Drive for the valves of a combustion engine in which the driving means (8) have a convex engagement contour which can be displaced or locked by a locking member (9). The means are arranged in a plane extending to concave inner contours (62) of the cup tappet (6).The locking member is ring-shaped and the inner contour guides a pressure sleeve (42) displacing it from the bottom surface of the central cam lifter (4). A play compensation device (5) is supported on the valve (3).
