Shut-off device for a self-igniting internal combustion engine

Claim 1

In combination with a diesel internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber into which fuel is directly injected by a fuel-injection pump, wherein the engine is operated by an ignition switch to run when the ignition switch is in a first position indicating "on" and to stop when the ignition switch is in a second position indicating "off"; the improvement characterized by: a speed control lever connected to the fuel-injection pump and pivoted with respect thereto for movement in an arcuate path between a first position in which no fuel is injected and the engine is stopped; a second position in which the engine idles, and a third position in which the engine operates at maximum speed; a spring attached to the speed control lever, the spring having a bias for urging the lever toward the first position wherein no fuel is injected and the engine stops; means attached to the speed control lever for selectively moving the lever toward the third position against the bias of the spring to increase the speed of the engine when desired; a solenoid including a plunger; the plunger projecting into the arcuate path of movement of the speed control lever when the solenoid is energized and out of the arcuate path of movement of the speed control lever when the solenoid is deenergized; the plunger being positioned adjacent to the second position of the speed control lever for holding the speed control lever in the second position when projected, by directly engaging the speed control lever to hold the engine at idle when the means for moving the speed control lever is released, and an electrical power circuit connected to the solenoid for energizing the solenoid, the electrical power circuit including the ignition switch connected therein, the ignition switch opening the circuit to interrupt power to the solenoid when in the second position and closing the circuit to project the plunger when in the first position; whereby the normal condition of the engine is the idle condition when the ignition switch is in the first position and the normal condition of the engine is "stopped" when the ignition switch is in the second position, and whereby the means for moving the speed control lever advances the lever from the first position of the lever when the ignition switch is "off" and advances the lever from the second position thereof when the ignition switch is "on".