US3875908A — Valve gear and lash adjuster for same

Claim 1

Independent Claim 223 words

In internal combustion engine valve gear of the type having overhead valves actuated by pivoted rocker members which operatively contact a rotating camshaft having a plurality of axially spaced lobes each having a base circle portion, with the camshaft being disposed over the rockers, the improvement comprising: a. said rocker members each having an elongated configuration with one end thereof contacting the end of one of said valves with each of said rockers having a portion intermediate the ends thereof contacting one of said cam lobes; b. a plurality of stationary pivot means attached to said engine with the remaining end of each of said rocker member operatively connected to one of said pivot means, with each of said pivot means including hydraulic lash adjustment means therein, said lash adjustment means requiring engine oil supplied only by gravity flow therein; c. means for supplying engine oil in vertical proximity to said pivot means and discharging oil in a manner such that oil flows only by gravitational force to said pivot means; d. collector means for directing said gravity flow of oil to said lash adjustment means; and, e. one-way valve means disposed in said lash adjustment means for permitting gravity flow of oil thereto when each of said rockers is in contact with the base circle portion of one of said cam lobes.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 223 words

In internal combustion engine valve gear of the type having overhead valves actuated by pivoted rocker members which operatively contact a rotating camshaft having a plurality of axially spaced lobes each having a base circle portion, with the camshaft being disposed over the rockers, the improvement comprising: a. said rocker members each having an elongated configuration with one end thereof contacting the end of one of said valves with each of said rockers having a portion intermediate the ends thereof contacting one of said cam lobes; b. a plurality of stationary pivot means attached to said engine with the remaining end of each of said rocker member operatively connected to one of said pivot means, with each of said pivot means including hydraulic lash adjustment means therein, said lash adjustment means requiring engine oil supplied only by gravity flow therein; c. means for supplying engine oil in vertical proximity to said pivot means and discharging oil in a manner such that oil flows only by gravitational force to said pivot means; d. collector means for directing said gravity flow of oil to said lash adjustment means; and, e. one-way valve means disposed in said lash adjustment means for permitting gravity flow of oil thereto when each of said rockers is in contact with the base circle portion of one of said cam lobes.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 114 words

The valve gear defined in claim 1, wherein said means for supplying engine oil in proximity to said pivot means includes, a. an axial oil gallery formed in said camshaft with a plurality of radial oil ports communicating with and extending outwardly therefrom, with each of said ports communicating with the base circle portion of one of said cam lobes; and, b. baffle means disposed adjacent each of said cam lobes such that during rotation of said camshaft, engine oil from said pressure gallery flows through each of said radial ports and impinges on said baffle means, said baffle means including means for directing oil by gravity flow to each of said collector means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 139 words

The improved valve gear defined in claim 1, wherein a. said collector means includes an aperture formed in each of said rocker members in said end connected to said pivot means, such that oil drips from said supply means and flows by gravity through said aperture to said pivot means; and, b. said lash adjustment means includes a stationary body attached to the engine, said body having a cavity formed therein and a plunger slidably mounted in said cavity such that an oil chamber is formed in said cavity by one end of said plunger, with the opposite end of said plunger pivotally contacting the end of said rocker, said plunger having a passage therein communicating said chamber with said aperture in said rocker, and one-way valve means operative only to admit oil from said passage to said chamber.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 54 words

The improved valve gear defined in claim 2, wherein said baffle means includes a plurality of arcuate members with each of said arcuate members disposed axially coincident with one of said radial ports such that, during rotation of said camshaft, oil discharges from said radial ports and impinges on each of said arcuate members.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

The improved valve gear defined in claim 4, wherein each of said arcuate members has a constant radius of curvature and is disposed concentrically with the axis of said camshaft.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 67 words

The improved valve gear defined in claim 1, wherein said collector means includes deflector means attached to the pivoted end of each of said rockers and movable therewith, said deflector means being disposed adjacent said apertures such that oil discharged from one of said radial ports impinges on said deflector means during a portion of each revolution of said camshaft and flows by gravity to said aperture.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 200 words

A hydraulic lash adjuster for internal combustion engine overhead valve gear of the type having the camshaft disposed over the valve rockers and the lash adjuster stationary with respect to the engine, said adjuster comprising: a. a body having a longitudinally disposed bore formed therein, said bore being closed at one end of said body; b. plunger means slidably received in said bore in a closely fitting relationship, with one end of said plunger means extending from the open end of said bore and having a portion of said end defining a pivot surface for contacting one end of a valve rocker, with the opposite end of said plunger means defining, in cooperation with the closed end of said bore, an oil cavity, said plunger means having passage means formed therein which passage means is operative to communicate oil by gravity flow from said pivot surface to said cavity; c. said passage means includes one-way valve means, which valve means permits said gravity flow of oil into said cavity when said plunger has no load applied thereon in a direction to move said plunger into said cavity; and d. means biasing said plunger in a direction outwardly of said cavity.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 200 words

