VALVE MOVING MECHANISM FOR FOUR-CYCLE ENGINE

Abstract: A valve moving mechanism for a four-cycle engine of a vehicle is operatively connected to a crank shaft (c) of the engine and adapted to move intake and exhaust valves (1, 2). A cam shaft (6) of the valve moving mechanism is operatively connected to the crank shaft (c) and cam means including first (3), second (4) and third (5) cams is mounted on the cam shaft (6), the second (4) and third (5) cams having outer profiles different from that of the first cam (3) disposed between the second (4) and third (5) cams. Rocker arm means is mounted to be rotatable on the rocker shaft (11) supported to be rotatable and includes first (7), second (8) and third (9) rocker arms driven in engagement with the first (3), second (4) and third (5) cams, respectively. The rocker arm means is operatively connected to the intake and exhaust valves (1, 2), the first, second and third rocker arms having supporting bases (7a, 8a, 9a) mounted on the rocker shaft (11). Bush means (12, 13) is mounted on the rocker shaft (11) to be selectively in engagement with the first (7), second (8) and third (9) rocker arms and has an axis eccentric with an axis of the rocker shaft (11).

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a four-cycle engine and more particularly to a valve moving mechanism for driving intake or exhaust valves of a four-cycle engine. Ordinarily, in a four-cycle engine mounted on a vehicle such as a automobile or motorcycle, intake or exhaust valves are disposed above a combustion chamber and are driven by a valve moving mechanism. The valve moving mechanism has a cam shaft interlocked with a crank shaft of the engine and the intake and exhaust valves are moved upward and downward with predetermined timings by cams formed on the cam shaft. It is desirable for a four-cycle engine to have a large output in a wide range of engine speed including low and middle-high speed ranges, i.e., to have a wide-range power band. To this end, systems have been developed wherein a plurality of cams are mounted on a cam shaft. In these systems, the cams are brought into play by various means, whereby a cam of a profile appropriate to the current speed of the engine is operable to control the valve lift. In particular, DE-A-3119133 discloses an arrangement wherein one of two cams is brought into play by a change-over arrangement involving the use of a separate rocker for each cam. The rockers have a common rotatable rocker arm but one of them is carried on a length of the rocker arm which is eccentric to that carrying the other. DE-A-3613945 discloses an arrangement wherein high and low speed cams are provided together with a locking device, the locking device being operable, under high speed engine operation, to lock together releasably the rockers associated with the high and low speed cams. DE-A-276531, which forms the basis for the classifying portion of claim 1, discloses an arrangement involving low-speed, medium-speed and high-speed cams. Cam followers associated with each of these cams may be interconnected such that the intake valves may be operated selectively by the low-speed, medium-speed or high-speed cam or some combinations thereof. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to substantially improve the defects or drawbacks encountered to the conventional technology described above and to provide a valve moving mechanism particularly for a four-cycle engine of a vehicle capable of improving the output in a wide range of the engine speed including low and middle-high speed ranges. This and other objects can be achieved according to the present invention by providing a valve moving mechanism for a four-cycle engine of a vehicle operatively connected to a crank shaft (C) of the engine and adapted to move intake or exhaust valves comprising: intake or exhaust valve means; a cam shaft operatively connected to the crank shaft; cam means including first, second and third cams mounted on said cam shaft, said second and third cams having outer profiles different from that of said first cam disposed between said second and third cams; rocker arm means mounted to be rotatable on a rocker shaft and including a first rocker arm and independent second and third rocker arms, respectively, said rocker arm means being operatively connected to the intake or exhaust valve means which are simultaneously directly or indirectly engaged by two diverging ends of the first rock arm, said intake or exhaust valve means being disposed on rocking planes of said second and third rocker arms, said first, second and third rocker arms having supporting bases mounted on said rocker shaft, characterised in that said second and third rocker arms have front ends lying in series with the diverging ends of the first rocker arm on an axial line of a valve stem; the rocker shaft is supported to be rotatable, and bush means