Valve Clearance Setting and Adjustment Components and Systems and Methods of Using the Same
OwnerR. Bradford Fawleyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Valve clearance adjustment systems and related methods that can be used to quickly and easily establish and accurately fix a desired and consistent and replicable valve clearance gap in internal combustion engines with shaft mounted rocker arms where a manual valve lash adjustment is required. In some examples, valve adjustment systems include valve adjustment members that are movably disposed in rocker arms and that can be easily and selectively fixed in place in the rocker arm. Aspects also include indexing mechanisms (734, 822, 838) for quickly and easily setting a desired position of a valve adjustment screw in a rocker arm without needing to use a feeler gauge.
Claims35
A valve-clearance setting and adjustment system for adjusting valve gap comprising:
- a rocker arm having a first and second end and top and bottom surfaces, the first end defining an elongate opening extending from the top surface to the bottom surface and the first end including a split that extends through a portion of the first end and that defines a clampable gap;
- an elongate valve adjustment member moveably disposed in the elongate opening, the elongate member having a first end that extends from the top surface of the rocker arm;
- and
- a securing mechanism configured to decrease a size of the clampable gap to thereby clamp the valve adjustment member in place in the elongate opening.
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A method of setting a valve gap with a valve clearance setting and adjustment system, the system including a rocker arm that defines an elongate opening and a clampable gap operably coupled to the elongate opening, a valve adjustment screw disposed in the elongate opening, a securing mechanism configured to selectively fix the valve adjustment screw in place in the elongate opening, and an index tool having a plurality of index marks, the method comprising
- rotating the valve adjustment screw in the elongate opening until a first portion of the valve clearance setting and adjustment system contacts a valve stem;
- positioning the index tool on the valve adjustment screw;
- rotating the index tool relative to the valve adjustment screw until a first one of the index marks is aligned with a reference mark on the rocker arm;
- fixing the index tool to the valve adjustment screw;
- rotating the fixed index tool and valve adjustment screw together until a second one of the index marks is aligned with the reference mark, indicating achievement of a target valve gap;
- and
- fixing the valve adjustment screw in place in the elongate opening by decreasing a size of the clampable gap with the securing mechanism.
An index tool for use with a valve-clearance setting and adjustment system, the index tool comprising:
- an inner wall that defines an opening configured to receive a valve adjustment screw;
- a securing mechanism configured to fix the index tool to the valve adjustment screw;
- and
- a plurality of index marks spaced by an angular spacing that correlates a degree of rotation of the joined valve adjustment screw and index tool to an axial movement of the valve adjustment screw.
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A valve clearance setting and adjustment system for adjusting valve gap comprising:
- a rocker arm having a first and second end and top and bottom surfaces, at least one of the first and second ends defining an elongate opening extending from the top surface to the bottom surface;
- a pin slidably disposed in the elongate opening, the pin having a first end configured to contact a pushrod or valve stem;
- and
- a securing mechanism configured to selectively fix the pin in place in the elongate opening.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.