A hydraulic lash adjuster for internal combustion engine overhead valve gear of the type having the camshaft disposed over the valve rockers and the lash adjuster stationary with respect to the engine, said adjuster comprising: a. a body having a longitudinally disposed bore formed therein, said bore being closed at one end of said body; b. plunger means slidably received in said bore in a closely fitting relationship, with one end of said plunger means extending from the open end of said bore and having a portion of said end defining a pivot surface for contacting one end of a valve rocker, with the opposite end of said plunger means defining, in cooperation with the closed end of said bore, an oil cavity, said plunger means having passage means formed therein which passage means is operative to communicate oil by gravity flow from said pivot surface to said cavity; c. said passage means includes one-way valve means, which valve means permits said gravity flow of oil into said cavity when said plunger has no load applied thereon in a direction to move said plunger into said cavity; and d. means biasing said plunger in a direction outwardly of said cavity.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 27 words

The hydraulic lash adjuster defined in claim 7, wherein said pivotal surface has a spherical radius and said passage is a central axial bore through said plunger.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

The hydraulic lash adjuster defined in claim 7, wherein said passage has a transverse dimension of at least one-third of the largest transverse dimension of said plunger.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 67 words

The hydraulic lash adjuster defined in claim 7, wherein said one-way valve means includes a valve seat formed at the juncture of said passage and the end of said plunger means forming said chamber; a. a movable member movable from a closed position contacting said valve seat and an open position spaced from said valve seat; and b. means biasing said movable member to the closed position.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

The hydraulic lash adjuster defined in claim 10, wherein said movable member is a ball check and said valve seat has a conical configuration.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 48 words

The hydraulic lash adjuster defined in claim 9, wherein a. said valve means includes a cage received over said movable member and attached to the end of said plunger; and, b. said means biasing said movable member is a coil spring intermediate said cage and said movable member.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 35 words

The hydraulic lash adjuster defined in claim 7, wherein said passage has a substantially smaller transverse dimension in the region where said valve means is disposed than the transverse dimension thereof at said pivot surface.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 42 words

The hydraulic lash adjuster defined in claim 7, wherein the portion of said plunger extending from said body has the largest transverse dimension thereof less than the largest transverse dimension of the portion of said plunger means slidably mounted in said body.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 63 words

The hydraulic lash adjuster defined in claim 7, wherein said plunger means includes a first axial member having said valve means therein and a second axial member having said pivot surface thereon with said first section being slidably received the full length thereof in said body bore and said second axial member having only a portion thereof slidably received in said body bore.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 159 words

A hydraulic lash adjuster for internal combustion engine overhead valve gear of the type having the camshaft disposed over the valve rockers and the lash adjuster stationary with respect to the engine, said adjuster comprising: a. a body having a longitudinally disposed bore formed therein, said bore being closed at one end of said body; b. plunger means slidably received in said bore in with one end of said plunger means extending from the open end of said bore and having a portion of said end defining a pivot surface for contacting a valve rocker, with the opposite end of said plunger means defining, in cooperation with the closed end of said bore, an oil cavity; c. means communicating a gravity flow of oil only through said pivot surface with said oil cavity, said means communicating said gravity flow of oil including one-way valve means; and, d. means biasing said plunger means in a direction outwardly of said cavity.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 159 words

A hydraulic lash adjuster for internal combustion engine overhead valve gear of the type having the camshaft disposed over the valve rockers and the lash adjuster stationary with respect to the engine, said adjuster comprising: a. a body having a longitudinally disposed bore formed therein, said bore being closed at one end of said body; b. plunger means slidably received in said bore in with one end of said plunger means extending from the open end of said bore and having a portion of said end defining a pivot surface for contacting a valve rocker, with the opposite end of said plunger means defining, in cooperation with the closed end of said bore, an oil cavity; c. means communicating a gravity flow of oil only through said pivot surface with said oil cavity, said means communicating said gravity flow of oil including one-way valve means; and, d. means biasing said plunger means in a direction outwardly of said cavity.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 130 words

A hydraulic lash adjuster for internal combustion engine overhead valve gear, said adjuster comprising: a. a body having a longitudinally disposed bore formed therein, said bore being closed at one end of said body; b. plunger means slidably received in said bore with one end of said plunger means having a portion thereof defining a pivot surface for contacting associated members of the engine valve gear with the opposite end of said plunger means defining, in cooperation with the closed end of said bore, an oil cavity; c. means communicating a gravity flow of oil only through said pivot surface with said oil cavity, said means communicating said gravity flow of oil including one-way valve means; and d. means biasing said plunger means in a direction outwardly of said cavity.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 130 words

A hydraulic lash adjuster for internal combustion engine overhead valve gear, said adjuster comprising: a. a body having a longitudinally disposed bore formed therein, said bore being closed at one end of said body; b. plunger means slidably received in said bore with one end of said plunger means having a portion thereof defining a pivot surface for contacting associated members of the engine valve gear with the opposite end of said plunger means defining, in cooperation with the closed end of said bore, an oil cavity; c. means communicating a gravity flow of oil only through said pivot surface with said oil cavity, said means communicating said gravity flow of oil including one-way valve means; and d. means biasing said plunger means in a direction outwardly of said cavity.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-04-07	1978-10-07	1979-04-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-04-07	1982-10-07	1983-04-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-04-07	1986-10-07	1987-04-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Valve gear and lash adjuster for same

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