mounted on said rocker shaft and having an axis eccentric with an axis of said rocker shaft, either said second and third rocker arms or said first rocker arm being rotatably mounted on the bush means fitted on the rocker shaft, whereby said second and third rocker arms and said first rocker arm are selectively in engagement with said second and third cams and said first cam of the cam shaft so that said intake or exhaust valve means are simultaneously operated either by said second and third rocker arms together or solely by the first rocker arm. In preferred embodiments, in one aspect, the first rocker arm is provided with divergent front ends directly abutting against top portions of the intake or exhaust valves, the second and third rocker arms are provided with front ends abutting against the divergent front ends of the first cam to move the valves by the first cam, and the supporting bases of the second and third rocker arms are moved upward relative to the supporting base of the first rocker arm by the rotation of the eccentric large-diameter portions based on rotating the rocker shaft by a predetermined angle so that the abutment of the first rocker arm against the first cam is cancelled while the second and third rocker arms are brought into abutment against the second and third cams to move the valves by the second and third cams. In another aspect, the second and third rocker arms are provided with front ends directly abutting against top portions of the intake or exhaust valves, the first rocker arm is provided with divergent front ends abutting against the front ends of the second and third rocker arms and the bush means is operatively engaged with the supporting bases of the second and third rocker arms. In this embodiment, the support portions of the second and third rocker arms are moved downward relative to the supporting base of the first rocker arm by the rotation of the eccentric large-diameter portions based on rotating the rocker shaft by a predetermined angle so that the abutment of the second and third rocker arms against the second and third cams are cancelled while the first rocker arm is brought into abutment against the first cam to move the valves by the first cam, and the supporting bases of the second and third rocker arms are respectively moved upward relative to the supporting base of the first rocker arm by the rotation of the eccentric large-diameter portions based on rotating the rocker shaft by a predetermined angle so that the abutment of the first rocker arm against the first cam is cancelled while the second and third rocker arms are respectively brought into abutment against the second and third cams to move the valves by the second and third cams. In a further aspect, the first rocker arm is provided with divergent front ends directly abutting against top portions of the intake or exhaust valves, the second and third rocker arms are provided with front ends abutting against the divergent front ends of the first rocker arm and the bush means is operatively engaged with the supporting base of the first rocker arms. In this embodiment, the supporting base of the first rocker arm is moved downward relative to the supporting bases of the second and third rocker arms by the rotation of the eccentric large-diameter portion based on rotating the rocker shaft by a predetermined angle so that the abutment of the first rocker arm against the first cam is cancelled while the second and third rocker arms are brought into abutment against the second and third cams to move the valves by the second and third cams, and the supporting base of the first rocker arm is moved upward relative to the supporting bases of the second and third rocker arms by the rotation of the eccentric large-diameter portion based on rotating the rocker shaft by a predetermined angle so that the abutment of the second and third rocker arms against the second and third cams is cancelled while the first rocker arm is brought into abutment against the first cam to move the valves by the first cam. In a still further aspect, the second and third rocker arms are provided with front ends directly abutting against top portions of the intake and exhaust valves, the first rocker arm is provided with divergent front ends abutting against the front ends of the second and third rocker arms and the bush means is operatively engaged with the supporting base of the first rocker arms. In this embodiment, the supporting base of the first rocker arm is moved downward relative to the supporting bases of the second and third rocker arms by the rotation of the eccentric large-diameter portion based on rotating the rocker shaft by a predetermined angle so that the abutment of the first rocker arm against the first cam is cancelled while the second and third rocker arms are brought into abutment against the second and third cams to move the valves by the