Abstract: An overhead camshaft structure for a double overhead camshaft engine having at least three in-line cylinders and two camshafts which are formed with series of pairs of cam lobes and series of camshaft journals, respectively, and are operatively connected with each other by helical gears comprises a thrust collar formed on each camshaft, a thrust bearing formed with a thrust restrictive groove consisting of an upper half and a lower half, narrower than the upper half, for receiving therein the thrust collar, and an oil passage consisting of a radial passage portion penetrating through the thrust collar and an axial passage portion formed in each camshaft for allowing oil to pass up to each cam lobe and camshaft journal for lubrication. The radial passage is directed in parallel with a straight line connecting an axial centerline of rotation of each said camshaft and a juncture of a valve opening ramp of said cam lobe adjacent to said thrust collar.

Abstract: The actual lift of a valve is monitored by a lift sensor that is coupled to an electronic valve controller by a lift signal processing circuit, and the electronic valve controller issues a control signal that is calculated to secure as faithful correspondence as possible of this lift signal to a command signal that the electronic valve controller receives from an electronic engine management controller. The processing circuit functions to disclose to the electronic valve controller the actual opening and closing instants of the valve in a manner that amounts to the sensor being precisely re-calibrated each time that it closes.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a V-type configuration with a camshaft disposed in the valley of the V and driven by an intermediate shaft that is offset to one side of the engine in the area of stagger between the cylinder banks. A gear train drives the intermediate shaft from the crankshaft and the camshaft from the intermediate shaft and provides a total gear reduction of one-half to one so that the camshaft rotates at one-half crankshaft speed. The engine is employed to operate a garden tractor having a lawn mower attachment.

Abstract: A cylinder block includes two cylinder banks angularly disposed to each other, and two cylinder heads are mounted on the two cylinder banks, respectively. Two idler gears are rotatably mounted to the two cylinder banks, respectively, and a crankshaft is rotatably mounted to the cylinder block. A chain drivingly interconnects the two idler gears and the crankshaft. The chain, the idler gears, and the crankshaft cooperate with each other to define a predetermined space adjacent to the cylinder block, wherein an auxiliary device is mounted.

Abstract: An air-cooled single cross-flow cylinder head for motorcycle internal-combustion engines having a camshaft for valves controlling charge cycle ducts and with a scavenging direction S.sub.R aligned with the course of charge cycle ducts in the cross-flow cylinder head. The engine is provided with a relatively stiff valve drive with inlet and outlet valves and ducts arranged in planes which are essentially in parallel with respect to the scavenging direction and where the camshaft operates the valves by tappets arranged in driving connection with rocker arms in the cross-flow cylinder head.

Abstract: A camshaft comprises a hollow tubular shaft (1) and an inner member (10) which may be in the form of a tube. The inner member is inserted within the tubular shaft so that a lubricant guiding space is defined between the tubular shaft and the inner member. The lubricant guiding space is connectable via radial bores (8 and 9). The inner member (10) is in supporting contact with the tubular shaft (1) in portions (11, 12, 13, 19) thereof.

Abstract: The first of a pair scissor like rocker arms is pivotally mounted at one end either by way of an adjust screw or a hydraulic lash adjuster and arangement to engage the top of a valve stem at the other. A cam follower which is located between the first and second ends engages a lift cam. The second of the rocker arms is pivotally mounted on the first one and has a closure cam follower at one end and engages the lower face of a retainer which secured to the top of the valve stem by way of a ring type collet. The shaft on which the second rocker arm is pivotally mounted can be provided with eccentric portions which enable the second rocker arm valve clearances to be adjusted separately from the adjustment of the first rocker arm clearance. The arrangement can be adapted to lift and close two valves.

Abstract: A valve operating device for operating an intake or exhaust valve in an internal combustion engine includes a cam having a cam profile including a valve lifting portion for applying a force to open the engine valve and a base circle portion for allowing the valve to be closed, the cam profile having a valve opening point and a valve closing point between the valve lifting portion and the base circle portion, a cam follower slidably engaging the cam, and a hydraulic lash adjuster combined with the cam follower for eliminating any gap between the means and the engine valve. The base circle portion has a gradient cam surface or a combination of different gradient cam surfaces for canceling out valve-lifting radial displacement of the base circle portion.

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 a piston which is coupled to an engine valve, for example. The piston is powered by a pneumatic source and is held in each of its extreme positions, and air control valves are held in their closed positions by pressurized air and/or permanent magnet latching arrangements and the control valves are released therefrom to supply air to the piston, and the piston is released therefrom to be pneumatically driven to the other extreme position by an electromagnetic neutralization of the permanent magnet field. The piston forms a part of the magnetic latching circuit and that magnetic circuit also includes a radially slotted ferromagnetic member to both complete the magnetic circuit and provide a good air communication path from a high pressure air inlet to the control valve.

Abstract: A quick mounting arrangement detachably mounts a light fixture or the like in an overhead cabinet of a furniture article. Front and rear mounting ledges are located in the lower portion of the cabinet and are oriented to generally face one another. Two mounting pins protrude from the rear side of the light fixture, and at least one latch protrudes from the front side of the light fixture. Each latch includes a spring loaded slide pin, with a thumb tab to manually shift the slide pin from a normally extended position to a retracted position. During installation of the light fixture, the mounting pins are positioned on the rear ledge, each slide pin is retracted, and the front side of the light fixture is pivoted upwardly into the bottom of the cabinet. Each slide pin is then released to engage the front ledge to quickly and securely mount the light fixture in the cabinet without requiring any tools.

