Switching roller finger follower with rapid transition from locked to unlocked mode and method thereof

A switching roller finger follower, comprising:

• a body including a locking barrel arranged to receive pressurized fluid;
• a first chamber partially enclosed by the body;
• at least one arm rotatably connected to the body;
• and,
• a locking mechanism including:
• a locking pin at least partially disposed in the first chamber;
• and,
• a shuttle assembly including:
• a shuttle pin:
• at least partially disposed in the locking barrel;
• engaged with the locking pin;
• and,
• including a through-bore open to the first chamber;
• a check valve including a blocking element;
• and,
• a first resilient element:
• in contact with the blocking element;
• and,
• urging the blocking element in a first direction to enable flow of the pressurized fluid out of the first chamber through the through-bore.

A method of operating a switching roller finger follower including a body with a locking barrel, a first chamber partially enclosed by the body, a second chamber partially enclosed by the locking barrel, and a shuttle pin partially disposed in the first and second chambers, the method comprising:

• introducing pressurized fluid above a first pressure level into the second chamber;
• contacting a blocking element for a check valve with a first resilient element;
• urging, with the first resilient element, the blocking element in a first direction;
• displacing, with the pressurized fluid, the blocking element for the check valve in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to block a through-bore in the shuttle pin;
• displacing, with the pressurized fluid, the shuttle pin in the second direction;
• and,
• displacing, with the shuttle pin, a locking pin in the second direction to engage at least one arm rotatably connected to the body.