Valve actuating mechanism for an internal combustion engine

Abstract

A valve actuating mechanism for at least one inlet valve or outlet valve which can be alternatively actuated by a low rotational speed cam 2, 3 or a high rotational speed cam 7 by means of a first rocker lever 5 or a second rocker lever 9, includes a coupling pin 12, which is used for coupling the two rocker levers and which is located in a hole 10 of the first rocker lever 5 and can be displaced by a pressure medium against the action of a spring 17 towards the outside into a hole 11 in the second rocker lever 9 when the holes 10 and 11 are aligned with one another. In order to ensure that after it has been subjected to pressure, sufficient time remains for the coupling pin 12 to penetrate completely into the hole 11, a locking element 26 is provided which engages by means of a projection 29 in an annular groove 30 in the pin 12 and holds the latter in its inner position until the second rocker lever 9 presses the spring tongue 26 downwards during its lift phase--because of the motion relative to the first rocker lever 5 occurring because of its lift phase--and presses the projection 29 out of the annular space 30 so that the whole of the next base circle phase is available for the displacement of the pin 12.