Patent ID: 7284520

Claim:
A process for manufacturing a valve lifter body, comprising the steps of: a) providing a forgeable material; b) cold forming a first lifter cavity into the forgeable material so that: i) the first lifter cavity extends axially into the forgeable material from a first lifter opening that is shaped to accept a roller; ii) the first lifter cavity includes a first inner lifter surface provided with a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, a fourth wall, a first curved lifter surface, a second curved lifter surface, and a lifter surface; iii) the first wall faces the second wall; iv) the second wall faces the first wall; v) the third wall extends axially into the valve lifter body from the first lifter opening, faces the fourth wall, and terminates at least in part at the second curved lifter surface; vi) the fourth wall extends axially into the valve lifter body from the first lifter opening, faces the third wall, and terminates at least in part at the first curved lifter surface; vii) the first curved lifter surface extends from the fourth wall and terminates, at least in part, at the lifter surface; viii) the second curved lifter surface extends from the third wall and terminates, at least in part, at the lifter surface; ix) the lifter surface is, relative to the curved lifter surfaces, generally flat and oriented to be generally orthogonal to a valve lifter axis; c) cold forming a second lifter cavity into the forgeable material so that: i) the second lifter cavity extends axially into the valve lifter body from a second lifter opening; ii) the second lifter cavity includes a second inner lifter surface; and d) providing the forgeable material with a lifter well.