Method and apparatus for adjusting engine valve clearance
AssigneeT&D Machine Products, Inc.
InventorsLawrence S. Tores, Brad Rounds
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rocker arm is mounted to an eccentric shaft. The shaft has a pair of ends which are mounted to corresponding supports. The shaft has a rocker arm seat portion which is eccentric to the end portions, whereby when the position of the shaft is changed by rotating it, the position of the rocker arm changes. The shaft ends are mounted to riser blocks which are connected to a support structure. The shaft ends may be clamped in a fixed position relative to the riser blocks, or unclamped to permit the shaft to be rotated. When rotated, the position of the rocker arm may be changed up or down relative to the support structure and a valve stem which the rocker arm is intended to engage, thereby adjusting valve clearance.
Claims20
A rocker arm mounting configuration comprising:
- a first mounting block and a second mounting block spaced from one another, each mounting block having a shaft-accepting aperture therein;
- a rocker arm mounting shaft, said shaft having a first end and a second end and a rocker arm seat portion, said first and second ends located along a first centerline and said rocker arm seat portion located along a second centerline which is offset from said first centerline, a position of said second centerline relative to said first centerline being variable depending upon a selected mounting position of said rocker arm mounting shaft from a plurality of mounting positions and wherein said first and second ends of said rocker arm mounting shaft are connected to said first and second mounting block in fixed positions corresponding said selected one of said mounting positions of said rocker arm mounting shaft;
- and
- a rocker arm positioned on said seat portion of said shaft, at least a valve-stem engaging portion of said rocker arm moveable relative to said seat portion of said shaft, wherein a position of said rocker arm relative to said first centerline is fixed as determined by said selected one of said mounting positions of said rocker arm mounting shaft.
A method of adjusting valve clearance comprising:
- providing a rocker arm mounting shaft having a first mounting portion, a second mounting portion and a rocker arm seat portion, said first and second mounting portions positioned along a first centerline and said seat portion having a second centerline offset from said first centerline, said rocker arm mounting shaft capable of being positioned in a plurality of mounting positions, each mounting position defining a position of said second centerline relative to said first centerline, a rocker arm mounted on said rocker arm seat portion of said rocker arm mounting shaft, said position of said rocker arm relative to said first centerline determined by said mounting positions of said rocker arm mounting shaft;
- selecting one of said mounting positions of said rocker arm mounting shaft;
- mounting said first mounting portion of said rocker arm mounting shaft to a first support and mounting said second mounting portion of said rocker arm mounting portion to a second support in positions corresponding to said selected one of said mounting positions of said rocker arm mounting shaft;
- and
- fixing said positions of said first and second mounting portions of said rocker arm mounting shaft to maintain said selected one of said mounting positions of said rocker arm mounting shaft and thus the position of said rocker arm.
An internal combustion engine having at least one variable volume combustion chamber having at least one intake or exhaust port having a valve controlling flow of gasses there through, and including a valve actuating device with valve clearance adjustment, comprising:
- a base mounted to a portion of said engine, said base including at least a first key element and a second key element;
- a first support mounted to said base, a key element of said first support engaging said first key element of said base;
- a second support mounted to said base, a key element of said second support engaging said second key element of said base;
- a rocker arm mounting shaft, said shaft having a first end and a second end and a rocker arm seat portion, said first and second ends located along a first centerline and said rocker arm seat portion located along a second centerline which is offset from said first centerline, a position of said second centerline relative to said first centerline being variable depending upon a selected mounting position of said rocker arm mounting shaft from a plurality of mounting positions and wherein said first and second ends of said rocker arm mounting shaft are connected to said first and second supports in fixed positions corresponding said selected one of said mounting positions of said rocker arm mounting shaft;
- and
- a rocker arm positioned on said seat portion of said shaft, at least a valve-stem engaging portion of said rocker arm moveable relative to said seat portion of said shaft, wherein a position of said rocker arm relative to said first centerline is fixed as determined by said selected one of said mounting positions of said rocker arm mounting shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.