Abstract: An extension handle for a manual valve connected at its first end to the stem of the valve by a pin which extends through the extension handle, the standard handle and the valve stem. A handle bracket may be mounted to the manual valve.

Abstract: An opposed piston type disc brake comprising an outer body, an inner body, cylinders, pistons, and pads. A rotor rotates together with a wheel being interposed between the outer and inner bodies. The cylinders are opposed to each other and arranged in both outer and inner bodies. The pistons are fluid-tightly arranged in the cylinders and capable of being freely displaced in the axial direction of the rotor. The pads are supported by the inner and outer bodies and capable of being freely displaced in the axial direction of the rotor. The outer and inner bodies are made separately from each other. The outer body includes a main body, a connecting portion, and an attaching portion. The main body is provided with the cylinders. The connecting portion extends from both end portions of the main body in the axial direction of the rotor and straddles the rotor.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improvement in an actuator system for use with a brake system of the type including a brake and a source of compressed air which is connected to an air chamber including a push rod for moving a transverse brake actuator bar between a brake applied position and a brake released position. The push rod operates the transverse brake actuator bar. The actuator system includes an asymmetric operator member which is relatively-rotatably-attached to a non-rotatable wheel support, and which is concentrically-disposed around an axle of a wheel. The asymmetric operator member includes an ear which is attached to the transverse brake actuator bar.

Abstract: A brake cable connecting device for fastening a brake cable to a brake lever in a blind manner reduces cost and weight of the brake device. The connecting device is formed of a U-shaped channel provided on a free end of the brake lever and a guide unit for automatically attaching the brake cable to the free end of the brake lever when the brake cable is pushed toward the brake lever. The guide unit made separately from the brake lever includes a cable retaining groove bent into U-shape and mounted in the channel of the brake lever, a guide member for guiding the brake cable toward the free end of the brake lever, and a ramped surface for deflecting the brake cable when the brake cable moves along the surface thereof for generating a return force in the brake cable. The brake cable snaps in the cable retaining groove by the return force when an end thereof passes the peak of the ramped surface.

Abstract: A visual brake wear indicator gauge for a vehicle's disc brake system. A mounting bracket is fixed to the existing brake's caliper with a hollow housing extending from the bracket. The visual gauge has an indicator bar with straight length and a right angled indicator foot on one end that contacts an inside disc pad. This indicator bar extends through and within the gauge housing and is normally biased by a housing spring to contact the brake's disc pad. Two different adjacent visual color coded segments on the bar indicate the contacted disc pad are properly operating, when both are color segments are displayed to one side of the housing, or that the system needs repair if only one color coded segment is so displayed. The gauge bar indicates wear to either the vehicle's disc pads or the associated rotor of the vehicle's braking system.

Abstract: A device for controlling an electro-hydraulic brake system of a vehicle checks if a battery forming an electric power source for the electric part of the brake system is in its normal operating condition, by taking a chance that thevehicle is substantially stopped with a brake pedal not being substantially depressed by a driver, wherein the checking is carried out if the outlet voltage of the battery is lower than a predetermined voltage in a substantially loaded condition by momentarily driving a motor-driven pump forming a pressurized brake fluid source for the hydraulic part of the brake system with at least one wheel being braked by the pressurized brake fluid.

