Adjustable valve system for an internal combustion engine

An adjustable valve system for an overhead camshaft engine, comprising:

• an axially shiftable, overhead mounted camshaft having a plurality of cam lobes for actuating engine valves, with at least one of said lobes having a profile which varies as a function of the axial position of said lobe;
• and
• at least one finger follower displaceable by said axially variable cam lobe, with said follower comprising:
• an elongate body having a first end pivotably mounted to a pedestal carried by the cylinder head of said engine, and a second end bearing upon the tip of a valve stem;
• and
• a roller assembly pivotably mounted to said elongate body at a position intermediate said first and second ends, with the axle of the roller being generally parallel to the axis of said camshaft and located such that said axially variable cam lobe may bear upon said roller, with a pivotable mount allowing the roller assembly to accommodate axial shifting of said camshaft by pivoting about an imaginary axis which is perpendicular to the axis of the camshaft while being constrained from rotating about an axis parallel to said camshaft.