Abstract: A valve operation control system for an internal combustion engine having an engine valve supported in an engine body for opening and closing. A phase control means is interposed between a crankshaft and the valve operating cam shaft to control the rotating phase of the crankshaft relative to the valve operating cam shaft. A valve drive means is interposed between the valve operating cam and the engine valve to transmit the valve opening force by the valve operating cam to the engine valve. The valve drive means includes a resilient valve opening means for generating resilient force in the valve opening direction and a holding means for holding the engine valve in a closed position while springs accumulate the valve opening force. The holding means is selectively operable to switch between a valve holding state and a valve releasing state to control the valve opening timing of the engine valve in response to operating conditions of said engine.

Abstract: The invention includes an apparatus for retarding a turbocharged engine. There is a mechanism, such as a master and slave cylinder arrangement, for cracking open each exhaust valve of each cylinder of the engine near top dead center of each compression stroke. There is also provision for increasing the pressure of gases in the exhaust manifold sufficiently to open exhaust valves of other cylinders on the intake stroke after each exhaust valve on the compression stroke is so opened. The provision for increasing the pressure of gases in the exhaust manifold includes a device for diverting the exhaust gases to a restricted portion of the turbine nozzle, thereby increasing the pressure of gases directed onto the turbine blades and the pressure in the exhaust manifold.

Abstract: A hydraulically operating actuating device for a lift valve, in particular in an internal combustion engine, has a piston which is connected to the valve stem. The piston is positioned in a cylinder and separates two stroke spaces which are connectable, in each case via inlet and outlet openings which can be occluded by the piston, to a pump for the working fluid or a reservoir. In order to reduce the energy requirement of the actuating device, the two inlet openings, which in a central actuation range of the piston are open, are connected to one another directly by a line, and two springs which act in opposite directions and, in equilibrium, hold the piston in a central position relative to two end positions engage on the piston or valve stem.

Abstract: An electro-rheological valve controller. The invention comprises a generally cylindrical casing holding an electro-rheological fluid; a reciprocating tappet attached at one end of the cylindrical casing, said tappet contacting cam means for thrusting said tappet into said casing toward a reciprocating valve lift member; a plunger member coupled to said tappet, said plunger being perforated to permit the flow of electro-rheological fluid therethrough; a reciprocating valve lift member situated within said casing and separated from said perforated plunger member by a biasing spring and said elecro-rheological fluid, said lift member communicating with a valve to be lifted; and electrode means coupled to said perforated member for generating an elecric field within said perforated member such that said electro-rheological fluid within said perforated member solidifies, whereby said plunger applies a compressive fluid force against said reciprocatring lift member thereby lifting said valve to be lifted.

Abstract: A system for accomplishing solenoid control of engine valves places a soldnoid valve between an oil gallery and the lost-motion actuator for each valve. Although the basic phasing for the valves is established by a camshaft, the actual phasing is accomplished by causing the valve actuators to execute lost-motion. The amount of lost-motion establishes the actual opening and closing phase angles for the valves. The amount of lost-motion of each actuator is established by the timing of the opening and closing of the corresponding solenoid valve. Oil that is pumped from the actuators can be stored in an accumulator that is connected to the gallery for subsequent use in replenishing the actuators.

Abstract: A first rocker arm is used to induce valve lift while a second one used to move the valve back to closed position. The rocker arms are arranged to engage the valve top or retainer surfaces at locations offset from the axis of the valve and to induce the valve to rotate during the lift and closing operations. Springs, hydraulic lifters or double adjust screw type arrangements are used to control clearances.

Abstract: Autocalibration of the camshaft phasing sensor of a closed-loop variable valve timing system of an internal combustion engine. The camshaft phasing adjustment mechanism comprises a cam that changes the camshaft phasing. This cam is provided with a dwell that occurs at a known true phasing of the camshaft. The cam is commanded to operate to the dwell, and the lack of change in the sensor output indicates when the dwell is reached. At this time the sensor output should exactly indicate the known camshaft phasing that is produced by the adjustment cam dwell. If it does not, the difference is calculated and forms an offset that is algebraically applied to the sensor output thereby calibrating the sensor.

Abstract: A mechanism for switching valve operating modes in an internal combustion engine that has a valve operating mechanism with high- and low-speed cams having different cam profiles corresponding to rotational speed ranges of the engine, a pair of valves disposed in intake or exhaust ports of a combustion chamber and a normally urged to be closed by spring means, a directly moving transmitting member for imparting the lift of the low-speed cam to the valve, a pair of idling transmitting members for transmitting the lift of said high-speed cam on the pair of valves and a selective coupling mechanism for selectively connecting the transmitting members when mutually adjacent portions of the transmitting members are in a predetermined positional relationship.

Abstract: A flat four opposed cylinder air cooled Volkswagen engine push rod tube having a fluted upper end to accommodate push rod lateral movement caused by high lift rocker arms.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine valve operating mechanism wherein there is a low speed cam corresponding to one intake valve or exhaust valve and having a shape designed for low speed operation as well as a high speed cam of a shape designed for high speed operation. A first rocker arm is in sliding contact with the low speed cam and abuts one intake valve or exhaust valve, a second rocker arm is in sliding contact with the high speed cam and a third rocker arm abuts the other intake valve or exhaust valve, with all three rocker arms pivotably supported by a single rocker shaft adjacent to each other. A first piston for connecting the first and second rocker arms is slidably mounted in the first rocker arm and a second piston for connecting the second and third rocker arms is slidably mounted in the second rocker arm extendable and contractable. A third piston is movably mounted in the third rocker arm and urged by a spring in a direction of abutment with the second piston.