1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a starting device for a model engine, particularly to one able to start the engine both manually and electrically.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a starting device for a conventional model engine is able to start the engine both manually and electrically. The starting device 10 of the conventional model engine, as shown in
However, the starting device 10 of the conventional model engine has to install two one-way bearings in order to start the engine both manually or electrically, thus increasing cost in producing the starting device because the manufacturing cost of two one-way bearings is quite high.
The objective of this invention is to offer a starting device for a model engine, which includes an outer housing, an electric-operation unit and a rope-operation unit. The outer housing is firmly combined on a model engine and bored with an accommodating hollow for receiving the electric-operation unit and the rope-operation unit. The electric-operation unit consists of an engage wheel and a starting shaft. The engage wheel is firmly fitted on the outer side of the input rod of the engine and provided with engage teeth preset in number, which are respectively formed with a positioning shaft protruding outward. The starting shaft is slidably assembled on the engage wheel and has its inner side eccentrically bored with plural arc-shaped grooves for the positioning shafts of the engage wheel to slide and position therein. Further, the starting shaft has its outer end fitted with the rope wheel of the rope-operation unit, and the rope wheel has its inner side facing the starting shaft equidistantly and annularly bored with plural gradually-enlarged tooth grooves preset in multiple of the engage teeth of the engage wheel to be elastically engaged and restricted in position by the engage teeth of the engage wheel. When the model engine is started to rotate by the starting shaft of the electric-operation unit, the arc-shaped grooves of the starting shaft will actuate the engage teeth to shift toward the shaft center and disengage from the gradually enlarged tooth grooves. When the model engine is started by the rope-operation unit, the gradually-enlarged tooth grooves of the rope wheel will be engaged and restricted in position by the engage teeth of the engage wheel and simultaneously the engage teeth will drive the starting shaft to rotate. The starting device for a model engine of this invention is simple in structure and able to reduce producing cost.
This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
A preferred embodiment of a starting device for a model engine in the present invention, as shown in
The model engine 20 has its outer side fixed with a hexagonal input rod 21 extending outward horizontally.
The starting device 3 is firmly fitted on the input rod 21 of the model engine 20, able to drive the input rod 21 to rotate. The starting device 3, referring to
The electric-operation unit 40 is mainly composed of an engage wheel 41 and a starting shaft 42. The engage wheel 41 is made of a disk, having its inner side bored with a hexagonal combining groove 411 to be firmly fitted on the outer side of the input rod 21 of the engine 20 and its outer side axially and eccentrically bored with engage notches 412 preset in number, which are respectively composed of an engage tooth groove 4121 and a spring groove 4122. Each engage notch 412 has its interior receiving an engage tooth 413 and an elastic member 414, and the engage tooth 413 is elastically engaged in the engage tooth groove 4121 and the elastic member 414 (a compression spring) electrically positioned in the spring groove 4122. Each engage tooth 413 has its upper end formed with a protruding elastic end 4131 for restrictingly positioning the elastic member 414 in the spring groove 4122 and has its lower outer side disposed with a positioning shaft 4132 extending outward. Further, the engage wheel 41 is fixed with a fitting rod 415 extending outward from the center. The starting shaft 42 has its inner end bored with a fitting slot 421 to be slidably fitted around the fitting rod 415 of the engage wheel 41. The fitting slot 421 of the starting shaft 42 has its circumference eccentrically bored with plural arc-shaped grooves 422 for respectively receiving the engage teeth 413 of the engage wheel 41, with the positioning shaft 4132 of the engage tooth 413 slidably positioned in the arc-shaped groove 422. Thus, when the arc-shaped grooves 422 are rotated, the positioning shafts 4132 will be driven to rotate and actuate the engage teeth 413 to move back and forth axially in the engage notches 412. Furthermore, the starting shaft 42 has the opposite side of the fitting slot 421 provided with a coupling rod 423 extending outward axially and having its center bored with a hexagonal starting slot 4231.
The rope-operation unit 50 includes a rope wheel 51, a pull rope 52 and a restoring elastic member 53. The rope wheel 51 has its center equidistantly and annularly bored with six gradually enlarged tooth grooves 511. The rope wheel 51 is further bored with an insert hole 512 in the center of the six gradually-enlarged tooth grooves 511, having its outer circumference formed with an annular rope recess 513. The coupling rod 423 of the starting shaft 42 is inserted through the insert hole 512 of the rope wheel 51 and pivotally fitted in the outward hole 311 of the housing 30. The engage wheel 41 is received in the gradually enlarged tooth grooves 511, having its engage teeth 413 respectively and elastically engaged in the gradually enlarged tooth grooves 511. The pull rope 52 is wound in the rope recess 513 of the rope wheel 51 to be drawn for actuating the rope wheel 51 to rotate, having one end secured on the rope pulley 51 and the other end inserted out of the rope hole 32 of the housing 30 and connected with a pull handle 521. The restoring elastic member 53 has one end secured on the rope wheel 51 and the other end fixed in the accommodating hollow 31 of the housing 30. Thus, when the pull rope 52 is drawn to turn the rope wheel 51, the restoring elastic member 53 will be compressed to produce a resilience restoring force.
In using, as shown in
Referring to
As can be understood from the above description, this invention has the following advantages.
1. The starting device for a model engine in the present invention is provided with the electric-operation unit and the rope-operation unit for starting the engine with different modes by changing the position of the engage teeth in the arc-shaped grooves, simple in structure, lowering the frequency of maintenance, and able to reduce producing cost and enhance market competitive force.
2. The starting device is composed of only a few components, and the electric-operation unit is received in the rope wheel, thus reducing the weight and the size of the starting device and the model car, and enhancing speeds and facilitating control of the model car.
3. The starting device is received in the interior of the housing, so the inner components of the starting device can be protected from being damaged, able to prolong the service life of the starting device.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
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