Engine valve cover apparatus

A trough shaped engine cover is arranged for mounting to a top portion of an overhead valve internal combustion engine. The valve cover includes a series of spaced boss members directed through a top wall of the valve cover, with each boss member defining a conduit mounting a removable plug assembly removably mounted relative to the conduit. Each conduit is coaxially aligned with a fulcrum portion of a rocker arm of the overhead valve assembly to permit access to the fulcrum by an adjusting wrench.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The field of invention relates to valve cover apparatus, and more 
particularly pertains to a new and improved engine valve cover apparatus 
wherein the same is arranged to permit access for adjustment of the valves 
of an internal combustion engine. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Adjustment of overhead valve rocker arms provide proper valve adjustment or 
valve lash in an internal combustion engine has heretofore been a 
relatively combersome job associated with oil spillage about the head 
portion due to the requisite step of removal of an associated valve cover 
to gain access to the fulcrum adjusting nut of the associated valve rocker 
arms. Prior art apparatus has heretofore not adequately addressed the 
problem as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,927 to Congram, et al. 
setting forth a reinforced stamped rocker arm utilizing bosses directed 
from the head through the rocker arm to secure the rocker arm to the head. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,950 to Finley sets forth valve cover wherein a top 
portion of the valve cover is pivotally mounted relative to a lowermost 
portion thereof. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,659 to Weels, et al. sets forth an engine valve cover 
utilizing through-extending openings to receive the studs of underlying 
rocker arms therethrough. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,560 to Alden sets forth a valve cover for an internal 
combustion engine wherein a lid of the valve cover is removably mouted 
relative to the side walls thereof. 
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new 
and improved engine valve cover apparatus as set forth by the instant 
invention which addresses both the problems of ease of use as well as 
effectiveness in construction permitting an individual to gain access to 
each rocker arm for adjustment thereof and in this respect, the present 
invention substantially fulfills this need. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of valve 
cover apparatus now preset in the prior art, the present invention 
provides an engine valve cover apparatus wherein the same utilizes 
through-extending conduits mounted relative to and coaxially aligned with 
each rocker arm boss to permit access to each boss for adjustment of each 
associated rocker arm. As such, the general purpose of the present 
invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to 
provide a new and improved engine valve cover apparatus which has all the 
advantages of the prior art valve cover apparatus and none of the 
disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention provides a trough shaped engine cover 
arranged for mounting to a top portion of an overhead valve internal 
combustion engine. The valve cover includes a series of spaced boss 
members directed through a top wall of the valve cover, with each boss 
member defining a conduit mounting a removable plug assembly removably 
mounted relative to the conduit. Each conduit is coaxially aligned with a 
fulcrum portion of a rocker arm of the overhead valve assembly to permit 
access to the fulcrum by an adjusting wrench. 
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in 
the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and 
it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of 
all of its structures for the functions specified. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which 
this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved engine valve cover apparatus which has all the advantages of the 
prior art valve cover apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
engine valve cover apparatus which may be easily and efficiently 
manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved engine valve cover apparatus which is of a durable and reliable 
construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved engine valve cover apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost 
of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which 
accordingly is the susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming 
public, thereby making such engine valve cover apparatus economically 
available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved engine valve cover apparatus which provides in the apparatuses 
and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while 
simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated 
therewith. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 to 7 
thereof, a new and improved engine valve cover apparatus embodying the 
principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated 
by the reference numerals 10, 10a, and 10bwill be described. 
More specifically, the engine valve cover apparatus 10 of the instant 
invention essentially comprises a housing defined by a trough to include a 
top wall 11, spaced parallel side walls 12, and spaced parallel end walls 
13. A mounting flange 14 is mounted coextensively to a peripheral bottom 
edge of the side and end walls, as illustrated in FIG. 1. A plurality of 
flange openings 15 directed through the mounting flange 14 permits 
securement of the mounting flange to an underlying internal combustion 
engine head member 20, of a type a illustrated in FIG. 7. 