second and third cams, and the supporting base of the first rocker arm is moved upward relative to the supporting bases of the second and third rocker arms by the rotation of the eccentric large-diameter portion based on rotating the rocker shaft by a predetermined angle so that the abutment of the second and third rocker arms against the second and third cams is cancelled while the first rocker arm is brought into abutment against the first cam to move the valves by the first cam. The mechanism according to the present invention has two types of valve driving cams having different profiles. One of these cams to be used can be selected by rotating the rocker shaft by a predetermined angle. If one of these cams has a profile suitable for driving in a low engine speed range while the other has a profile suitable for driving in a middle-high engine speed range, the output from the four-cycle engine can be improved over a wide rotational speed range covering the low and middle-high speed ranges. In the valve moving mechanism of the present invention, the selection of the cams is effected by rotating the eccentric large-diameter portion, and there is therefore no risk of application of large stresses to respective portions, thereby enabling each cam to be selected smoothly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment in the first aspect of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a valve moving mechanism in accordance with this embodiment; Figs. 3 and 4 are moving state diagrams showing the operation of this embodiment; Fig. 5 is a plan view of another embodiment in the second aspect of the present invention; Figs. 6 and 7 are moving state diagrams showing the operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a plan view of a still another embodiment in the third aspect of the present invention; Figs. 9 and 10 are moving state diagrams showing the operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a plan view of a further embodiment in the fourth aspect of the present invention; Figs. 12 and 13 are moving state diagrams showing the operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 11; and Figs. 14 to 16 are graphs representing the valve lift characteristics, respectively. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 schematically shows essential portions of a valve moving mechanism according to the present invention. Two valve moving mechanisms of this type are respectively provided on the intake and exhaust sides of one cylinder of an engine. Accordingly, valves 1 and 2 shown in Fig. 1 are provided to effect intake or exhaust, accordingly, as an intake valve and an exhaust valve. This embodiment has a cam shaft 6 operatively connected to a crank shaft C of an engine and having a cam 3 and cams 4 and 5 respectively positioned at two sides of the cam 3, rocker arms 7, 8 and 9 respectively disposed below the cams 3, 4, and 5, and a rocker shaft 11 around which supporting bases 7a, 8a and 9a of the rocker arms 7, 8 and 9 are fitted and which is rotatably supported by unillustrated bearings. The rocker arm 7 has two extreme end portions diverging in two directions, and two diverging ends 7b respectively abut against stem head portions of the valves 8 and 9 for closing the combustion chamber of the unillustrated engine. The supporting base 8a of the rocker arm 8 is rotatably fitted around the rocker shaft 11 with a bush 12 larger than the rocker shaft in diameter interposed therebetween. The axis of the bush 12 is off-centered from the axis of the rocker shaft 11, and the bush 12 is fixed to the shaft 11 by an unillustrated pin. The bush 12 functions as an eccentric large-diameter portion of the cam shaft 11. As shown in Fig. 2, the supporting base 9a of the rocker shaft 9 is also rotatably fitted around the rocker shaft 11 with a bush 13 interposed therebetween. The Bush 13 has the same shape and is off-centered in the same direction as the bush 12. Lower surfaces of extreme end portions of the rocker arms 8 and 9 abut against the diverging extreme end portions 7b of the rocker arm 7. If a cam follower surface 7c of the rocker arm 7 is depressed to move the extreme end portions 7b downward, the extreme end portions of the rocker arms 8 and 9 move downward by following the downward movement of the extreme end portions 7b. If cam follower surfaces 8c and 9c of the rocker arms 8 and 9 are depressed, the extreme end portions of the arms 8 and 9 depress the extreme end portions 7b of the rocker arm 7, thereby forcibly moving the extreme end portions 7b downward. Of the cams 3, 4, and 5, the cams 4 and 5 have identical profiles, and the cam 3 has a profile different from that of the cams 4 and 5. The profile of the cam 3 is determined so as to obtain a valve lift suitable for operation of the engine in a low speed range. The profile of the cams 4 and 5 is determined so as to obtain a valve lift suitable