Patent ID: 6899065

Claim:
In a barrel engine having: an engine housing having a first end and a second end; a elongated power shaft longitudinally disposed in the engine housing and defining a longitudinal axis of the engine; a plurality of cylinders surrounding the longitudinal axis, each cylinder having a closed end and an open end, each cylinder having a central axis, the open ends of the cylinders each being generally directed toward the first end of the housing; an intake system operable to introduce a combustible mixture of air and fuel into each of the cylinders; a track disposed between the first end of the housing and the open ends of the cylinders such that a portion of the track is disposed generally in alignment with the central axis of each of the cylinders, the track having a cain surface that longitudinally undulates with respect to the open ends of the cylinders, a portion of the cam surface being disposed generally in alignment with the central axis of each of the cylinders, the track and the cylinders being rotatable with respect to each other such that the undulating cam surface moves with respect to the open ends of the cylinders; and a piston movably disposed in each of the cylinders such that a combustion chamber is defined between the piston and the closed end of the cylinder, each piston being in mechanical communication with the cam surface of the track such that as the cylinders and track move with respect to each other, the pistons reciprocate within the cylinders, each piston being operable to compress the combustible mixture; wherein the improvement comprises: the power shaft having an intake lobe and an exhaust lobe extending therefrom; the intake system including an intake valve and an exhaust valve for each of the cylinders, the valves being linearly movable between an open and closed position; and a valve actuation mechanism associated with each cylinder, the mechanism comprising an intake rocker arm having a first end and a second end, the second end being in mechanical communication with the intake valve, the intake rocker arm further having a midportion that is pivotally supported, the mechanism further comprising an exhaust rocker arm having a first end and a second end, the second end being in mechanical communication with the exhaust valve, the exhaust rocker arm further having a midportion that is pivotally supported; and an intake hydraulic lifter and an exhaust hydraulic lifter each having a first and a second end, the first end of the intake hydraulic lifter being in mechanical communication with the intake lobe and the second end of the intake hydraulic lifter being in mechanical communication with the first end of the intake rocker arm, and the first end of the exhaust hydraulic lifter being in mechanical communication with the exhaust lobe and the second end of the exhaust hydraulic lifter being in mechanical communication with the first end of the exhaust rocker arm.