The Bendix Corporation

Allied Corporation

Brian C Deem

Ralph G Eslinger

Gregory R Fedor

William E Ott

Bruce E Latvala

John L Hall

Marc Alan Karon

Richard J Reitz

Matthew Edward Markert

Gilbert A Pataky

Jack A Kemp

George W Thompson

Compressor inlet control devices control the pressure level at the inlet of a compressor (18) which is operated by an engine (10) equipped with a turbocharger (12) that maintains the intake manifold (16) of the engine (10) at pressure levels greater than atmospheric for most engine operating conditions. A valve (20) limits the pressure level at the inlet of the compressor (18) to a predetermined pressure level to prevent damage to the compressor (18). The valve (20) includes a pressure differential responsive piston (36) which responds to the pressure level at the valve inlet (52) to close a pair of valve members (60,62) to terminate communication between the valve inlet (52) and outlet (54) when the pressure level at the inlet (52) exceeds the predetermined pressure level, and to initiate communication between the inlet (52) and outlet (54) when the pressure level drops below the predetermined pressure level.

Compressor inlet control device

Fan drive mechanism includes a fan plate rotatably mounted on a spindle by bearings having an outer race secured to the fan plate, an inner race mounted on the spindle, and ball bearings rotatably supporting the outer race on the inner race. A stop nut threaded on the spindle has a forward face engaging the inner race and a radially outwardly tapering conical surface tapering from the forward face. The conical surface catches the fan plate upon failure of the bearings and separation of the outer race from the inner race and controls the wobble of the fan plate while stopping its rotation, thereby preventing the fan plate from separating from the spindle.

Fan drive mechanism

A brake slack adjuster includes a housing defining a pair of intersecting bores therein. A gear is rotatably mounted in one of the bores, and is splined to a cam shaft which mounts a cam brake actuator. A worm shaft is mounted in the other bore and a worm is rotatable with the worm shaft to turn the gear. The worm shaft is supported in the bore by a surface tapering toward the open end of the bore that cooperates with a retaining ring which is received in a circumferentially extending groove circumscribing the bore to retain the worm gear in the bore. The retaining ring terminates in an arm which tapers toward the open end of the bore and engages flats provided on the worm shaft which are adapted to receive a conventional mechanic's socket to turn the shaft when the brake is to be adjusted. The arm yieldably locks the shaft against rotation, to prevent the adjustment from backing off after it is made.

Brake slack adjuster

A clutch drive mechanism (10) interconnects a vehicle engine (12) with a vehicle air compressor (14) to provide a driving connection therebetween when operation of the air compressor (14) is necessary to charge the vehicle reservoir (18) and to break the driving connection to the air compressor (14) when the reservoir (18) is fully charged. The drive mechanism (10) includes a clutch disc pack (82) which is controlled by a piston (52). Piston (52) responds to a pressure signal from a conventional unloader mechanism (20) to disengage the clutch mechanism (10) to disconnect the air compressor (14) from driving connection with the vehicle engine (12). A thrust bearing (68) provides a rotary connection between the piston (52) and the disc pack (82) and another thrust bearing (46) is provided between the output drive (36) and the clutch drive housing (26) so that axial forces or loads are transmitted to the housing (26) instead of to the compressor (14). These bearings rotate only when the clutch driven mechanism is engaged.

Drive mechanism

A seal assembly (54) for closing a cavity (55) between a rotor (24), a bearing retainer (38) and a crankshaft (80) to retain a fluid therein for lubricating bearings (48, 50, 90) associated with the crankshaft (80). Seal assembly (54) has a disc (72) with a first resilient member (56) that engages the rotor surface (44) and a second eccentrically positioned resilient member (62), that engages surface (65) on bearing retainer (38). Disc (72) which is attached to crankshaft (80) rotates with ring gear (36) around pinion (32) to maintain a sealed cavity (55) even though the first and second resilient members (56 and 62) rotate on their respectively sealing surfaces (44 and 65) with different revolutions per minute.

