Patent ID: 7159542

Claim:
An internal combustion engine including one or more pistons, each of which is mounted to reciprocate in a respective cylinder and is pivotally connected to a connecting rod which is connected to a respective crank on a crankshaft, the connecting rod being pivotally connected to one end of an elongate link member which is pivotably connected to the associated crank at a point intermediate its ends and whose other end constitutes a rod which is restrained by a mounting such that it may pivot about a pivotal axis parallel to the axis of the crankshaft, the mounting including a first movable mounting member and a second movable mounting member, the first movable mounting member being connected to the rod by a connection which permits only relative sliding movement in the direction of the length of the rod and the first movable mounting member being connected to the second movable mounting member to be pivotable with respect thereto about the said pivotal axis, a single actuating means being provided which cooperates with the second movable mounting member and is arranged to move it, characterised in that the second movable mounting member is an elongate lever which is connected to a fixed structure to pivot with respect thereto about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the crankshaft.