Kelsey-hayes Company

Other

Anthony C Evans

Kurt H Rinker

Robert S Sporzynski

Larry L Last

Karl Goering

Richard T Robinette

George S Traub

Robert I Girkin

An improve structure for a caliper adapted for use in a vehicle disc brake assembly is preferably formed from aluminum and includes an inboard leg portion and an outboard leg portion interconnected by an intermediate bridge portion. The intermediate bridge portion defines a pair of opposed lateral sides. A recess is provided in each of the lateral sides of the intermediate bridge portion of the caliper. Each of the recesses defines a lower rib and an upper rib. The lower rib extends uninterrupted from the inboard leg portion to the outboard leg portion of the caliper. The upper rib extends uninterrupted and inwardly from the outboard leg portion to the inboard leg portion of the caliper and at an acute angle relative to the lower rib.

Caliper for disc brake assembly

An improved structure for a slide pin bushing and boot seal assembly for use in a vehicle disc brake caliper assembly adapted to selectively frictionally engage a rotor connected to a vehicle wheel includes an anchor plate adapted to be secured to a stationary component of the vehicle, and a caliper secured to the anchor plate for sliding movement relative thereto. A pair of brake shoes are carried by the disc brake caliper assembly, and an actuation means is provided for selectively moving the brake shoes axially toward and away from one another so as to selectively frictionally engage the rotor. The slide pin bushing and boot seal assembly is carried by the disc brake caliper assembly and includes a slide pin bushing formed from a relatively hard resilient elastomeric material and a boot seal formed from a relatively soft flexible elastomeric material and joined to one end of the slide pin bushing to define an integral one-piece unit. A slide pin extends through the boot seal and at least a portion of the slide pin bushing for securing the caliper to the anchor plate for sliding movement relative thereto.

Slide pin bushing and boot seal assembly for disc brake assembly

This invention relates to an improved self-energizing anti-creep parking and emergency brake mechanism for use with a disc brake assembly. The disc brake assembly includes a first pair of brake shoes disposed on opposite sides of a brake rotor. A service brake mechanism is carried by a caliper and is adapted to be actuated to selectively move the first pair of brake shoes from a non-braking position, wherein the first pair of brake shoes are disengaged from the brake rotor, to a service braking position, wherein the first pair of brake shoes frictionally engage the brake rotor. The disc brake assembly further includes a second pair of brake shoes disposed on opposite sides of the brake rotor. A parking and emergency brake mechanism is carried by the anchor plate and is adapted to be actuated to selectively move the second pair of brake shoes from a non-braking position, wherein the second pair of brake shoes are disengaged from the brake rotor, to a parking and emergency braking position, wherein the second pair of brake shoes frictionally engage the brake rotor. The parking and emergency brake mechanism exerts a predetermined force against the second pair of brake shoes urging them into frictional engagement with the brake rotor when the parking and emergency brake mechanism is applied and there is no relative rotation between the second pair of brake shoes and the brake rotor. The parking and emergency brake mechanism further includes a cam mechanism which exerts an additional force against the second pair of brake shoes urging them into frictional engagement with the brake rotor when the parking and emergency brake is applied and there is relative rotation between the brake rotor and the second pair of brake shoes.

Self-energizing anti-creep parking and emergency brake mechanism for

An improved drum brake assembly wherein the operating condition of the brake shoes and the automatic brake adjusting mechanism can be determined without removing any component from the associated vehicle includes a backing plate, a brake drum, and first and second brake shoes supported on the backing plate and movable into frictional engagement with the brake drum. Each of the first and second brake shoes includes a web portion, a table portion secured to the web portion, and a friction pad secured to the table portion. The drum brake assembly further includes a service brake mechanism for selectively moving the to brake shoes into frictional engagement with the brake drum, a parking and emergency brake mechanism for selectively moving the brake shoes into frictional engagement with the brake drum, and an automatic brake adjusting mechanism carried by the brake assembly and operatively connected to said first and second brake shoes. The drum brake assembly further includes a device for indicating the operating condition of the brake shoes and for indicating the operating condition of the automatic brake adjusting mechanism.

