Abstract: A drive cam follower operatively connected to an engine valve and a free cam follower capable of becoming free relative to the engine valve are adjacently disposed and adapted to impart in mutually different modes of operation in response to said engine valve rotation of a cam shaft. A connection change-over mechanism is provided between the cam followers and is capable of changing-over the interconnection and disconnection thereof, and resilient biasing means is provided between the free cam follower and the engine body for resiliently urging the free cam follower toward the cam shaft. The resilient biasing means comprises an urging piston slidably received in the engine body for abutment against the free cam follower, and a spring arrangement interposed between the urging piston and the engine body to resiliently bias the urging piston in a direction to abut against the free cam follower.

Abstract: A valve operating system for an overhead camshaft type automotive internal combustion engine. The valve operating system is comprised of a swing arm swingable upon rotation of a camshaft located over the swing arm. The swinging motion of the swing arm causes the reciprocal motion of intake or exhaust valve which is connected to one end section of the swing arm. The other end section of the swing arm is pivotally supported by the plunger of a hydraulic lifter in such a manner that the swing arm end section is in fitting contact with the tip end section of the hydraulic lifter plunger. A clearance is formed between the swing arm end section and the plunger tip end section and filled with lubricating oil which is supplied through an oil supply passage formed in the plunger of the hydraulic lifter, thereby accomplishing sufficient and efficient lubrication at the contacting and sliding surface between the swing arm and the hydraulic lifter plunger.

Abstract: A ceramic rocker arm is hollow and formed with two openings for providing communication between an inner hollow place and the outside of the rocker arm. The inner hollow place is communicated with a source of lubricant. The openings are located adjacent surface portions of the rocker arm contacting a cam and a valve so that lubricant is supplied through the inner hollow place and the openings to the joints between the rocker arm and the respective cam and valve. A filler of a synthetic resinous material is filled in the hollow ceramic rocker arm so as to prevent dispersion of small pieces upon breakage of the rocker arm.

Abstract: A hydraulic play compensating element adapted to be positioned in the valve train of an internal-combustion engine is described which comprises a cylinder part closes at one end and a piston part slidable longitudinally in the latter. The piston part contains a supply chamber which is pressurized by lubricating oil from the lubricating oil circuit and which is separated from a pressure chamber by a connecting duct controlled by a valve. In order to switch off the play compensating function of the play compensating element during engine braking service, a shut-off valve is provided in the supply chamber for closing or opening the connecting duct as a function of the lubricating oil pressure in the supply chamber.

Abstract: An engine (10) is provided including a poppet valve (14) for regulating the flow of gases to and from a combustion chamber (13). The poppet valve (14) includes an elongated stem (18). A return spring (20) is connected to the stem (18) and urges the poppet valve (14) perpendicularly toward a valve seat (16). A spring retainer (22) locks onto the stem (18) of the poppet valve (14) to retain the return spring on the poppet valve (14). A central bore (26) is provided in the spring retainer (22) and includes a radially inwardly extending ledge (30). Three equally spaced slots (32) are disposed through the spring retainer (22) for allowing the ledge (30) in the bore (26) to deflect outwardly while the spring retainer (22) is inserted onto the stem (18) of the poppet valve (14).

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled pneumatically powered transducer for use, for example, as a valve mechanism in an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The transducer armature, an engine valve, for example, is powered by a pneumatic source and includes pneumatic damping and energy recovery as it nears its destination position. The armature is held in each of its extreme positions by a permanent magnet latching arrangement and is released therefrom to be pneumatically driven to the other extreme position by an electromagnetic arrangement which temporarily neutralizes the permanent magnetic field of the latching arrangement. A multiplicity of engine operating modes are also disclosed including operation of an engine in a six stroke cycle mode, and a unique intake valve timing scheme where the intake valve closure is delayed beyond bottom dead center of its associated cylinder with the delay being greater at lower engine speeds and less at higher engine speeds.

Abstract: An engine valve operating apparatus of the type having an overhead camshaft with a plurality of cams for opening and closing intake and exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine. The camshaft is mounted on the engine by means of a plurality of bearing members each disposed one between two adjacent cams. The outermost cam is disposed outside the outermost bearing member and has a cam lobe with a closing ramp height higher than that of the cam lobes of the remaining cams.

Abstract: A self-adjusting hydraulic valve tappet arranged in a guide bore of a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine against whose one end face a cam abuts and whose other end face lies against a valve stem which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art and achieves a durable self-tightness of the sleeve with respect to the oil reservoir independently of the deflections of the end member by using simple constructional and particularly hardly more expensive means.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are described for determining the operability, or lack thereof, of a hydraulic pressure-operated selective coupling mechanism for operating an intake valve or an exhaust valve of an internal combustion engine during various modes of engine operation wherein a control means employed to operate the control valve effective for supplying hydraulic pressure to the mechanism is imparted with an indication of the selected mode of intake or exhaust valve operation and of the hydraulic pressure supplied to the mechanism and is operative to compare such indications to determine whether or not they coincide.

Abstract: A rocker arm comprises a main body section made of ceramics and a protective member section covering the outer surface of the main body section. The protective member section is in the form of a film or layer and made of a ductile material so that upon breakage of the ceramic main body section the protective member is plastically deformed to hold the broken pieces of the ceramic main body together.

