Disk brake with high thermal resistance

A friction device for braking or retarding a rotary drive shaft or a transmission, the device comprising:

• a non-rotary casing having at least one end wall provided with a bearing unit for the rotary shaft;
• a set of annular disks on a common axis, with at least friction portions thereof being made of a thermostructural composite material, the disks being received inside the casing and comprising at least one rotor disk constrained to rotate with the rotary shaft and at least two stator disks mounted on either side of the rotor disk and prevented from rotating relative to the casing;
• a thrust structure situated facing an outside face of a first stator disk at a first end of the set of disks;
• actuator means connected to the thrust structure;
• and
• a backing structure supported by the casing and situated facing an end face of a second stator disk at a second end of the set of disks:
• the device being characterized in that:
• the casing is in the form of a cage in which there are received the thrust structure, the set of disks, and the backing structure, and comprises a first end wall at the thrust structure end, a second end wall at the backing structure end, and a peripheral wall provided with ventilation openings;
• the actuator means are constituted by a pneumatic actuator mechanically connected to a central portion of the thrust structure via a central opening in the first end wall of the casing;
• and
• thermal insulation means are arranged between the set of disks and the outside of the casing beside the end wall fitted with the bearing unit for the rotary shaft, and comprising at least one heat barrier situated at the bearing unit.