Accessory carrying type starting motor

Claim 1

An accessory carrying type starting motor assembly for a vehicle comprising an engine, a crank shaft operatively connected to the engine, a ring gear secured to the crank shaft, a battery, and a key switch in series with the battery, said assembly comprising: (a) a frame; (b) a d.c. motor mounted on said frame; (c) a first rotary shaft operatively connected to said d.c. motor such that operation of said d.c. motor causes rotation of said first rotary shaft, said first rotary shaft being journaled for axial movement in said frame between a first position and a second position; (d) a pinion and an overrunning clutch mounted on said first rotary shaft for rotation therewith and axial movement relative thereto, said pinion being axially movable relative to said first rotary shaft between a first position in which it meshes with the ring gear secured to the crank shaft of the engine of the vehicle and a second position in which it does not mesh with the ring gear; (e) a pump for pumping a working fluid used to power accessory devices; (f) a second rotary shaft operatively connected to said pump such that rotation of said second rotary shaft causes actuation of said pump; (g) a clutch comprising a first clutching member and a second clutching member, said first clutching member being mounted on said second rotary shaft and said second clutching member being mounted on said first rotary shaft and axially movable therewith between the first position of said first rotary shaft, in which said second clutching member does not engage said first clutching member, and the second position of said first rotary shaft, in which said second clutching member does engage said first clutching member, transmitting the rotation of said first rotary shaft to said second rotary shaft and then to said pump; (h) an electromagnetic switching device comprising: (i) a coil; (ii) a plunger movable relative to said coil between a first position which it assumes when the key switch of the vehicle is open and a second position which it assumes when the key switch of the vehicle is closed; (iii) a first spring biasing said plunger towards its first position; (iv) a stationary contact in series between the battery and said d.c. motor; (v) a movable contact movable relative to said coil between a first position which it assumes when the key switch of the vehicle is open and a second position which it assumes when the key switch of the vehicle is closed, said movable contact being in electrical contact with said stationary contact when said movable contact is in its second position and not being in electrical contact with said stationary contact when said movable contact is in its first position; and (vi) a second spring biasing said movable switch towards its first position; (i) a pivotally mounted shift lever having a first end connected to said plunger and a second end connected to said pinion and said overrunning clutch such that motion of said plunger from its first position to its second position causes said pinion to move axially relative to said first rotary shaft from its second position to its first position and motion of said plunger from its second position to its first position causes said pinion to move axially relative to said first rotary shaft from its first position to its second position; and (j) a pump switch for actuating said pump, said pump switch being in series between the battery of the vehicle and said stationary contact, whereby: (k) when the key switch of the vehicle is closed while said pump switch remains open, (i) said movable contact is brought into electrical contact with said stationary contact, providing a closed circuit between the batery and said d.c. motor which causes said d.c. motor to begin rotating; (ii) movement of said plunger from its first position to its second position causes said pinion to move axially relative to said first rotary shaft until said pinion meshes with the ring gear secured to the crank shaft of the engine, whereby rotation of said pinion caused by said d.c. motor can be used to start the engine; and (iii) said first rotary shaft moves relative to said frame from its second position to its first position, whereby said second clutching member disengages from said first clutching member and the rotation of said first rotary shaft caused by said d.c. motor is not transmitted to said pump; (l) when the key switch of the vehicle is subsequently opened while said pump switch remains open, (i) said second spring moves said movable contact out of electrical contact with said stationary contact, breaking the circuit between the battery and said d.c. motor and causing said d.c. motor to stop rotating; (ii) movement of said plunger from its second position to its first position causes said pinion to move relative to said first rotary shaft until said pinion moves out of engagement with the ring gear secured to the crank shaft of the engine; and (iii) said first rotary shaft moves relative to said frame from its first position to its second position, whereby said second clutching member is brought into engagement with said first clutching member; and (m) when said pump switch is subsequently closed while the key switch of the vehicle remains open, an electrical circuit between the battery and said d.c. motor is closed, causing said d.c. motor to begin rotating, and the rotational motion of said d.c. motor is transmitted through said first rotary shaft and said clutch to said pump.