Brake shoe wear and adjuster malfunction indicating device for drum

A dual mode drum brake assembly includes a backing plate, a brake drum, and first and second brake shoes supported on the backing plate and movable into frictional engagement with the brake drum. The drum brake assembly further includes a service brake mechanism for selectively moving the brake shoes into frictional engagement with the brake drum, and a rotation preventing abutment secured relative to the backing plate and disposed between and engageable with the brake shoes. A pivot lever is pivotally supported relative to the first brake shoe and is operatively coupled to exert an outward force on the first brake shoe when the parking and emergency brake is actuated. A first strut is disposed adjacent the hydraulic actuator and includes one end coupled to the second brake shoe and opposite end coupled to one end of the pivot lever. A second strut is disposed adjacent the rotation preventing abutment and includes one end coupled to the second brake shoe and an opposite end coupled to an opposite end of the pivot lever. The drum brake assembly further includes an actuation cable having an end portion supported in a generally perpendicular relationship relative to the backing plate, and a parking and emergency brake actuating means carried by the brake assembly and coupled to the actuation cable for mechanically actuating the pivot lever to urge the first brake shoe outwardly into engagement with the brake drum and thereby initiate duo-servo actuation of the parking and emergency brake through one of the first and second struts.

Parking and emergency brake operating mechanism for dual mode drum brake

A retraction mechanism for a disc brake assembly which applies a generally constant restoring force urging the brake shoes apart from one another regardless of the amount of wear of the friction pads. The disc brake assembly includes an anchor plate upon which a caliper is slidably mounted. The caliper is formed having an inboard leg and an outboard leg. A cylindrical recess is formed in the inboard leg of the caliper, within which a piston is slidably supported. A pair of brake shoes are disposed adjacent to the inboard and outboard legs of the caliper, and a rotor connected to a rotatable wheel extends therebetween. A mechanism is provided for selectively moving the brake shoes into frictional engagement with the rotor to retard or stop rotation thereof. The retraction mechanism includes a pair of retractor clips which are mounted on the anchor plate for spreading the brake shoes apart from one another when the disc brake assembly is subsequently released. The retractor clips are serpentine-like in shape, having straight portions which are connected together by intermediate curved portions. The outer ends of the retractor clips terminate upwardly extending post portions and outwardly extending finger portions which engage the brake shoes. The forces exerted by the retractor clips on the brake shoes are substantially uniform, regardless of the amount of wear on friction pads of the brake shoes. Thus, such forces cannot overcome the urging of a roll-back seal and undesirably move the piston away from the rotor by a distance which is greater than a desired predetermined distance.

Brake shoe retractor clip for disc brake assembly

An improved operating mechanism for a drum brake assembly including a mounting flange for securing the brake assembly to a vehicle component, a hollow abutment block secured to the mounting flange, and a backing plate secured to the mounting flange. A pair of arcuate drum brake shoes are supported relative to the backing plate. The hollow abutment block located on the mounting flange between a pair of adjacent ends of the brake shoes. According to one feature of the present invention, the operating mechanism is at least partially disposed in the chamber for engaging and actuating the brake shoes, and is coupled to an actuation cable having an end portion supported in a generally perpendicular relationship relative to the backing plate. According to another feature of the present invention, the operating mechanism includes at least two juxtaposed elongated links disposed between the brake shoes each including an angled elongated slotted opening formed therein, and an actuating arm oriented generally perpendicular to the links. The actuating arm is engageable with each of the slotted openings for effecting lengthwise movement of the links in opposite directions to engage and cause outward movement of the brake shoes when the actuating arm is moved generally perpendicularly in one direction relative to the links.

