Lambert Brake Corporation

Auto Specialites Manufacturing Company

Peter Wolf

Robert L Kibler

Kenneth L Williams

A brake valve is disclosed, which is provided with an enlarged chamber, at one end of which is slidably disposed an annular piston. A reaction piston is carried on a valve rod; the reaction piston radially extends so as to cover the annular piston. When the reaction piston moves toward the annular piston, flow of fluid through the valve is restricted and then halted. Mating beveled conical surfaces are provided on the annular piston and the reaction piston to provide a mutual centering and seating action as the reaction piston is moved toward the annular piston. Belleville washer elements are stacked in opposed array on the valve rod for resiliently urging the reaction piston into engagement with the annular piston, and for inhibiting mechanical shocks from being transmitted from the valve rod to the reaction piston, and vice versa. Conical fluid flow stop members regulate the flow of fluid from the valve chamber to downstream brake elements. These fluid flow stop members are slidable into and out of engagement with respective annular seats; directional braking action is afforded by these stop members, such that one or both of the brake elements are pressurized from the valve chamber.

Heavy duty power valve

A combination brake and brake wear take-up device is disclosed. The device comprises a disc brake assembly and a link assembly connected to actuator discs. A link assembly pull rod is connected to a fluid power piston slidably disposed in a cylinder. One or more conical washer members are carried around the piston and permit the piston to slide in the cylinder in one direction over a relatively extended distance, but permit the piston to slide in the opposite direction over only a limited distance. A snap ring disposed in the cylinder interior and a shoulder formed in the cylinder interior define the axial extent of that limited piston return motion.

Automatic adjuster for hydraulically actuated double disc brake

A closed-center brake system and brake valve are disclosed. A closed-center variable displacement pressure compensated pump delivers fluid pressure to a valve inlet which carries a normally closed check valve. When a valve operating rod is partially withdrawn from the valve, the check valve opens to admit fluid to a valve chamber; fluid pressure and flow are directed from the chamber to ports leading to a vehicle left-hand brake and a vehicle right-hand brake. Should fluid pressure be lost in upstream portions of the system, further pulling action on the valve rod will collapse the chamber and manually deliver pressurized fluid to the brakes. Another brake valve outlet port, located just downstream of the inlet check valve, provides for delivery of pressure compensated fluid back to the pump to cause the pump to operate with desired characteristics. Yet another brake valve outlet port delivers fluid to another system element, such as a hydraulically operated vehicle differential, so as to lock left-hand and right-hand vehicle drive trains together to prevent relative rotation when either the left-hand brake, the right-hand brake, or both brakes are operated.

Combined power valve and flow divider

A brake system is disclosed which comprises a primary fluid power brake subsystem and a secondary or back-up brake subsystem. The primary brake system is of the 'power brake' type, and includes a power brake valve having a housing defining an elongate bore. A bi-ended rod extends through the housing end wall to be slid between spaced apart first, second and third positions. That end of the rod which is inside the housing is affixed to a reaction piston. The reaction piston cooperates with an annular piston, also carried within the bore, to have fluid flow through the valve and raise fluid pressure within a collapsible chamber defined by the bore. When the rod is partially pulled out of the valve housing, this high pressure fluid is directed to vehicle brakes to cause primary braking action. Should the primary system fail in some respect, rod pull-out action operates to energize a secondary or back-up brake system. Secondary brake system energization is caused by a brake controller which is connected to the primary valve rod, and which is also positioned to engage a secondary brake subsystem master cylinder actuator.

Combined power and manually activated brake system

A power brake valve and a related braking system are disclosed. The valve comprises a housing defining a first bore of large diameter and a second bore of smaller diameter, and annular pistons are slidably disposed within each bore. A biended rod, also slidable within the bores, carries reaction pistons which are radially extended to cover the annular flow space of the adjacent, associated annular pistons. When the rod is pulled in a power mode of operation, each annular piston moves toward the associated annular piston to restrict and halt the normal flow of fluid through the annular piston and create a movable end wall. As pressure rises within the chambers, pressurized fluid is discharged from the valve to brake units to cause braking action. In a manual mode of operation, pulling action on the rod causes a relatively large quantity of relatively low pressure fluid to be discharged from the first chamber so as to quickly and effectively take up systemic clearances within the brake system. Further pulling action on the rod causes a relatively small quantity of relatively high pressure fluid to be ejected from the second chamber to cause effective braking action without overextended brake pedal movement.

Growing community of inventors

Baroda, MI, United States of America

Peter Wolf