outer end approaches a tangential relationship to the engine mounted abutment engaged by the pawl end to improve the pawl engagement with the abutment and limit concentric misalignment of the starter with the engine during cranking.

Abstract: A rewind or recoil starter for an internal combustion engine which is adapted to be coupled to the engine element to be started, and which is returned to its resting position by a rewind or recoil device after manual operation of its actuating structure and after the engine has started. A safety device in the starter is provided which, in the event of an unsuccessful starting operation and upon kick-back of the engine element against the starting direction, uncouples the actuating structure of the starter from the back-kicking engine element. The starter is equipped with a driven member rigidly seated on the engine element to be started, and with a driving member which, during starting, is driven by way of the actuating structure to drive the engine element in the starting direction.

Abstract: A starting system having: a recoil type starter disposed so as to be concentric with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine and to face one end of the same, the recoil starter having a recoil drum having a hollow boss portion and an engaging portion formed at its one side facing the one end of the crankshaft; a motor starter; a rotary shaft inserted into the hollow boss portion of the rotary drum concentrically therewith and capable of being rotated by the motor starter; a shock absorbing spring disposed around the rotary shaft; and ratchet members disposed at the one end of the crankshaft, the ratchet members being capable of respectively engaging with the spring and the engaging portion.

Abstract: A double clutch mechanism is disclosed for use within a starter assembly for selectively coupling power to start a turbine engine. The invention includes a primary engagement assembly and a secondary engagement assembly, either of which may be of the pawl and ratchet type or the sprag type, for coupling power to the engine and preventing overrunning of the starter assembly.

Abstract: The freewheel drive has an outer ring member which is integrally united with a sleeve for reception of the starter shaft, by way of a flange. This one-piece part forms a housing for the reception of the inner ring member, which is integrally connected with the driving pinion by way of a radially projecting flange. This integrally fabricated part has cam tracks extending eccentrically of the axis, on the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring member. Roller bodies under the bias of strap springs bear against the cam tracks and against the circular inner peripheral surface of the outer ring member. Each strap spring is held in a respective spring receptor of a ring-shaped spring guide. The latter is non-rotatably held against the inner ring member and bears against the flange. The advantage consists in the more economic manufacture of the inner ring member which has the cam tracks, and in the reliable functioning of the freewheel drive even under the most extreme loads.

Abstract: In an overhung type starting electric motor, a pinion part of a movable pinion cylinder is made smaller in inside diameter than a clutch inner part and a cylindrical part thereof, and a stepped part is provided between a helical spline part and the small diameter part of a rotary shaft in such a manner that a very small gap is formed between the stepped part and the inner cylindrical wall of the clutch inner part of the movable pinion cylinder, and a very small gap is formed also between the small diameter part of the rotary shaft and the inner cylindrical wall of the pinion part of the movable piston cylinder. A misalignment preventing ring is fitted in the clutch outer of an overrunning clutch to be slidable on the stepped part.

Abstract: A unidirectional rotary clutch in a starter motor has a clutch inner interlocking with a motor, a clutch outer interlocking with a pinion gear and an elastic member-fitted clutch roller accommodated in a roller groove chamber. The clutch functions to propagate power driving forward rotation of the motor, but to cut off the propagation of power in the case of reverse rotation. The chamber is filled with grease mainly composed of hydrocarbon fats and oils to which 5.0 to 15.0% by weight of a fluorocarbon resinous agent is added.

Abstract: A drive sleeve of the present invention includes a peripheral collar seated with an operational clearance, in a recess defined in a housing. The outside of the sleeve includes ribbing extending in the notches of a driving plate pressing a friction lining against the housing under the effect of a "Belleville" washer to which a load is appropriately applied by a flange.

Abstract: An in-flight starting mechanism for a gas turbine engine in a propeller type aircraft propulsion system wherein the propeller is driven by a free power turbine rotor rotatable independently of the gasifier rotor of the engine. The starting mechanism includes an inner race, an outer race and a plurality of rollers in pockets in the outer race. The rollers are centrifugally biased out of engagement with an inner race surface of the inner race when both the free power and gasifier rotors are driven normally in the forward or propelling direction. The pockets are evenly spaced around the inner race so that at least some of the rollers are moved by gravity against the inner race surface when the rotors are substantially stopped as occurs when the engine is shutdown in flight and the propeller feathered.

Abstract: Due to the present energy problems there is a need for a more efficient internal combustion engine. Herein is disclosed a means of making the engine more efficient through use of a flywheel apparatus. The flywheel provides a means of allowing the crankshaft of the engine to be rapidly advanced to that of the flywheel on the power strokes which will transfer the heat produced to rotatable power before the heat can be lost into the engine block. The flywheel further comprises the means of rapidly retarding the crankshaft on the compression strokes so that in the high speed cycle its speed would equal 5000 RPM, while the slow cycle is 1000 RPM, with the total RPM being 3000 RPM or midway between the slow and high speed cycles. A cam connected to a flywheel shaft drives cam action rods housed within the flywheel housing outward against nitrogen charged bladders on the power strokes building up potential energy within the bladder and is used to slow the rotational motion on non power strokes of the engine.

Abstract: An engagement coupling for a starter drive, in which driving and driven jaws (20, 21) engage each other through face gears, is provided with a blocking mechanism (51). The blocking mechanism (51) is located in the driven jaw (21) and consists of flyweights (57) and a blocking rod (55). The flyweights (57) cause the rod (55) to extend into a blocking position against a pinion assembly (11) when a predetermined engine speed has been reached and the jaws (20, 21) have been separated. Once the rod (55) has been extended and the rotational speed of the driven jaw (21)is maintained, the rod (55) blocks the driving jaw (20) from destructively engaging the driven jaw (21). The blocking condition remains effective until such time as the driven (21) jaw has slowed down, e.g. after the engine has been shut down.

