Abstract: A connecting device for the pivotal and loss-prevention joining of an actuating lever (1) and a support element (6) of a valve operating mechanism of a combustion engine. The actuating lever (1) has, in a supporting section (3), a spherical cap-shaped cavity (5) inside of which the spherical end (7) of the supporting element (6) may be placed. A recess and/or undercut (8) is formed underneath the spherical end (7) in the supporting element (6). The actuating lever (1) has, in the supporting section (3), a spherical upper surface (4) above the spherical cap-shaped cavity (5). A securing element (9) joins the actuating lever (1) and the supporting element (6) to one another. This securing element (9) has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape with an upper and a lower limb (10, 11) that are joined to one another via a joining section (12).

Abstract: A connecting device for the pivotal and loss-prevention joining of an actuating lever (1) and a support element (6) of a valve operating mechanism of a combustion engine. The actuating lever (1) has, in a supporting section (3), a spherical cap-shaped cavity (5) inside of which the spherical end (7) of the supporting element (6) may be placed. A recess and/or undercut (8) is formed underneath the spherical end (7) in the supporting element (6). The actuating lever (1) has, in the supporting section (3), a spherical upper surface (4) above the spherical cap-shaped cavity (5). A securing element (9) joins the actuating lever (1) and the supporting element (6) to one another. This securing element (9) has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape with an upper and a lower limb (10, 11) that are joined to one another via a joining section (12).

Abstract: The inventions provides a method of making a lever-type cam follower (2) out of thin-walled light-weight sheet metal for loading at least one gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine, said cam follower comprising two side walls (12a, 12b) which, together with a crossbeam (11) that connects these side walls to each other, form a U-shaped cross-sectional profile pointing away from the gas exchange valve, the cam follower further comprising two finger-like tabs (5a, 5b) for receiving a stem end of the gas exchange valve, which tabs are configured on one end (3) of the cam follower (2) as extensions of the side walls (12a, 12b) and are bent through 180° onto an undersurface (9) of the crossbeam (11), said method comprising the following steps which may be supplemented with further intermediate steps: a) punching out a blank (1) out of sheet metal with the tabs (5a, 5b) being bulged outward in arc-shaped curves that are configured as mirror images of each other in respect of a central longitudinal