Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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_s ription
Auxiliary Engine Stoppaye Apparatus
_ _ _
Technical Field
This invention relates to engines, and more
particularly, to means for insuring engine stoppage by
application of a momentary force thereto.
Background Art
_
Numerous techniques exist for stopping an
engine in the normal course of operation such as valving
off a fuel line at any one of several possible locations
and reducing the engine speed below that necessary to
maintain operation. On industrial engines it is common
practice to include a governor or engine speed main-
taining device which adjusts the quantity of fuel sent
to the engine combustion chambers so as to maintain
constant engine RPM for various loads imposed thereon.
The governor usually has a shut-off member which, when
moved from an operational position to a shut-off posi-
tion, halts the engine by overriding the governor's
spring which is used to maintain the speed of the
engine. The governor shut-off members are typically
activated by electrically actuated solenoids or other
displacement devices whose control is accessible from
the engine operator's work station.
Adverse circumstances sometimes occur that
necessitate engine stoppage from a location remote from
the operator's work station. Such circumstances include
emergency conditions where the controls to the normal
shut-off activation devices are inaccessible or in-
operative. When such adverse conditions arise, it has
been found desirable to have an auxiliary engine stop-
page device accessible from a location spacially sepa-
rated from the operator's work station.
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A device used heretofore for remotely stopping
an engine constituted a flexible cable which was attached
to the engine's governor shut-off member. Stoppage of
an engine so equipped required cable withdrawal and
securement thereof in the withdrawn position until the
engine revolutions gradually slowed and the engine shut-
down. Secùrement of the cable in such withdrawn posi-
tion was necessary since, without such securement, the
engine governor's own spring for maintaining the operator
selected speed would retract the cable and again main-
tain the engine in the operational mode. In an emer-
gency situation it was found to be impractical for one
to hold such cable in a withdrawn position except for a
very short period of time. Additionally, excessive
force on the cable sometimes damaged the cable and/or
other governor components since the cable was connected
directly to the governor shut-off member. As such, the
previously-used device had some characteristics which
proved disadvantagous.
More recently, a cable and latching mechanism
were used in concert to stop the engine by withdrawing a
flexible cable which displaced the governor shut-off
member to a shutdown position and then latching the
cable in the withdrawn position to prevent retraction of
the cable and return of the governor shut-off member to
the operational position by the governor spring. Such
latching mechanism must, by necessity, be installed in
an easily accessible location which typically means it
is subjected to weather and other adverse elements which
could reduce the latch mechanism's operability. Further-
more, use of such latching mechanism did not eliminate
the possibility of governor damage when the flexible
cable was rapidly withdrawn such as during an emergency
situation. Accordingly, the present invention is
intended to overcome one or more of the aforementioned
problems.
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Disclosure of the Invention
In accordance with the present invention an
auxiliary apparatus, for an engine governor having an
engine stoppage member which is rotatably displaceable
between first and second positions which respectively
permit engine operation and induce engine shutdown,
- includes a stationary frame member, an actuating link
which is in sliding engagement with the frame member
and is displaceable by an external force between first
and second positions, and an engagement apparatus for
joining to the engine stoppage member to displace the
engine stoppage member between its first and second
positions in response to displacement of the actuating
link between its first and second positions, respectively,
the engagement apparatus including an engagement link
which is pivotable about a stationary primary axis and
is displaceable between first and second positions which
respectively correspond to engine operation and shutdown;
means for pivotably connecting the actuating link to
the engagement link about a secondary axis; and means
for biasing the engagement link to the operational
and shutdown positions with a predetermined, independent
force when the actuating link occupies first and second
positions, respectively.
