Carrier for brake linings for disk brakes having divided lining elements

A brake lining carrier for disc brakes having divided lining elements, particularly for rail vehicles, comprising a base plate having one side detachably mountable on a brake lining support member and a second side, means on the edge portion of said second side of said base plate for defining a frame having a perimeter, said frame having a lip bent away from said edge portion to define a groove, a plurality of brake lining elements disposed laterally on said second side of said base plate and within said frame to define a friction lining block having a friction braking surface, each of said brake lining elements being fixed upon a carrier plate having projecting flange portions on at least two longitudinal sides of the brake lining element and substantially flush on remaining sides of the brake lining element, most of the adjacent brake lining elements being in contact with each other along their respective lateral sides, said frame perimeter enclosing the friction lining block defined by said plurality of mounted brake lining elements, said friction lining block having an open central portion, a layer of resilient material interposed between said friction lining block and said base plate, the projecting flange portions on the outer longitudinal sides of said brake lining elements being received within said groove, the projecting flange portions on the inner longitudinal sides of said brake lining elements extending into said open central portion, clamping means disposed in the open central portion of said friction lining block for exerting a force perpendicular to said friction surface against said flange portion extending into the open central portion to retain said flange portions, said brake lining elements within said frame having a lateral play parallel to said friction braking surface such that in the direction of friction force occurring on the friction surface during braking, the brake lining elements can be positioned against each other and can be supported jointly against said frame while mutually supporting each other.