Pinion shift starter for engines

摘要

A pinion shaft starter for internal combustion engines having its pinion coupled to the shaft of the starter motor through an overruning clutch is disclosed in which a dividing wall member is mounted to define in the starter housing a first chamber located on the side of the pinion and a second chamber on the side of the starter motor, with a dust discharging vent formed in the first chamber, at a circumferential point externally of the wall member. The wall member is provided to encircle the external circumference of the overrunning clutch regardless of the position of the clutch which is axially moved by the solenoid switch to bring the pinion into or out of engagement with the ring gear on the flywheel through an opening formed in the starter housing. To insure sealing between the outside clutch circumference and wall member, an annular ring is provided along the inside periphery of the wall member. Thus, the foreign matter contained within the air flow from the cooling fan mounted adjacent to the flywheel entering the starter housing through the opening is allowed to cause the motion of the vortexes only in the first chamber and eventually let out through the vent, without every approaching the dividing wall member, so that the starter motor below the wall member is protected against dust and debris deposit.