Starting and stopping device for an internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a rotatable engine member;
• an energy storing mechanism including at least one elastic member, said elastic member being loaded in response to rotation of said rotatable engine member;
• a ratchet member operatively disposed between said elastic member and said rotatable engine member, said ratchet member rotating in a loading direction in response to rotation of said rotatable engine member and said elastic member being loaded in response to rotation of said rotatable engine member;
• a pawl movable into engagement with said ratchet member to selectively prevent rotation of said ratchet member in an unloading direction opposite said loading direction and to thereby selectively prevent unloading of said elastic member, said engagement between said ratchet member and said pawl establishing a line of force, said pawl positioned with respect to said line of force such that said pawl is urged toward staying in engagement with said ratchet member when in engagement with said ratchet member;
• and
• a pawl carrier carrying said pawl and movable to remove said pawl from engagement with said ratchet member, said pawl carrier being positioned with respect to said line of force such that said pawl carrier is urged to disengage said pawl from said ratchet member when said pawl is in engagement with said ratchet member.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a rotatable engine member;
• an energy storing mechanism including at least one elastic member, said elastic member being loaded in response to rotation of said rotatable engine member;
• a ratchet member operatively disposed between said elastic member and said rotatable engine member, said ratchet member rotating in a loading direction in response to rotation of said rotatable engine member, said ratchet member rotating in an unloading direction opposite said loading direction in response to unloading of said elastic member;
• a pawl selectively movable into engagement with said ratchet member to selectively prevent said ratchet member from rotating in said unloading direction;
• and
• a pawl control member moving said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet member while said ratchet member rotates in said loading direction and moving said pawl toward engagement with said pawl in response to said ratchet member rotating in said unloading direction.