Abstract: A V-type cylinder block of internal combustion engine is disclosed, which provides two angularly disposed cylinder banks each having a cylinder row of cylinders. A plurality of ribs rise generally from head bolt hole portions defined between two cylinders adjacent each other, are provided between two cylinder rows for interconnecting wall portions of the cylinder rows and intersect at the middle of the cylinder rows for forming intersecting points. At the intersecting points of the plurality of ribs are disposed fixing portions of knocking sensors for detecting an engine knocking.

Abstract: Rocker arm clearance removing device wherein a hydraulic adjuster applies torque to a pressure bearing surface at right angles thereto on a curved outwardly extending pressure bearing arm of an eccentric cam which eccentrically supports the rocker arm. Rotation of the rocker arm resulting from the torque causes the rocker arm to come into pressure contact with a valve operating cam and an intake or exhaust valve. An engaging piece can be provided radially extending from the eccentric cam circumferentially spaced from the pressure bearing arm for engaging a swivel stop on the case of the hydraulic adjuster to limit swinging of the eccentric cam and rocker arm during assembly. An arm stopper can also be provided on the case of the hydraulic adjuster to prevent swinging of cam and rocker arm in the opposite direction during assembly.

Abstract: A mechanism to vary the lift of a valve of an internal combustion engine, the valve being operated by a cam lobe on a cam shaft. A lever is pivoted to a support rotatable about the cam shaft, the cam lobe acting on a shaped bearing area on the lever, the other side of the lever contacting the cam follower, so that by rotation of the support the timing of lift of the valve can be varied. Provision is also made for varying the degree of lift independently of the timing by means of a further lever pivoted to a sleeve rotatable about the cam shaft, the further lever contacting the first lever on one side and the cam follower on the other side. Rotation of the sleeve causes the effective lever arm of the first lever to be varied and thereby the degree of lift of the valve.

Abstract: A valve operating control device for an internal combustion engine having a valve operating mode changing mechanism for switching the opening/closing operation of an intake or exhaust valve between a low-speed operation mode corresponding to a low-speed operation of the engine and a high-speed operation mode corresponding to a high-speed operation of the engine. A control device controls the operation of the valve operation mode changing mechanism according to the rotational speed of the engine for shifting the valve operation mode changing mechanism from the high-speed mode to the low-speed mode where the output torque of the engine is the same in the low- and high-speed operation modes of the valve operation mode changing mechanism and for shifting the valve operation mode changing mechanism from the low-speed operation mode to the high-speed operation mode at a second rotational speed that is higher than the first rotational speed.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled pneumatically powered transducer for use, for example, as a valve mechanism actuator in an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The transducer has an armature including a piston which is coupled to an engine valve, for example. The piston is powered by a pneumatic source and includes pneumatic and hydraulic damping as it nears its destination postion. The armature is held in each of its extreme positions by pneumatic pressure under the control of control valves which are in turn held in their closed postions by permanent magnet latching arrangements and are released therefrom to supply air to the piston to be pneumatically driven to the other extreme position by an electromagnetic arrangement which temporarily neutralizes the permanent magnetic field of the latching arrangement.

Abstract: A decorative trim lighting system comprises an elongated, extruded plastic retaining strip which is formed in a laterally folded configuration and is adhesively securable along an exterior edge portion of a building. A series of support tab members are insertable between the folded side portions of the retaining strip, at longitudinally spaced intervals along the strip, and are frictionally gripped and retained by the facing side portions of the strip. The tabs have outer end portions which support the light elements of a decorative light string along the building portion edge. The retaining strip may be left in place on the building when the light string and associated support tabs are removed, and permits rapid and easy reinstallation of the light string. Additionally, the spacing between the individual light elements may be easily adjusted simply by sliding their support tabs along the length of the retaining strip.

Abstract: A one-piece molded plastic lamp fixture for mounting a light bulb at the exterior of the clamping shell portion of an electric cigar lighter for vehicles, to provide illumination of the socket thereof. The clamping shell has a light-admitting aperture over which the bulb is positioned when carried in a body part of the plastic fixutre. An integral plastic hood is connected to the body part adjacent the bulb, and can be swung from a first position overlying and generally concealing the bulb, to a second position wherein the bulb is exposed for replacement. The body and hood portions are joined by a living hinge, and the body portion is held on the clamping shell by resilient, opposed integral retainer fingers that are receivable in openings in the shell.

Abstract: A rotary piston pump assembly includes a rotary piston pump having a pump housing. First and second outlets lead fluid out of the pump housing. The fluid is returned into the pump housing through the first outlets and the first outlets are closed during a portion of the rotation of the pump.

Abstract: A rocker arm is constructed with a fulcrum having at least a partially cylindrical bearing surface and a central passage for receiving therein a pressurized supply or lubricant or oil, the passage being intersected by radial holes or passages connected to the periphery or outer bearing surface of the fulcrum to define a clearance space between the fulcrum and rocker arm surrounding it, for the introduction of a film of oil or lubricant during the non-loading cycle of operation of the cam, a squeeze film effect being provided during the loading operation of the cam by the oil or lubricant being evacuated through a lower or ambient pressure outlet, a thin film remaining to floatingly mount the rocker arm upon the fulcrum, this being accomplished by the introduction of the oil or lubricant under a pressure greater than the forces generated when the cam is in contact on the cam base circle.