for engine operation in a middle-high speed range. These valve lifts correspond to stroke lengths of the valves 1 and 2. In Fig. 14 a letter ℓa represents valve lift based on the drive of the cam 3 and a letter ℓb represents the valve lift based on the drive of the cams 4 and 5. As is apparent from Fig. 14, the cam profiles are determined so that the valve lift obtained by the cams 4 and 5 is larger than that obtained by the cam 3. The operation of this embodiment will be described hereunder. An engine revolution sensor 17 detects the engine speed and outputs a signal corresponding to the engine speed. A motor drive circuit 18 shown in Fig. 18 determines by comparison as to whether the engine speed represented by the value of the signal output from the sensor 17 is in the low speed range or in the middle-high speed range. If the engine speed is in the low speed range, a motor 15 is driven to rotate the rocker shaft 11 so that the eccentric bushes 12 and 13 are set in rotational positions shown in Fig. 3. If the engine speed is in the middle-high speed range, the motor 15 is driven to rotate the rocker shaft 11 so that the eccentric bushes 12 and 13 are set in rotational positions shown in Fig. 4. In the state shown in Fig. 3, top portions 12a and 13a of the eccentric bushes 12 and 13 are at lower positions such that the supporting bases 8a and 9a of the rocker arms 8 and 9 are moved downward relative to the supporting base 7a of the rocker arm 7. A gap t is thereby formed between the peripheral surfaces of the cams 4 and 5 and the cam follower surfaces 8c and 9c of the rocker arms 8 and 9. Consequently, the cams 4 and 5 rotate while striking at the air. On the other hand, since the rocker arm 7 is always lifted by being swung upward on the axis of the rocker shaft 11 by an urging force of a valve spring 16, the cam follower surface 7c of the rocker arm 7 abuts against the peripheral surface of the cam 3. As a consequent, as the cam shaft 6 rotates, the valves 1 and 2 are moved up and down in accordance with the lift characteristic A shown in Fig. 14. That is, the valves 8 and 9 are moved to open or close the combustion chamber with the valve lift suitable for the low engine speed range. In the state shown in Fig. 4, the top portions 12a and 13a of the eccentric bushes 12 and 13 are at upper positions such that the supporting bases 8a and 9a of the rocker arms 8 and 9 are moved upward relative to the supporting base 7a of the rocker arm 7, and that the cam follower surfaces 8c and 9c of the rocker arms 8 and 9 respectively abut against the peripheral surfaces of the cams 4 and 5. As shown in Fig. 14, the cams 4 and 5 are formed so as to have a larger cam lift in comparison with the cam 3. Consequently, in the state shown in Fig. 4, as the cam shaft 6 is rotated, the cam 3 rotates while striking at the air, while the cams 4 and 5 respectively drive the rocker shaft 7 through the rocker shafts 8 and 9. As a result, the valves 1 and 2 are moved to open or close the combustion chamber with the valve lift suitable for the middle-high engine speed range, i.e., in accordance with the lift characteristic B shown in Fig. 14. In the above-described embodiment, the profiles of the cams 4 and 5 may be changed so as to obtain valve lift characteristics B' and B'' such as those shown in Figs. 15 and 16 during operation in the middle-high engine speed range. One of the rocker arms 8 and 9 shown in Fig. 2 may be omitted. In such a case, however, a pressing force cannot be uniformly applied to the extreme end portions of the rocker arms 7 and there is therefore a risk of occurrence of a difference between the lifts of the valves 1 and 2. During the racing rotation of the cams 4 and 5, there is a risk of the rocker arms 8 and 9 freely moving and generating noise. To avoid this problem, a suitable spring means may be used to urge the rocker arms 8 and 9 counterclockwisely as viewed in Fig. 3 based on the rocker arm 7. The lower surfaces of the extreme end portions of the rocker arms 8 and 9 can be thereby forcibly made to abut against the extreme end portions 7b of the rocker arm 7, thereby enabling the rocker arms 8 and 9 to follow the movement of the rocker arm 7. It is thereby possible to prevent occurrence of noise owing to uncontrolled movement of the rocker arms 8 and 9. Fig. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. Components of this embodiment identical to those shown in Fig. 1 are indicated by the same reference numerals, and corresponding components are indicated by corresponding numerals with primes. