Arrangement for driving a mechanism in an internal combustion engine

Claim 1

In apparatus for mechanically driving a mechanism associated with an internal combustion engine: a driven rotatable shaft having a rotation axis, said shaft having a peripheral groove which has side walls and a bottom wall forming a continuously curved cam surface which is eccentric to the rotation axis of said shaft; a push rod having a first end drivingly connected to said mechanism and a second end having a fork configuration including two extensions which are oriented radially on either side of the cam surface and, between said extensions, a curved surface engaging said cam surface so that rotation of said shaft imparts oscillating axial motion to said push rod and swinging movement to said second end of said push rod, said two extensions residing in said groove and being engageable with the side walls of said groove whereby said swinging movement of said second end of said push rod is accommodated, whereby said second end of said push rod is guided by said side walls in the longitudinal direction of said shaft and whereby no extra guidance is needed in the axial direction of said push rod, wherein said push rod comprising first and second longitudinal portions and means connecting said first and second portions in end-to-end relationship in a manner to accommodate angular play during said transverse movements of said first end, said first longitudinal portion incorporating said first end and said second longitudinal portion incorporating said second end.