What your describing is the flywheel, it is on a taper on the end of the crankshaft. If it has a recoil starter the starter clutch must be removed first. If there is no starter clutch remove the nut. Once the starter clutch or nut are removed you should see the end of the shaft and the key that locates it.
It takes a special puller to remove the flywheel. Briggs does NOT recommend it, but the flywheel can be removed by putting the nut on the shaft to protect the threads and sharply rap it with a hammer. Do not pry on the underside of the flywheel.
Rick
November 2005