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, extreme end portions of rocker arms 8' and 9' directly abut against stem head portions of valves 1 and 2, while diverging extreme end portions 7b' of a rocker arm 7' respectively abut against upper surfaces of the extreme end portions of the rocker arms 8' and 9'. Fig. 6 shows a state in which top portions 12a and 13a of eccentric bushes 12 and 13 face downward, and Fig. 7 shows a state in which the top portions 12a and 13a of the eccentric bushes 12 and 13 face upward. The states shown in Figs. 6 and 7 are set by controlling the rotation of the rocker shaft 11 with the motor 15 shown in Fig. 1. When the bushes 12 and 13 are at the rotational position shown in Fig. 6, a cam follower surface 7a' of the rocker arm 7' abuts against the cam 3 while cam follower surfaces 8a' and 9c' of the rocker arms 8' and 9' are spaced apart from the cams 4 and 5. The motion of the rocker arm 7' caused by the rotation of the cam 3 is transmitted to the valves 1 and 2 through the rocker arms 8' and 9', respectively, thereby moving the valves 1 and 2 for valve opening or closing in accordance with the characteristic A shown in Fig. 14. On the other hand, when the bushes 12 and 13 are at the rotational position shown in Fig. 7, the cam follower surface 7a' of the rocker arm 7' is spaced apart from the cam 3 while the cam follower surfaces 8c' and 9c' of the rocker arms 8' and 9' abut against the cams 4 and 5, respectively. Consequently, the motions of the rocker arms 8' and 9' caused by the rotation of the cams 4 and 5 are directly transmitted to the valves 1 and 2, respectively, thereby moving the valves 1 and 2 for valve opening or closing in accordance with the characteristic B shown in Fig. 14. At this time, the cam 7' moves by the self-weight so as to follow the rocker arms 108' and 109'. In this embodiment, in the state shown in Fig. 7, there is a risk of the rocker arm 7' freely moving. It is therefore preferable to urge the rocker arm 7' counterclockwisely with a suitable spring means on the rocker arms 8' or 9'. The extreme end portion of the arm 7' can be thereby pressed against the extreme end portions of the arms 8' and 9', thereby enabling the arm 7' to move by following the arms 8' and 9'. It is thereby possible to prevent occurrence of noise owing to free movement of the arm 7'. Fig. 8 shows a still another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment has a cam shaft 106 having a cam 104 and cams 103B and 103A respectively positioned at two sides of the cam 104, rocker arms 107, 108 and 109 respectively disposed below the cams 104, 103A and 103B, and a rocker shaft 11 around which supporting bases 107a, 108a and 109a of the rocker arms 107, 108 and 109 are fitted and which is rotatably supported by unillustrated bearings. The cam 104 has the same cam profile as that of the cam 4 shown in Fig. 1 and the cams 103A and 103B have the same cam profile as that of the cam 3 shown in Fig. 1. The rocker arm has two extreme end portions diverging in two directions, as in the case of the rocker arm 7 shown in Fig. 1, and two diverging ends 107b respectively abut against stem head portions of the valves 101 and 102. The supporting base 107a of the rocker arm 107 is rotatably fitted around the rocker shaft 111 with a bush 112 larger than the rocker shaft 111 in diameter interposed therebetween. The bush 112 has the same contour as the bush 12 shown in Fig. 1 and is fixed to the shaft 111 by means of a pin or the like so as to have an eccentricity relative to the axis of the rocker shaft 111, as shown in Fig. 9. The bush 112 functions as an eccentric large-diameter portion of the cam shaft 111. The supporting bases 108a and 109a of the rocker arms 108 and 109 are rotatably supported on portions of the rocker shaft 111 other than the eccentric large-diameter portion of the same. Lower surfaces of extreme end portions of the rocker arms 108 and 109 respectively abut against the extreme end portions 107b of the rocker arm 107. The operation of this embodiment will be described below. The rocker shaft 111 is rotated through a predetermined angle by the motor 15 shown in Fig. 1. That is, if the engine speed detected by the sensor 17 shown in Fig. 1 is in a low speed range, the rocker shaft 111 is rotated so that a top portion 112a of the eccentric bush 112 faces downward as shown in Fig. 9. If the engine speed is in a middle-high speed range, the rocker shaft 111 is rotated so that the top portion 112a of the eccentric bush 112 faces upward as shown in Fig. 10. In the state shown in Fig. 9, the top portion 112a of the eccentric bush 112 is at a lower position such that the support portion 107a of the rocker arm 107 is moved downward relative to the supporting bases 108a and 109a of the rocker arms 108 and 109. Consequently, the abutment of the cam follower surface 107a of the rocker arm 107b against the peripheral surface of the cam 104 is cancelled, thereby making the cam 104 rotating while striking at the air. On the other hand, since the rocker arms 108 and 109 are always lifted by being swung upward on the axis of the rocker shaft 111 by an urging force of a valve spring 116, cam follower surfaces 108c and 109c of the