Forklift Starters and Alternators - The starter motor nowadays is typically either a series-parallel wound direct current electric motor that consists of a starter solenoid, which is similar to a relay mounted on it, or it could be a permanent-magnet composition. When current from the starting battery is applied to the solenoid, mainly via a key-operated switch, the solenoid engages a lever that pushes out the drive pinion which is positioned on the driveshaft and meshes the pinion utilizing the starter ring gear which is found on the flywheel of the engine.
The solenoid closes the high-current contacts for the starter motor, that starts to turn. When 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 particular action causes the starter motor to stop. The starter's pinion is clutched to its driveshaft by an overrunning clutch. This permits the pinion to transmit drive in just a single direction. Drive is transmitted in this manner via the pinion to the flywheel ring gear. The pinion remains engaged, like for instance as the operator fails to release the key as soon as 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 independently of its driveshaft.
This above mentioned action stops the engine from driving the starter. This is actually an essential step since this particular kind of back drive would allow the starter to spin very fast that it could fly apart. Unless modifications were made, the sprag clutch arrangement will prevent utilizing the starter as a generator if it was used in the hybrid scheme mentioned earlier. Normally an average starter motor is meant for intermittent utilization which will prevent it being used as a generator.
The electrical parts are made to be able to work for around thirty seconds so as to prevent overheating. Overheating is caused by a slow dissipation of heat is due to ohmic losses. The electrical components are designed to save weight and cost. This is actually the reason most owner's handbooks meant for automobiles recommend the driver to pause for a minimum of 10 seconds after each and every 10 or 15 seconds of cranking the engine, if trying to start an engine which does not turn over instantly.
During the early 1960s, this overrunning-clutch pinion arrangement was phased onto the market. Before that time, a Bendix drive was utilized. The Bendix system functions by placing the starter drive pinion on a helically cut driveshaft. As soon as the starter motor starts turning, the inertia of the drive pinion assembly enables it to ride forward on the helix, hence engaging with the ring gear. As soon as the engine starts, the backdrive caused from the ring gear allows the pinion to go beyond 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 called the Bendix Folo-Thru drive, developed and launched in the 1960s. The Folo-Thru drive has a latching mechanism along with a set of flyweights within the body of the drive unit. This was better because the average Bendix drive utilized to disengage from the ring as soon as the engine fired, although it did not stay running.
Once the starter motor is engaged and begins turning, the drive unit is forced forward on the helical shaft by inertia. It then becomes latched into the engaged position. When the drive unit is spun at a speed higher than what is attained by the starter motor itself, for instance it is backdriven by the running engine, and afterward the flyweights pull outward in a radial manner. This releases the latch and allows the overdriven drive unit to become spun out of engagement, therefore unwanted starter disengagement can be prevented prior to a successful engine start.
Click to Download the pdf