Ancillary valve rocker means

According to the depicted embodiment, the novel ancillary valve rocker means comprises an ancillary valve rocker which is mountable atop the standard valve rocker, and which has a longer pivot arm, and first and second rods which communicate movement from the standard valve rocker to one end of the ancillary valve rocker, and translate the movement into a greater translation of the valve rod. The first and second rods, secondary push rods, are more widely spaced apart, whereat they engage the ancillary valve rocker than where they engage the standard valve rocker and valve rod end, and this together with the longer "reach" of the ancillary valve rocker causes the valve rod to move through an exaggerated translation. The inventive rocker means are adjustable, whereby the amount of valve rod movement may be selectively determined.

This invention pertains to valve rocker assemblies, and in particular to 
means for modifying or altering the operation of valve rocker assemblies. 
Particularly in automobile engines for sport racing, it is desirable to 
alter the dwell time during which intake and/or exhaust valves remain 
open. Now, while many types of modifications might be undertaken to effect 
such alteration, it is more desirable and less expensive to be able to 
simply retrofit the standard valve rocker assembly with a modification 
kit. 
It is an object of this invention to set forth a novel means which greatly 
simplifies valve rocker performance modification. 
It is particularly an object of this invention to disclose an ancillary 
valve rocker means, for use with a standard valve rocker assembly which 
has a given valve rocker, and a push rod operable therewith for cyclically 
translating a valve rod, the novel, ancillary valve rocker means 
comprising an ancillary valve rocker; means for mounting said ancillary 
valve rocker atop a given valve rocker; first rod means slidably engaged 
with said mounting means for causing a first end thereof to effect a 
contacting engagement with a first end of said ancillary rocker, and to 
cause a second end of said first rod means to effect a contacting 
engagement thereof with a first end of any underlying, given valve rocker 
atop of which said ancillary valve rocker means is caused to be mounted; 
and second rod means slidably engaged with said mounting means for causing 
a first end of said second rod means to effect a contacting engagement 
thereof with a second end of said ancillary rocker, and to cause a second 
end of said second rod means to effect a contacting engagement thereof 
with an exposed end of any underlying valve rod; wherein said mounting 
means comprises means supporting said ancillary valve rocker on an axis 
lying intermediate said first and ends of said ancillary valve rocker, and 
means disposing said first ends of said first and second rod means a first 
distance therebetween, and said second ends of said first and second rod 
means a distance therebetween which is less than said first distance, 
whereby a movement of such a first end of any given, underlying valve 
rocker through a given arc is converted into movement of said second end 
of said ancillary valve rocker through an arc greater than said given arc, 
to cause said second end of said second rod means to effect an exaggerated 
translation of any underlying valve rod with which said second rod means 
is engaged.

As shown in the figures, the inventive ancillary valve rocker means 10 
comprises a mounting plate 12 having a support limb 14 extending 
therefrom. Limb 14 is provided for fixing the mounting plate 12 to an 
engine housing or the like. The mounting plate 12 has a pair of rod holes 
16 and 18 in which secondary push rods 20 and 22 are slidably received. In 
addition, the mounting plate 12 has a post hole 24 formed therethrough to 
receive a mounting post 26. 
According to my invention, the original mounting post for the "standard" 
valve rocker 28 is supplanted with mounting post 26--in order that the 
ancillary valve rocker 30 may be fixed in place. Alteratively, of course, 
the original mounting post may accept an extension (on which to fix the 
ancillary valve rocker). 
Mounting post 26 slidably receives a round bearing 32 which traverses and 
bridges across a void 34 formed in the ancillary valve rocker 30. The void 
is provided to allow the rocker 30 to slue through the desired arc in 
response to the forces addressed thereto by the rods 20 and 22. 
As the "standard" valve rocker 28 is rocked in a first direction by the 
"standard" push rod 36, it engages one of the secondary push rods 20. The 
latter engages a first end of the ancillary valve rocker 30, causing the 
rocker 30 to move through a wide arc. The opposite end of the rocker 30 
engages the second of the secondary push rods 22, and the latter is 
engaged with the exposed end of the valve rod 38. 
It will be evident that, as the second end 40 of the ancillary valve rocker 
30 defines a greater "reach" than the corresponding end of the valve 
rocker 28, end 40 will move through a greater arc. Consequently, for a 
given movement of the original valve rocker 28, the valve rod 38 will be 
translated through an exaggerated movement. The secondary push rods 20 and 
22 are more widely spaced apart at their uppermost ends in order that the 
benefit of the greater slue of end 40 can be realized--and transmitted to 
the valve rod 38. 
The angulations of the rods 20 and 22, and the length of the ancillary 
valve rocker 30, the location of its rocking axis, etc., are all matters 
of designer's choice. That is, the invention is not limited to any give 
dimensions, spacings, etc. Rather, all such alterations of dimensions, 
angulations, etc., are considered to be within the ambit of my invention 
and suggested thereby. In this connection, finite adjustment of the 
response of the invention may be made by means of the adjusting nut 42 
which is fixed to a threaded end of post 26 and which constrains a 
compression spring 44 and washer 46 therebelow against the lowermost 
surface of ancillary valve rocker 30. Other adjustment means perhaps will 
suggest themselves to those skilled in this art, in the light of my 
disclosure. Too, to accommodate the translation of the working end of rod 
22, it is my teaching to slot the outermost end of the right-hand (per 
FIG. 4) end of the original valve rocker 28. The slot 48 has sufficient 
length to receive the rod 22 in all of its relative angulations. 
Alternatively an elongated hole could have been provided. Now, if it 
desired to omit having to bore or slot the valve rocker 28, an alternative 
embodiment of my invention can be practiced by employing a rod 22 which 
has a wide, laterally disposed, U-shaped bend therein--which bend will 
circumvent the "working" end of the valve rocker 28, and reach in 
therebelow to engage the end of valve rod 38. Accordingly, while I have 
described my invention in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, 
it is to be clearly understood that this is done only by way of example 
and not as a limitation to the scope of my invention as set forth in the 
objects thereof and in the appended claims.