Engine starting and stopping device

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• an engine housing;
• a crankshaft supported within said engine housing and rotatable in a starting direction during startup and operation of said engine;
• a flywheel mounted to said crankshaft and rotatable therewith;
• a spring housing;
• an elastic member within said spring housing, said spring housing being rotatable in a loading direction to load said elastic member, and said spring housing rotating in an unloading direction in response to unloading of said elastic member;
• a spring loading mechanism including an arm pivotally supported by said engine housing, and a roller rotatably mounted to said arm;
• and
• an engine starting mechanism converting rotation of said spring housing in said unloading direction into rotation of said crankshaft and flywheel in said starting direction to cause startup of said engine;
• wherein said arm is pivotal between an engaged position in which said roller interengages said spring housing with at least one of said crankshaft and flywheel, and a disengaged position in which said roller is disengaged from at least two of said spring housing, crankshaft, and flywheel;
• wherein said roller converts rotation of said crankshaft and flywheel into rotation of said spring housing in the loading direction when said arm is in said engaged position, to thereby load said elastic member;
• and
• wherein said elastic member is selectively unloaded to activate said engine starting mechanism.