US 4,056,173 AGranted

Automatic slack adjuster for vehicle brakes combined with a hydraulic actuator and auxiliary mechanical actuator assembly

AssigneeGirling Limited

InventorGlyn Phillip Reginald Farr

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Abstract

A hydraulic actuator for a vehicle brake system is provided with an auxiliary mechanical actuator e.g. a handbrake cam which is fitted to a first component (e.g. a first piston) of the hydraulic actuator and acts through an automatic slack adjuster on a second component (e.g. a second piston) of the hydraulic actuator. The adjuster comprises a rotatable push rod and a non-rotatable nut with a screw-thread connection therebetween. The rotatable push rod has a portion which is sealed to the first piston and upon which the mechanical actuator acts. A relatively light spring biasses at least the above mentioned portion of the rotatable push rod away from the mechanical actuator and automatic adjustment comprising rotation of the rotatable push rod is effected when there is at least a tendency for the above mentioned push rod portion to be displaced and the applied hydraulic pressure is at a relatively low value at which the force applied by the hydraulic pressure to the the above mentioned push rod portion is less than the force of the spring. When the applied hydraulic pressure is above this predetermined relatively low value there is no tendency for the rotatable push rod to move away from the mechanical actuator and no adjustment can take place. The adjuster is thereby rendered load insensitive, i.e. it will not overadjust in the event of brake deflection on heavy brake application.

Claims30

Dependent claims

In combination with a hydraulic actuator for a vehicle brake comprising opposed first and second non-rotatable but relatively axially displaceable components which are movable apart by the application of hydraulic pressure therebetween;

an auxiliary mechanical actuator fitted to said first component;
an automatic slack adjuster operative between said auxiliary mechanical actuator and said second component for taking up increased slack due to lining wear, said slack adjuster including rotatable and non-rotatable adjuster elements of which the rotatable element has a screw-threaded portion and a further portion non-rotatable relatively thereto and a screw-thread connection between said screw-threaded portion and said non-rotatable adjuster element;
means slidably sealing said further portion to said first hydraulic actuator component, such that the hydraulic pressure acts on said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element in the same direction as it acts on said first hydraulic actuator component, said auxiliary mechanical actuator acting on said second hydraulic actuator component via said rotatable adjuster element, said screw-threaded engagement and said non-rotatable adjuster element in that order;
and spring means arranged to bias said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element in a direction opposite to the direction in which the applied hydraulic pressure acts thereon for producing at least part of an adjustment cycle when lining wear has taken place and when the applied hydraulic pressure is below a predetermined relatively low value, said adjustment cycle at least in part consisting of rotation of said rotatable adjuster element in a direction to take up increased slack due to the lining wear, said spring means being overcome by the applied hydraulic pressure acting on said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element to inhibit any part of an adjustment cycle whenever the applied hydraulic pressure is above said predetermined relatively low value.

1 more element

an auxiliary mechanical actuator fitted to said first component;
an automatic slack adjuster operative between said auxiliary mechanical actuator and said second component, said slack adjuster including rotatable and non-rotatable adjuster elements of which the rotatable element has a screw-threaded portion and a further portion non-rotatable relatively thereto and a reversible screw-thread connection between said screw-threaded portion and said non-rotatable adjuster element;
means slidably sealing said further portion of said first hydraulic actuator component, such that the hydraulic pressure acts on said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element in the same direction as it acts on said first hydraulic actuator component;
a further non-rotatable member;
co-operating frictional abutment surfaces on said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element and said further non-rotatable member, said auxiliary mechanical actuator acting on said second hydraulic actuator component via said further non-rotatable member adjuster element, said screw-thread connection and said non-rotatable adjuster element in that order;
and spring means arranged to bias said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element in a direction to at least tend to part said frictional abutment surfaces to permit said reversible screw-thread connection to rotate said rotatable adjuster element when lining wear has taken place and when the applied hydraulic pressure is below a predetermined relatively low value, such rotation of the rotatable adjuster element being in a direction to take up increased slack due to the lining wear, said spring means being overcome by the applied hydraulic pressure acting on said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element to enable the applied hydraulic pressure to urge said frictional abutment surfaces against one another to inhibit rotation of said rotatable adjuster element whenever the applied hydraulic pressure is above said predetermined value.

3 more elements

an auxiliary mechanical actuator fitted to said first component;
an automatic slack adjuster operative between said auxiliary mechanical actuator and said second component for taking up increased slack due to lining wear, said slack adjuster including rotatable and non-rotatable adjuster elements of which the rotatable element has a screw-threaded portion and a further portion non-rotatable relatively thereto and a non-reversible screw-thread connection between said screw-threaded portion and said non-rotatable adjuster element;
means slidably sealing said further portion to said first hydraulic actuator component, such that the hydraulic pressure acts on said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element in the same direction as it acts on said first hydraulic actuator component, said auxiliary mechanical actuator acting on said second hydraulic actuator component via said rotatable adjuster element, said screw-threaded connection and said non-rotatable adjuster element in that order, said slack adjuster further including an adjuster mechanism responsive to relative axial travel between said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element and said first actuator component for turning said rotatable adjuster element to take up increased slack due to lining wear;
and a cycling spring arranged to bias said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element in a direction opposite to the direction in which the applied hydraulic pressure acts thereon for producing part of an adjustment cycle when lining wear has taken place and when the applied hydraulic pressure is below a predetermined relatively low value, said adjustment cycle comprising said turning of the rotatable adjuster element by said adjuster mechanism by relative axial displacement in one direction between said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element and said first hydraulic actuator component and setting of said adjuster mechanism by relative axial displacement in the opposite direction between said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element and said first hydraulic actuator component, said cycling spring being overcome by the applied hydraulic pressure acting on said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element to inhibit any relative axial movement between said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element and said first hydraulic actuator component, thereby inhibiting any part of an adjustment cycle, whenever the applied hydraulic pressure is above said predetermined relatively low value.

1 more element

an auxiliary mechanical actuator comprising a cam journalled in said first component about the longitudinal axis of the hydraulic actuator;
an automatic slack adjuster operative between said auxiliary mechanical actuator and said second component, said slack adjuster including rotatable and non-rotatable adjuster elements of which the rotatable element has a screw-threaded portion with an external screw-thread thereon and a further portion integral therewith and said non-rotatable adjuster element has an internal screw-thread mating with said external screw-thread to form a reversible screw-thread connection, said first actuator component having a bore therein and at least said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element comprising a push-rod slidably received in said bore;
means slidably sealing said push-rod to said bore, such that the hydraulic pressure acts on said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element in the same direction as it acts on said first hydraulic actuator component, a further non-rotatable member;
co-operating frusto-conical frictional abutment surfaces on said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element and said further non-rotatable member, said auxiliary mechanical actuator acting on said second hydraulic actuator component via said further non-rotatable member, said frictional abutment surfaces, said rotatable adjuster element, said screw-thread connection and said non-rotatable adjuster element in that order;
and spring means disposed between said non-rotatable adjuster element and said second hydraulic actuator component to bias said rotatable adjuster element in a direction to at least tend to part said frictional abutment surfaced to permit said reversible screw-thread connection to rotate said rotatable adjuster element when lining wear has taken place and when the applied hydraulic pressure is below a predetermined relatively low value, such rotation of the rotatable adjuster element being in a direction to take up increased slack due to the lining wear, said spring means being overcome by the applied hydraulic pressure acting on said further portion of said rotatable adjuster element to enable the applied hydraulic pressure to urge said frictional abutment surfaces against one another to inhibit rotation of said rotatable adjuster element whenever the applied hydraulic pressure is above said predetermined value.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.