Patent ID: 7789052

Claim:
A variable valve actuator comprising: a housing; a hydraulic piston assembly that includes a multi-piece pin biased by a spring into contact with a piston; the multi-piece pin includes a first element with first planar surface in contact with a second planar surface of a second element; the first element includes a large diameter end portion in contact with the piston; the second element includes a large diameter end portion that is movable away from the housing to interrupt a cam-driven cyclical motion of a valve; at least one of the first element and the second element includes a small diameter shaft segment; the spring being mounted about the small diameter shaft segment, and being trapped between the large diameter end portion of the first element and the large diameter end portion of the second element; and wherein at least one of the first element and the second element defines a bore that opens through a respective one of the first planar surface and the second planar surface.