Manual starter for internal combustion engines

A manual starter for an internal combustion engine, said starter including a drive member mounted for rotation, operable to start the engine when rotated, and having a toothed portion, a flexible pull element mounted for movement between a normally retracted position and an extended position and having a cogged portion for drivingly engaging said drive member toothed portion, actuation means cooperating with said pull element for moving said pull element to a drive position wherein said pull element cogged portion is releasably and drivingly engaged with said drive member toothed portion to effect starting rotation of said rotatable member in response to said pull element being pulled from the retracted position to an extended position and for permitting movement of said pull element from the drive position to a non-drive position wherein said pull element cogged portion is drivingly disengaged from said drive member toothed portion in response to said pull element being released or in response to the rotational speed of said drive member exceeding the pulled speed of said pull element, said actuation means including a rocker arm mounted for pivotal movement relative to said pull element and having first and second opposite ends, first and second cam means respectively carried on said opposite ends of said rocker arm for engaging said pull element, and spring means acting on said rocker arm to bias said first and second cam means in a direction away from said pull element such that, when a pulling force is applied on said pull element, said first cam means is engaged by said pull element and causes pivotal movement of said rocker arm to move said second cam means into engagement with said pull element and thereby move said pull element to the drive position, and such that, when a pulling force is released from said pull element or when the rotational speed of said drive member exceeds the pulled speed of said pull element, said second cam means permits movement of said pull element from the drive position to a non-drive position, and retracting means for returning said pull element from an extended position to the retracted position.

A manual starter for an internal combustion engine, said starter including a drive member mounted for rotation, operable to start the engine when rotated, and having a toothed portion, a flexible pull element mounted for movement between a normally retracted position and an extended position and having a cogged portion for drivingly engaging said drive member toothed portion, actuation means cooperating with said pull element for moving said pull element to a drive position wherein said pull element cogged portion is releasably and drivingly engaged with said drive member toothed portion to effect starting rotation of said rotatable member in response to said pull element being pulled from the retracted position to an extended position and for permitting movement of said pull element from the drive position to a non-drive position wherein said pull element cogged portion is drivingly disengaged from said drive member toothed portion in response to said pull element being released or in response to the rotational speed of said drive member exceeding the pulled speed of said pull element, said actuation means comprising a rocker arm including a first part having a first end carrying first cam means and a second end mounted for pivotal movement, said rocker arm further including a second part having a first end carrying second cam means and a second end mounted for pivotal movement coaxially with said first part, and spring means comprising first and second torsion springs mounted coaxially with the pivot axis of said first and second parts and respectively acting on said first and second parts to bias said first and second cam means in a direction away from said pull element, and retracting means for returning said pull element from an extended position to the retracted position.

A manual starter for an internal combustion engine including a circular flywheel having an outer peripheral surface, said starter including a toothed portion on the outer peripheral surface of the flywheel, a flexible pull element mounted for movement between a normally retracted position and an extended position, said pull element having a free end for pulling and a cogged portion for drivingly engaging said flywheel toothed portion, retracting means for returning said pull element from an extended position to the retracted position, a rocker arm mounted for pivotal movement relative to said pull element and having opposite ends respectively carrying first and second cam means for engaging said pull element, and spring means acting on said rocker arm to bias said first and second cam means in a direction away from said pull element, such that, in response to an operator pulling said pull element from the retracted position to an extended position, said first cam means is engaged by said pull element and causes pivotal movement of said rocker arm to move said second cam means into engagement with said pull element, and thereby move said pull element cogged portion into releasable driving engagement with said flywheel toothed portion to effect starting rotation of the flywheel, and such that, in response to the operator releasing said pull element or in response to the rotational speed of the flywheel exceeding the pulled speed of said pull element, said second cam means permits said pull element cogged portion to drivingly disengage from said flywheel toothed portion.