Forklift Starters and Alternators - The starter motor of today is usually either a series-parallel wound direct current electric motor which has a starter solenoid, which is similar to a relay mounted on it, or it could be a permanent-magnet composition. Once current from the starting battery is applied to the solenoid, mainly through a key-operated switch, the solenoid engages a lever that pushes out the drive pinion which is located on the driveshaft and meshes the pinion using the starter ring gear which is seen on the engine flywheel.
The solenoid closes the high-current contacts for the starter motor, that starts to turn. After the engine starts, the key operated switch is opened and a spring in the solenoid assembly pulls the pinion gear away from the ring gear. This action causes the starter motor to stop. The starter's pinion is clutched to its driveshaft by an overrunning clutch. This allows the pinion to transmit drive in just one direction. Drive is transmitted in this method through the pinion to the flywheel ring gear. The pinion remains engaged, like for example as the operator did not release the key when the engine starts or if the solenoid remains engaged in view of the fact that there is a short. This actually causes the pinion to spin separately of its driveshaft.
The actions discussed above would prevent the engine from driving the starter. This vital step prevents the starter from spinning so fast that it will fly apart. Unless modifications were done, the sprag clutch arrangement would stop the use of the starter as a generator if it was utilized in the hybrid scheme discussed earlier. Normally an average starter motor is meant for intermittent use which would preclude it being utilized as a generator.
Therefore, the electrical parts are intended to be able to work for about less than 30 seconds to be able to prevent overheating. The overheating results from very slow dissipation of heat because of ohmic losses. The electrical components are meant to save weight and cost. This is really the reason the majority of owner's handbooks meant for automobiles suggest the operator to stop for at least ten seconds after each and every 10 or 15 seconds of cranking the engine, whenever trying to start an engine that does not turn over instantly.
The overrunning-clutch pinion was introduced onto the marked in the early part of the 1960's. Previous to the 1960's, a Bendix drive was used. This particular drive system functions on a helically cut driveshaft that consists of a starter drive pinion placed on it. When the starter motor begins spinning, the inertia of the drive pinion assembly allows it to ride forward on the helix, hence engaging with the ring gear. Once the engine starts, the backdrive caused from the ring gear enables the pinion to exceed the rotating speed of the starter. At this moment, the drive pinion is forced back down the helical shaft and hence out of mesh with the ring gear.
The development of Bendix drive was developed during the 1930's with the overrunning-clutch design known as the Bendix Folo-Thru drive, developed and introduced in the 1960s. The Folo-Thru drive has a latching mechanism together with a set of flyweights in the body of the drive unit. This was much better for the reason that the standard Bendix drive used in order to disengage from the ring as soon as the engine fired, though it did not stay functioning.
Once the starter motor is engaged and starts turning, the drive unit is forced forward on the helical shaft by inertia. It then becomes latched into the engaged position. As soon as the drive unit is spun at a speed higher than what is attained by the starter motor itself, like for example it is backdriven by the running engine, and afterward the flyweights pull outward in a radial manner. This releases the latch and permits the overdriven drive unit to become spun out of engagement, therefore unwanted starter disengagement could be avoided before a successful engine start.
Click to Download the pdf