Abstract: Engine starter gearing of the positive shift dentil type clutch with a resilient member to absorb the torsional loads on the starter gearing upon its engagement, the starter gearing having a sleeve member with a straight spline on its inside surface and a helical spline on its outside surface whereby torque is imposed on a driving clutch member, the driving clutch member having an inside surface with a notch therein, a lock ring being positioned in the notch and engaging the sleeve member to fixedly position the sleeve member with respect to the driven clutch member.

Abstract: A hand starter for an internal combustion engine having an axially displaceable clutch member journalled on a clutch shaft, for co-acting with a fixed clutch member on the engine shaft. The axial movement of the displaceable clutch member, caused by pulling a start rope, is guided by a helical spring wound in a helical groove on the clutch shaft. The outer periphery of the spring is resiliently pressed against friction producing threads of a cylindrical bearing surface of the displaceable clutch member, to exert an axial force against the axially displaceable clutch member.

Abstract: A recoil starter for internal combustion engines utilizing a rope rotated cranking pulley wherein pulley mounted dogs engage on engine cranking cup when extended. Dog positioning is controlled by an operator, and the dogs are spring biased and shaped to function as detents to maintain the operator in the dog retracting position preventing inadvertent dog extension due to vibration. Additionally, the starter incorporates a skirt for retaining the rope within the pulley rope groove, and the configuration of the starter reduces resistance to engine cooling air flow.

Abstract: A control system for an automatic vehicle transmission includes a clutch mechanism interconnecting the driving connection between the vehicle engine and the vehicle driving wheels. The control system operates to automatically disengage the clutch when the braking system is actuated and the vehicle speed is reduced to a predetermined level with the accelerator in idle position. The clutch automatically engages when any of the three parameters have changed from predetermined levels. The automatic control system serves to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions at vehicle idling by reducing transmission drag, yet provides smooth shifting and permits the engine and transmission to assist in vehicle braking.

Abstract: An overrunning clutch designed for use with engine starters and the like whereby the starter may apply its output to start the engine without damage due to overspeed of critical starting motor components after the engine has started and obtained running speed.The overrunning clutch of this invention is provided with two splines. The first a straight spline which allows axial translation of the starter output shaft and a second helical spline which assists in engagement and disengagement of interlocking face clutch jaws between the input drive shaft and the output drive shaft. A centrifugally restrained clutch engagement spring in combination with the helical spline permits overrunning with minimum wear of the face clutch jaws.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed wherein a starter provides power for starting an engine and the starter gearing and an overrunning clutch are arranged so that the engine drives an accessory coupled to the starter by using particular elements of the starter gearing while other elements of the gearing come to rest, thereby eliminating separate drive means between the starter and accessory.

Abstract: A direct cranking starter device for an internal combustion engine has a rotatable driving member to be connected to a starting motor and an overrunning clutch for engaging the driving member to the crankshaft of the engine with a movable shock absorbing member interposed between the driving member and overrunning clutch to prevent initial starting torque intermittent shock loads generated upon initial activation of the starting motor from being transmitted through the driving member to the overrunning clutch.

Abstract: A unidirectional drive system, particularly intended for electric starter motors of internal combustion engines, comprises a ratchet wheel surrounded by a cage having one or more pivoted pawls. These pawls can either be in engagement with the ratchet wheel or can move out of such engagement, generally as a result of centrifugal force. A stop device, which may be a cylindrical ring or a pair of discs, can move into position to hold the pawls out of engagement with the ratchet wheel.

Abstract: A recoil-type starter for an internal combustion engine. The starter includes a drum with a starting wire wound around it. The drum is disposed to confront a driven member such as a fly-wheel which is in turn operably connected to the engine. A starting pawl is pivotally secured to a peripheral portion of the drum, and is adapted to be pivotally moved to project radially outwardly of the drum into engagement with a cooperative projection formed on the driven member as the drum is rotated by pulling the starting wire, thereby to impart a starting inertia to the engine through the driven member. A stop is unitarily formed on the drum for limiting the outward pivotal movement of the starting pawl. The stop is positioned to abut a portion of the starting pawl close to the outer end of the latter at which the cooperating projection of the driven member contacts from the radially outer side of the drum.

Abstract: Pull starters for cranking an internal combustion engine in a cranking direction include clutch driven means mounted upon a rotatable part of the engine which is rotated during starting by driving clutch means mounted for rotation by a starting pulley. The starting pulley is a spring retrieved pulley which causes rotation of the driving clutch means. The pulley carries projecting clutch disengagement means to forceably disengage the driving clutch means from the clutch driven means if normal disengagement does not occur.The starting pulley is provided with a spring retaining collar extending from one surface of the pulley, and this collar is provided with an outer spring engaging surface. An open ended spring retaining channel is formed beneath the collar outer surface, and a cam step surface extends inwardly from the outer surface to guide a spring into the open end of the channel. Also, the collar is formed to lock a spring end within the spring retaining channel.

Abstract: An improved starting apparatus is utilized in association with a starting motor to effect rotation of an engine ring gear. The starting apparatus includes a pinion gear which is movable from a disengaged position to an engaged position in meshing engagement with an engine ring gear. If the pinion gear teeth and ring gear teeth are misaligned as the pinion gear is moved toward the engaged position, a plurality of balls cooperate with surfaces of grooves extending transversely to the path of movement of the pinion gear to effect rotational movement of the pinion gear relative to the engine ring gear. This pinion gear rotation moves the pinion gear teeth into alignment with the engine ring gear teeth and thereby enables the pinion gear to move into meshing engagement with the ring gear.