US 5,570,665 AGranted

Valve train for internal combustion engine

AssigneeChrysler Corporation

InventorJose F. Regueiro

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Abstract

A valve train for internal combustion engines utilizing an inverted bucket tappet with a pivot structure operatively disposed between the tappet and the end of the valve stem allowing the valves to be angulated with respect to each other and to the axis of the cylinder in both the transversal and the horizontal planes of the engine. Accordingly on a multi-valve engine, the valves extend radially from the associated combustion chamber to open and increase space in the center of the cylinder head for spark plugs, injectors, or pre-combustion chambers and so that the combustion chamber can be designed with a hemispherical surface, with tangentially disposed valve heads. The construction allows the use of large valves in conjunction with stronger, better-cooled valve seats and bridges. The tappets can be actuated conventionally by direct-acting overhead camshafts, by rocker arms and "T" bridges.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A valve train for an internal combustion engine having an engine block with cylinders therein and a cylinder head, a piston operatively disposed in each of said cylinders, each of said cylinders and said piston therein defining a first end portion of a combustion chamber, said cylinder head operatively disposed on said engine block and having curved recesses therein aligned with said cylinders to define second end portions of said combustion chambers, intake and exhaust valves supported by said cylinder head, each of said combustion chambers having at least first and second intake valves and first and second exhaust valves associated with each cylinder, valve seats formed in said cylinder head for each of said valves, each of said valves having an enlarged head portion to sealing engage an associated one of said valve seats and each of said valves further having an elongated stem portion which extends from said enlarged head portion through an associated stem openings in said cylinder head and terminating at an upper end portion, each of said stem portions defining an axis with each axis being inclined with respect to one another and arranged so that each axis diverges away from the axes of other stem portions, a tappet located adjacent said upper end portion of each valve stem portion and being supported by said cylinder head for movement along an axis which is angulated with respect to the axis on an associated valve stem portion, a camshaft supported for rotation by said cylinder head, said camshaft having a lobe portion corresponding to each one of said tappets wherein said lobe portions engage said tappets at contact surfaces which extend in a plane parallel to the centerline of the camshaft, said engagement of said camshaft lobe with said tappet during rotation of said camshaft produces movement of the tappet along its axis, each tappet having a pivotal force transmitting connection means for contact with said upper end of said associated valve stem to accommodate the angularity between the axis of said tappet and the axis of said associated valve stem portion wherein the connection means permits rotating and sliding movements between said tappet and said valve stem portion.

A valve train for an internal combustion engine having an engine block with cylinders therein and a piston operatively disposed in each of said cylinders to define one end portion of a respective combustion chamber, a cylinder head operatively disposed on said block and having curved recesses therein aligned with said cylinders to define respective second end portions of said combustion chambers, at least first and second intake valves and first and second exhaust valves provided in said cylinder head for each of said cylinders, valve seats formed in said cylinder head for each of said intake and exhaust valves, each of said valves having an enlarged head portion for sealingly engaging an associated one of said valve seats, and each of said valves further having an elongated stem portion extending from said enlarged head portion through an associated stem opening in said cylinder head and terminating at an upper end portion, each of said stem portions defining an axis and with each axis being inclined so as to diverge away from the axes of any other of said stem portions, an inverted bucket tappet associated with each of said valves and being supported in said cylinder head adjacent said upper end of said valve stem and being movable along an axis which is angulated with respect to the axis of said associated valve stem portion, a camshaft supported for rotation by said cylinder head, said camshaft having a lobe portion corresponding to each said tappets wherein said lobe portions engage said tappets at contact surfaces which extend in a plane parallel to the centerline of the camshaft, said engagement of said camshaft lobe with said tappet during rotation of said camshaft produces movement of said tappet along its axis, each tappet having a universal joint disposed adjacent a bottom of said inverted bucket tappet to allow angularity between the two divergent axes of said tappet and said valve stem respectively wherein the universal joint permits rotating and sliding movements between said tappet and said upper end portion of said valve stem portion.

A valve train for an internal combustion engine having an engine block and a cylinder head, a piston operatively disposed in each of said cylinders to define one end portion of a respective combustion chamber therein, said cylinder head having curved recesses therein aligned with said cylinders to define respective second end portions of said combustion chambers, intake and exhaust valves provided in said cylinder head for opening and closing said cylinders, at least first and second intake valves and first and second exhaust valves for each of said cylinders, valve seats formed in said cylinder head for each of said valves, each of said valves having an enlarged head portion for sealingly engaging an associated one of said valve seats and each of said valves further having an elongated stem portion extending from said enlarged head portion through associated stem openings in said cylinder head and terminating at an upper end portion, each of said stem portions defining an axis which is inclined so as to diverge away from the axis of any other of said stem portions, an inverted bucket tappet associated with each of said valves, said tappet being mounted in said cylinder head adjacent said upper end of an associated valve for movement of said tappet along its axis which is angulated with respect to the axis of said associated valve stem portion, corresponding to movement of said associated valve, a camshaft supported for rotation by said cylinder head, said camshaft having a lobe portion corresponding to each one of said tappets wherein said lobe portions engage said tappet at contact surfaces which extend in a plane parallel to the centerline of said camshaft, said engagement of said camshaft lobe with said tappet during rotation of said camshaft producing movement of said tappet along its axis, each tappet being associated with a spherical swivel joint mechanism disposed at the bottom of said tappet to allow angularity between the axis of said tappet and the axis of said associated valve stem portion by permitting a sliding motion and a rotating motion between a portion of said spherical swivel joint and the upper end portion of said valve stem.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.