Gas powered motor

Abstract

A radial motor powered by pressurized gas is disclosed as used for starting the internal combustion engine of a portable implement such as a powered chain saw or lawn mower. The motor is designed for economical manufacture and assembly, durability, and economy of gas used. It includes pistons formed of stiff resilient material that in assembly are snapped onto the outer ends of connecting rods and held in place during operation of the motor without the use of retaining rings, pivot pins or screws. The inner ends of these connecting rods are held in sockets in connecting rod mounting means either by the shapes of the sockets or by the resilience of either or both of the connecting rod and mounting means. The motor includes a rotatable valve driven by a free end of the crankshaft to feed gas to the cylinders. The motor can be assembled from either or both sides through openings in the cylinder block, and the pistons can be snapped on the connecting rods through the ends of the cylinders, which are thereafter closed. Also disclosed is a gas supply system embodying a control valve and a plenum chamber which is charged from a suitable source to provide only a predetermined amount of pressurized gas for starting the engine. Plenum chambers are disclosed embodying means for varying the gas volume and for heating the gas to improve power gas use economy.