Abstract: An adjuster mechanism in a drum brake wherein a rotation of a star wheel on a shaft of an extendable strut is limited to a single increment define the pitch of a plurality of teeth on the star wheel. The limitation is achieved by a lever that is carried by a web of a brake shoe has a first blade that in perpendicular alignment with a first tooth of the plurality of teeth while a second blade is offset from a second tooth and located in a plane that is substantially parallel with the pitch. When the lever is pivoted on the web through a predetermined angle, the first blade slides into engagement with a third tooth while the second blade moves through the offset and into engagement with the second tooth to connect the lever with the star wheel. Any further pivoting of the lever by movement of the web toward the drum results in the lever and star wheel moving together.

Abstract: An actuator mechanism in a drum-in-hat park brake having a housing with a first end that engages a first web of a first brake shoe and a second end that engages a second web of a second brake shoe. A lever pivotally retained in the housing has a first end that engages the first web and a second end with a hook thereon for receiving a loop end of a linkage connected to an input member. On receipt of an input force the lever pivots and exert an actuation force on the first and second webs to correspondingly moves first and second friction members associated with the first and second brake shoes into engagement with a drum to effect a brake application.

Abstract: The invention provides a pneumatic servomotor for an assisted braking of a motor vehicle, of the type comprising a unidirectional clutch device, which includes a coaxial sleeve (58), sliding on a plunger (46), and axial-locking means, which are capable of locking said sleeve (58) in an end front axial position, in which it locks the piston (22) independently of the control rod (38), when an input force is applied at a given speed on the control rod (38) integral with the plunger (46), characterised in that the unidirectional clutch device comprises damping means, made of an elastomeric material and interposed between a stop-forming transverse intermediate face (59) of the plunger (46) and an opposite transverse face (76) of the sleeve (58), so as to permit, once the input force is released and when the locking means no longer lock the sleeve (58), the noiseless return of the sleeve (58) to its rear rest position.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake booster has a housing with a stepped bore for retaining a cylindrical piston and a control bore for retaining a control valve. The cylindrical piston defines, with the stepped bore, an output chamber, a relief chamber and a power chamber; and includes a second stepped bore for a reaction piston. The reaction piston includes an axial bore, receiving a plunger defining an actuation chamber and a poppet valve. The input force initially moves the plunger and poppet valve to interrupt communication between the actuation and relief chambers; and thereafter moves the plunger to pressurize fluid in the actuation chamber, creating an input signal. The input signal activates the control valve; generating a regulated pressurized fluid, supplied directly to a second set of wheel brakes and acts on the cylindrical piston, to pressurize operational fluid supplied to a first set of wheel brakes.

Abstract: A control valve (10) having a plunger (64) with a stem having a flange defined by a first diameter (66) loosely located in a first diameter (58) of a bearing (50) and a second diameter (68) sealingly located in a second diameter (56) of the bearing (50). A space between the flange and the bearing (50) defining a dampening chamber (82) such that on movement of plunger (64) toward an actuation chamber (54), fluid is drawing through a controlled flow path (x) into the dampening chamber (82). Under certain operational conditions, fluid pressure in the actuation chamber (54) maybe subjected to oscillation and the fluid in the dampening chamber (82) cancels the effect to the oscillation such that plunger (64) remains in a substantially stationary position corresponding to an input force applied thereto to effect a brake application.

Abstract: A disc brake having a ball-in-ramp actuator retained in a caliper for supplying a piston with a static clamping force to move first and second friction members into frictional engagement with a rotor to effect a parking brake application. The clamping force is transmitted from the ball-in-ramp actuator into the piston through an adjustment screw mechanism. The disc brake being susceptible to a thermal expansion and a thermal contraction and as a result the effect of the clamping force applied to bring the first and second friction members into engagement with the rotor may change during a time period that the parking brake application is initiated until it is terminated.

Abstract: A pneumatic servomotor for an assisted braking of a motor vehicle having a unidirectional clutch device (56). The clutch device (56) has a coaxial sleeve (58) that slides on a plunger (46), and a substantially ring-shaped key (60) that is arranged with a given clearance around the sleeve (58) and driven by a moving piston (22). When an input force is applied at a determined speed onto a control rod (38) that is integral with the plunger (46), the key (60) rocks and locks a finger (52) that biases the piston (22) with respect to the sleeve (58) in an axial position. The key (60) includes a peg (78) for axial indexing of the locking position of the sleeve (58).

