Radial sealed air brake chamber

A service brake actuator comprising:

• a housing base having a center portion, the center portion having an annular inner surface;
• a housing cover having a center portion, the center portion having an annular outer surface;
• wherein the center portion of said housing cover telescopingly fits within the center portion of said housing base in an assembled position, and wherein the annular inner surface of the center portion of said housing base and the annular outer surface of the center portion of said housing cover define an annular space therebetween;
• a diaphragm having a thickness greater than a thickness of the annular space, said diaphragm held in the annular space by radial forces generated by compression of said diaphragm in the annular space;
• and
• wherein a magnitude of the radial forces holding said diaphragm in the annular space is variable depending on the thickness of the annular space and wherein the magnitude of the radial forces holding said diaphragm in the annular space is increased by increasing a diameter of the annular outer surface of the center portion of said housing cover, by decreasing a diameter of the annular inner surface of the center portion of said housing base, or by doing both.

A service brake actuator comprising:

• a housing base having a center portion, the center portion having an annular outer surface;
• a housing cover having a center portion, the center portion having an annular inner surface;
• wherein the center portion of said housing base telescopingly fits within the center portion of said housing cover in an assembled position, and wherein the annular inner surface of the center portion of said housing cover and the annular outer surface of the center portion of said housing base define an annular space therebetween;
• and
• a diaphragm having a thickness greater than a thickness of the annular space, said diaphragm held in the annular space by radial forces generated by compression of said diaphragm in the annular space, said diaphragm including an outwardly projecting peripheral annular flange located outside of the annular space, said annular flange inhibiting said diaphragm from being pulled through the annular space under forces to which said diaphragm is subject.

A two-chamber air brake actuator comprising:

• a spring chamber assembly;
• and
• a service brake assembly joined in tandem with said spring chamber assembly, said service brake assembly comprising:
• a housing base having a center portion;
• a housing cover having a center portion;
• wherein the center portion of said housing base and the center portion of said housing cover telescopingly fit together in an assembled position and define an annular space therebetween;
• a diaphragm having a thickness greater than a thickness of the annular space between the center portion of said housing base and the center portion of said housing cover, said diaphragm held in the annular space by radial forces generated by compression of said diaphragm in the annular space;
• and
• a clamp ring holding said housing base and said housing cover together in the assembled position, said clamp ring exerting substantially no compressive axial forces on said diaphragm.