Rocker arm support assembly
AssigneeCummins Engine Company, Inc.
InventorsLarry Wells, James D. Baugh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rocker arm assembly for an internal combustion engine is provided which is lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture, which securely mounts and supports a pair of rocker arms and associated structures on the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, and which provides and maintains a supply of lubricant to the rocker arm bearing structures, valves and push rods. The rocker arm assembly includes a two part pedestal which clamps the shaft on which the rocker arms are journaled to the engine. The base portion of the pedestal includes a pair of positioning projections which position and support the pedestal so that the proper alignment of the rocker arms relative to the longitudinal axis of the engine is achieved and maintained.
Claims31
A support assembly for mounting at least one rocker arm rotatably journaled on a cylindrical shaft on an internal combustion engine for operating a valve connected with an engine cylinder in response to actuation by a push rod and an engine cylinder head having a locating means for accurately positioning the support assembly relative to the engine valves, said support assembly comprising:
- (a) pedestal means for engaging the shaft and securing the shaft to the engine head;
- and
- (b) pedestal positioning means located on said pedestal means to extend downwardly therefrom for positively engaging the corresponding location means of the head for positioning said pedestal means so that said shaft is in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder head.
A support assembly for mounting at least one rocker arm rotatably journaled on a cylindrical shaft on an internal combustion engine having a cylinder head for operating a valve connected with an engine cylinder in response to actuation by a push rod and a lubricant supply rail having a head engaging surface positioned to contact the engine cylinder head in fluid communication with the engine lubrication circuit when said support assembly is secured to the head, a support assembly engaging surface positioned to contact said support assembly, and at least one supply port in said support assembly engaging surface for supplying lubricant to the support assembly, said support assembly comprising pedestal means for engaging the shaft and supporting the shaft in a fixed position relative to the engine head, said pedestal means having an internal lubricant supply circuit for supplying lubricant to the rocker arm and a rail engaging surface for sealingly engaging the rail support assembly engaging surface around the rail support port to form a fluidic connection between the interior of the rail and said internal lubricant supply circuit when said pedestal means is biased against the engine head.
A support assembly for mounting a pair of rocker arms rotatably journaled on a cylindrical shaft on an internal combustion engine equipped with intake and exhaust valves and push rods which are engaged by the rocker arms during engine operation and a lubricant supply rail which is positioned exteriorly of the engine cylinder head to contact the surface of the head in fluid communication with the engine lubrication circuit, said support assembly comprising:
- (a) pedestal means for engaging the shaft and securing the shaft to the engine head;
- (b) pedestal positioning means extending from said pedestal means for engaging said pedestal means on said cylinder head so that said shaft is in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder head;
- (c) pedestal engagement means located in the cylinder head for receiving said pedestal positioning means extending from pedestal means to secure said shaft in said substantial alignment;
- and
- (d) lubricant flow channel means for conveying lubricant from the lubricant supply rail to the interior of said pedestal means and to the exterior of said shaft.
A support assembly for mounting at least one rocker arm rotatably journaled on a cylindrical shaft on an internal combustion engine for operating a valve connected with an engine cylinder in response to actuation by a push rod and an engine cylinder head, said support assembly comprising pedestal means for engaging the shaft to the engine cylinder head, said pedestal means including base means for contacting and engaging a first portion of the circumference of said shaft along the longitudinal axis thereof and separable, removable clamp means for contacting and engaging a second opposite circumferential portion along the axis of said shaft, leaving a third portion and an opposed fourth portion of said shaft uncontacted by said pedestal means and securing said shaft to said base means, wherein the dimension of said clamp means in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shaft is slightly greater than the diameter of said shaft.
A rocker arm adapted to be rotatably journaled to oscillate on a support shaft, said shaft including a central lubrication flow passage, a pair of central dual function alignment and lubricant channel bores perpendicular to said central flow passge and a pair of smaller lubricant transfer bores positioned outwardly of said central bores and extending transversely through said shaft along the diameter thereof, said rocker arm including lubricant metering and delivery means for conveying lubricant from the shaft through said transfer bores and delivering at intervals during engine operation an equal quantity of lubricant with each oscillation of the rocker arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.