Pneumatic starter for internal combustion engine

Claim 2

A starter arrangement for an engine, comprising: a fluid actuated rotary vane motor which is adapted to engage an associated engine, said rotary motor having a hub and at least one blade which is slidably mounted in said hub and is made from a fiber reinforced plastic material to reduce friction, and wherein said at least one blade has a wear surface made of the same material; a housing including a sleeve in which said rotary motor is positioned, said sleeve having on its inner surface a hard metallic coating to reduce friction, wherein said sleeve inner surface coating comprises a chromium electrocating having a hardness which measures at least 70 on the Rockwell C hardness scale and a microfinish of less than 10 micro-inches R.M.S.; and, a relay valve means for selectively providing a pressurized operating fluid to said rotary motor, wherein said blade material and said sleeve inner surface coating cooperate to enable said motor to rotate in said sleeve with a minimum of friction thereby obviating the need for a lubricating system for the starter arrangement.

Claim 3

The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said fiber reinforcing material for said at least one blade is selected from the group consisting of aramid fiber, glass fiber, boron fiber or carbon fiber.

Claim 4

The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising: a source of pressurized operating fluid; a conduit means for interconnecting said source of operating fluid and said valve means; and, a driving means for transmitting the rotation of said motor to the associated engine and wherein said driving means includes a pinion gear which cooperates with a flywheel of the associated engine to rotate said flywheel.

Claim 5

The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising: a muffler which is secured to said housing; and, an eccentric cam which urges said at least one blade outwardly as said vane motor rotates.

Claim 6

The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said at least one blade comprises an aramid fiber reinforced resin material.

Claim 7

The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said at least one blade comprises a plurality of superimposed layers of a reinforcing fiber cloth coated with a resin binder.

Claim 8

The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a hard metallic coating provided on a portion of said hub adjacent said at least one blade to reduce friction between said hub and said at least one blade as said at least one blade slides in said hub.

Claim 9

The arrangement of claim 7 wherein said hub hard metallic coating comprises a chromium electrocoating having a hardness which measures at least 70 on the Rockwell C hardness scale.

Claim 10

A starter arrangement for starting an internal combustion engine with compressed fluid, comprising: a housing including a metallic sleeve wherein said sleeve has on its inner surface a hard metallic coating which measures at least 70 on the Rockwell C hardness scale, said coating on said sleeve having a microfinish of less than 10 micro-inches R.M.S.; a fluid actuated rotary vane motor rotatably mounted in said sleeve, said motor having a plurality of blades with each of said blades being made from a plurality of layers of a resin-coated fiber cloth material to reduce friction wherein each of said blades has a wear surface made of the same material, and wherein as said blades slide against said sleeve there is minimal friction occurring thereby obviating the need for a separate lubricating system for the starter arrangement; and, a source of pressurized fluid for actuating said rotary motor.

Claim 11

A starter arrangement for starting an internal combustion engine with compressed fluid, comprising: a housing including a metallic sleeve wherein said sleeve has on its inner surface a hard metallic coating which measures at least 70 on the Rockwell C hardness scale, said coating on said sleeve having a microfinish of less than 10 micro-inches R.M.S.; a fluid actuated rotary vane motor rotatably mounted in said sleeve, said motor having a plurality of blades with each of said blades being made from a plurality of layers of a resin-coated fiber cloth material to reduce friction wherein each of said blades has a wear surface made of the same material, and wherein as said blades slide against said sleeve there is minimal friction occurring thereby obviating the need for a separate lubricating system for the starter arrangement; and, a source of pressurized fluid for actuating said rotary motor.

Claim 12

The arrangement of claim 9 further comprising a motor housing in which said sleeve and said relay valve are positioned.

Claim 13

The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said blade reinforcing material comprises an aramid fiber.

Claim 14

The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said sleeve inner surface coating comprises a chromium electrocoating having a hardness which measures at least 70 on the Rockwell C hardness scale.

Claim 15

The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said sleeve inner surface coating comprises metallic particles encapsulated in a ceramic material, and a slurry binder system.

Claim 16

The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said sleeve inner surface coating comprises titanium nitride having a hardness on the Rockwell C hardness scale of approximately 85.

Claim 17

The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said sleeve inner surface coating comprises an electroless nickel alloy.

Claim 18

The arrangement of claim 15 wherein said nickel alloy coating is infused with a polymer such as fluorocarbon.

Claim 19

An unlubricated, and hence environmentally desirable, pneumatic starter for an internal combustion engine, comprising: an integral housing including a sleeve having on its inner surface a hard metallic coating to reduce friction, said coating comprising a chromium electrocoating having a hardness which measures at least 70 on the Rockwell C hardness scale and wherein said coating on said sleeve has a microfinish of less than 10 micro-inches R.M.S.; a fluid actuated rotary vane motor rotatably mounted in said sleeve, said motor having a hub and a plurality of blades with each of said blades being made from an aramid fiber reinforced plastic material to reduce friction as said blades rotate in said sleeve, wherein said blades have a wear surface made of the same fiber reinforced plastic material; a source of pressurized air for actuating said rotary motor; and, an eccentric cam for positively displacing said blades in relation to said hub when said motor is actuated, the rotation of said vane motor in said sleeve, causing a minimum of friction thereby obviating the need for a separate lubricating system.

Claim 20

An unlubricated, and hence environmentally desirable, pneumatic starter for an internal combustion engine, comprising: an integral housing including a sleeve having on its inner surface a hard metallic coating to reduce friction, said coating comprising a chromium electrocoating having a hardness which measures at least 70 on the Rockwell C hardness scale and wherein said coating on said sleeve has a microfinish of less than 10 micro-inches R.M.S.; a fluid actuated rotary vane motor rotatably mounted in said sleeve, said motor having a hub and a plurality of blades with each of said blades being made from an aramid fiber reinforced plastic material to reduce friction as said blades rotate in said sleeve, wherein said blades have a wear surface made of the same fiber reinforced plastic material; a source of pressurized air for actuating said rotary motor; and, an eccentric cam for positively displacing said blades in relation to said hub when said motor is actuated, the rotation of said vane motor in said sleeve, causing a minimum of friction thereby obviating the need for a separate lubricating system.

Claim 21

The starter of claim 17 wherein said hub has a plurality of slots, one for slidably mounting each of said plurality of blades, and further comprising a hard metallic coating provided on a surface of said hub at each of said slots to reduce friction between said hub and said blades as said blades slide in said hub.

Claim 22

The arrangement of claim 18 wherein said hub hard metallic coating comprises a chromium electrocoating having a hardness which measures at least 70 on the Rockwell C hardness scale.