rocker arms 108 and 109 abut against the peripheral surfaces of the cams 103A and 103B. Consequently, as the cam shaft 106 rotates, the valves 101 and 102 are moved up and down in accordance with the lift characteristic A shown in Fig. 14. That is, the valves 101 and 102 are moved to open or close the combustion chamber with the valve lift suitable for the low engine speed range. In the state shown in Fig. 10, the top portion 112a of the eccentric bush 112 is at an upper position such that the support portion 107a of the rocker arm 108 is moved upward relative to the supporting bases 108a and 109a of the rocker arms 108 and 109. A cam follower surface 107c of the rocker arm 107 is thereby brought into abutment against the peripheral surface of the cam 104. Consequently, as the cam shaft 106 rotates, the cams 103A and 103B rotate while striking at the air, while the cam 104 drives the rocker shaft 107. As a result, the valves 101 and 102 are moved to open or close the combustion chamber in accordance with the lift characteristic B shown in Fig. 14, i.e., with the valve lift suitable for the middle-high engine speed range. In the above-described embodiment, one of the rocker arms 108 and 109 may be omitted. In such a case, however, a pressing force cannot be uniformly applied to the extreme end portions 107b of the rocker arms 107, and there is therefore a risk of occurrence of a difference between the lifts of the valves 101 and 102. In the state shown in Fig. 10, there is a risk of the rocker arms 108 and 109 freely moving and generating noise. In this embodiment, therefore, a suitable spring means is used to urge the extreme end portions of the rocker arms 108 and 109 toward the extreme end portions 107b of the rocker arm 107, thereby preventing occurrence of noise owing to free movement of the rocker arms 108 and 109. Fig. 11 shows a further embodiment of the present invention. Components of this embodiment identical to those shown in Fig. 8 are indicated by the same reference numerals and corresponding components are indicated by corresponding numerals with primes. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 12, extreme end portions of rocker arms 108' and 109' directly abut against stem head portions of valves 101 and 102, while diverging extreme end portions 107b' of a rocker arm 107' respectively abut against upper surfaces of the extreme end portions of the rocker arms 108' and 109'. Fig. 12 shows a state in which a top portion 112a of an eccentric bush 112 faces downward and Fig. 13 shows a state in which the top portion 112 faces upward. The states shown in Figs. 12 and 13 are set by controlling the rotation of the rocker shaft 111 with the motor 15 shown in Fig. 1. When the bush 112 is at the rotational position shown in Fig. 12, cam follower surfaces 108c' and 109c' of the rocker arms 108' and 109' abut against the cams 103A and 103B while a cam follower surface 107c' of the rocker arm 107' is spaced apart from the cam 104. Consequently, as the cams 103A' and 103B' are rotated, the motions of the rocker arms 108' and 109' are directly transmitted to the valves 101 and 102, respectively, thereby effecting lift motions of the valves 101 and 102 in accordance with the characteristic A shown in Fig. 14. At this time, the cam 107' moves by its weight so as to follow the rocker arms 108' and 109'. When the bush 112 is at the rotational position shown in Fig. 13, the cam follower surfaces 108c and 109c of the rocker arms 108' and 109' are spaced apart from the cams 103A' and 103B' while the cam follower surface 107c of the rocker arm 107' abuts against the cam 104. Consequently, the motion of the rocker arm 107' caused by the rotation of the cam 104 is transmitted to the valves 101 and 102 through the extreme end portions of the rocker arms 108 and 109, respectively, thereby effecting lift motions of the valves 101 and 102 in accordance with the characteristic B shown in Fig. 14. In the state shown in Fig. 12, there is a risk of the rocker arm 107' freely moving. In this embodiment, therefore, a suitable spring means (not shown) is used to urge the extreme end portions 107b' of the rocker arm 107' against the extreme end portions 108' and 109', thereby preventing occurrence of noise owing to free movement of the rocker arm 107'. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 and 11, the profile of the cam 104 may be changed so as to enable the valves 101 and 102 to be lifted in accordance with the lift characteristics B' and B'' shown in Figs. 15 and 16 during operation in the middle-high engine speed range. In each of the above-described embodiments, the motor 15 shown in Fig. 1 is used as a rotational drive source for the rocker shafts. Alternatively, a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder may be used as the drive source. In such a case, a rack and a pinion are used as a power transmitting means.

