Variable valve timing mechanism for internal combustion engines

Claim 1

IN AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE INCLUDING A CYLINDER HAVING A PISTON OPERABLE THEREIN TO ROTATE A CRANKSHAFT, AN INTAKE VALVE CONTROLLING THE ENTRY OF EXPLOSIVE AIR-GAS MIXTURE THERETO, AN EXHAUST VALVE CONTROLLING THE EGRESS OF BURNED GASES OF COMBUSTION THEREFROM, MEANS BIASING BOTH OF SAID VALVES TO THEIR CLOSED POSITIONS, AND EACH OF SAID VALVES INCLUDING A STEM OPERABLE BY PRESSURE ON THE EXTENDED END THEREOF TO OPEN SAID VALVE, AN OPERATING ANF TIMING MECHANISM FOR SAID VALVES COMPRISING: (A) A CAMSHAFT CARRIED ROTATABLY BY SAID ENGINE AND OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID CRANKSHAFT WHEREBY IT IS ROTATED AT A SPEED PROPORTIONATE TO THAT OF SAID CRANKSHAFT, (B) A PAIR OF CAMS MOUNTED IN SPACED RELATION ON SAID CAMSHAFT FOR EACH OF SAID VALVES, ONE OF SAID CAMS HAVING A RELATIVELY SHARP LOBE OF RELATIVELY SMALL ANGULAR EXTENT AND THE OTHER OF SAID CAMS HAVING A RELATIVELY BROAD LOBE OF RELATIVELY LARGE ANGULAR EXTENT, SAID LOBES BEING OF EQUAL MAXIMUM ECCENTRICITY AND HAVING THEIR HIGH POINTS ANGULARLY ALIGNED WITH RESPECT TO SAID CAMSHAFT, (C) A PAIR OF ELONGED CAM FOLLOWER DEVICES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO SAID CAMSHAFT AND CARRIED BY SAID ENGINE FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT, SAID FOLLOWER DEVICES ENGAGING SAID CAMS RESPECTIVELY WHEREBY TO BE