Patent ID: 7261073

Claim:
A valve timing mechanism, for four-cycle engines, having the following components: a rocker frame which is configured in one piece from lightweight metal and has at least one bar which is connected by webs, for accomodating rocker arms; hydraulic elements for valve clearance compensation which have an outer piston which is open on one side and has a supporting ball which is configured in one piece at the closed end of said outer piston, and an inner piston which is open on one side, is guided in the outer piston and is connected in flow terms via a spring-loaded ball valve to a high-pressure space of said outer piston; a steel sheet part which is arranged between the hydraulic elements and the rocker arm frame; a pressurized oil line which is arranged in the longitudinal extent of the rocker arm frame at the level of the open end of the hydraulic elements; deep-drawn steel sheet rocker arms which are configured uniformly for all the valves, having a U-shaped cross section and having cylindrical rollers mounted on needle bearings for at least one camshaft, and having a cap for the supporting ball, and having contact elements for the valve stems of the inlet and outlet valves, wherein the outer pistons of the hydraulic elements are guided in blind bores of the rocker arm frame, and in that the steel part is designed as a steel disk arranged at the bottom of the blind bores as a stop for the inner piston and outer pistons are guided directly in blind bores of the light weight frame.