Disc brake particularly for an automotive vehicle

A disc brake assembly for a wheel rotatably mounted upon an axle of an automotive vehicle comprising:

• an annular disc including an inner annular member coaxially mounted about the axle to rotate wit the wheel, a concentric outer annular member having opposing, annular braking surfaces and means for interconnecting said inner and outer annular members for co-rotation while permitting relative axial movement therebetween, said interconnecting means defining a plurality of axial openings for the intake of a cooling medium, said disc further including a plurality of passageways extending radially therethrough in fluid communication with said axial openings;
• first and second annular brake pads coaxially mounted about said disk, each of said brake pads having a friction surface adapted to engage and substantially totally cover a respective one of the opposing, annular braking surfaces of said disc, said brake pads including a plurality of radial passages therethrough in fluid communication with said axial openings;
• means for axially shifting at least one of said brake pads relative to said disc to engage said friction surfaces with said braking surfaces;
• and
• pad support means for positioning said brake pads relative to said disc, said pad support means spanning between said brake pads and including an axially extending peripheral wall provided with a plurality of radial openings for permitting the flow of the cooling medium from said radial passages and passageways therethrough, wherein said first brake pad is axially fixed relative to the axle, said second brake pad is axially shiftable, relative to said first brake pad, by said means for axially shifting and said pad support means includes a plurality of spaced bridges interconnecting said first and second brake pads to prevent rotation thereof, said plurality of spaced bridges collectively comprising said peripheral wall.