Drum brake operating mechanism

A dual mode drum brake assembly having an improved duo-servo parking and emergency brake lever mechanism includes a pivot lever pivotally supported relative to a first brake shoe and operatively coupled to exert an outward force on the first brake shoe when the parking brake is actuated. According to one feature of the invention, a hold down assembly extends through an aperture formed in a web of the first brake shoe, and through an aperture formed in the pivot lever to secure the first brake shoe to a backing plate and to pivotally connect the pivot lever to the web. According to another feature of the invention, an adjuster lever of a first strut member is pivotally supported on the first brake shoe, and the pivot lever is pivotally supported on the first brake shoe generally intermediate the first strut member and a second strut member.

Dual mode drum brake assembly

For a vehicle having a relatively large axle tube, a mechanically operated drum brake is provided having a hollow abutment post between adjacent ends of a pair of opposed arcuate brake shoes and having an improved actuating mechanism for the brake shoes mounted partially within the abutment post.

Drum-in-hat parking brake for a disc brake assembly

A disc brake piston is formed from a stamping operation and is preferably constructed from stainless steel. The piston includes a hollow cylindrical body having a closed end and an open end. In one preferred embodiment, the open end is provided with a radially outwardly extending flange which defines an annular abutment surface for engaging a backing plate of a disc brake shoe. An integral boot groove is formed in the cylindrical body adjacent the open end thereof, and produces a raised portion on an inner surface of the body portion directly opposite the groove. This results in the piston having a substantially uniform wall thickness throughout the entire length of the cylindrical body. Also, the piston can include a dome-shaped recess formed in the closed end thereof, which can be provided with radial strengthening ribs.

Disc brake piston

A drum brake assembly wherein the hydraulic service brake acts as a leading/trailing brake and the parking or emergency brake acts as a duo-servo brake. A lever member is pivotally mounted on one of a pair of brake shoes and operated by a brake actuating lever pivotally mounted on a composite link disposed adjacent a rotation-preventing stop and operatively connected to the other of the brake shoes. The lever member acts on another composite link disposed adjacent a hydraulic actuator of the service brake and operatively connected to the other of the brake shoes.

Leading/trailing drum brake having servo parking brake

In a hydraulic drum brake and parking brake assembly, when a hydraulic actuator is operated to engage an opposed pair of brake shoes with a brake drum after a predetermined amount of wear had occurred on the friction pads of the brake shoes, a torsion spring adjusts a cam in the parking brake portion of the mechanism to compensate for the wear. The parking brake will thus operate properly despite the wear.

Hydraulic drum brake assembly

A disc brake mechanism, including an integral mechanical parking brake assembly and having automatic wear adjustment features, is disclosed. The adjusting mechanism comprises an axial thrust screw having one end exposed to atmospheric pressure to create an axial hydraulic differential pressure acting thereacross. An adjusting nut is threadably received on the thrust screw and normally engages a hydraulic actuating piston such that the adjusting nut is free to rotate with respect to the thrust screw and piston. Hydraulic pressures acting upon the thrust screw create opposing forces, the resultant of which is applied to a resisting mechanical spring. So long as the hydraulic pressure is below a predetermined value, the resultant hydraulic force acting upon the thrust screw is insufficient to overcome the resisting spring force and the thrust screw remains stationary. As the hydraulic piston moves upon hydraulic actuation of the brake, the adjusting nut is biased to rotatingly advance relative to the thrust screw, thereby adjusting for friction pad wear. As hydraulic pressure increase above the predetermined value, the resultant hydraulic force acting upon the thrust screw is sufficient to overcome the resisting mechanical spring, and the thrust screw in combination with the adjusting nut translates toward the piston. This causes the adjusting nut to frictionally engage the piston preventing any further advance of the adjusting nut relative to the thrust screw, thereby ending the adjustment cycle.

Automatic adjusting mechanism for a disc brake assembly having a

Vehicle brake casting

A method of converting a single wheel wheel barrow to a dual wheel wheel barrow is taught whereby an extended axle is attached to the structural longerons by rotating the axle attaching brackets rearwardly upon each associated longeron and affixing a wheel laterally outside each longeron.

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Northville, MI, United States of America

Anthony C Evans