Starters for internal combustion engines

Claim 1

IN AN ENGINE STARTER, IN COMBINATION, ELONGATED HOLLOW SHAFT MEANS CARRYING A PINION; ELONGATED MOTOR SHAFT MEANS EXTENDING COAXIALLY INTO SAID ELONGATED HOLLOW SHAFT MEANS; MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO BOTH OF SAID SHAFT MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING A DRIVE FROM SAID MOTOR SHAFT MEANS TO SAID HOLLOW SHAFT MEANS AND FOR AXIALLY SHIFTING SAID HOLLOW SHAFT MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID MOTOR SHAFT MEANS BETWEEN A REST POSITION WHERE SAID PINION IS OUT OF MESH WITH A GEAR TO BE DRIVEN THEREBY AND AN OPERATIVE POSITION WHERE SAID PINION MESHES WITH SAID GEAR TO TRANSMIT A DRIVE THERETO, SAID HOLLOW SHAFT MEANS HAVING AN INNER CIRCUMFERENTIAL SURFACE PORTION DIRECTED TOWARD AND SURROUNDIGN AN OUTER CIRCUMFERENTIAL SURFACE PORTION OF SAID MOTOR SHAFT MEANS AND ONE OF SAID SHAFT MEANS BEING FORMED AT SAID CIRCUMFERENTIAL SURFACE PORTION THEREOF WITH AN ELONGATED ANNULAR GROOVE COAXIAL WITH SAID SHAFT MEANS; AND PROJECTING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO AND HAVING AT ALL TIMES A PREDETERMINED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER OF SAID SHAFT MEANS, SAID PROJECTING MEANS BEING LOCATED AT ALL TIMES IN SAID GROOVE ENGAGING ONE END OF SAID GROOVE FOR DETERMINING THE OPERATIVE POSITION OF SAID ELONGATED HOLLOW SHAFT MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID MOTOR SHAFT MEANS.