Roller locking brake

An electromechanical rotary brake assembly comprising:

• a rotary member to be locked having a circumferential surface including a first generally flat continuous cam surface;
• a concentric substantially stationary locking/lifting ring having a circumferential surface including plural pairs of mutually divergent second cam surfaces, said second cam surfaces further being cam segments and wherein said pairs of second cam segments have a predetermined spaced relationship around said locking/lifting ring;
• a respective plurality of conical roller members located between the rotary member and the locking/lifting ring and coupling said first cam surface and said plural pairs of second cam segments, said roller members acting to contact said first cam surface and to roll up one of said divergent second cam surfaces and lock further rotation of said rotary member;
• means being selectively activated for thereafter decoupling said roller members from contact with said first cam surface and said second cam segments to permit rotation of said rotary member;
• said rotary member comprises a circular drive disk;
• said first generally flat continuous cam surface comprises an inwardly angulated outer rim surface of said drive disc and wherein said divergent second cam segments also comprise inwardly angulated flat surfaces to accommodate a conical surface of said roller members;
• said rotary member is located interiorly of said locking/lifting ring;
• said circumferential surface of said locking/lifting ring comprises an inner circumferential surface and wherein each said pair of second cam segments define a V-shaped concave cam region around said inner circumferential surface;
• and
• said means for decoupling said conical roller members includes striker plate means located adjacent a smaller end portion of said conical roller members and means for activating said striker plate means.