Overhead Valve - History

History

In automotive engineering, an overhead valve internal combustion engine is one in which the intake and exhaust valves and ports are contained within the cylinder head.

The original overhead valve or OHV piston engine was developed by the Scottish-American David Dunbar Buick. It employs pushrod-actuated valves parallel to the pistons, and this is still in use today. This contrasts with previous designs which made use of side valves and sleeve valves.

Arthur Chevrolet was awarded US Patent #1,744,526 for an Overhead Valve Engine design. This patent included an adapter that could be applied to an existing engine, thus transforming it into an Overhead Valve Engine.

Nowadays, automotive use of side-valves has virtually disappeared, and valves are almost all "overhead". However most are now driven more directly by the overhead camshaft system, and these are designated OHC instead—either single overhead camshaft (SOHC) or double overhead camshaft (DOHC).

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