Valve mechanism for an automotive engine

Claim 1

A valve mechanism for an automotive engine having intake valaves and exhaust valves, a cam shaft having cams, and rocker arms rocked by the cams to operate the valves, the mechanism comprising: at least one of the cams including a first cam for low engine speed, and a second cam for high engine speed which are different in shape of contour; each of the first and second cams having a common base circle; one of the rocker arms including a first rocker arm engaging with the first cam, a second rocker arm engaging with the second cam, and an actuating arm disposed between said first and second rocker arms and engaging an end of a valve stem at one end thereof; the first and second rocker arms and actuating arm being rotatably mounted on a rocker arm shaft so as to be independently rocked; first means for engaging the actuating arm with the first rocker arm and the second rocker arm so as to be rocked together by the first cam and the second cam; second means for operating the first means so as to selectively engage and disengage the actuating arm with either of the first and second rocker arms at a time when both the rocker arms engage with the base circles of the corresponding cams at the same time; and wherein the first means comprises holes formed in the first and second rocker arms and actuating arm at positions at which the holes coincide with each other when the rocker arms engage with the base circles, and three pins operated by the second means, the three pins are so arranged that a central pin engaged with the hole of the actuating arm engages with the hole of the first rocker arm or the hole of the second rocker arm.