Single brake spring tool and method of removal of drum brake spring
AssigneeLisle Corporation
InventorsKen D. Livingston, Randall J. Ploeger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A brake drum spring release tool includes a straight elongate rod member with a laterally projecting lever arm extending from one side and an extended hook member from the end of the rod member. The lever arm acts as a fulcrum when positioned on a drum brake spring simultaneously engaged by a hook member. Placing a generally lateral force on the grip end of the tool will cause rotational force imparted by the hook member on the spring typically with a mechanical advantage associated with the fulcrum of the lever arm to thereby release the spring from a drum brake shoe.
Claims19
A single brake spring release tool comprising:
- a substantially straight, elongate rod member having a substantially straight longitudinal axis extending between a rod grip end and an opposite hook and lever arm end section;
- a lever arm extending from the hook and lever arm end section of said rod member at an acute angle relative to the substantially straight longitudinal axis of the rod member;
- said lever arm terminating at an outer fulcrum tip and including a first spring engaging slot extending and open outwardly from the outer tip in the direction of the longitudinal rod member axis;
- and
- a hook member attached to and extending longitudinally from the hook and lever arm end section of the rod member along the straight longitudinal axis, said hook member including a second spring engaging slot in a side thereof generally transverse to said straight longitudinal axis, said second spring engaging slot generally aligned with said first spring slot of said lever arm transversely to the longitudinal axis.
A method for effecting removal of a generally W-shaped drum brake spring having first and second spaced legs, each leg including a distal end for engagement with a drum brake shoe and an adjacent section, said spring in biasing engagement with a brake drum shoe mounted on a brake backing plate, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a substantially straight, elongate rod member having a substantially straight longitudinal axis extending between a rod grip end and an opposite hook and lever arm end section;
- a lever arm extending from the hook and lever arm end section of said rod member at an acute angle relative to the substantially straight longitudinal axis of the rod member;
- said lever arm terminating at an outer fulcrum tip and including a first spring engaging slot extending and open outwardly from the outer tip in the direction of the straight longitudinal rod member axis;
- a hook member attached to and extending longitudinally from the hook and lever arm end section of the rod member along the straight longitudinal axis, said hook member including a second spring engaging slot in a side thereof generally transverse to said straight longitudinal axis, said second spring engaging slot generally aligned with said first spring slot of said lever arm transversely to the longitudinal axis;
- positioning the lever arm extension first spring engaging slot on the adjacent section of one of said spring legs to provide a fulcrum;
- positioning said second spring engaging slot of said hook member on said distal end of said one of said spring legs to engage said spring in tension by the lever arm;
- engaging said rod grip end of said rod member and pivoting said rod grip end about the fulcrum to disengage the distal end of said one of said spring legs from the drum brake shoe.
A single brake spring release tool comprising:
- a substantially straight, elongate rod member having a substantially straight longitudinal axis extending between a rod grip end and an opposite hook and lever arm end section;
- a lever arm extending from the hook and lever arm end section of said rod member at an acute angle relative to the substantially straight longitudinal axis of the rod member;
- said lever arm terminating at an outer fulcrum tip and including a first spring engaging slot extending with a slot opening in the direction of the longitudinal rod member axis;
- and
- a hook member extending from the hook and lever arm end section of the rod member in the direction of the straight longitudinal axis, said hook member including a second spring engaging slot in a side thereof having an opening generally transverse to said straight longitudinal axis and directed generally toward the grip end, said second spring engaging slot generally aligned with said first spring engaging slot of said lever arm and with the longitudinal axis.
A method for effecting removal of a generally W-shaped drum brake spring having first and second spaced legs, each leg including a distal end for engagement with a drum brake shoe and an adjacent section, said spring in biasing engagement with a brake drum shoe mounted on a brake backing plate, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a single brake spring release tool comprising:
- a substantially straight, elongate rod member having a substantially straight longitudinal axis extending between a rod grip end and an opposite hook and lever arm end section;
- a lever arm extending from the hook and lever arm end section of said rod member at an acute angle relative to the substantially straight longitudinal axis of the rod member;
- said lever arm terminating at an outer fulcrum tip and including a first spring engaging slot extending with a slot opening in the direction of the longitudinal rod member axis;
- and
- a hook member extending from the hook and lever arm end section of the rod member in the direction of the straight longitudinal axis, said hook member including a second spring engaging slot in a side thereof having an opening generally transverse to said straight longitudinal axis and directed generally toward the grip end, said second spring engaging slot generally aligned with said first spring engaging slot of said lever arm and with the longitudinal axis;
- positioning the lever arm extension first spring engaging slot on the adjacent section of one of said spring legs to provide a fulcrum;
- positioning said second spring engaging slot of said hook member on said distal end of said one of said spring legs to engage said spring in tension by the lever arm;
- engaging said rod grip end said rod member and pivoting said rod grip end about the fulcrum to disengage the distal end of said one of said spring legs from the drum brake shoe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.