Abstract: An adjustment arrangement for a hydraulic brake actuator (11) of the type having a piston (17) which moves a preferred distance within a cylindrical bushing (15) portion of a housing between a quiescent retracted position with a preferred clearance space between one piston end and a brake mechanism, and an extended position with the piston end engaging and actuating the brake mechanism in response to the application of hydraulic fluid pressure includes a return spring (23) which, upon relief of the hydraulic pressure, urges the piston (17) back from the brake mechanism engaging position to the retracted position. There is an internally disposed mechanical piston clearance space adjustment feature including an expandable sleeve (33) which surrounds a cantilevered pin (37) having a split expander ring (35a, 35b) near a free end thereof. Upon excessive piston (17) travel, the sleeve moves along the expander ring (35a, 35b) to establish a new retracted piston position.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an electromechanically operable disc brake for automotive vehicles which comprises a floating caliper as well as an actuating unit arranged on the caliper. The actuating unit includes an electric motor which, by the intermediary of a reduction gear, readjusts an actuating element which is used to move one of two friction linings that are slidable in the brake caliper into engagement with a brake disc. To permit an individual adjustment of the desired brake force, especially for use of the disc brake in an automotive vehicle, according to the present invention, a force-measuring device (23) is interposed in the flux of force between the caliper (1) and the actuating unit (2), and the output signals of device (23) are adapted to be sent to a control circuit (26) that influences the current supplied to the electric motor (6), and/or the voltage.

Abstract: A guide tube formed of a non-magnetically permeable material is coaxially disposed in a brake drum coupled to a rotational shaft and a magnet support tube formed of a non-magnetically permeable material is axially movably supported within the guide tube. A plurality of magnets are supported at equal annular intervals on the outer wall of the magnet support tube and proximal surfaces of ferromagnetic members are coupled to magnetic pole surfaces at opposite ends of the magnet. Actuators reciprocate the magnet support tube between a braking position in which extreme end surfaces of the ferromagnetic members are opposed to an inner surface of the brake drum and a non-braking position in which the ferromagnetic members are withdrawn from the brake drum.

Abstract: An eddy current reduction braking system in which with high speed rotation of a brake drum, magnetic flux produced by magnets is concentrated to increase magnetic flux density and thereby enhance braking force. According to the invention, there is provided a guide tube formed of a non-magnetic material and having a hollow portion in the shape of a rectangle in section disposed interiorly of a brake drum. A number of ferromagnetic pole pieces are disposed at annularly equal intervals on an outer surface of the guide tube and at least one magnet support tube is movably mounted in the hollow portion of the guide tube. Magnets are mounted on the magnet support tube such that their polarities with respect to the ferromagnetic pole pieces are alternately different.

Abstract: A ski slope obstacle injury protecting system for protecting a skier from injury when colliding into an obstacle on a ski slop such as a pole or tree. The ski slope obstacle injury protecting system includes an annular mounting collar designed for mounting around an obstacle upwardly extending from a ground surface. A plurality of elongate upper flexible elements are extended from the mounting collar. A generally frusta-conical trampoline is provided having annular top and bottom edges. The upper flexible elements are coupled to the top edge of the trampoline. A plurality of elongate lower flexible elements are extended from the bottom edge of the trampoline and are designed for securing the bottom edge of the trampoline to the ground surface.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating an electromechanical brake system 2 of a motor vehicle that contains two brake circuits 24 and 28 that are powered by the on-board network 20 in the normal mode and by the respective emergency power storage mechanisms 22a and 22b in the emergency mode. In the emergency mode of the brake system 2, one of the two brake circuits 24, 28 is only operated by the control unit 10 until the emergency power storage mechanism 22b assigned to this brake circuit 28 has reached a residual power value that is sufficient for locking the wheels of this brake circuit at least once while the motor vehicle is at a standstill.

Abstract: A front disk brake, which includes a brake disk fixedly mounted on a hub at the front fork of a bicycle, and a brake caliper mounted on lugs at the front fork of the bicycle by a mounting frame and pulled by a brake line to stop the brake disk, wherein the brake caliper includes a body mounted on the mounting frame, the body having a narrow slot, which receives the brake disk, two inside annular grooves at two opposite sides of the slot, and two sets of steel balls moved in the slot, two cam shafts mounted in the body, the cam shafts each having a head and ball grooves equiangularly spaced at the head, the ball grooves receiving the steel balls and each having a depth gradually deeper from one end toward the other end, and a pull bar driven by the brake line to turn the cam shafts, enabling the cam shafts to be respectively forced outwards by the steel balls toward two opposite side walls of the brake disk.