Rocker arm operating and timing apparatus for internal combustion engine

Claim 1

IN AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING A CRANKSHAFT AND A CYLINDER VALVE CONTROLLED BY A ROCKER ARM, ROCKER ARM OPERATING APPARATUS COMPRISING A FIRST SHAFT MOUNTED FOR ROTATION HAVING A CAM SURFACE POSITIONED PROXIMATE ONE END AND EXTENDING ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT, SAID CAM SURFACE EXTENDING GENERALLY ALONG A PLANE DISPOSED AT AN ACUTE ANGLE RELATIVE TO THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT, SAID SHAFT HAVING EXTERNAL GEAR MEANS POSITIONED PROXIMATE THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF, A MEMBER EXTENDING UPWARDLY THROUGH THE CENTER OF SAID CAM SURFACE AND MOUNTED FOR SHIFTING MOVEMENT VERTICALLY RELATIVE TO SAID CAM SURFACE, SAID MEMBER BEING URGED DOWNWARDLY BY SAID ROCKER ARM, ROLLER MEANS ON SAID MEMBER IN ROLLING CONTACT WITH THE CAM SURFACE WHEREBY SAID ROLLER MEANS MOVES OVER THE SURFACE OF THE CAM AS SAID FIRST SHAFT ROTATES, CAUSING THE ROCKER TO RECIPROCATE IN A VERTICAL DIRECTION, AND A GEARED SHAFT MOUNTED FOR ROTATION AND POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE FIRST SHAFT PROXIMATE THE GEAR MEANS, SAID GEARED SHAFT BEING DRIVEN IN TIMED RELATION TO THE CRANKSHAFT AND HAVING GEARS TO ENGAGE THE GEARS ON THE FIRST SHAFT WHEREBY THE CAM SURFACE IS CAUSED TO ROTATE IN TIMED RELATION TO THE CRANKSHAFT THEREBY IMPARTING A RECIPROCATING MOTION TO THE ROCKER ARM.