Abstract:
A valve keeper verification tool is provided. The tool may include: an elongated body having two ends; an axial hole in one end of the body dimensioned to fit over a valve stem; and structure surrounding the hole dimensioned to contact at least one keeper of a retainer for an engine valve, wherein the tool is angled near the hole between about 10 and about 25 degrees. A method of checking to ensure a valve retaining keeper is in place may also be provided. The method may include: inserting a valve stem into a hole in a valve keeper verification tool; moving the valve keeper verification tool against a keeper; and applying a force against the keeper.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a tool for testing components of an engine valve. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tool for testing the keepers of a retainer for an engine valve in an internal combustion engine. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Internal combustion engines include valves. The valves may have a valve stem which extends through a spring. The spring is retained by a retainer and keepers that have a detent that fit into a notch or groove in the valve stem. In order to work on or maintain the valve, the keepers may be removed. To remove the keepers, the valve spring is compressed to allow the keepers to be removed from the retainer. With the keepers displaced, the retainer is then removed. 
         [0003]    Once the keepers and retainer are removed from the valve stem, the spring may be accessed. When replacing the retainer and the keepers back into the notch or groove of the valve stem, a valve spring retainer installer tool is often used. However, some valve spring retainer installer tools sometimes do not fully seat the valve keepers on the valve stem in the valve retainer. For example, there are some magnetic valve keeper/valve spring retainer tools that, in particular, do not sometimes fully seat the valve keepers on the valve stem and the valve retainer. 
         [0004]    Not fully seating the keepers on the valve stem and the valve retainer can have adverse affects. For example, when the engines runs, pressure in the cylinder and/or the valve spring can cause the valves to move out of the engine and be displaced if they are not properly retained. As a result, it may be desirable to provide a method and apparatus that can confirm whether the valve keeper is fully seated on the valve stem and the valve spring retainer. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus is provided that in some embodiments a method and apparatus may be provided that allows a technician to ensure that the keeper is properly installed in the retainer and on the valve stem. 
         [0006]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a valve keeper verification tool is provided. The tool may include: an elongated body having two ends; an axial hole in one end of the body dimensioned to fit over a valve stem; and structure surrounding the hole dimensioned to contact at least one keeper of a retainer for an engine valve, wherein the tool is angled near the hole between about 10 and about 25 degrees. 
         [0007]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of checking to ensure a valve retaining keeper is in place may also be provided. The method may include: inserting a valve stem into a hole in a valve keeper verification tool; moving the valve keeper verification tool against a keeper; and applying a force against the keeper. 
         [0008]    In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a valve keeper verification tool may be provided. The tool may include: an elongated body having two ends; and means for engaging a keeper and valve stem located at one end of the body. 
         [0009]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0010]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0011]    As such, 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. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a valve keeper verification tool in accordance with the embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one end of the tool shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIGS. 3-5  are a series of drawings showing a valve keeper verification tool being placed and fully seated on a valve stem in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a side, see-through view of a second embodiment of a valve keeper verification tool seated on a valve stem according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged detail cross-section view of the portion of the tool shown in  FIG. 6 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a see-through side view of various adapters that may be used on the tool shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a see-through side view of various angle portions that may be used in accordance with the valve keeper verification tool shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. Embodiments in accordance with the present invention may provide a valve keeper verification tool and a method for verifying that a valve keeper is properly seated. 
         [0020]    An embodiment in accordance with the present invention includes a valve keeper verification tool  10 . A valve keeper verification tool  10  includes a body  12  or shaft  12 . The tool  10  may be made of steel or any other suitable material and may be coated with a rust or corrosion resistant coating. 
         [0021]    In some embodiments of the invention, the tool  10  may have a circular cross-section as shown in  FIG. 2 . Returning now to  FIG. 1 , the tool  10  has two ends  14 ,  16 . At one end  14  is a handle  18 . The handle  18  may include knurling  19  cut into the body  12  to form the handle  18 . At the other end  16  of the tool  10  there may be an angled portion  22 . The angled portion  22  may be part of a receiving end  20  which is terminated with an engaging end  24 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the end  16  of the tool  10  may include a reduced diameter portion  26  and a hole  28 . The hole  28  may be dimensioned to fit over a valve stem  30  (which will be discussed further below). Engaging end  24  also contains structure that will press against the keepers  32  as will be discussed further below. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 3-5  are a sequence of drawings that illustrate the engaging end  24  of the tool  10  fitting over a valve stem  30  of an engine  31 . As shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , the hole  28  of the engaging end  24  is placed over the valve stem  30  until the engaging end  24  contacts the keepers  32 . Once the engaging end  24  has been fit over the valve stem  30  and engages the keepers  32  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , user may strike the opposite end  14  with a hammer to ensure that the keepers  32  are properly seated. 
