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The New Self Starter from Simms
Page 64
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AS announced in The Commercial Motor recently, a new mechanical self starter has been introduced by Simms Motor Units Ltd. Intended mainly for use on civil engineering plant, generators, pumping sets and other equipment where an electric circuit is used solely for the purpose of powering the starter motor, its use is not—for the present at least— envisaged on commercial vehicles. It is, however, feasible that it could be utilized very successfully on a vehicle should the demand be big enough.
The principle of the unit is extremely simple. A spring made up of 24 dished spring-steel washers is assembled with each washer facing in opposite directions, so that when compressed the dished washer faces become parallel. When this spring is released, the energy is converted to rotary power through a five-lead ball-thread from the spring drum to the pinion shaft and on through the ring-gear on the flywheel to the engine.
Overall physical dimensions of the unit are the same as a conventional electric starter of equivalent power output, and the research that has gone into the design to enable enough energy to be stored in such a small area has taken a number of years.
Compression of the spring is achieved by the rotation of a handle geared through a bevel drive to the spring sleeve. This sleeve has four slots which engage with four lugs on the ball-nut. At the driving end of the unit a conventional Bendix-type drive is carried, with the addition of a pawl. This pawl prevents the sleeve from turning when the starter is being wound up and the sleeve is moved along the threaded shaft to engage with the flywheel ring-gear.
A lever situated at the drive end, and having two positions. enables the mechanism to be locked during winding. When the winding is completed, selecting the second position releases the spring and rotates the engine. By moving the lever to the winding position, giving a couple of turns on the handle and then returning the lever to the release position, the operator can crank the engine by hand to facilitate such jobs as checking, timing and adjusting tappets.
The unit is at present suitable for engines having a capacity of up to one litre per cylinder and it is expected to provide 5,000 starts before needing attention.
Made by: Simms Motor Units Ltd., Oak Lane, East Fincttley, London. N2.
Price: As original equipment expected to be less than £40, and retail less than £80. Cost of replacing set of spring washers expected to be less than £12.