Eaton Corporation

Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC

Dana Corporation

Other

Thomas L Runels

Daniel E Banks

Gary R Schultz

Alan R Freigang

Troy Allen Flodin

James Robert Clark

James Foltan Ziech

Ralph Larson

Kurt R Gerlofs

Michael A Chamberlin

David R Church

Brian St John

Alan Hendershot

Bradley T Wistinghausen

An improved bracket assembly for receiving a brake assembly and a brake actuator is provided. The bracket assembly includes a tube configured to receive a camshaft of the brake assembly and an actuator mounting bracket disposed proximate a first end of the tube. The actuator mounting bracket is configured for coupling to the actuator and defines an aperture configured to receive the tube. The bracket assembly further includes a brake spider mounting bracket disposed proximate a second end of the tube. The spider mounting bracket includes a body defining inboard and outboard sides, is configured to receive a brake spider on the outboard side and defines an aperture configured to allow the tube to extend therethrough. The spider mounting bracket further includes a neck extending from the inboard side of the body that is configured to receive the tube and positions the weld away from the body to reduce stress.

Bracket assembly for mounting a brake assembly and brake actuator

An anchor assembly is provided that permits adjustment of the brake shoes in a drum brake to account for wear. The assembly includes first and second adjuster shafts each having a plurality of threads and first and second pilot connectors. The pilot connectors each have a plurality of threads in engagement with the threads of a corresponding adjuster shaft. The pilot connectors each engage one end of a corresponding brake shoe. Rotation of each adjuster shaft causes longitudinal movement of a corresponding pilot connector in engagement with a corresponding brake shoe along an axis to adjust a position of the brake shoe.

Variable position anchor assembly for adjusting brake shoes in a drum brake

A support arrangement, operable to clamp a cam tube for a drum brake assembly in position relative to an adjacent vehicle component, includes a first jaw having a first pair of arms, each of which has an one opening in an inclined end section, a second jaw having a second pair of arms, each of which has an opening in an inclined end section, and a base associated with the vehicle component and having a third pair of arms. Each of the third pair of arms also has an opening in its end section. Bolts or other such fastener elements are receivable within aligned sets of openings in the first, second, and third pairs of arms, permitting displacement of the first and second jaws relative to the base upon adjustment of the fasteners so that the jaws grip the tube and clamp the tube in its proper position. A clamping process is also described.

Clamping cam tube support

A disc brake rotor assembly has a central carrier with a first side and a second side. At least two wear surfaces are releasably secured to the first side and at least two wear surfaces are releasably secured to the second side. A locking mechanism disposed within the central carrier selectively engages and releases the wear surfaces.

Disc brake rotor assembly with replaceable wear surfaces

A disc brake rotor is provided which is balanced by removal of metal from between two opposed friction faces of the rotor. The friction faces are provided by two discs which are separated from each other by radially extending ribs.

Automotive disc brake

An assembly is provided which includes a first body with a blind bore with an enlarged countersunk portion. The assembly also has a second body with an aperture aligned with the first body bore. A fastener is provided having a head compressively engages the second body. A shank of the fastener has threaded engagement with the bore, and at least 10% of a free length of the shank is encircled by the countersunk portion of the bore.

Multi-body assembly connected by a threaded fastener

A brake actuator having a switch device mounted to an actuator housing with a C-shaped molded body and a C-shaped spring member partially surrounding an actuator rod and adapted to contact a large diameter section of the actuator rod when brake wear causes the actuator rod to travel to a service limit position. In normal operation the spring member is separated from a small diameter section of the actuator rod. The switch device is mounted at an open end of the molded body and spring member and comprises first and second electrical contacts which extend and electrically contact each other as long as the brake actuator rod has not traveled to the service limit. When the push rod ahs traveled to its service limit, a large diameter portion of the push rod forces the contacts apart thus opening the electric circuit.

Brake actuator service limit sensor

A pressure relief valve (61) including a body (110, 114) interconnecting an inflatable volume (20a,22a) with a source of pressurized fluid (30) and the atmosphere. A pair of valve members (120, 122) cooperate to allow controlled inflation and deflation of the volumes (20a,22a) as well as to close off the fluid path between the source and the volumes and vent fluid from the volumes to the atmosphere in order to achieve at least two predetermined fluid pressures in the volume.

Two stage kneeling valve

A vehicle including a pressure relief valve mounted on a wheel is provided. The valve includes a spring biased vent valve mechanism therein and a blocker which is a actuable or manipulable to either a vent position or a nonvent position. When the blocker is in the vent position, the valve acts as a vent valve. When the blocker is in the nonvent position, the spring biased valve mechanism is prevented from opening.

Pressure relief valve

An assembly is provided which is portable and which includes a cuplike base having mounted therein an article such as a lamp unit. The base is provided with a cover which normally protects the article and renders the same readily portable and for storage. The base or the cover or both are provided with magnetic surfaces for mounting the article on a flexible panel such as the type formed of fabric or cloth mas may be found, for example, in a tent. In one embodiment, the article is a lamp unit which may be of several forms including a simple lamp socket suspended from the lamp cord. The lamp unit may also be in the form of a fixed lamp socket retained within the base by a special lens. On the other hand, the lamp socket may be carried by a plurality of arms which are pivotally mounted to one another so as to projectable from within the base to a depending position supporting the lamp socket.

Mounting assembly for portable articles

A land vehicle wheel end assembly (16) for a rigid tubular drive axle assembly (10) includes a nonrotatable sleeve (34) interposed between a portion of a spindle (14) of the axle assembly and a wheel hub (20). The wheel hub is rotatably supported on the spindle by inboard and outboard bearings (24,26) lubricated by oil from the drive axle. The hub includes a passage for directing the oil to the inboard bearing (24). The sleeve and hub include air passages (34f,34d,39,34e and 20e) for directing air from a vehicle onboard central tire inflation system to a pneumatic tire supported by the hub. A relative rotational interface between the sleeve and hub air passages is sealed by a seal assembly (52) which is lubricated by the oil. An outboard end of the sleeve preferably includes an axially open annular groove (45 or 47) for inserting an O-ring (38) seat therein after installation of the sleeve on the spindle.

Drive axle sleeve and seal assembly

A bolt lock assembly (40) and a nut lock assembly (60) are provided that respectively include a collar member (16) that is moveable in opposite axial directions in a counterbore (12) in an object (4) and is biased outwardly therefrom by a coiled spring (20). Counterbore (12) has at least one slot (14) extending radially outwardly therefrom and collar member (16) has at least one locking member (18) extending therefrom having a portion registerable with and remaining in slot (18) and a portion adapted to engage locking surfaces on a bolt head (6) of bolt (2) or a nut (24) when collar member (16) is urged outwardly from counterbore (12) to provide the locked engagement therebetween.

Bolt and nut lock assembly

A vehicle wheel and axle assembly having inflatable tires to be connected with an air filling device on the vehicle, which comprises an annular sealing assembly having a pair of annular radially expanding lobes which upon pressurization expand into sealing engagement and including a normally closed check valve which permits the flow of pressurized air to said lobes and prevents the flow of pressurized air into the tires until the lobes are in sealing engagement.

Growing community of inventors

Battle Creek, MI, United States of America

Thomas L Runels