Claims: A valve moving mechanism for a four-cycle engine of a vehicle operatively connected to a crank shaft (C) of the engine and adapted to move intake or exhaust valves (1,2) comprising: intake or exhaust valve means; a cam shaft (6) operatively connected to the crank shaft; cam means including first, second and third cams (3,4,5) mounted on said cam shaft, said second and third cams (4,5) having outer profiles different from that of said first cam (3) disposed between said second and third cams; rocker arm means mounted to be rotatable on a rocker shaft and including a first rocker arm (7) and independent second and third rocker arms (8,9), respectively, said rocker arm means being operatively connected to the intake or exhaust valve means which are simultaneously directly or indirectly engaged by two diverging ends (7b) of the first rock arm, said intake or exhaust valve means being disposed on rocking planes of said second and third rocker arms, said first, second and third rocker arms having supporting bases (7a,8a,9a) mounted on said rocker shaft, characterised in that said second and third rocker arms have front ends lying in series with the diverging ends (7b) of the first rocker arm on an axial line of a valve stem; the rocker shaft (11) is supported to be rotatable, and bush means (12,13) mounted on said rocker shaft and having an axis eccentric with an axis of said rocker shaft (11), either said second and third rocker arms or said first rocker arm being rotatably mounted on the bush means fitted on the rocker shaft, whereby said second and third rocker arms and said first rocker arm are selectively in engagement with said second and third cams and said first cam of the cam shaft so that said intake or exhaust valve means are simultaneously operated either by said second and third rocker arms together or solely by the first rocker arm. A valve moving mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said first rocker arm (7) is provided with divergent front ends (7b) directly abutting against end portions of said intake or exhaust valves (1,2) said second and third rocker arms (8,9) are provided with front ends abutting against the divergent front ends of said first rocker arm and said bush means (12,13) is operatively engaged with the supporting bases (8a,9a) of said second and third rocker arms. A valve moving mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said second and third rocker arms (8,9) are provided with front ends directly abutting against end portions of said intake or exhaust valves (1,2) said first rocker arm (7) is provided with divergent front ends (7b) abutting against the front ends of said second and third rocker arms and said bush means (12,13) is operatively engaged with the supporting bases (8a,9a) of said second and third rocker arms. A valve moving mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said first rocker arm (7) is provided with divergent front ends (7b) directly abutting against end portions of said intake or exhaust valves (1,2) said second and third rocker arms (8,9) are provided with front ends abutting against the divergent front ends (7b) of said first rocker arm and said bush means (12,13) is operatively engaged with the supporting base (7a) of said first rocker arm. A valve moving mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said second and third rocker arms (8,9) are provided with front ends directly abutting against end portions of said intake or exhaust valves (1,2) said first rocker arm (7) is provided with divergent front ends (7b) abutting against the front ends of said second and third rocker arms and said bush means (12,13) is operatively engaged with the supporting base (7a) of said first rocker arm.

Inventors: SHINKAI, TATSUYA
Applicants: SUZUKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1990
Main classification: F01L1
IPC codes: F01L1, F02B75, F01L13