Spring starter for internal combustion engine

Claim 1

IN A SPRING STARTER FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE OF THE TYPE WHEREIN ONE END OF A STARTER SPRING IS ATTACHED TO ROTATABLE TORQUE APPLYING MEMBER THAT MUST BE HELD AGAINST ROTATION IN ONE DIRECTION WHILE THE SPRING IS WOUND UP, AND THE RELEASED ENERGY OF THE WOUND UP SPRING IS WOUND UP, AND THE RELEASED ENERGY OF THE WOUND THE ENGINE THROUGH A DRIVE TRAIN INCLUDING SAID TORQUE APPLYING MEMBER AND THE ROTATABLE DRIVING ELEMENT OF A UNIDIRECTIONAL CLUTCH WHICH HAS A DRIVING ELEMENT CONNECTED WITH THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT, AND WHEREIN ENGAGEMENT OF THE CLUTCH ENTAILS SOME ROTATION OF ITS DRIVING ELEMENT IN SAID DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE DRIVEN ELEMENT OF THE CLUTCH, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: (A) HOLDING MEANS OPERABLE TO PREVENT ROTATION OF THE TORQUE APPLYING MEMBER WHILE THE SPRING IS WOUND UP; (B) LOCKOUT MEANS FOR SAID HOLDING MEANS TO NORMALLY MAINTAIN THE LATTER INOPERATIVE, SAID LOCKOUT MEANS COMPRISING (1) A LOCKOUT MEMBER WHICH IS LOOSELY MOUNTED ON THE DRIVING ELEMENT OF THE CLUTCH FOR FREE AXIAL SLIDING MOVEMENT TO AND FROM AND OPERATIVE LOCKOUT POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID HOLDING MEANS, (2) AND YIELDABLE BIASING MEANS ACTING UPON THE LOCKOUT MEMBER TO YIELDINGLY HOLD IT IN ITS LOCKOUT POSITION; (C) MEANS PROVIDING A LOST MOTION BUT POSITIVE DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DRIVING ELEMENT OF THE CLUTCH AND THE TORQUE APPLYING MEMBER BY WHICH THE LATTER CAN BE ROTATED IN NON-DRIVING RELATION TO THE DRIVING ELEMENT A LIMITED EXTENT IN SAID DIRECTION BY THE STARTER SPRING AS WINDING THEREOF IS COMMENCED; (D) AND MEANS DEFINING AN IMPOSITIVE TORQUE TRANSMITTING CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DRIVING ELEMENT OF THE CLUTCH AND THE TORQUE APPLYING MEMBER THROUGH WHICH SAID NON-DRIVING ROTATION OF THE LATTER BY THE STARTER SPRING IS TRANSLATED INTO ROTARY MOVEMENT OF THE DRIVING ELEMENT OF THE CLUTCH TO ENGAGE THE CLUTCH BEFORE THE LOST MOTION IS TAKEN UP THE IN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TORQUE APPLYING MEMBER AND THE DRIVING ELEMENT OF THE CLUTCH, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS INCLUDING (1) A DRIVE PLATE CONNECTING THE LOCKOUT MEMBER IN DRIVING RELATION WITH THE DRIVING ELEMENT OF THE CLUTCH, (2) AND INTERENGAGING CAM MEANS ON THE TORQUE APPLYING MEMBER AND THE LOCKOUT MEMBER COOPERATING WITH SAID DRIVE PLATE TO TRANSLATE SAID INTIAL NON-DRIVING ROTARY MOVEMENT OF THE TORQUE APPLYING MEMBER BY THE STARTER SPRING INTO CLUTCH ENGAGING ROTATRY MOVEMENT OF THE DRIVING ELEMENT OF THE CLUTCH, SAID CAM MEANS BEING OPERABLE AFTER SUCH ENGAGEMENT OF THE CLUTCH BUT BEFORE ALL OF THE LOST MOTION IS TAKEN UP IN THE DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TORQUE APPLYING MEMBER AND THE DRIVING ELEMENT OF THE CLUTCH TO MOVE THE LOCKOUT MEMBER TO ITS INOPERATIVE POSITION TO THUS RENDER THE HOLDING MEANS OPERATIVE TO PREVENT FURTHER ROTARY MOVEMENT OF THE TORQUE APPLYING MEMBER BY THE STARTER SPRING WHILE THE LATTER IS WOUND UP.