The present invention assures engine stoppage
when the actuating link is moved to its engine stoppage
position while damage to the governor apparatus is
prevented. Furthermore, the engine operator needs only
apply a momentary force to the actuating link to move
the engine stoppage member to its shutdown position
without requiring continued operator presence and force
application to the engine stoppage member until engine
shutdown is achieved.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The advantages of the present invention will
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become apparent from the following description when read
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a scraper
tractor vehicle;
Fig. 2a is a front elevational view of a first
apparatus in an engine operating configuration;
Fig. 2b is a side elevational view of the
apparatus of Fig. 2a;
Fig. 3a is a front elevational view of the first
apparatus in an intermediate position;
Fig. 3b is a front elevational view of the first
apparatus in a second, engine stopping position;
Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the first
apparatus occupying a position to which the apparatus
has been moved by other means;
Fig. 5à is a front elevational view of a second
apparatus in an engine operating configuration;
Fig. 5b is a side elevational view of the
apparatus of Fig. 5a;
Fig. 6a is a front elevational view of the sec-
ond apparatus in an intermediate position; and,
Fig. 6b is a front elevational view of the
second apparatus in a second engine stopping position.
Best Mode for CarrYinq Out the Invention
Referring now to the drawings in detail, an
engine stoppage apparatus 10, embodying the principles
of the present invention, is shown in Fig. 1 in associ-
ation with a scraper tractcr 11 which includes an
operator work station 12 and an engine compartment 14
which houses an engine (not shown). A governor 18
(illustrated in Fig. 2a-6b) is mounted on the engine and
includes an engine stoppage member or stoppage shaft 19.
The engine stoppage apparatus 10, better
illustrated in Fig. 2a-6b, has an engagement apparatus
20 (including an engagement link 22), an actuating link
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24, a fir~t stationary ~rame member or pin 26, means
such as an interconrlecting bolt 28 for pivotally con-
necting the actuating link 24 and the engagement link
22, and means such as a spring 30 for biasing the
engagement link 22 to operational and shutdown posi-
tions. Spring 30 has first and second ends 30a and 30b
which are respectively connected to the engagement link
22 and the actuating link 24. P~adial engagement between
the engagement link 22 and stoppage shaft 19 is provided
by a bolt and nut, 32 and 34, respectively, which trans-
versely compress engagement link 22 across an opening 35
formed therein~ Engagement link 22 is pivotable about a
primary axis 36 and stoppage shaft 19 is rotatable about
an axis 37 which is coaxially arranged with primary axis
36. Engagement link 22 and stoppage shaft 19 are
arcuately displaceable between a Eirst, engine operation
position illustrated in Figures 2a and 2b and a second,
engine shutdown position which is illustrated in Figure
3b. Interconnecting bolt 28 causes engagement link 22
and actuating link 24 to pivot about a secondary axis of
rotation 38. Actuating link 24 is in sliding engagement
with stationary pin 26 so as to cause actuating link 24
to slide thereagainst during its pivotal movement about
secondary axis 38. Actuating link 24 includes a stop-
ping segment 24a which restricts its movement beyond thefirst position by abutting engagement link 22 when the
engagement link 22 is in the first, engine operation
position. Actuating link 24 further includes an acti-
vating appendage 24b which has an opening 24c of pre-
determined size extending therethrough.
An extension assembly 40 is preferably used toexert an external force on actuating link 24 through its
activating appendage 24b. Such extension assembly 40
includes a "T" handle 40a which is graspable from a
location remote to the operator's work station 12 as
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seen in Eigure 1. Extension assembly 40 also includes
an elonga-ted element such as a flexible push-pull cabLe
40b which is joined to "T" handle 40a and extends
through opening 24c. A first and a second abutting
element 40c and 40d, respec-tively, are joined to flexi-
ble push-pull cable 40b on opposite sides of opening 24c
and respectively constitute a spherical and an annular
shaped member both of which are larger than opening 24c
so as to preclude their passage therethrough. A second
stationary frame member or stop pin 42 acts as a stop-
ping member to prevent pivoting motion of engagement
link 22 beyond the predetermined second or engine
shutdown position which is better illustrated in Figure
3b. The flexible push-pull cable 40b is guided through
a protective sheath (not shown for the sake of clarity)
which is firmly attached to a stationary frame member.
