We manufacture two basic designs of valve rotators: one featuring a single continuous garter spring and one with balls and springs in pockets.
The increase in valve spring load deflects a washer spring (similar to a Belleville washer), which compresses an internal garter spring located in a circumferential groove in the rotator body which is attached to the engine valve. This deflection of the garter spring coils causes the body and valve to rotate in small increments each time the valve operates. Garter spring rotators are used for applications with relatively low valve spring loads.
The increase in valve spring load causes the disc or washer spring within the assembly to deflect, and being in contact with the spring-loaded balls, pushes them down the pocket. The ball track in the pockets is angled, and being in an annular orientation, creates rotation.