Abstract: A rotary piston pump assembly includes a rotary piston pump having first, second and third sectors. Pistons successively pass through the first, the second and the third sectors during one rotation. The pump has a pump output equal to zero during passage of the pistons through the first sector.

Abstract: An air-cooled engine having a vertical crankshaft and a horizontal cylinder. The cylinder is cast aluminum alloy and has the intake and exhaust valves located next to one another on one side of the cylinder, with the carburetor located on the other side of the cylinder. An intake cross-passageway integrally cast in part with the cylinder passes under the piston bore to connect the intake valve to the carburetor. For casting purposes, the lower side of the passageway is open in the cylinder casting to permit removal of the passageway casting core and forming an opening having side walls extending transverse to the piston bore extending from the passageway to the exterior of the cylinder. A cover having side walls corresponding to and lying adjacent the side walls of the opening is disposed in the opening. The cover has a curved inner surface corresponding to the curvature of the passageway.

Abstract: A valve control system particularly adapted to engines having four valves per engine cylinder, the valve system including an electronically controlled valve lifter that operates in conjunction with the actuating cam enabling the effective timing and displacement of the valve to be varied within certain ranges accordance with engine operating conditions and demand under the electronic control of a microprocessor.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided with a mechanism to release engine compression at low speeds thereby facilitating starting of the engine. The engine has an exhaust valve which is operated by a valve lifter following a cam surface. A cam pin is positioned within a seat in that cam surface in a manner which allows the pin to rotate. A drive member is attached to the cam pin and has gear teeth in a peripheral edge. A flyweight has teeth which engage the gear teeth of the drive member and cause a rotation of the cam pin in response to engine speed. At relatively low engine speeds an eccentric portion of the cam pin extends above the cam surface so as to engage the valve lifter producing an opening of the exhaust valve during the compression portion of the engine cycle. At higher engine speeds the cam pin is rotated so that the eccentric portion of the cam pin no longer extends above the cam surface so that the exhaust valve is not opened during the engine compression.

Abstract: The proposed device comprises a cylinder rigid with a camshaft drive pulley, and a piston restrained to said cylinder and camshaft by helical groove connections and prismatic pair connections which, on command, allow said camshaft to undergo rotation relative to said pulley.

Abstract: A valve operating device for an internal combustion engine that includes a valve piston having one end facing into a damper chamber and the other end operatively coupled to an intake or exhaust valve which is spring-biased in a closing direction. A cam piston has one end operatively coupled to a cam drivable by a crankshaft and the other end disposed in a working oil chamber. A restriction mechanism uniformly restricts oil flow during final valve closing operation of the intake or exhaust valve until the valve is fully closed. The working oil chamber and damper chamber are held in communication with each other through the restriction mechanism. A bypass passage interconnects the damper chamber and the working oil chamber in bypassing relation to the restriction mechanism. A variable restriction mechanism is provided in the bypass passage capable of varying the area for oil flow according to valve closing characteristics required by the viscosity of working oil and operating conditions of the engine.

Abstract: A tensioning arrangement for a chain incorporated in a transmission and intended to be driven in an endless path. The tensioning arrangement comprises a spring element that acts on a piston to move it outwards to tension the chain when the transmission is not in operation. The tensioning arrangement is also designed with a space that is supplied with oil when the transmission is in operation, in which connection the oil imparts to the piston a limited inward movement to slacken the chain.

Abstract: An improved internal combustion engine of the desmodromic type having a novel connection between the valve stem and the rocker arm assembly. The connection includes a shell which captures a pin which has an enlarged opening which surrounds the valve stem. As the valve end of the rocker arm assembly moves through an arcuate motion, the pin within the shell slides within the shell which, in turn, is tightly affixed to a valve stem. The valve is forced to close either by a spring or a second cam.

Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of engine valves in an internal combustion engine, dependent on the rotational speed of the engine, by controlling a valve operation changing mechanism capable of opening and closing the engine valves selectively in a low-speed mode of operation corresponding to low-speed operation of the engine and a high-speed mode of operation corresponding to high-speed operation of the engine, the method includes the steps of determining the rotational speed of the engine at which the output torque produced by the engine when the valve operation changing mechanism is in the low-speed mode of operation and the output torque produced by the engine when the valve operation changing mechanism is in the high-speed mode of operation are of a certain relationship to each other and selecting a switching rotational speed for switching operation of the valve operation changing mechanism based on said determined engine rotational speed.

Abstract: Engine valve driving apparatus having a camshaft and a radially movable cam supported on the camshaft. A support is fixed to the camshaft. Both the movable cam and the fixed support are formed with holes, whose axes coincide with each other when the movable cam protrudes at its maximum outward position. A connecting pin is disposed in the hole of the fixed support and an oil supply actuates the connecting pin. When the connecting pin is forced by the oil supply, the connecting pin lifts the movable cam radially outwardly to its maximum outward position.

Abstract: Apparatus for adjusting the timing of a valve, particularly but not exclusively for use with a four-stroke internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes a cam, which engages a cam follower which is arranged to actuate a valve mechanism in response to rotation of the cam. The cam follower is moveable in translation relative to the axis of rotation of the cam to vary the extent of actuation of the valve in response to rotation of the cam. The cam follower is shaped so that for a part of a cycle of rotation of the cam, the line of action of the force from the cam to the follower forces the follower to move in translation. This movement is greater at low cam rotational speeds than at high cam rotational speeds and, due to the profile of the surfaces of the follower, the translational movement provides varying extents of valve actuation in dependence upon cam rotational speeds.