Figures 5a and Sb illustrate an alternate
embodiment of the present invention which provides an
auxiliary engine stoppage apparatus 10'. In the fol-
lowing description thereof it is to be understood thatelements like those described in the preferred embodi-
ment are indicated by like reference numerals but with a
prime character added. Governor 18 includes stoppage
member or stoppage shaft 19 which is rotatable about
stationary axis 37. An engagement apparatus 20' in-
cludes an engagement link 22' and a bushing 44 which is
secured to engagement link 22'. A pin 46 is disposed
through bushing 44 in rotatable sliding engagement
therewith and a frame member 48 such that bushing 44 and
engagement link 22' are pivotable about a primary
stationary axis 36 which is coaxially arranged with pin
46. Engagement apparatus 20' further includes a
translatable plunger 50 and a torquing member 52.
Plunger 50 is guidable through frame member 48 and is
abuttably engageable with engagement link 22'. A
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torquing member 52 is in radial engagernent with stoppage
sh~ft 19 about axis 37 and has a radial extenslon 54
with circumferential sides 54a,54b. A first end 50a of
plunger 50 is engageable with engagement link 22' and a
second end 50b of plunger 50 is engageable with circum-
ferential side 54a of torquing member 52~ Engagement
link 22' and attached bushing member 44 are also pivot-
able about the secondary axis 38 about which pin 28' is
disposed. A second radial extension 56 of torquing
10 member 52 has circumferential sides 56a,56b.
An actuating link 24' has a pair of legs 24a'
and 24b', an opening 24c' therethrough, and a steeply
ramped locking notch 24d' within which pin 26 may be
captured. A pin 28' extends through legs 24a' and 24b'
as well as engagement link 22' which is sandwiched
therebetween so as to provide a pivoting motion between
the actuating and engagement links 24' and 22' respec-
tively. As illustrated in Figures 5a and 5b, a first
spring attachment pin 33 extends through actuating link
24' while a second spring attachment pin 39 extends
through engagement link 22' wherein such spring attach-
ment pins are joined at each end by a spring 30.
Actuating link legs 24a' and 24b' as well as engagement
link 22' are disposed between the two springs 30 and are
thus pivotable in a plane parallel to the springs.
An extension assembly 40' through which
actuating link 24' is activatable includes a "T" handle
40a, a flexible push-pull cable 40b, a hemispherically
enlarged abutting member 40c', and an annular shaped,
enlarged abutting member 40d. Abutting members 40c' and
40d are joined to flexible push-pull cable 40b on
opposite sides of an opening 24c in actuating llnk 24'.
Abutting members 40c' and 40d are larger than opening
24c so as to preclude their passage therethrough for
travel in either direction of flexible cable 40b.
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I d _t:rial Applicabillty
Engine stoppage apparatus 10 is illustrated in
Figures 2a and 2b in the first, engine operation con-
figuration. When it is desired to stop the engine in
question, "T" handle 40a is withdrawn in a direction
toward the lower left of Figure 2a. Upon such with-
drawal, flexible push-pull cable 4Ob and abutting
- elements 40c,4Od are also displaced in a direction
generally toward the lower left of Figure 2a. Such
direction of cable ~ithdrawal will hereafter be referred
to as the firs' direction.
First abutting member 40c engages the acti-
vating appendage 24b at some point during its travel in
the first direction. Further movement of abutting
member 40c in the first direction causes a simultaneous
displacement of activating appendage 24b in the first
direction and a sliding motion of actuating link 24
against pin 26. Such simultaneous motion of actuating
link 24 causes the interconnecting bolt 28 to be pivoted
in a generally clockwise direction relative to primary
axis 36. Since bolt 28 connects actuating link 24 and
engagement link 22 about secondary axis 38, engagement
link 22 is also caused to pivot about primary axis 36 in
a generally clockwise direction. As mot on in the first
direction is continued, spring ends 30a,30b are in-
creasingly separated so as to gradually elongate spring
30 and provide increasing biasing force on engagement
link 22 to induce it to return to its operational
position. Such return biasing continues until the
configuration of Figure 3a obtains wherein the spring 30
is at its maximum extension and secondary axis 38 is
aligned with the ends 30a,30b of spring 30. Any further
movement of actuating link 24 in the first direction
causes bolt 28 to move out of alignment and permit
spring 30 to bias engagement link 22 to a shutdown
position.