Abstract: An improved intake and exhaust valve system for internal combustion engines is disclosed. The system includes a primary valve control mechanism for sequentially opening and closing the intake and exhaust valves, and a secondary control system for modifying the operation of the primary mechanism. The primary valve control mechanism includes cylindrical cams for opening and closing the intake and exhaust valves. The secondary control system modifies the operation of the primary valve control system to vary the duration, extent and onset of valve opening and closing. The secondary control system includes a control plate, at least one rocker mechanism mounted to sequentially engage and disengage the control plate, and a driver mounted between the rocker mechanism and at least one of the cylindrical cams of the primary control system so that, when the control plate engages the rocker mechanism, the driver mechanism engages one of the cylindrical cams to modify the operation of the primary control system.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled fluid powered valve actuator for use in an internal combustion engine of the type having engine intake and exhaust valves has a piston reciprocative in a cylinder housing for driving the engine valves to open and close. Control valves are mounted separately from the piston for reciprocative movement in the housing and are used to selectively direct air pressure to drive the piston. The control valves are magnetically latched in closed positions with the magnet force used to also close ends of the valves. Abutments are affixed to ends of the piston shaft to aid the control valves in their closing movements, especially if the valves have a transitory retardation; another aid to valve closing movement is the capture of air in a chamber that is sealed on opening valve movement so that the compression of air in the chamber acts as an air spring to aid in the valve closing movements.

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 asymmetric pneumatic damping. Air damping may be differentially controlled to provide dissimilar damping at the two extremes of piston motion. 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 positions by pressurized air latching arrangements and are released therefrom to supply air to the piston to be pneumatically driven to the other extreme position by an electromagnetic solenoid or by an electromagnetic repulsion arrangement. The control valves may be spring loaded toward their open positions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling valve operation in an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft during with a cam for opening and closing an intake or exhaust valve which is spring-biased in a closing direction. The method comprises the steps of varying the angular phase of the crankshaft and the camshaft to control the timing of the opening of the valve and releasing the force applied by the cam to open the valve while it is being opened to control the timing of the closing of the intake or exhaust valve. The apparatus includes a phase control mechanism disposed between the crankshaft and the camshaft and a lift control mechanism disposed between the cam and the intake or exhaust valve. Both mechanisms are hydraulically operated and controlled in response to engine operating conditions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for actuating a cam follower shaft to permit variable timing of the valving events or the unit injectors of an internal combustion engine. A rotatable cam follower shaft is subjected to continuous, alternating, oscillating torques. A clutch is disposed adjacent the shaft and is translatable to move from a disengaged position to an engaged position in which the clutch engages the shaft either directly or through roller bearings and separate inclined surfaces. When the clutch engages the shaft, it prevents rotation in a first direction while permitting rotation in a second direction until a positive stop is reached. When the clutch is disengaged from the shaft, the overall torques acting on the shaft rotate the shaft in the first direction until the shaft reaches another positive stop. The clutch is activated by a compression spring which is resisted by fluid pressures.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled fluid powered valve actuator for use in an internal combustion engine of the type having engine intake and exhaust valves has a piston reciprocative in a cylinder housing for driving the engine valves to open and close. Control valves are mounted separately from the piston for reciprocative movement in the housing and are used to direct pneumatic pressure to drive the piston. The control valves are magnetically latched in closed positions with magnet force and released after a temporary electromagnetic weakening of the magnetic field. Upon release, the valves are opened pneumatically and closed pneumatically.

Abstract: A low friction finger follower rocker arm is fabricated from flat metal strip sheet stock having a stamped configuration with a centralized opening adapted to be bent later into a channel; the shaping and hardening of the stock section is carried out prior to such bending. The method comprises: (a) (i) shaping the stock to have a pair of aligned journal openings, a pivot surface at one end, a stud contacting surface at the other end, and a pair of grooves aligned with the extremities of the centralized opening and containing the surface therebetween, (ii) locally hardening the surfaces and the edges of the opposed openings; (b) bending the shaped stock along the grooves to form a partial channel having side walls with an included angle of no greater than 40.degree.

Abstract: Control apparatus for an intake valve and/or an exhaust valve which are slidably mounted for reciprocating movement relative to a valve seat in a cylinder head including an electromagnetic solenoid fixed to the cylinder head and a magnetic pole fixed to at least one of the valves with the magnetic pole opposing the solenoid with a small gap therebetween when the valve(s) is in the open position and a control device for supplying electric current to the electromagnetic solenoid in a predetermined manner responsive to engine operation conditions. The valve(s) is moved to the open position by a cam, electric current is supplied to the electromagnetic solenoid to hold the valve(s) in the open position for a predetermined time and the valve(s) is closed by a return spring when the electromagnetic solenoid is deenergized.

Abstract: A rocker arm for use in an internal combustion engine. The rocker arm has a portion abutting an opponent mechanical component, and at least the portion is formed of a cast iron consisting of from 2.5 to 3.7 wt % of carbon; from 1.0 to 2.0 wt % of silicon; from 0.5 to 1.0 wt % of manganese; from 10 to 20 wt % of chromium; from 0.3 to 0.7 wt % of nickel; not more than 0.3 wt % of phosphorus; not more than 0.1 wt % of sulfur; and balance iron and impurities; Carbide mainly containing chromium is uniformly precipitated from at least one of pearlitic and martensitic matrix in the cast iron.

Abstract: A cam mechanism includes a cam of basic circular formation and having a lobe formation extending radially outwardly along part of its periphery; and a cam follower mounted for reciprocating movement along an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cam; the cam acting against an end face of the cam follower so that engagement of the lobe formation therewith will cause movement of the cam follower, the inclination of the face of the cam follower which is engaged by the lobe formation being adjustable to vary the duration of movement of the cam follower by the cam.