Patent ID: 8006661

Claim:
An internal combustion engine comprising: one or more engine cylinders within which fuel is combusted to run the engine; a pair of cylinder valves associated with each cylinder that are spring-biased closed but when operated open place the respective cylinder in flow communication with one of an intake through which intake flow can enter the respective cylinder and an exhaust through which exhaust flow can exit the respective cylinder; and a mechanism for operating each pair of cylinder valves in unison comprising a bridge that bridges ends of the respective pair external to the respective cylinder and comprises a spherically concave depression in a face that is opposite a face that bears against the ends of the respective pair of cylinder valves, the depression being located intermediate locations at which the ends of the respective pair of cylinder valves bear against the bridge, a pivot foot that has a spherically convex surface seated with substantial conformity in the spherical concave depression and a flat surface that is opposite the spherically convex surface, the flat surface of the pivot foot being in abutment with a flat surface of a rocker that when rocked by a pushrod is effective to act through the pivot foot and the bridge to open the respective pair of valves.