Valve disabler and control

An improved means for varying the amount a valve is opened in response to pivotal movement of a rocker arm, said improved means comprising:

• a support member;
• fulcrum means slideably supported by said support member and adapted to provide a pivot surface for the rocker arm;
• means for biasing the pivot surface of said fulcrum means against said rocker arm;
• sleeve means slideable with said fulcrum means and projecting from said fulcrum on the side opposite said pivot surface;
• retainer means operative to prevent rotation of said sleeve means;
• and
• latch means moveable between a valve enabling position preventing sliding movement of said sleeve and fulcrum means and a valve disabling position allowing sliding movement of said fulcrum and sleeve.

An improved means for varying the amount an engine valve is opened in response to pivotal movement of a rocker arm, said improved means comprising:

• an elongated support member adapted to be attached to the engine at one end and adapted to extend through an opening in the pivot portion of the rocker arm;
• fulcrum means slideably disposed about said support member and adapted to present a curved surface to the pivot portion of said rocker arm;
• spring means concentrically surrounding said support member and adapted to bias said fulcrum means against said rocker arm;
• stop means for limiting sliding movement of the fulcrum means in the biased direction;
• sleeve means slideable with said fulcrum means and extending from said fulcrum means in concentric surrounding relating to said support member and spring means, said sleeve means having a set of circumferentially spaced teeth at the sleeve end opposite said fulcrum means;
• retainer means for preventing rotational movement of said sleeve relative to said support member;
• and
• latch means supported by said support member for movement between a valve enabling position and a valve disabling position in a plane normal to said sliding movement, said latch means having a set of abutting surfaces for contacting said teeth and preventing said sliding movement when in said enabling position and having a set of spaces for slideably receiving said teeth and allowing said sliding movement when in said disabling position.

In an internal combustion engine having improved means varying the amount of valve opening in a valve actuating drivetrain of the type including a rocker arm having an opening extending therethrough, a valve biased to the closed position by a spring force and operatively associated with one end of the rocker arm and normally moved a predetermined opening distance in response to a drive means applying a force which moves the other end of the rocker arm a given distance, said improved means comprising:

• a support member attached to the engine at one end and extending through the opening in said rocker arm;
• fulcrum means slideably supported by said support member and providing a pivot surface for said rocker arm;
• means biasing said pivot surface against said rocker arm with a resilient force inferior to the forces of said spring and drive means;
• sleeve means slideable with said fulcrum means and projecting from said fulcrum means on the side opposite said pivot surface;
• retainer means operative to prevent rotation of said sleeve means;
• and
• latch means moveable between a valve enabling position preventing sliding movement of said sleeve and fulcrum means, and a valve disabling position allowing sliding movement of said sleeve and fulcrum means.

In an internal combustion engine having improved means varying the amount of valve opening in a valve actuating drivetrain of the type including a rocker arm having an opening extending therethrough, a valve biased to the closed position by a spring force and operatively associated with one end of the rocker arm and normally moved a predetermined opening distance in response to a drive means applying a force which moves the other end of the rocker arm a given distance, said improved means comprising:

• an elongated support member attached to the engine at one end and extending through the opening in said rocker arm;
• fulcrum means slideably disposed about said support member and providing a pivot surface for said rocker arm;
• spring means concentrically surrounding said support member and biasing said pivot surface against said rocker arm with a force inferior to the forces of said valve spring and drive means;
• sleeve means slideable with said fulcrum means and extending from said fulcrum means in concentric surrounding relation to said support member and spring means, said sleeve means having a set of circumferentially spaced teeth at the sleeve end opposite said fulcrum means;
• retainer means for preventing rotational movement of said sleeve relative to said support member;
• and
• latch means supported by said support member for movement between a valve enabling position and valve disabling position in a plane normal to said sliding movement, said latch means having a set of abutting surfaces for contacting said teeth and preventing said sliding movement when in said enabling position and having a set of spaces for slideably receiving said teeth and allowing said sliding movement when in said disabling position.