Ingersoll-rand Company

Darin J Thorp

David Andrew Eichenberger

Jeremy Odell

Spencer Zeedyk

Steve Diacumakos

Bill Piekarski

An engine starter includes a motor housing having an inlet and an outlet for a motive fluid, a fluid-driven motor within the motor housing, the motor including a rotor and a stator, the stator directing a flow of fluid over the rotor, thereby inducing rotation of the rotor about an axis and exerting an axial force on the rotor and an output shaft operably coupled to the rotor such that rotation of the rotor drives rotation of the shaft about the axis. A front and a rear ball bearing assembly support the rotor. A front biasing member is pre-loaded to exert a first biasing load on the front ball bearing assembly and a rear biasing member is pre-loaded to exert a second biasing load on the rear ball bearing assembly in opposition of the axial force exerted on the rotor. The biasing members distribute the axial force between the two ball bearing assemblies.

Balanced bearing assembly

A starter includes: a gear housing mounted near an engine to be started; a speed reducing gear assembly within the gear housing; an output member aligned with a movable portion of the engine and rotatable under the influence of the gear assembly to move the movable portion to initiate operation of the engine; a motor housing mounted to the gear housing; and a fluid-driven motor within the motor housing and including a motor shaft rotating at a first speed to drive rotation of the speed reducing gear assembly, such that the output member is driven at a second speed lower than the first speed. The motor housing and motor are serviceable without changing the alignment of the output member relative to the movable portion of the engine.

Rear serviceable engine starter

A valve assembly for a pneumatic machine including a valve body having a first end, a second end, a central bore extending through the ends and a plurality of flow ports formed in the body; a valve spool movable through the bore along an axis in response to the flow of gas through the valve, to selectively open and seal the ports; an main inlet valve for moving the valve spool a distance along the axis; and a manually actuated means for overriding the main inlet valve.

Growing community of inventors

Montpelier, OH, United States of America

Darin J Thorp