Boat-type rocker arm with flanges

Abstract

A one-piece, cold-formed rocker arm is disclosed. The rocker arm is of the boat type and includes a one-piece metal body which is cold-formed from a metal blank and is of U-shaped cross-sectional configuration throughout most of its length. The body has a bottom wall with structurally-integral side walls extending upwardly therefrom in generally parallel relationship. An intermediate, concave portion of the bottom wall has an opening therethrough which receives a fulcrum of a pivot post. One end portion of the rocker arm body has a recess to receive an end of a push rod which imparts pivotal motion to the rocker arm about the fulcrum. The other end of the rocker arm body has a pad for engaging an end of a valve stem to impart motion to the valve stem when the rocker arm is pivoted about the fulcrum. Outwardly-extending stiffening flanges are formed at upper edge portions of intermediate portions of the side walls, which provides strength and stiffness to the side walls. The flanges substantially eliminate or at least substantially reduce buckling of the side walls during operation of the rocker arm and thereby eliminate or substantially reduce deflection between the two and portions of the rocker arm body.