US 4,102,438 AGranted

Disc brake assembly

AssigneeThe Dolphin Brake Corp.

InventorYvon Rancourt

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Abstract

Disclosed is a disc brake assembly for vehicles such as trucks, tractor-trailers, and the like. A disc, coupled to a vehicle wheel (or wheel-pair), is rotatably mounted in a housing fixed with respect to the vehicle. The disc has two planar braking faces, is permitted a limited degree of axial translation, and associates with an axially movable annular brake shoe array on each face thereof. The braking operation of each shoe array is pneumatically controlled through the means of an annular expansible or flexible bladder, with the disc-shoe initial clearance being hydraulically set by means of the same bladder. The disc is equipped with a plurality of spaced substantially radial channels, shaped and positioned so as to draw ambient cooling air through the central region of the disc, and to enhance the dissipation of heat. The brake shoe arrays are simultaneously controlled from the same side of the fixed housing.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A disc brake assembly for a vehicle wheel, the assembly comprising, in combination:

a brake housing defining an interior chamber;
mounting means for securing said housing to a vehicle;
an annular brake disc mounted within said housing, said disc having at least one planar braking surface;
attachment means for associating said disc with a vehicle wheel for rotation therewith;
at least one brake shoe means disposed within said housing on the planar braking surface side of said disc and mounted for axial movement toward and away from said disc;
fluid controlled actuating means disposed within said housing for moving said brake shoe means toward said disc and in braking engagement therewith;
fluid inlet means for delivering fluid to said actuating means, to selectively move said brake shoe means toward said disc;
wherein each of said brake shoe means includes an annular backing plate, a brake lining secured to one surface of said backing plate for engagement with the adjacent planar braking surface of said disc, and guide means on the outer periphery of each said backing plate;
and further comprising cooperating guide means on the inner surface of said housing for cooperating with the guide means on said backing plates and for guiding said backing plates toward and away from said disc without rotation relative to said housing.

6 more elements

A disc brake assembly for a vehicle wheel, the assembly comprising, in combination:

a brake housing defining an interior chamber;
mounting means for securing said housing to a vehicle;
an annular braking disc mounted within said housing, said braking disc having at least one planar side wall;
attachment means for associating said braking disc with the wheel of said vehicle for rotation therewith;
at least one brake shoe means disposed within said housing, mounted for axial movement toward and away from said braking disc, and adapted to contact said at least one planar side wall;
bladder means for setting the initial clearance between said braking disc and said brake shoe means and for effecting a braking action, said bladder means having a first chamber for receiving a first fluid and for setting said initial clearance, and having a second chamber for receiving a second fluid and for urging said brake shoe means toward said braking disc to effect a braking action;
first fluid inlet means for introducing said first fluid to said first chamber until said initial clearance is set;
and second fluid inlet means for introducing said second fluid to said second chamber, said second fluid inlet means being actuated each time a braking action is desired, and said second fluid being released from said second chamber when no braking action is desired.

5 more elements

A disc brake assembly for a vehicle wheel, the assembly comprising, in combination:

a brake housing defining an interior chamber;
mounting means for securing said housing to a vehicle;
an annular brake disc mounted within said housing, said disc having a central opening and being defined by opposite planar side walls and inner and outer peripheral surfaces;
attachment means for associating said disc with a vehicle wheel for rotation therewith;
first and second brake shoe means disposed within said housing on respective sides of said disc and mounted for axial movement toward and away from said disc;
and actuating means disposed within said housing for moving said brake shoe means toward said disc and in braking engagement therewith;
said attachment means having a first end for mounting on a vehicle wheel, and having a second end for coupling said disc to said vehicle wheel so that said disc and wheel are integral in a rotational sense, but so that said disc is permitted a limited degree of axial movement between said first and second brake shoe means;
said second end of said attachment means being dimensioned such as to be received by the central opening of said disc, to rotationally lock relative to said disc, and to axially slide relative to said disc so that said attachment means can be removed from said housing and hence from said disc upon the wheel being removed.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.