         [0024]    A technician can tell if the keepers  32  are properly seated by hearing, seeing and/or feeling how the tool  10  reacts to a hammer blow. For example, if the tool  10  moves axially toward the keepers  32  when the tool  10  is struck axially on the handle end  14 , than the technician will know that the keepers  32  were not seated. If the tool  10  does not move down toward the keepers  32  and may bounce back as a result of the hammer blow, the technician will know that the keepers  32  were properly seated. 
         [0025]    One of ordinary skill in the art will quickly be able to determine how the tool  10  will react to a hammer blow with the keepers  32  are in place and not in place with a little practice. 
         [0026]    Turning now to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of a valve keeper verification tool  10  in accordance with the invention.  FIG. 6  is a see-through view. The threaded connection  38  of the shaft  12  with the angle portion  22  is shown. While a connection  38  includes threads, other types of connections can also be used in accordance with the invention. 
         [0027]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the tool  10  is made of several pieces including the shaft  12  and the angled portion  22 . This is in contrast to the unified embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . The angled portion  22  includes an adapter  40  which contains a hole  42  that is placed over the valve stem  30 . The spring  36  and the retainer  34  which holds the spring  36  in place are shown along with the valve stem  30 , however the engine block is removed for clarity. 
         [0028]    Arrow  7  shows a portion of the tool  10  that is enlarged in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the tool  10  includes the engaging end  24 . The engaging end  24  is connected to an adapter  40 . The adapter  40  and the engaging end  24  may be threaded together or, in other embodiments, may be connected by a friction fit or any other suitable type of connection. The adapter  40  also has a hole  42 . The hole  42  provides a similar function as the hole  28  shown in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The hole  42  is placed over the valve stem  30 , such that the engaging end  24  contacts the keepers  32 . 
         [0029]    The keepers  32  have detent  33  that fits within a groove  35  or a notch  35  in the valve stem  30  as shown in  FIG. 7 . As discussed above, sometimes the detents  33  are not properly placed within the groove  35  or notch  35  of the valve stem  30 . One of the purposes of the tool  10  is to ensure that the detent  33  are located in the groove or notch  35  and the valve stem  30 . Placing the detent  33  in the groove or a notch  35  of the valve stem  30  ensures that the retainer  34  is held in place against the urging of the spring  36 . 
         [0030]    In some instances, striking the tool  10  with a hammer or initiating other some other downward force as shown by the arrows against the keepers  32  may cause the detent  33  to be placed or moved into the groove  35  or notch  35  in the valve stem  30 . If the keepers  32  were not properly seated, they may be moved and thus properly seated as a result of the force transferred onto the keepers  32  from the tool  10 . 
         [0031]    In some embodiments of the invention, different adapters  40  may be used according to various sizes of valve stems  20  which may change from engine to engine. As shown in  FIG. 8 , various adapters  40  are shown. These adapters  40  may be connected to the angle portion  22  as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0032]    Returning to  FIG. 8 , the adapters  40  include holes  42  to be placed over the valve stem  30  and also to include connecting holes  46  for attaching to the angle portion  22 . 
         [0033]    In some embodiments of the invention, the attaching holes  46  may be threaded to attach to corresponding threads on the adapter knob  48  as shown in  FIG. 9  of the angle portion  22 . In other embodiments of the invention, the adapters  40  may attach to an attaching knob  48  of the angle portion  22  with a fiction fit. 
         [0034]    For example, O-rings  44  may be located in the adapters  40  as shown in  FIG. 8  which deform as the adapter knob  48  moves through the attaching hole  46  of the adapters  40 . The deformation of the O-ring  44  may cause a friction connection between adapter  40  and the angle portion  22 . 
         [0035]    In some embodiments of the invention it may be desirable to have the angle portion  22  angled at various different angles in order to avoid interference with various engine components to allow the tool  10  to reach the valves stems  30 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 9  shows examples of various angles that may be associated with angle portions  22 , for example, angles of about 10° through about 25° are shown by example by various angle portions  22 . As discussed below, the angle portions  22  as shown in  FIG. 9  may include a threadable connection  38  and an adapter knob  48 . In some embodiments of the invention, adapter knob  48  may be threaded. While the angles shown in  FIG. 9  show about 10° through about 25° of an angle, other angles including 0° may also be used in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. 
         [0037]    The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.