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A cylinder head assembly includes a spherical valve for an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder defining a combustion chamber and housing a piston reciprocally movable therein throughout successive intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes for facilitating the flow of engine

A cylinder head assembly includes a spherical valve for an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder defining a combustion chamber and housing a piston reciprocally movable therein throughout successive intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes for facilitating the flow of engine gasses between a manifold and the combustion chamber. The cylinder head assembly comprises a cylinder head defining therein a spherical valve race in gaseous communication with the combustion chamber. A spherical valve is disposed in the spherical valve race and has a spherical body defining a central axis of rotation and further defining a passageway therethrough. The passageway has a first opening substantially coaxial with the central axis for gaseous communication with a manifold and has a second opening substantially transverse from the central axis. The spherical valve is rotatable in the spherical valve race about the central axis of rotation to selectively place the second opening in gaseous communication with the combustion chamber.

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What is claimed is: 1. A cylinder head assembly for an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder housing a piston reciprocally movable-therein throughout successive intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes and further defining a combustion chamber at a top of said cylinder, and

What is claimed is: 1. A cylinder head assembly for an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder housing a piston reciprocally movable-therein throughout successive intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes and further defining a combustion chamber at a top of said cylinder, and for facilitating the flow of engine gasses between a manifold and the combustion chamber, said cylinder head assembly comprising: a cylinder head defining therein a spherical valve race in gaseous communication with the combustion chamber; and a spherical valve having a spherical body defining a central axis of rotation and further defining a solitary passageway therethrough, said passageway having a first opening substantially coaxial with said central axis for gaseous communication with a manifold and a second opening substantially transverse from said central axis, said spherical valve rotatable in said spherical valve race about said central axis of rotation to selectively place said second opening in gaseous communication with the combustion chamber. 2. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 1 wherein said passageway comprises a first portion coaxial to said central axis and a second portion transverse to said central axis. 3. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 2 wherein said second transverse passageway portion has a cross-sectional area at least partially greater than said, first coaxial passageway portion. 4. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 3 wherein said transverse opening is elongate having a major axis oriented in a direction of rotation of said spherical valve. 5. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 1 wherein said support sleeve includes a radially extending flange at an end opposite from said spherical body. 6. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 5 wherein said support sleeve is at least partially received in said coaxial opening of said spherical body. 7. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 6 wherein said spherical body includes a counterbore at said coaxial opening, said counterbore receiving a portion of said support sleeve. 8. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 7 wherein said support sleeve defines a passageway therethrough, said support sleeve passageway having a cross-sectional area substantially equal to a cross-sectional area of said passageway. 9. A cylinder head assembly for an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder housing a piston reciprocally movable therein throughout successive intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes and further defining a combustion chamber at a top of said cylinder, and for facilitating the flow of engine gasses between a manifold and the combustion chamber, said cylinder head assembly comprising: a cylinder head defining therein a spherical valve race in gaseous communication with the combustion chamber; a spherical valve having a spherical body defining a central axis of rotation and further defining a passageway therethrough, said passageway having a first opening substantially coaxial with said central axis for gaseous communication with a manifold and a second opening substantially transverse from said central axis, said spherical valve rotatable in said spherical valve race about said central axis of rotation to selectively place said second opening in gaseous communication with the combustion chamber; and further wherein: said cylinder head defines an axle race substantially coaxial with said central axis of said spherical body and said spherical valve includes a drive axle affixed to said spherical body and received in said axle race. 10. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 9 wherein said cylinder head defines a sleeve race substantially coaxial with said central axis of said spherical body and further wherein said spherical valve includes a support sleeve extending from said first opening in said spherical body and received in said sleeve race. 11. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 10 wherein said passageway in said spherical body comprises a first portion coaxial to said central axis and a second portion transverse to said central axis. 12. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 11 wherein said second transverse passageway portion has a cross-sectional area at least partially greater than said first coaxial passageway portion. 13. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 12 wherein said transverse opening is elongate having a major axis oriented in a direction of rotation of said spherical valve. 14. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 11 wherein said sleeve race further defines a retaining groove and wherein said support sleeve includes a radially extending flange at an end opposite from said spherical body, said radially extending flange received in said retaining groove. 15. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 14 wherein said support sleeve is at least partially received in said coaxial opening of said spherical body. 16. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 15 wherein said spherical body includes a counterbore at said coaxial opening, said counterbore receiving a portion of said support sleeve. 17. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 16 wherein said support sleeve defines a passageway therethrough, said support sleeve passageway having a cross-sectional area substantially equal to a cross-sectional area of said coaxial passageway. 18. The cylinder head assembly according to claim 10 wherein said cylinder head comprises: an upper cylinder head defining at least a portion of said spherical valve race, a portion of said axle race, and a portion of said sleeve race; and a bottom cylinder head defining at least a portion of said spherical valve race, said gaseous communication with the combustion chamber, a portion of said axle race, and a portion of said sleeve race. 19. A cylinder head assembly for an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder housing a piston reciprocally movable therein throughout successive intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes and further defining a combustion chamber at a top of said cylinder, and for alternately facilitating the inflow of intake air from an intake manifold during the intake stroke and the removal of exhaust gases from the combustion chamber to an exhaust manifold during the exhaust stroke, said cylinder head assembly comprising: a cylinder head defining therein a spherical intake valve race and a spherical exhaust race wherein said spherical intake valve race further defines an intake port for gaseous communication with the combustion chamber and further wherein said spherical exhaust valve race further defines an exhaust port for gaseous communication with the combustion chamber; a spherical intake valve rotatably disposed in said spherical intake valve race, said spherical intake valve including a spherical body having a drive axle extending therefrom and defining a central axis of rotation, said spherical body further defining a passageway therethrough wherein said passageway has a first opening substantially coaxial with said central axis for gaseous communication with an intake manifold and a second opening-substantially transverse from said central axis for gaseous communication with said intake port; and a spherical exhaust valve rotatably disposed in said spherical exhaust-valve race, said spherical exhaust valve including a spherical body having a drive axle extending therefrom and defining a central axis of rotation, said spherical body further defining a passageway therethrough wherein said passageway has a first opening substantially coaxial with said central axis for gaseous communication with an exhaust manifold and a second opening substantially transverse from said central axis for gaseous communication with said exhaust port combustion chamber; wherein: said spherical intake valve and said spherical exhaust valve are linked for rotation in unison such that said spherical intake valve transverse opening is substantially in registration with said intake port and said exhaust valve spherical body seals said exhaust port during the engine intake stroke, and such that said spherical exhaust valve transverse opening is substantially in registration with said exhaust port and said intake spherical body seals said intake port during the engine exhaust stroke.