Seal for closing a cavity

A fan clutch for a vehicle engine connects the engine cooling fan with the engine when the cooling effect of the engine fan is necessary and disconnects the fan when its cooling effect is not necessary. The clutch includes a driven member and a driving member and a belt carried by the driving member and rotatable therewith which is adapted to engage the driven member when the clutch is to be engaged. The driven member comprises a pair of relatively rotatable, axially extensible portions, so that when the belt is in driving engagement with the driven member, relative rotation between the portionsextends the same so that engagement surfaces on one of the portions and on the driving member are brought into engagement, thus connecting the driven and driving members. A spring, which is responsive to centrifugal forces generated by rotation of the driving member, holds the belt in driving engagement with the driven member when engine speeds are below a predetermined level, but yields to permit the belt to move out of engagement with the driven member when engine speed exceeds the predetermined level. A temperature responsive capsule includes a lever which holds the spring in a position maintaining engagement of the belt with the driven member when the temperature level exceeds a predetermined level, regardless of engine speed.

Engine fan clutch

A control valve is provided for a fluid-operated clutch. Specifically, the control valve controls fluid to the fluid-operated clutch of a vehicle cooling fan. The control valve disengages the clutch to disconnect the fan from an internal combustion engine of the vehicle when coolant temperature is low and engages the clutch to operate the fan when the coolant temperature rises to a predetermined value. The control valve has a central passage with three bores and a valve spool with three sealing members associated with the bores. Fluid is supplied under pressure to the valve and always acts in opposite directions on two of the sealing members to provide a balanced condition for the valve spool even with fluctuations in the inlet pressure of the fluid. The control valve utilizes a temperature-responsive device to move the valve spool, with the device being readily adjustable to achieve operation at desired coolant temperatures.

Control valve for fluid-operated clutch

An electrically actuated relay valve or adaptive braking modulator for a vehicle fluid pressure braking system includes a housing having a fluid pressure inlet, a pair of vents communicating with the ambient atmosphere, and a brake application effecting mechanism. The inlet communicates with a chamber defined within the modulator, amd this chamber is in turn communicated to the brake application effecting mechanism. An electrically actuated valve controls communication from the inlet into the chamber, and is shiftable from a first condition permitting substantially uninhibited communication from the inlet to the chamber to a second condition communicating the chamber to one of the vents when an incipient skidding condition is detected. A pressure differential responsive valve element controls communication between the chamber, the brake application effecting mechanism, and the other vent. When the pressure level in the brake application effecting mechanism is greater than the pressure level in the chamber, the pressure differential responsive valve element communicates the brake application effecting mechanism to the other vent. However, when the electrically actuated valve is not actuated during normal braking, the pressure differential responsive valve element prevents communication to the other vent and permits uninhibited communication between the chamber and the brake application effecting mechanism. This arrangement substantially improves the response time of the adaptive braking modulator.

Adaptive braking modulator with electrically activated relay valve

A mechanically actuated disc brake includes a wedge actuator which urges an extensible, force transmitting member toward the disc brake rotor in order to effect a brake application. A ratchet mechanism is carried by the extensible member and by a piston slidably mounted within the brake housing. The ratchet mechanism is responsive to movement of the extensible member toward the rotor in access of a predetermined amount in order to effect elongation of the extensible member to limit retraction in the piston, so that retraction of the friction elements is similarly limited. The extensible member also cooperates with a manual adjustment mechanism which may be used to manually adjust the brakes or to 'back-off' the extensible member to permit movement of the friction elements away from the disc in excess of the predetermined amount when the friction elements must be removed when the brake is serviced. The wedge actuating mechanism includes a pair of wedges and a reciprocable push rod which is thrust between the wedges to urge the latter apart when a brake application is effected.

Actuating and adjusting mechanism for disc brakes

A speed sensor for an adaptive braking system is disclosed. The sensor is enclosed in a housing, so that all critical adjustments may be made at the time the sensor is manufactured and not when the sensor is installed on the vehicle. The entire sensor package is small enough to be mounted within the tubular axle used on many relatively large vehicles, such as semi-trailers, which are in use today. A driving connection is provided between the speed sensor and the hub cap of the vehicle, which of course, rotates with the corresponding vehicle wheel.

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Avon Lake, OH, United States of America

Brian C Deem