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The secondor enyine stoppage configuration of
engine stoppage apparatus 10 is illustrated in Figure 3b
wherein stoppage shaft 19 has been rotated in a clock-
wise direction to its engine stoppage position and
engagement link 22 which is connected therewith has
pivoted about axis 36 into contact with stop pin 42 or
to the maximum rotation position of shaft 19 depending
on the design of the governor~ As a result, the motion
of interconnecting bolt 28 which extends through actu-
ating link 24 and engagement link 22 is stopped. Sinceactuating link 24 remains in sliding contact with pin 26
and bolt 28 is motionless, actuating link 24 is also
brought to rest in its second, engine stoppage position.
Thus, when secondary axis 38 and coaxially arranged bolt
28 are situated on a first or operational side of a line
connecting spring ends 30a,30b, the spring 30 biases the
engagement link 22 to the operational position. However,
when secondary axis 38 and bolt 28 are situated on a
second or shutdown side of a line connecting the spring
ends, the engagement link 22 is biased to the shutdown
position as illustrated in Figure 3b. The aforementioned
kinematic behavior tends to lock the engine stoppage
apparatus 10 in one of the two stable positions -
operational or shutdown.
When it is desired to enable restart of the
engine, extension assembly 40 is again activated by
pushing on or otherwise retracting "T" handle 40a. Such
retraction causes the second abutting member 40d to move
in a second direction (opposite that of the first
direction) and abut activating appendage 24b. Continued
movement of abutting member 40d causes actuating link
24 to pivot in a generally clockwise direction since it is
in sliding engagement with atationary pin 26. Intercon-
necting bolt 28 continues to move in a generally counter-
clockwise direction relative to primary axis 36 until the
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position illustrated in Figure 3a obtains. Further
movement of "T" handle 40a in the second direction
causes spring 30 to drive the actuating link 24 and
engagement link 22 to their operational positions
wherein the engine stoppage apparatus 10 assumes the
engine operation configuration. Displacement of the
engine stoppage apparatus 10 in the second direction is
stopped by abutment of stopping segment 24a of actuating
link 24 against engagement link 22. When stopping
segment 24a engages engagement link 22 and actuating
link 24 is in sliding engagement with pin 26, further
relative movement between actuating link 24 and engage-
ment link 22 is precluded. Thereafter, link 24 and link
22 act in concert as a single unit which is free to move
with shaft 19 between its operation and shutdown posi-
tions independent of extension assembly 40 and in
response to forces from sources other than extension
assembly40 as hereinafter described.
Figure 4 illustrates the configuration of
engine stoppage apparatus 10 resulting from stopping the
engine in a normal mode such as by an electric solenoid
or other device which is routinely activated to halt the
engine. Actuating link 24 pivots with engagement link
22 away from stationary pin 26 when the engine stoppage
shaft 19 is rotated by such routinely activated engine
stoppage means. As such, the auxiliary engine stoppage
apparatus 10 permits free moVement of stoppage shaft 19
by normal shutdown means by allowing actuating link 24
to be rotated out of contact with pin 26.
Figures 5a and 5b illustrate alternative
engine stoppage apparatus 10' in the first, opera-
tional position. When "T" handle 40a is withdrawn,
abutting member 40c' engages actuating link 24' causing
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it to simultaneou~ly pivot a~out the secondary axis 38
and move in sliding engagement with pin 26. ~s actu-
ating link 24' pivo-ts in a counterclockwise direction
about secondary axis 38, engagement link 22' is pivot-
ably driven in a generally clockwise direction aboutprimary axis 36 while springs 30 are stretched until
their maximum extension is realized. Such maximum
spring extension is illustrated in Figure 6a and occurs
when secondary axis 38 is aligned with spring ends 30a
and 30b. As engagement link 22' rotates in a clockwise
direction about primary axis 36, it abuts first plunger
end 50a and causes it to move to the right when viewed
from the vantage point of Figures 5a, 5b, and 6a. As
the translatable plunger 50 translates to the right, its
second end 50b engages circumferential side 54a of
radial extension 54 so as to rotate torquing member 52
and cause engine stoppage shaft 19 which is engaged
therewith to likewise rotate to a second, engine stop-
page position.