Abstract: A method for measuring the volume of hydraulic fluid in the secondary circuit of a braking system, especially in an accumulator, through the use of a Hall-effect magneto resistive device. A secondary hydraulic circuit includes an accumulator (11, 137), an electric motor (71, 101) driven hydraulic pump (73, 143), and appropriate valving (133) for supplying braking force hydraulic pressure from a master cylinder to one or more wheel cylinders. There is a secondary hydraulic circuit supply path for each wheel brake cylinder and each path includes a first normally open solenoid actuable valve (41, 43, 57, 59, 97, 149) providing a brake fluid path from the master cylinder to the wheel brake cylinder and a first normally closed solenoid actuable valve (61, 65, 67, 69, 139, 141) selectively opening during an anti-lock event to provide a path to bleed fluid from the associated wheel cylinder to the accumulator (11, 137).

Abstract: A drum-in-hat park brake assembly for a vehicle wherein first and second brake shoes are retained and aligned on a backing plate by first and second pins. The first and second shoes are moved into engagement with a drum by a force applied to an actuator by a cable assembly. The backing plate is characterized by a flange having a slot therein and the cable assembly is characterized by a cable with a fitting on a first end that has a stem with an annular rib thereon. The stem passes is passed through the slot while the annular rib engages the flange to limit the movement of the first end of the cable toward the actuator and to limit the movement of the first end toward the actuator mechanism to prevent the lever from being axially moved past a position of rest and change the radial alignment between the first and second brake shoes and the backing plate by the action of a release spring.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pneumatic servomotor for an assisted braking, comprising a rigid casing (1) in which a moving airtight partition wall (2) defines a front chamber (3) and a rear chamber (4), a pneumatic piston (5) travelling with the moving partition wall (2), a plunger (8), housed within the piston (5) and driven by a control rod (7) and controlling the state of a three-way valve (9), force-transmitting means (10, 13, 17, 18, 31), adapted for receiving and transmitting at least one assistance force (Fa), exerted by a front face (51) of the piston (5) when the valve (9) puts the rear chamber (4) under a second pressure (Pa), the plunger (8) including a front section (81) comprising retaining means (18, 31) intended to tie down the front section (81) of the plunger (8) to the pneumatic piston (5).

Abstract: An irrigation system for selectively providing water to various plants in a relative same area with different rates of application of water. The system has a first valve for connecting a water supply with a tube in a edging. The edging has vertical web with a flange for locating the tube in a fixed position within the area with respect to various plants. A plurality of second control valves are located on the tube in a plane tangent to the web such that a first end cap on each of the control valves is below an apex of the tube. Each second valve is characterized by a body having a first projection that extends into the tube. The body has a stepped axial bore that extends into the first projection to meet a cross bore for communicating water presented to the tube into the stepped axial bore. The stepped axial bore is connected to an outlet port in a first end cap by an internal port.

Abstract: Guide pins for retaining a caliper in an anchor of a disc brake assembly. The guide pins are characterized by a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end with a first diameter section that extends from the first end separated by a shoulder from a second diameter section that extends from the second end. The cylindrical body has a threaded axial bore that extends from a face on the second end toward the first end. A bolt has a shaft with threads thereon which mate with the threaded axial bore in the cylindrical body. A bushing is concentrically located on the shaft and in a corresponding axial opening in an ear that extends from the anchor. Torque applied to the bolt acts on and brings the bushing into engagement with the face on the second end of the cylindrical body however as the bushing has a greater length than the width of the axial opening of the ear, a desired gap is developed between a head on the bolt, the second end and the ear.

Abstract: A master cylinder (12,212) including a housing (40,40a) with a bore (42,42a) for retaining a piston assembly (100,200) to define a first chamber (54) that is connected to wheel brakes (14,14′) in a first brake circuit and a second chamber (56) that is connected to wheel brakes (18,18′) in a second brake circuit. The piston assembly (100,200) includes a sleeve (102,202) and a concentric cylindrical body (110,210) whose respective first and second end surface areas define a first effective area (D1) while the second end surface area of the cylindrical body (110,210) defines a second effective area (D2) within the bore (42,42a).