Patent ID: 7281329

Claim:
A method of fabricating a roller follower assembly, comprising the steps of: a) fabricating a roller follower body, comprising the steps of: i) providing a first rod; ii) cold forming a first roller cavity into the first rod to provide the first roller cavity with a first inner roller surface; iii) enclosing at least a portion of the first roller cavity within an outer roller surface; iv) configuring the first inner roller surface to house a roller; v) cold forming a second roller cavity into the first rod to provide the second roller cavity with a second inner roller surface; vi) enclosing at least a portion of the second roller cavity within the outer roller surface; vii) configuring the second inner roller surface to house a leakdown plunger; b) fabricating the leakdown plunger, comprising the steps of: i) providing a second rod; ii) cold forming an inner plunger surface into the second rod to provide a chamber; iii) cold forming a first plunger opening into the second rod; iv) configuring the first plunger opening to accommodate a valve insert; v) cold forming a second plunger opening into the second rod; vi) configuring the second plunger opening to cooperate with a socket; vii) fabricating an outer plunger surface; viii) configuring the outer plunger surface for insertion into the roller follower body; ix) enclosing at least a portion of the inner plunger surface within the outer plunger surface; x) configuring the inner plunger surface to define a chamber; c) fabricating the socket, comprising the steps of: i) fabricating a first socket surface; ii) configuring the first socket surface to accommodate a push rod; iii) fabricating a second socket surface; iv) configuring the second socket surface to cooperate with the leakdown plunger; v) fabricating an outer socket surface; vi) fabricating a passage; and d) at least one of the first roller cavity, the second roller cavity, the first plunger opening, the second plunger opening, the outer plunger surface, the inner plunger surface, the first socket surface, the second socket surface, the outer socket surface, and the passage is fabricated at least in part through forging.