Engine/valvetrain with shaft-mounted cam followers having dual independent lash adjusters

A multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having a valvetrain with a camshaft disposed within an engine block, the engine including at least two intake valves or at least two exhaust valves operated by a common camshaft lobe, the engine comprising:

• a stationary shaft disposed generally parallel to the camshaft
• a cam follower having a first end with an opening concentrically and pivotally mounted on the stationary shaft, a second end adapted for coupling to at least two pushrods, each pushrod associated with one of the at least two intake valves or exhaust valves, and a roller mounted on a roller axle disposed generally between the first and second ends, the roller contacting the common camshaft lobe;
• a rocker arm associated with each pushrod for actuating one of the at least two intake valves or at least two exhaust valves;
• wherein the cam follower comprises:
• a housing;
• a first sleeve disposed within a first bore in the housing and having a closed end and an open end;
• a first plunger disposed within the first sleeve and defining a first high-pressure chamber between the closed end and the first plunger;
• a first check valve disposed between the first plunger and the first sleeve for controlling flow of hydraulic fluid from the first plunger into the first high-pressure chamber, the hydraulic fluid in the high-pressure chamber along with the plunger spring operating to remove lash associated with a first push rod, first rocker arm, and first valve;
• a second sleeve disposed within a second bore in the housing and having a closed end and an open end;
• a second plunger disposed within the second sleeve and defining a second high-pressure chamber between the closed end and the second plunger;
• and
• a second check valve disposed between the second plunger and the second sleeve for controlling flow of hydraulic fluid from the second plunger into the second high-pressure chamber, the hydraulic fluid in the second high-pressure chamber along with the plunger spring operating to remove lash associated with a second push rod, second rocker arm, and second valve.

A valvetrain for a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having a camshaft disposed within an engine block for operating two intake valves or two exhaust valves from a single camshaft lobe, the valvetrain comprising:

• a cam follower having a first end with an opening concentrically mounted for pivoting about a stationary shaft extending generally parallel to the camshaft in the engine block, the cam follower having a second end with first and second hydraulic lash adjusters positioned above a roller for contacting the camshaft lobe;
• first and second rocker arms each associated with a respective one of the two valves;
• and
• first and second pushrods extending between the first and second lash adjusters of the cam follower and first and second rocker arms, respectively.