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US 4,064,765 AGranted
Flywheel assembly ring gear guard
AssigneeOutboard Marine Corporation
InventorEdward D. McBride
Life of this patent
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AssigneeOutboard Marine Corporation
InventorEdward D. McBride
Estimating the term…
Disclosed herein is an engine comprising a starter pinion and a flywheel assembly including a generally circular member having a peripheral surface including a radially outwardly extending lip. A ring gear is secured to the peripheral surface and includes teeth adapted for engagement with the starter pinion. The flywheel assembly also includes a flexible annular member secured to the circular member between the lip and the ring gear. The flexible member is located adjacent the ring gear to prevent access to the ring gear teeth by an engine operator, and is displaceable away from the ring gear teeth during engagement of the ring gear teeth with the starter pinion.
A flywheel assembly adapted for use with an engine, said flywheel assembly comprising a ring gear including teeth adapted for engagement with a starter pinion, and a flexible member extending adjacent said ring gear teeth to prevent access to said ring gear teeth by an engine operator.
A flywheel assembly adapted for use with an engine, said flywheel assembly comprising a generally circular member having a peripheral surface including a radially outwardly extending lip partially defining an annular groove, a ring gear secured to said peripheral surface, said ring gear including teeth having top surfaces and being adapted for engagement with a starter pinion, and a flexible annular member secured to said circular member between said lip and said ring gear, said flexible annular member having an inner rib which extends into said annular groove, and also having an outer rib which at least partially extends over said top surfaces of said ring gear teeth to prevent access to said ring gear teeth by an engine operator, said flexible member being displaceable away from said ring gear teeth during engagement of said ring gear teeth with the starter pinion.
An engine comprising a starter pinion and a flywheel assembly including a ring gear having teeth adapted for engagement with a starter pinion, and a flexible member extending adjacent said ring gear teeth to prevent access to said ring gear teeth by an engine operator.
An engine comprising a starter pinion and a flywheel assembly including a generally circular member having a peripheral surface including a radially outwardly extending lip partially defining an annular groove, a ring gear secured to said peripheral surface, said ring gear including teeth having top surfaces and being adapted for engagement with a starter pinion, and a flexible annular member secured to said circular member between said lip and said ring gear, said flexible annular member having an inner rib which extends into said annular groove, and also having an outer rib which at least partially extends over said top surfaces of said ring gear teeth to prevent access to said ring gear teeth by an engine operator, said flexible member being displaceable away from said ring gear teeth during engagement of said ring gear teeth with said starter pinion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
Other power-operated starting apparatus; Component parts, details, or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart from groups…
Machine element or mechanism: machine starters
Machine starters: automatic
Guards: for rotary member
Term ended 27 Dec 1994 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
This invention relates generally to guard devices used to prevent access to moving mechanical parts, and more particularly, to guard devices used to prevent access to the ring gear of a flywheel assembly utilized with an internal combustion engine.
Attention is directed to the following United States Patents:
Hamman U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,375,831 issued Apr. 2, 1968
FIG. 1 is a partially schematic sectional view of an engine including a flywheel assembly embodying various features of the invention.
FIG. 2 is an elevational view of an annular flexible member incorporated in the flywheel assembly shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a partial view of the engine shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the flexible member in a displaced position.
Shown in the drawings is an internal combustion engine 10 which includes a starter assembly 12 and a flywheel assembly 14. The engine 10 conventionally includes a piston 16 having a rod 18 suitably connected to a crank shaft 20 which, in turn, is connected to the flywheel assembly 14.
The flywheel assembly 14 includes a ring gear 22 having teeth 24 which are adapted for engagement with a starter pinion 26 of the starter assembly 12. A flexible member 28 extends adjacent the ring gear 22 to prevent access to the ring gear teeth 24 by an engine operator.
While various arrangements are possible, in the illustrated construction, the ring gear 22 and the starter pinion 26 preferably have parallel axes of rotation. In order to automatically start the engine 10, the starter assembly 12 includes conventional control means (represented diagrammatically as 30) which move the starter pinion 26 axially along a central shaft 32 overcoming a bias spring 34 to effect engagement of the starter pinion 26 with the ring gear teeth 24. The ring gear teeth 24 include outer peripheral or top surfaces 25 which connect the teeth flanks (not shown) which, in turn, engage the teeth of the starter pinion 26 to transmit rotary motion therebetween. Except during starting operation, the bias spring 34 biases the starter pinion 26 to a normal position not in engagement with the ring gear teeth 24.