Mechanism for actuating the valve rockers of an internal combustion engine

A mechanism for actuating first and second valves of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a rotatably supported shaft having a cam surface thereon;
• a first cam follower member;
• first means for movably supporting said first cam follower member so that it slidably engages said cam surface at a first location;
• a second cam follower member;
• second means for movably supporting said second cam follower member in first and second orientations in which said second cam follower member slidably engages said cam surface at second and third locations, respectively, said second location being spaced a predetermined angular distance from said first location in one direction and said third location being spaced said predetermined angular distance from said first location in a direction opposite said one direction, and said second cam follower member having a selected one of said first and second orientations;
• and means operatively coupled to said first and second cam follower members and said first and second valves for effecting movement of said first and second valves in response to movement of said first and second cam follower members, respectively.

A mechanism for actuating two valves of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• two axially movably supported push rods;
• two movably supported rocker levers, each said rocker lever cooperating at one end with the associated valve and at the other end with a respective said push rod which, through its axial movement, effects movement of the associated valve;
• a rotatably supported shaft having a cam thereon;
• two pivotally supported intermediate levers, said push rods each being operatively coupled to and moved by a respective one of said intermediate levers, pivotal movement of said intermediate levers being effected by said cam on said shaft;
• and a first pivot pin, a second pivot pin and a third pivot pin arranged at angularly spaced locations about said control shaft and each adapted to pivotally support one of said intermediate levers, the axis of each said pivot pin being substantially parallel to the axis of said shaft, said first and second pivot pins each being disposed approximately on one side of said shaft and being arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of a plane which contains the axis of said control shaft and which extends between said push rods, said third pivot pin being disposed on a side of said shaft opposite from said first and second pivot pins;
• wherein the engine is assembled in one of a first configuration and a second configuration;
• wherein in said first configuration said shaft rotates in a first direction, said first pivot pin pivotally supports one of said intermediate levers, and said second pivot pin pivotally supports the other of said intermediate levers, the point of engagement with said cam of said intermediate lever supported on said second pivot pin being spaced a predetermined angular distance in a second direction opposite said first direction from the point of engagement with said cam of said intermediate lever supported on said first pivot pin;
• and wherein in said second configuration said shaft rotates in said second direction, said first pivot pin pivotally supports one of said intermediate levers, and said third pivot pin pivotally supports the other of said intermediate levers, the point of engagement with said cam of said intermediate lever supported on said third pivot pin being spaced by said predetermined angular distance in said first direction from the point of engagement with said cam of said intermediate lever supported on said first pivot pin.