Wet disc brake mechanism

A wet disc brake mechanism for a vehicle comprising:

• a wheel assembly having an axially inner side portion, an axially outer side portion, a wheel shaft connecting the inner and outer side portions, an annular housing assembly rotatably supporting the wheel shaft for rotation about an axis and located between the side portions within the wheel assembly;
• a support member connected to the vehicle and extending radially inwardly between the side portions and connected to the housing assembly for supporting the wheel assembly;
• a brake hub connected to the shaft and having an outer ring portion, an external spline, and a first plurality of radial openings through the outer ring portion;
• the housing assembly having an internal spline, an annular collecting chamber, and a second plurality of radial openings communicating the internal spline with the collecting chamber;
• adjustment means for adjusting the angular disposition of the housing assembly relative to the support member and thereby the angular disposition of the wheel axis;
• a brake assembly including a first plurality of plates connected to the internal spline, a second plurality of plates connected to the external spline and interleaved with the first plurality of plates, and actuating means for controllably clamping the interleaved plates together;
• means for positively directing the ingress of a cooling fluid to the first plurality of radial openings, and for exhausting the fluid from the collecting chamber after passing radially outwardly between the interleaved plates and
• passage means for delivering a control fluid to the actuating means, said passage means including coupling means for retaining fluid within the housing assembly while said adjustment means are being adjusted, said coupling means including a telescopic coupling sleeve positioned within said passage means and a plurality of sealing rings positioned on said coupling sleeve.

A wet disc brake mechanism for a vehicle comprising:

• a wheel assembly having an axis, an axially inner side portion, an axially outer side portion, a shaft connecting the side portions, and an annular housing assembly rotatably supporting the shaft about said axis, and located between the side portions within the wheel assembly;
• a support member connected to the vehicle and extending radially inward between the side portions and connected to the housing assembly for supporting the wheel assembly;
• a brake hub connected to the shaft;
• adjustment means for adjusting the angular disposition of the housing assembly relative to the support member and thereby the angular disposition of the wheel axis;
• an annular service brake piston located within the housing assembly;
• an annular parking brake piston located within the housing assembly in a surrounding telescopic relationship with the service brake piston;
• first spring means for retracting the service brake piston;
• second spring means for urging the parking brake piston against the service brake piston;
• fluid retraction means for biasing the parking brake piston to a disengaged position against the action of the second spring means;
• fluid actuating means for controllably urging the service brake piston toward a brake holding position with respect to the brake hub against the action of the first spring means;
• passage means for delivering a control fluid to the actuating means, said passage means including coupling means for retaining fluid within the housing assembly while said adjustment means are being adjusted, said coupling means including a telescopic coupling sleeve positioned within said passage means and a plurality of sealing rings positioned on said coupling sleeve;
• an internally splined ring, said ring being adapted to be secured within said housing, and said ring and said housing defining an annular fluid collecting chamber therebetween.