Internal combustion engine

Claim 1

An internal combustion engine comprising a main combustion chamber; an auxiliary combustion chamber; a torch nozzle interconnecting the main and auxiliary combustion chambers; a main induction passageway extending to the main combustion chamber; an auxiliary induction passageway extending to the auxiliary combustion chamber; a main inlet valve through which the main induction passageway is selectively openable; an auxiliary inlet valve through which the auxiliary induction passageway is selectively openable; a valve operating mechanism including a rocker arm to operate the main inlet valve; the auxiliary inlet valve having a valve seat and a valve head engageable with the valve seat, the auxiliary inlet valve being operated by the rocker arm such that the valve head lifts from the valve seat; and a cylindrical wall extending from the valve seat downstream thereof, the cylindrical wall being engageable with the valve head of the auxiliary inlet valve to prevent the auxiliary induction passageway from being open until the valve head has been lifted by a predetermined amount, whereby the main inlet valve opens and closes the main induction passageway before and after, respectively, the auxiliary inlet valve opens and closes the auxiliary induction passageway.