Switching roller finger follower with locking mechanism

A switching roller finger follower for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a housing including:
• a first wall with a first opening wholly surrounded by the first wall;
• a second wall with a second opening wholly surrounded by the second wall;
• and,
• an interior space at least partially formed by the first and second walls;
• first and second pivotable outer arms;
• and,
• a locking pin disposed in the interior space and in first and second openings and including:
• a first longitudinal axis;
• a body;
• and,
• first and second protrusions:
• extending radially outward from the body;
• and,
• formed of a same single piece of material as the body;
• and,
• at least one of which is located within the interior space or outside of the first or second wall with respect to the space, wherein:
• a respective portion of one of the first or second protrusions is aligned with the first or second wall in a direction parallel to the first longitudinal axis;
• and,
• the locking pin is displaceable such that:
• in a locked mode, the locking pin contacts the first and second outer arms to block pivoting of the first and second outer arms in a rotational direction;
• and,
• in an unlocked mode, the locking pin is free of contact with the first and second outer arms.

A method of fabricating a switching roller finger follower for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• forming a housing including:
• a first wall with a first opening;
• a second wall with a second opening;
• and,
• an interior space at least partially formed by the first and second walls;
• pivotably connecting first and second outer arms to the housing;
• forming, of one only single piece of material, a locking pin including:
• a first longitudinal axis;
• a body;
• and,
• first and second protrusions extending radially outward from the body;
• inserting the locking pin through the first and second openings;
• and,
• aligning respective portions of at least one of the first or second protrusions with the first and second walls in an axial direction parallel to the first longitudinal axis, wherein:
• the locking pin is displaceable such that:
• in a locked mode, the locking pin contacts the first and second outer arms to block pivoting of the first and second outer arms in a rotational direction;
• and,
• in an unlocked mode, the locking pin is free of contact with the first and second outer arms.