Recoil starter device

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 823,246, filed Jan. 28, 1986, abandoned.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a recoil starter device which is connected through a one-way clutch to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine for imparting starting inertia to the engine.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the use of a recoil starter device, the user pulls a rope wound on a recoil pulley against a spiral spring, to give a torque to rotate the crankshaft through the recoil pulley, thereby starting the engine. In the coventional device, since the spiral spring and the recoil pulley are completely encased by the recoil case, the maintenance work such as renewal of torn rope requires disassembly of the whole device to separate the recoil pulley, the spiral spring and other parts. This involves a danger of springing back of the freed spiral spring. In addition, the renewal of the torn rope itself is quite a troublesome work which requires high degree of experience, as well as time and labour.

Under these circumstances, the present invention aims at providing a recoil starter device in which the renewal of the rope can be done simply by removing a cover provided on the recoil case, without requiring demounting of the recoil drum and the spiral spring, thereby obviating the above-described problems of the prior art.

To this end, according to the invention, there is provided a recoil starter device comprising: a recoil case attached at its one end to a portion of an internal combustion engine and opened at its other end; a shaft having one end rotatably supported by and extended through a wall of the recoil case and the other end fixedly carrying a recoil pulley on which is wound a rope; and a recoil cover detachably secured to the recoil case so as to cover the opening.

In this recoil starter device, the recoil pulley is exposed as the recoil cover is demounted from the recoil case. Therefore, the user can attach a new rope by leading the rope onto the peripheral surface of the recoil pulley through the rope engaging hole formed in the recoil pulley and then winding the rope on the periphery of the recoil pulley. It is thus possible to renew the rope without requiring demounting of the recoil pulley.

Namely, the user can renew the rope easily without risk of injury by springing back of the recoil spring and contamination by oil, simply by demounting the recoil cover.

The attached sole Drawing is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a recoil starter device in accordance with the invention.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described hereinunder with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing, a recoil case 1 is fixed to the crank case (not shown) of an internal combustion engine. A shaft 2 which is rotatably supported on the wall of the recoil case 1 adjacent the crank case extends toward the crank case. The shaft 2 is adapted to be connected, through a one-way clutch (not shown) which transmits a torque from the shaft 2 only when starting the engine, to the crankshaft of the engine. The end of the recoil case 1 remote from the crank case has an opening 15 which is covered by a recoil cover 3. The recoil case 1 has three axial threaded holes 4 formed around the opening 15. On the other hand, holes 5 are formed in the portions of the recoil cover 3 corresponding to the threaded holes 4 in the recoil case 1. Screws 6 are driven into the threaded holes 4 through the holes 5 in the recoil cover 3, whereby the recoil cover 3 is fastened to the recoil case 1, thus covering the opening 15.

A recoil pulley 7 is fixed by means of a nut 8 to the end of the shaft 2 adjacent the opening 15. A rope 9 is wound on the recoil pulley 7 by several turns. The radially inner end of the rope 9 is led to the outside of the recoil pulley 7 through an aperture 10 in the central portion of the recoil pulley 7 and is knotted as at 16. Thus, the radially inner end of the rope 9 is retained by the recoil pulley 7 by means of the knot 16. On the other hand, the radially outer end of the rope 9 leaving the outer peripheral end of the recoil pulley 7 is extended outside the recoil case 1 through a rope guide 11. A recoil handle (not shown) is attached to the extreme outer end of the rope 9. The rope guide 11 is provided with a peripheral groove 12 which receives the edges of the rope-guide mounting recesses 13 and 14 of the recoil case 1 and the cover 3, so that the rope guide 11 is firmly clamped between the recoil case 1 and the cover 3 when they are assembled together.

A spiral spring (not shown) for urging the recoil pulley 7 in the rope rewinding direction is disposed between the recoil pulley 7 and the wall of the recoil case 1 adjacent the crankcase.

For attaching a new rope 9 to the pulley 7, three screws 6 are unscrewed and then the recoil cover 3 is detached from the recoil case 1. Then, the rope 9 with a knot 16 on its one end is led at its other end into the recoil pulley 7 through the aperture 10 in the latter and is wound on the peripheral surface of the recoil pulley 7 for several number of turns, e.g., three turns, in the direction of the arrow. The rope 9 is then led through the rope guide 11 and the recoil handle is attached to the extreme outer end of the rope 9. Finally, the cover 3 is attached to the case 1 by means of screws 6.