Abstract: A compact, stress-orientated valve control arrangement for an internal combustion engine which is favorable from the production point of view and uses as many identical parts as possible includes a plurality of lift valves for each cylinder and pivoted valve activating levers with hydraulic supporting elements allocated to the latter, in which the geometric arrangement of the pivoted levers for the cylinder is such that the longitudinal axes of the supporting elements extend on the same side relative to the longitudinal axes of the camshafts and extend past the corresponding camshaft axis.

Abstract: A camshaft has a deactivatable cam which is selectively couplable to or releasable from the camshaft by a coupling pin which is transversely displaceable in a recess in the camshaft. To move the coupling pin between its connecting position, in which it engages a coupling recess in the cam, and its release position, in which it is retracted within the confines of the camshaft, the face of the coupling pin opposite the coupling recess forms a pressure chamber in which variable pressure is controlled by a displaceable control piston. A high pressure is applied to move the coupling pin into its connecting position and a lower pressure is applied to maintain the coupling pin in the connecting position, while a further reduced pressure is applied to retract the coupling pin into its release position.