Poppet valve for an internal combustion engine

A valve assembly for a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, said valve assembly comprising

• a valve including
• a superior portion including a hub, a stem attached to said hub and extending therefrom into the cylinder head along a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of posts attached to said hub and extending therefrom substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis;
• a valve body including
• first and second opposed faces, each of said posts attached to said first face, said first face including first and second annular sealing surfaces, said first sealing surface coaxial with said second sealing surface and tapering toward said stem, said first sealing surface adapted to seal with a first seat in said cylinder head, said second sealing surface tapering toward said second face and adapted to seal with a second seat, and
• an internal port extending between said first and second faces, said internal port coaxial with the longitudinal axis and consisting of a single opening extending from the second sealing surface to the second face;
• and,
• a support extending from said cylinder head and having a seat body at one end thereof, said second seat integral with said seat body and supported in fixed relation to the cylinder head.

A valve assembly for a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, said valve assembly comprising

• a valve including
• a superior portion including a hub, a stem and two posts, said stem integral with the hub and extending therefrom into the cylinder head along a longitudinal axis, said stem having an axial slot and means for attaching a spring plate to one end of the stem, and each post integral with the hub and extending therefrom;
• a valve body including an internal port and first and second opposed faces, each of said posts attached to said first face, said first face including first and second annular sealing surfaces, said first sealing surface adapted to seal with a first seat in said cylinder head, said first sealing surface coaxial with said second sealing surface and tapering toward said stem, said second sealing surface tapering toward said second face and adapted to seal with a second seat, and said internal port extending between said first and second faces, said internal port concentric with said longitudinal axis;
• and,
• a support extending from said cylinder head and having a seat body at one end thereof, said second seat integral with said seat body and supported in fixed relation to the cylinder head;
• wherein said valve is selectively positionable between a first position at which the first and second sealing surfaces sealingly contact the first and second seats, respectively, and a second position at which the first sealing surface is in spaced relation to the first seat, thereby defining a first flow path therebetween, and the second sealing surface is in spaced relation to the second seat, thereby defining a second flow path therebetween.

For molded inclusion in a cast metal cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, an integral ceramic valve seat and valve stem guide assembly for operative engagement and support of a poppet type valve with its enlarged valve body with first and second sealing surfaces the first surface coaxial with the second surface, and an elongated cylindrical stem portion, comprising:

• first valve seat forming means cast in ceramic material having a first annular configuration operatively conforming to the configuration of the first sealing surface of the valve and defining an annular seating surface for sealing engagement with the valve body when the valve is in a closed position, said first valve seat forming means including at least one notch on a surface thereof opposite the annular seating surface;
• valve stem support means cast in ceramic having a generally tubular configuration with an internal bore and defining a support for reciprocation of the cylinder stem portion of the valve as the valve moves between open and closed operative position;
• connecting means cast in ceramic and integral with both the valve seat forming means and the valve stem supporting guide means for aligning the means so that a plane through the annular seating surface is normal to the axis of the tubular guide means and coaxially supporting the first annular valve seat and the tubular guide portion;
• second valve seat forming means cast in ceramic material having a seat body including a second seating surface having an annular configuration operatively conforming to the configuration of the second sealing surface of the valve and defining a second annular seating surface for sealing engagement with the second sealing surface of the valve body when the valve is in a closed position, said second valve seat forming means including at least one spoke extending radially outward from the seat body, the spoke having an end portion which conforms to the notch for engagement therewith, said second valve seat forming means removably engageable with said first valve seat forming means such that the first and second annular seating surfaces are coaxial;
• wherein the integral first valve seat forming means, valve stem guide means and connecting means, and the second valve seat forming means are included during the casting formation of the metal cylinder head to form an aligned valve seating and supporting structure.