Method for starting an electric starting motor adapted for starting an internal combustion engine

Claim 3

The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said brush means are mounted on brush holders movable by the operation of driving means for changing the brush positions.

Claim 4

The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein each of said brush holders has gear means driven by electric motor means.

Claim 5

An electric motor for starting an internal combustion engine having a ring gear, said electric motor comprising a cylindrical yoke, a permanent magnet secured to the inner peripheral surface of said cylindrical yoke, an armature having a rotary output shaft and an armature winding and mounted in said yoke in a relation facing said permanent magnet, a commutator mounted to said rotary output shaft of the armature and connected to said armature winding, brush means slidingly connected with the outer peripheral surface of said commutator and supplying current to said armature winding, an overrunning clutch, said output shaft having a helically splined portion splinedly connected with said overrunning clutch, a first pinion carried by said output shaft and rotationally coupled to said overrunning clutch only in one direction of rotation of said output shaft, said pinion engaging said ring gear of the internal combustion engine when said clutch is shifted towards an end of said output shaft, a sector gear formed in a brush base secured to said brush means, said sector gear being an internal gear, a D.C. motor having a main output shaft, a second pinion formed on said main output shaft of said D.C. motor, said second pinion engaging said sector gear, a changeover switch for switching between normal and reverse operations of said D.C. motor, control means for said changeover switch, a key switch for initiating the operation of said control means, and a battery for supplying current through a closed electrical circuit formed by said D.C. motor, changeover switch, control means and by said key switch, whereby, until the time said first pinion meshes with said ring gear, said brush means are shifted by said control means and the D.C. motor away from said neutral axis towards the sides of the poles of the permanent magnet where the main magnetic field produced by said permanent magnet is strengthened by the armature-reaction magnetic fluxes for delivering a controlled output to said first pinion and said ring gear, and, after said first pinion is engaged with said ring gear, said brush means are returned to their positions situated on said neutral axis through operation of said control means, changeover switch and said D.C. motor.

Claim 6

An electric motor for starting an internal combustion engine having a ring gear, said electric motor comprising a cylindrical yoke, a permanent magnet secured to the inner peripheral surface of said cylindrical yoke, an armature having a rotary output shaft and an armature winding and mounted in said yoke in a relation facing said permanent magnet, a commutator mounted to said rotary output shaft of the armature and connected to said armature winding, brush means slidingly connected with the outer peripheral surface of said commutator and supplying current to said armature winding, an overrunning clutch, said output shaft having a helically splined portion splinedly connected with said overrunning clutch, a first pinion carried by said output shaft and rotationally coupled to said overrunning clutch only in one direction of rotation of said output shaft, said pinion engaging said ring gear of the internal combustion engine when said clutch is shifted towards an end of said output shaft, a sector gear formed in a brush base secured to said brush means, said sector gear being an internal gear, a D.C. motor having a main output shaft, a second pinion formed on said main output shaft of said D.C. motor, said second pinion engaging said sector gear, a changeover switch for switching between normal and reverse operations of said D.C. motor, control means for said changeover switch, a key switch for initiating the operation of said control means, and a battery for supplying current through a closed electrical circuit formed by said D.C. motor, changeover switch, control means and by said key switch, whereby, until the time said first pinion meshes with said ring gear, said brush means are shifted by said control means and the D.C. motor away from said neutral axis towards the sides of the poles of the permanent magnet where the main magnetic field produced by said permanent magnet is strengthened by the armature-reaction magnetic fluxes for delivering a controlled output to said first pinion and said ring gear, and, after said first pinion is engaged with said ring gear, said brush means are returned to their positions situated on said neutral axis through operation of said control means, changeover switch and said D.C. motor.