An oil filled plug member 16 is mounted within the top wall 11 permitting 
access into the housing to direct oil therein, as well as a further access 
opening 17 accommodating such utility structure as a pollution control 
valve and the like. 
A plurality of cylindrical tube members 18 spaced apart a predetermined 
spacing orthogonally mounted to the top wall 11, wherein each of the tube 
members 18 defined a through-extending conduit that is coaxially aligned 
with a fulcrum boss 21 of an associated rocker arm 19 of the internal 
combustion engine head member. Each fulcrum boss includes an adjustment 
nut 22. Each tube member 18 accordingly includes an externally threaded 
boss plug 24 cooperative with internal threads 23 formed within the tube 
member 18, whereupon removal of each boss plug 24 permits acces by a 
socket wrench and the like through each tube member 18 permitting 
adjustment of the adjustment nut 22 of each rocker arm 19. The cylindrical 
tube members 18 are spaced apart the predetermined spacing equal to the 
predetermined spacing between the fulcrum bosses 21 of each rocker arm. 
Accordingly, a tube member 18 is aligned with an associated rocker arm 
fulcrum boss 21, as illustrated in FIG. 7 for example. Further, a sealing 
"O" ring 25 is optionally provided and mounted about each boss plug 24 to 
effect a sealing between the boss plug 24 and an upper end portion of each 
tube member 18. 
FIG. 3 illustrates a modified cover apparatus 10a utilizing a sealing plate 
26. The sealing plate 26 is longitudinally and medially aligned relative 
to the top wall 11 of the housing and is orthogonally oriented relative to 
each end wall 13. A plate extension leg 27 is longitudinally aligned with 
the sealing plate 26 and extends beyond each end of the sealing plate 26 
and beyond each associated end wall 13. A locking loop 28 pivotally 
mounted to each end wall 13 is positionable over each extension leg 27. 
Each locking loop 28 is pivotally mounted to a plurality of spaced 
parallel flanges 29 as the locking loop 28 is of a "U" shaped 
configuration, with each leg of the locking loop pivotally mounted within 
a respective flange 29 of the plurality of flanges. Sealing plug "O"rings 
31 are provided in surrounding relationship relative to each sealing plug 
30 that is spaced apart the predetermined spacing equal to the 
predetermined spacing between the tube members 18, as illustrated in FIG. 
4. 
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a further modified apparatus 10b including a 
modified sealing plate housing 32 that includes a plate housing top wall 
33, with the plate extension legs 27 extending longitudinally onto each 
plate housing end wall 36 and orthogonally aligned relative to each end 
wall 13 of the valve cover housing. The extension legs 27 are secured by 
the locking loops 28, as discussed above. 
The plate housing top wall 33 includes a top wall conduit tube 34 fixedly 
mounted to the top wall defining a conduit therethrough in communication 
with a plate housing central housing 35 extending longitudinally of the 
sealing plate housing 32 between the plate housing end walls 36. A plug 
tube 37 formed within the plate housing 32 extends downwardly therefrom, 
wherein each plug tube 37 is spaced apart the predetermined spacing and is 
received within an associated tube member 18. Each plug tube 37 defines a 
feed conduit 38 in fluid communication with the plate housing central 
conduit 35 which in turn is in communication with the top wall conduit 
tube 34. A fill housing 39 is threadedly secured to an upper terminal end 
of the top wall conduit tube 34. The fill housing 39 includes a fill 
housing cap 40 removably mounted relative to a top wall of the fill 
housing 39, wherein the fill housing includes a bottom wall that is 
threadedly mounted relative to the top wall conduit tube 34. In this 
manner, oil additive or oil filling is directed through the fill housing 
39 and directed through each feed conduit 38 to direct oil and additive 
over each fulcrum boss 21 to provide lubrication to each rocker arm 19, as 
well as directing oil into the rocker arms. In this manner, not only is 
oil directed into the rocker arm, but an additive may be mounted within 
the fill housing 39 to direct an oil additive to the fulcrum bosses of 
each rocker arm during operation of the internal combustion engine. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further 
discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation of the instant 
invention shall be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.