Shift mechanism for engine starting apparatus

Patent · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5900162

Colvin, J A; Colvill, R G; Smock, A L

This patent describes a shift lever mechanism for translating axial movement of the plunger of a starter solenoid into axial movement of a pinion of an engine starting apparatus. This apparatus consists of, a starter solenoid having an axially shiftable plunger and a coil winding, a spring opposing pull-in movement of the plunger and a solenoid switch operated to a closed condition when the plunger is completely pulled-in, a shift lever actuator carried by the plunger for axial movement therewith. The actuator has a pair of spaced surfaces, a pivotally mounted shift lever one end of which is adapted to be coupled to the pinion. The opposite end of the shift lever has a pair of opposed shift lever surfaces that respectively engage the surfaces on the actuator. The actuator surfaces and the shift lever surfaces are substantially engaged when the shift lever is in an at rest postion. The surfaces on the shift lever are at different radial distances from the pivot point of the shift lever and are arranged relative to the surfaces on the actuator such that when the solenoid plunger pulls-in the surface on the shift lever that is at the greater radial distance from the pivot point is moved by a surface of the actuator and the other surface on the shift lever becomes separated by a predetermined amount from its cooperating surface on the actuator. The amount of separation is sufficient to allow the solenoid switch to be actuated to an open condition when the solenoid coil winding is deenergized and the spring shifts and plunger to reengage the separated surfaces.

• Assignee: General Motors Corp., Detroit, MI
• Patent Number(s): US 4579010
• OSTI ID: 5900162
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330100* -- Internal Combustion Engines
ACTUATORS
ELECTRIC COILS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
HEAT ENGINES
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
POSITIONING
SOLENOIDS
SURFACES
SWITCHES