Abstract: A farming device for benthic organisms, which is submerged in a water tank or a body of water, is constituted of a plurality of tray-form containers, which are the cultivating floor for benthic organisms such as bivalves, and are stacked in the vertical direction, with a central cavity passing through the stacked cultivating floors in the vertical direction and horizontal gaps defined between the cultivating floors, the cultivating floors communicating with the cavity.

Abstract: An elongate rectangular cultivation box having an open top, is configured so as to allow an outer tank, which serves as a cultivating water storage part, and an inner tank, which serves as a receptacle for bivalves (benthic organisms) S that are to be cultivated, to be both combined and separated. A gap that serves as a water supply opening and a gap that serves as a space in which sediments can accumulate on the bottom of the outer tank are defined when the inner tank is accommodated in the outer tank. Water passage holes are provided in the bottom of the shellfish receptacle (inner tank) and a mesh filter such as netting is stretched across the top face of the bottom. The cultivation boxes are arranged in a vertically stacked manner, with the front portions and rear portions thereof staggered so that cultivation water W that overflows over a front ledge of a shellfish receptacle flows downward into the supply water storage part of a lower cultivation box.

Abstract: An elongate rectangular cultivation box having an open top, is configured so as to allow an outer tank, which serves as a cultivating water storage part, and an inner tank, which serves as a receptacle for bivalves (benthic organisms) S that are to be cultivated, to be both combined and separated. A gap that serves as a water supply opening and a gap that serves as a space in which sediments can accumulate on the bottom of the outer tank are defined when the inner tank is accommodated in the outer tank. Water passage holes are provided in the bottom of the shellfish receptacle (inner tank) and a mesh filter such as netting is stretched across the top face of the bottom. The cultivation boxes are arranged in a vertically stacked manner, with the front portions and rear portions thereof staggered so that cultivation water W that overflows over a front ledge of a shellfish receptacle flows downward into the supply water storage part of a lower cultivation box.

Abstract: A farming device for benthic organisms, which is submerged in a water tank or a body of water, is constituted of a plurality of tray-form containers, which are the cultivating floor for benthic organisms such as bivalves, and are stacked in the vertical direction, with a central cavity passing through the stacked cultivating floors in the vertical direction and horizontal gaps defined between the cultivating floors, the cultivating floors communicating with the cavity.

Abstract: A timing transmission mechanism (T2) in an engine is formed of a chain transmission system (C) that is formed from a drive sprocket (20) mounted on a crankshaft (4), a driven sprocket (25) mounted on a pump input shaft (24) of a high pressure fuel pump (P), and a chain (22) wound around the drive sprocket (20) and the driven sprocket (25); and a gear transmission system (G) that is formed from a drive gear (26) mounted on the pump input shaft (24) coaxially with the driven sprocket (25) and a driven gear (27) mounted on a camshaft (13b) and meshing with the drive gear (26). This enables a timing transmission mechanism to be provided that can increase the degree of freedom in layout of the high pressure fuel pump without causing any increase in the number of components, the weight, or the backlash.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine having a pair of balancer shafts (53, 54), an engine torque is transmitted from a crank gear (28) to an oil pump gear (74) on a drive shaft (73) of an oil pump (71) via a first idler gear (84) and the first balancer shaft gear (64). The engine torque is also transmitted to a fuel pump (72) from the crank gear to a fuel pump gear (78) via the first idler gear and a second idler gear (86), and to the second balancer shaft gear (67) via the first idler gear and second idler gear. Alternatively, the engine torque may be transmitted to the fuel pump from the crank gear to the fuel pump gear via the first idler gear, second balancer shaft gear and second idler gear. As the oil pump gear is actuated by the crank gear via the first idler gear, the oil pump gear is not subjected to the loading caused by the balancer shaft, and hence can be made of a compact and light-weight gear.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine having a pair of balancer shafts (53, 54), an engine torque is transmitted from a crank gear (28) to an oil pump gear (74) on a drive shaft (73) of an oil pump (71) via a first idler gear (84) and the first balancer shaft gear (64). The engine torque is also transmitted to a fuel pump (72) from the crank gear to a fuel pump gear (78) via the first idler gear and a second idler gear (86), and to the second balancer shaft gear (67) via the first idler gear and second idler gear. Alternatively, the engine torque may be transmitted to the fuel pump from the crank gear to the fuel pump gear via the first idler gear, second balancer shaft gear and second idler gear. As the oil pump gear is actuated by the crank gear via the first idler gear, the oil pump gear is not subjected to the loading caused by the balancer shaft, and hence can be made of a compact and light-weight gear.

