Starting mechanism for internal combustion engine

A starting mechanism for an internal combustion engine, comprising a motor stator 15; a cylindrical rotor 16 which is arranged on an inner peripheral side of the stator with a predetermined gap therefrom; an overrunning clutch 21 which includes a first cylindrical clutch body 22 that is mounted on an inner peripheral surface of the rotor, and a second cylindrical clutch body 23 that is clutch-coupled with the first clutch body; a rotary shaft 17 which is penetratingly arranged on an inner peripheral portion of the second clutch bodv 23 of the overrunning clutch, which is axially movable relative to the second clutch body and which rotates with the second clutch body; a starter pinion 19 at one end of the shaft and which is brought into mesh with a ring gear 13 of the engine; a power transmission mechanism (18, 20, 37) at the other end of the shaft 17 and which transmits power to a second load device; and a shift lever 7 which slides shaft 17 in the axial direction thereof so as to connect the shaft to either the ring gear or the second load device.