Thiokol Corporation

Morton Thiokol Inc.

Arnold R Thompson

Fred E Schneiter

George F Kirchoff

Leland E Davis

An actuating mechanism is disclosed as particularly useful for a braking assembly, and especially for a disc brake assembly. The mechanism is a device having elastic properties formed from a plurality of layers, or laminae of rigid (metal, hard plastic) and resilient (elastomer, rubber) members bonded together and to the inside of a casing or caliper housing sealing it therein. The casing together with the bonded and sealed actuator therein is threaded into the caliper housing of the brake assembly. Fluid pressure applied to the casing interior activates the mechanism and it yields by flexing axially. An attached brake shoe or pad is operated by the actuator, given an axial displacement and urged against the brake assembly drum or rotor in a braking action. The actuator mechanism returns the shoe or pad to a neutral, non rotor contacting position automatically when the pressure of the fluid in the casing is relieved.

Actuator device

Cylindrical, flexible bearings of the type constructed of concentric, annular layers of elastomer and rigid material mutually bonded together are molded under high temperatures and pressures to fluidize the elastomer and to neutralize the tensile stresses that would otherwise result from shrinkage of the elastomer during cure and cooling thereof.

Method for making flexible, cylindrical bearings

An electric squib igniter and a gas generant composition surrounding it are enclosed in a hermetically sealed container. This is enclosed in an inner housing which is surrounded by an annular outer housing. An annular filter surrounds the gas generant composition inside the container, which is rupturable through orifices in the inner housing by gases produced when the gas generant composition is ignited. A cooling device in the annular chamber between the two housings is positioned between the orifices of the inner housing and peripheral orifices in the outer housing, through which the filtered, cooled gases may be expelled radially into an inflatable structure. A mounting flange fixed to the outer housing is provided for attachment to related apparatus.

Growing community of inventors

Brigham City, UT, United States of America

Arnold R Thompson