US 6,044,535 A · Brake spring maintenance tool and method

Abstract

A tool for brake spring maintenance provides the ability both to release brake springs and then hold them out of the way for removal and replacement of brake shoes or for other maintenance operations related to drum brake arrangements. A main support bar is adapted to be received on an exposed wheel mounting member. The bar has a pair of threaded pins and cooperating threaded nuts for controlled axial movement of the pins. The pins have hooked ends and are situated for engaging respective brake springs whenever the tool is properly positioned on the exposed wheel mounting member. By rotating the threaded nuts to move the pins a set axial distance with the pin hooked ends engaged with the brake springs, such springs can be drawn back from their hold on the brake shoes, to permit disassembly and maintenance of the entire drum brake arrangement. The tool enables both brake springs to be released and held simultaneously, resulting in significant time savings and improved safety for overall drum brake maintenance operations.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A tool for releasing and holding brake springs to facilitate maintenance operations for a drum brake arrangement, comprising:

main support means for removably resting on an exposed wheel flange of a vehicle wheel drive assembly having a drum brake arrangement;
retraction means having a longitudinal axis and an operative length extending therealong from a surface of said main support means;
and,
a collar laterally fixed to said main support means, the collar surrounding a portion of the retraction means along at least about one half of said operative length, said retraction means being laterally displacable within said collar so as to guide movement of said retraction means along said longitudinal axis, thereby preventing binding of said retraction means from any forces lateral to said longitudinal axis;
wherein said retraction means provides for controlled retracting and holding of at least one brake spring associated with a brake shoe of the drum brake arrangement, so that the drum brake shoes of the drum brake arrangement with which said tool is used may be selectively released from tension from their respective brake springs by controlled actuation of said retraction means, for ease of access and disassembly of the drum brake arrangement.

2 more elements

A brake spring retraction tool for use in drum brake maintenance operations, comprising:

a main support bar comprising a generally rigid element adapted to be received on an exposed wheel mounting member of a vehicle wheel drive assembly having drum brakes, said rigid element further defining a pair of receiving holes therethrough and respectively spaced thereon in predetermined locations;
a pair of retractable elements configured to resist lateral forces, received respectively in said pair of receiving holes and each individual retractable element having a longitudinal axis an operative length extending there along from said main support bar;
a first and a second collar laterally fixed to said support bar, each said first and said second collar surrounding a portion of a respective retractable element along at least about one half of said operative length, each said individual retractable elements being laterally displacable within said respective collar so as to guide movement of said retractable element along the longitudinal axis of each individual retractable element, thereby preventing binding of said each retractable elements from any force lateral to said longitudinal axis;
a pair of brake spring engagement means situated on said respective retractable elements;
and
a pair of actuation means associated with said respective retractable elements for selectively and controllably retracting said retractable elements whenever said main support bar is positioned such that said pair of brake spring engagement means are engaged with respective brake springs of a vehicle wheel drive assembly with which said tool is associated, so that the brake springs may be selectively lifted and held so as to permit ease of removal and replacement of the brake shoes with which the brake springs are associated and so as to permit access to and disassembly of other components of the drum brake arrangement for ease of maintenance thereof.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Brake spring maintenance tool and method

Life of this patent

Brake spring maintenance tool and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17