Valve operating mechanism

Claim 1

IN AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING VALVE CONTROLLED INTAKE AND EXHAUST PORTS OPENING INTO THE ENGINE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, A SEPARATE VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR EACH VALVE-CONTROLLED PORT COMPRISING A CASING MOUNTED ON THE ENGINE, A VALVE ACTUATING PISTON ASSEMBLY SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING, A VALVE EXTENDING WITHIN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OF THE ENGINE ADAPTED TO CONTROL A PORT THEREOF, THE STEM OF SAID VALVE EXTENDING INTO SAID CASING AND BEING SECURED TO SAID VALVE ACTUATING PISTON ASSEMBLY, A VALVE EXTENDING PISTON SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING REMOTE FROM SAID VALVE ACTUATING PISTON ASSEMBLY, MEANS DEFINING A CLOSED FLUID PASSAGE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID VALVE EXTENDING PISTON AND A FIRST FACE PORTION OF SAID VALVE ACTUATING PISTON ASSEMBLY, AN UPPER VALVE RETRACTING PISTON SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING REMOTE FROM SAID VALVE ACTUATING PISTON ASSEMBLY, MEANS DEFINING A CLOSED FLUID PASSAGE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID UPPER VALVE RETRACTING PISTON AND A SECOND FACE PORTION OF SAID VALVE ACTUATING PISTON ASSEMBLY, MEANS FOR FILLING SAID FLUID PASSAGES WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY NON-COMPRESSIBLE FLUID AND FOR MAINTAINING SAID PASSAGES IN A FILLED CONDITION, A CAMSHAFT DRIVEN IN ROTATION BY THE ENGINE MOUNTED ON SAID ENGINE PROXIMATE SAID CASING, A FIRST CAM ON SAID CAMSHAFT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID VALVE EXTENDING PISTON, AND A SECOND CAM ON SAID CAMSHAFT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID UPPER VALVE RETRACTING PISTON, SAID CAMS ACTING TO ALTERNATELY DEPRESS SAID VALVE EXTENDING PISTON AND SAID UPPER VALVE RETRACTING PISTON THEREBY EFFECTING AN OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE CORRESPONDING VALVE PORT THROUGH MOVEMENT OF SAID FLUID IN SAID CLOSED FLUID PASSAGES BETWEEN SAID PISTONS AND THE FACES OF SAID VALVE ACTUATING PISTON ASSEMBLY THUS EFFECTING RESULTANT RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT OF SAID VALVE ACTUATING PISTON ASSEMBLY AND SAID VALVE ATTACHED THERETO, SAID CAMS BEING SHAPED SO AS TO REMAIN IN CONTINUOUS ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PISTONS DURING OPERATION OF THE MECHANISM WHEREBY SAID VALVE IS MAINTAINED UNDER CONTINUOUS POSITIVE CAM CONTROL.