Figure 6b illustrates the auxiliary engine
stoppage apparatus 10' in the second, engine stoppage
configuration. Movement of engine stoppage apparatus
10' from the configuration illustrated in Figure 6a to
that illustrated in Fiyure 6b is compelled by springs 30
which complete the displacement of actuating link 24'
and engagement apparatus 20' upon movement of pin 28' to
a position slightly beyond alignment with spring ends
30a,30b. Subsequent urging by the governor 18 to return
stoppage apparatus 10' to the configuration of Figure 6a
is resisted by the biasing force in springs 30 and the
locking action obtained from disposition of pin 26 in
the notch 24d' of actuating link 24'.
Normal engine stoppage is typically provided
by an electric solenoid or other means which engage the
circumferential side 56b of second radial extension 56
of tor~uing member 52 and cause it and stoppage shaf-t 19
to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. As such,
auxiliary engine s-toppage appara-tus 10' does not re-
strict normal engine stoppage by the previously men-
tioned solenoid or other means when engine stoppageapparatus 10' is in its first, operating configuration
as illustrated in Figures 5a and 5b.
Returning the engine stoppage apparatus 10' to
its operational configuration requires only a push or
other externally applied force on "T" handle 40a in a
second direction opposite that with which it was with-
drawn. Movement of the attached abutting member 40d in
such second direction causes actuating link 24', when
engaged by abutting member 4Od, to pivot about secondary
axis 38 and slide against stationary pin 26. The
sliding motion of link 24' causes movement of inter-
connecting pin 28' and thus engagement link 22'.
Movement of engagement link 22' is constrained to be
pivotal about the primary axis 36. Such aforementioned
cooperative movements continue until pin 28' and co-
axially arranged secondary axis 38 move through and
slightly beyond alignment with spring ends 30a,30b. At
such time springs 30 cause actuating link 24' and
engagement link 22' to be driven to their operational
positions with a force independant of the externally
applied force. The rotative movement of engagement link
22' allows plunger 50 to translate to the left and
permit engine stoppage shaft 19 to assume its opera-
tional position.
When the aforementioned auxiliary engine
stoppage apparatus 10 and 10' are provided on devices
such as earthmoving scrapers, the engine powering such
devices can be shut down from a location remote from the
opera-tor's work station 12 in a positive manner which
re~uires only momentary actuation and which avoids
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damage to the governor 18. The momentary ac-tuation
compels extension of a-t least one spring 30 which com-
pletes the movement of the governor stoppage shaft 19 to
the engine shutdown position and prevents governor
damage wi-th suitable selection of spring constant and
spring end attachment locations. All components of the
engine stoppage apparatus 10 and 10' are housed within
the engine compartment 14 except for the "T" handle 40a
which must be grasped by the operator or other person
and must, by necessity, be readily accessible on the
external side of the engine compartment 14. While such
auxiliary engine stoppage apparatus 10 and 10' may
seldom, if ever, be utilized, its availability is
extremely important since engine stoppage from a posi-
tion remote from the operator's work station can reducethe hazard in stopping the engine and the expense which
may be incurred in repairing the utilizing device if its
engine cannot be readily stopped. Moreover, the auxi-
liary engine stoppage apparatus 10 and 10' can easily be
returned to the operational configuration with only a
push on the "T" handle 40a. The engine stoppage apparatus
10 and 10' also permit normal, end-of-the-day type
engine stoppage from the operator work station 12
without interfering therewith.
It should now be apparent that an auxiliary
engine stoppage apparatus has been provided which
responds to a momentary activation by an operator by
stopping the engine and, at the same time, avoiding
governor damage and obviating the need for the opera-
tor's presence and his continued force application
thereto in the vicinity of the engine stoppage appa-
ratus.