Abstract: A timing transmission mechanism (T2) in an engine is formed of a chain transmission system (C) that is formed from a drive sprocket (20) mounted on a crankshaft (4), a driven sprocket (25) mounted on a pump input shaft (24) of a high pressure fuel pump (P), and a chain (22) wound around the drive sprocket (20) and the driven sprocket (25); and a gear transmission system (G) that is formed from a drive gear (26) mounted on the pump input shaft (24) coaxially with the driven sprocket (25) and a driven gear (27) mounted on a camshaft (13b) and meshing with the drive gear (26). This enables a timing transmission mechanism to be provided that can increase the degree of freedom in layout of the high pressure fuel pump without causing any increase in the number of components, the weight, or the backlash.

Abstract: In a variable cylinder-operation controlled internal combustion engine in which the operation of one or more of the cylinders can be stopped, valve operation and stoppage switchover devices are provided in the cylinders, respectively, that are capable of independently switching the operation and stoppage of the engine valves in every cylinders. The operation of the valve operation and stoppage switchover device is controlled by a control unit, so that the operation and stoppage of the engine valves in all the cylinders are repeated according to previously established engine valve operation and stoppage modes when the engine is in a cylinder operation-stopped operational state. Thus, it is possible to prevent one or more of the cylinders from being brought into an incompletely warmed state for operation when the engine is restored to the all cylinder-operated state after continuation of the cylinder-stopped operation state over a long time.

Abstract: An SOHC-type valve operating system in an internal combustion engine having a single cam shaft commonly provided for a pair of intake valves and a pair of exhaust valves. A plurality of intake valve driving members are rockably disposed between the cam shaft and the pair of intake valves and have an operative-connection switchover mechanism for switching over the connection and disconnection of the intake valve driving members. A pair of exhaust valve driving members are rockably disposed between the cam shaft and the pair of exhaust valves and independently operate each of the exhaust valves. The operative-connection switchover mechanism includes a switchover pin movable between a position for operatively connecting adjacent intake valve driving members and a position for releasing such connection, which pin is slidably mounted in a cylindrical sleeve secured to the intake valve driving members for guiding the movement of the switchover pin.

Abstract: The lever ratio of rocker arms of an internal-combustion engine is varied to control intake air flow so that the internal-combustion engine can be easily restarted. A query is made to see if the present swing angle is equal to an optimum swing angle for restarting the internal-combustion engine and, if the response is negative, a query is made to see if a motor for changing the lever ratio of the rocker arms is to be driven for rotation in the normal direction. If the motor is to be driven for rotation in the normal direction, the motor is driven accordingly. If the motor is to be driven for rotation in the reverse direction, the motor is driven accordingly.

Abstract: A valve operating system in an internal combustion engine comprises an operating-force generating means for generating an operating force corresponding to the revolution of the engine, an operating-force applying means for operating an engine valve, a hydraulic transmitting means capable of hydraulically transmitting the operating force between the operating-force generating means and the operating-force applying means, a mechanical transmitting means capable of rigidly transmitting the operating force between the operating-force generating means and the operating-force applying means, and a selective switchover means capable of alternatively switching-over the transmissions of the operating force from the operating-force generating means to the operating-force applying means by the hydraulic transmitting means and by the mechanical transmitting means.

Abstract: A valve-operating system for an internal combustion engine, which system includes a valve-driving piston slidably received in a cylinder body and operatively connected at one end of the piston to an engine valve spring-biased in a closing direction. A check valve and an orifice are interposed between a hydraulic pressure generating means for generating an oil pressure for causing opening of the engine valve and a damper chamber defined between the cylinder body and the valve-driving piston. The check valve permits only the flow of working oil from the hydraulic pressure generating means to the damper chamber. The orifice restricts the return of working oil from the damper chamber to the hydraulic pressure generating means. The orifice is made sufficiently short relative to its width to reduce the influence due to viscosity variations of the working oil to an extremely small level.

Abstract: A valve operation control system in an internal combustion engine, comprising an engine valve openably and closably supported on an engine body, a valve spring for biasing the engine valve in a valve closing direction, and valve driving means interposed between a valve-operating cam and the engine valve to transmit a force in the valve-opening direction provided by the valve-operating cam to the engine valve. The valve driving means includes a valve-opening resilient member for exhibiting a repulsive force in a direction to open the engine valve, and closed-position retaining means is interposed between the engine valve and the valve operating cam for retaining the engine valve at its closed position, with a valve-opening force provided by the valve-operating cam being accumulated by the valve-opening resilient member.

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 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: A valve timing control device includes a rotatable shaft, a housing including a timing wheel axially immovable but angularly movable with respect to the timing wheel, a piston disposed coaxially with the rotatable shaft and the timing wheel, a hydraulic chamber for applying a hydraulic pressure to move the piston axially, a servovalve disposed between the hydraulic pressure chamber and hydraulic pressure supply and release passages and comprising a sleeve and a spool, an actuator for axially moving the spool, and a phase adjusting mechanism operatively coupling the piston, the housing, and the rotatable shaft for varying angular relationship between the timing wheel and the rotatable shaft in response to axial movement of the piston. The actuator may be a hydraulic actuator or an electric actuator.