Brake assembly

A disc brake assembly for a vehicle wheel wherein the wheel includes a hub journaled to an axle on the vehicle, the disc brake assembly is within the confined of the wheel and concentric with the axle, the disc brake assembly comprising:

• a housing mounted to the vehicle and at least a radial disc within the housing and means mounting the disc to the wheel, the disc having at least a first radial planar friction surface;
• a first brake shoe provided adjacent the first planar friction surface of the disc, movable axially towards and away from the first friction surface of the disc, for friction engagement therewith and release thereof;
• means provided for restraining the first brake shoe from rotating with the disc;
• an intermediate wall mounted within the housing and fixed thereto extending parallel with the radial disc and located such that the first brake shoe moves axially between the intermediate wall and the radial disc;
• movable spring abutment means mounted for axial movement within the housing between the intermediate wall and the housing such that the intermediate wall is between the movable spring abutment means and the first brake shoe;
• spring means extending between the housing wall and the spring abutment means;
• a first fluid bladder being provided between the intermediate wall and the spring abutment means whereby the first bladder when expanded forces the spring abutment means to overcome the spring means to release the first brake shoe from the first friction surface of the disc to release the safety brake mode;
• a second bladder being provided between the intermediate wall and the first brake shoe such that when service brakes are applied to expand the second bladder so as to urge the first brake shoe to the first friction surface of the disc;
• pusher link members extending between the spring abutment means and the first brake shoe passing through the intermediate wall such that the first brake shoe moves axially with the spring abutment means, such that the spring means urges against the spring abutment means to press the first brake shoe against the first friction surface of the disc in a safety brake mode, the pusher link members being located exteriorly of the first and second bladders such that an interior of the first bladder and an interior of the second bladder are out of contact with the pusher link members;
• and
• quick release valve means being mounted to the intermediate wall and communicating with the second bladder for evacuating fluid from the second bladder to accelerate the rate of modulation of the second bladder.

A disc brake assembly for a vehicle wheel on a vehicle wherein the wheel includes a hub journaled to an axle on the vehicle, the disc brake assembly is within the confines of the wheel and concentric with the axle, the disc brake assembly including a housing mounted to the vehicle and at least a radial disc within the housing, and means mounting the disc to the wheel, the disc having at least a first radial planar friction surface and first brake shoe provided adjacent the first planar friction surface movable axially towards and away from the first friction surface of the disc for friction engagement therewith and release thereof, an intermediate wall member mounted within the housing and fixed thereto and extending parallel with the radial disc and located such that the first brake shoe moves axially between the intermediate wall and the radial disc, means provided for restraining the first brake shoe from rotating with the disc, a gaseous fluid bladder being provided between the intermediate wall and the first brake shoe such that when service brakes are applied, the bladder is expanded so as to urge the first brake shoe to the first friction surface of the disc, movable spring abutment means mounted for axial movement within the housing between the intermediate wall and a housing wall such that the intermediate wall is between the movable spring abutment means and the first brake shoe, rigid pusher link members extending between the spring abutment means and the first brake shoe and passing by the intermediate wall such that the first brake shoe moves axially with the spring abutment means, a spring means extending between the housing wall and the spring abutment means such that the spring means urges against the spring abutment means to press the first brake shoe against the first friction surface of the disc in a safety brake mode, quick release valve means being mounted directly to the intermediate wall and communicating with the bladder for evacuating gaseous fluid from the bladder to accelerate the rate of modulation of the bladder.