Drum brake S-cam having offset cam followers

A brake, comprising:

• a brake spider having a central aperture configured to receive an axle extending therethrough along a center axis of the central aperture;
• first and second brake shoes, each of said first and second brakes shoes having a first end pivotally coupled to said brake spider;
• a first circular cam follower disposed at a second end of said first brake shoe;
• a second circular cam follower disposed at a second end of said second brake shoe;
• and,
• a cam in engagement with said first and second circular cam followers, movement of said cam causing said first and second brake shoes to move between positions of engagement and disengagement with an associated braking surface
• wherein a center of said first circular cam follower is disposed at a first distance from said center axis and a center of said second circular cam follower is disposed at a second distance from said center axis, said first distance different from said second distance
• wherein each of said first and second brake shoes includes:
• a web;
• and,
• a brake table supported on said web
• wherein a first end of said web defines radially inner and outer recesses configured to receive a corresponding one of said first and second circular cam followers, said web of said first brake shoe receiving said first circular cam follower in said radially outer recess, said web of said second brake shoe receiving said second circular cam follower in said radially inner recess.

A brake, comprising:

• a brake spider having a central aperture configured to receive an axle extending therethrough along a center axis of the central aperture;
• first and second brake shoes, each of said first and second brakes shoes having a web having a first end pivotally coupled to said brake spider and a second end;
• a first circular cam follower disposed at said second end of said web of said first brake shoe between a radially innermost point and a radially outermost point of said second end of said web of said first brake shoe, said first circular cam follower fixed against movement in a radial direction relative to said second end of said web of said first brake shoe;
• a second circular cam follower disposed at said second end of said web of said second brake shoe between a radially innermost point and a radially outermost point of said second end of said web of said second brake shoe, said second circular cam follower fixed against movement in a radial direction relative to said second end of said web of said second brake shoe;
• and,
• an S-cam configured to rotate about a rotational axis and having a first lobe in engagement with said first circular cam follower along a first surface and a second lobe in engagement with said second circular cam follower along a second surface, movement of said cam about said rotational axis causing said first and second brake shoes to move between positions of engagement and disengagement with an associated braking surface, wherein a first plane extending through said first surface and parallel to a plane containing said center axis and said rotational axis does not intersect any other portion of said first lobe of said S-cam or said first cam follower and a second plane extending through said second surface and parallel to said plane containing said center axis and said rotational axis does not intersect any other portion of said second lobe of said S-cam or said second cam follower
• wherein a center of said first circular cam follower is disposed on a first side of a third plane extending perpendicular to said plane containing said center axis and said rotational axis and a center of said second circular cam follower is disposed on a second side of said third plane.

A brake, comprising:

• a brake spider having a central aperture configured to receive an axle extending therethrough along a center axis of the central aperture;
• first and second brake shoes, each of said first and second brakes shoes having a first end pivotally coupled to said brake spider;
• a first circular cam follower disposed at a second end of said first brake shoe;
• a second circular cam follower disposed at a second end of said second brake shoe;
• and,
• a cam in engagement with said first and second circular cam followers, movement of said cam about a rotational axis causing said first and second brake shoes to move between positions of engagement and disengagement with an associated braking surface
• wherein a center of said first circular cam follower is disposed on a first side of a first plane extending perpendicular to a second plane containing said center axis and said rotational axis and a center of said second circular cam follower is disposed on a second side of said first plane
• wherein each of said first and second brake shoes includes:
• a web;
• and,
• a brake table supported on said web
• wherein a first end of said web defines radially inner and outer recesses configured to receive a corresponding one of said first and second circular cam followers, said web of said first brake shoe receiving said first circular cam follower in said radially outer recess, said web of said second brake shoe receiving said second circular cam follower in said radially inner recess.