Valve operating apparatus for an internal combustion engine

Claim 2

Valve operating means for controlling the operation of intake and exhaust valve means in an internal combustion engine, comprising: camshaft means rotatable in synchronism with rotation of said engine; a first set of cam followers operatively connected to said intake valve means; a second set of cam followers operative connected to said exhaust valve means; means for selectively connecting the cam followers of the respective sets for either independent or united operation; a plurality of cams rotatably driven by said camshaft means including a first set of cams for operating said first set of cam followers and a second set of cams for operating said second set of cam followers under an operating mode different from that of said first cam followers; said first set of cams being effective to operate the cam followers of said first set mutually identically under each respective condition of engine operation; and said second set of cams being effective to operate the cam followers of said second set mutually differently under one condition of engine operation and mutually identically under another condition of engine operation.

Claim 3

The valve operating means according to claim 1 in which said first set of cams includes first cams having corresponding cam profiles for operating said cam followers in said first set identically under one condition of engine operation when said first set of cam followers operate independently of one another and another cam having a cam profile different from that of said first cams for operating said cam followers in said first set identically when said first set of cam followers are united under another condition of engine operation.

Claim 4

The valve operating means according to claim 2 in which said first set of cam followers operate independently during low speed operation of said engine and in unison during high speed operation thereof.

Claim 5

The valve operating means according to claim 2 in which said second set of cams includes cams of different cam profiles and being operative to operate said second set of cam followers mutually differently under one condition of engine operation when said second set of cam followers operate independently of one another and identically according to the profile of one or said cams under another condition of engine operation when said second set of cam followers operate in unison.

Claim 6

The valve operating means according to claim 4 in which the cam followers in each of the respective sets operate independently during low speed operation of said engine and in unison during high speed operation of said engine.

Claim 7

Valve operating means for controlling the operation of a plurality of intake valves and a plurality of exhaust valves in an internal combustion engine, comprising: camshaft means rotatable in synchronism with rotation of said engine; a first set of cam followers operatively connected to said intake valves; a second set of cam followers operatively connected to said exhaust valves; means for selectively connecting the cam followers of the respective sets for either independent or united operation; a plurality of cams rotatably driven by said camshaft means including a first set of cams for operating said first set of cam followers and a second set of cams for operating said second set of cam followers under an operating mode different from that of said first cam followers; said first set of cams being effective to operate each of said intake valves mutually identically under each respective condition of engine operation; and said second set of cams being effective to operate each of said exhaust valves mutually differently under one condition of engine operation and mutually identically under another condition of engine operation.

Claim 8

Valve operating means for controlling the operation of a plurality of intake valves and a plurality of exhaust valves in an internal combustion engine, comprising: camshaft means rotatable in synchronism with rotation of said engine; a first set of cam followers operatively connected to said intake valves; a second set of cam followers operatively connected to said exhaust valves; means for selectively connecting the cam followers of the respective sets for either independent or united operation; a plurality of cams rotatably driven by said camshaft means including a first set of cams for operating said first set of cam followers and a second set of cams for operating said second set of cam followers under an operating mode different from that of said first cam followers; said first set of cams being effective to operate each of said intake valves mutually identically under each respective condition of engine operation; and said second set of cams being effective to operate each of said exhaust valves mutually differently under one condition of engine operation and mutually identically under another condition of engine operation.

Claim 9

The valve operating means according to claim 6 in which said first set of cams includes first cams having corresponding cam profiles for operating said intake valves identically under one condition of engine operation when said first set of cam followers operate independently of one another and another cam having a cam profile different from that of said first cams for operating said intake valves identically when said first set of cam followers are united under another condition of engine operation.

Claim 10

The valve operating means according to claim 7 in which said first set of cam followers operate independently during low speed operation of said engine and in unison during high speed operation thereof.

Claim 11

The valve operating means according to claim 7 in which said second set of cams includes cams of different cam profiles and being operative to operate said exhaust valves mutually differently under one condition of engine operation when said second set of cam followers operate independently of one another and identically according to the profile of one of said cams under another condition of engine operation when said second set of cam followers operate in unison.

Claim 12

The valve operating means according to claim 9 in which the cam followers in each of the respective sets operate independently during low speed operation of said engine and in unison during high speed operation of said engine.

Claim 13

The valve operating means according to claim 9 in which one of said cams of said second set is a circular raised portion operative to maintain the associated exhaust valve substantially closed.

Claim 14

The valve operating means according to claim 11 in which said one cam of said second set maintains the associated exhaust valve substantially closed during low speed operation of said engine.