Abstract: A tread brake shoe for a railroad wheel has a cross-section with a bidirectional laminate structure, which includes a core element of a high-friction material for contacting the wheel tread and, at least one low-friction element positioned on the high-friction material sidewall for contact with the wheel flange and to inhibit wheel flange contact with the high friction material.

Abstract: A magnetic brake is provided having a combined collar and flywheel with a braking disc and a fan which are all rotatably mounted on a shaft fixed between a pair of frames. The magnetic brake further includes an electromagnetic coil wound on an electromagnetic ferrite core, a plurality of permanent magnets mounted on an inner surface of the collar, and a stator coil wound on a stator ferrite core disposed in a stator ferrite core seat. An electrical circuit is provided having a rectifying circuit coupled to a first voltage regulating circuit for powering the stator winding and the other circuitry. A digital-to-analog converter is included for converting an input digital control signal to an analog control signal. The output of the converter is coupled to a second voltage regulator, the output of which is coupled to a current regulating circuit for driving the stator winding.

Abstract: A resilient spring defining a platform surface (250) and including a pair of side-by-side spring arms (244) extending in a common axial direction from the platform surface. Each of the spring arms defines an end (252) in an adjacent relationship to the base of the other spring arm, whereby the spring arms (252) extend generally in opposing transverse directions and in the common axial direction to define a pair of bearing surfaces (260) disposed to engage a common support surface (242) of another member (38). Locking lances (258) extend from side walls (254) of the spring in a direction opposed to the axial direction of the spring arms (252) to engage ledges along side walls (262) of a cavity (70) of the other member in a manner permitting only biased movement toward the common support surface (242) when an additional member (52) to be spring biased is placed on and urged against the platform surface (250).

Abstract: The invention relates to a disc-brake with a caliper (2) slidably mounted on a stationary support (1), comprising two friction pads, (4, 5) anchorably and slidably received in the stationary support (1) and capable of frictionally engaging with the opposite faces of a revolving disc (3) upon application of a brake (8), an axial column (10), integral with the stationary support (1) and slidably received in a corresponding bore (11) formed in the caliper (2), and a mechanism (20) for locking the caliper (2) in rotation about the column (10) on the stationary support (1). The mechanism (20) for locking the caliper (2) on the stationary support (1) is of the ball joint type so as to permit a disalignment of the caliper (2) with respect to the stationary support (1) upon actuation of the brake motor (8).

Abstract: The automatic adjuster (5) for the drum brake (6) comprises first and second oppositely disposed end members (30, 40) each having slots (32, 42) for receiving nonrotatably brake shoe webs (10, 14) and a parking lever (22). The first end member (30) includes a radially expanded end portion (34) defining an interior cavity (36) with a conically shaped surface (38). The second end member (40) is connected with a rotatable starwheel flange (44) of a longitudinally extended shaft (48) having therein a threaded opening (49), the starwheel flange (44) immobilized by a return spring (16) of the brake (6). An intermediate member (50) has at one end a threaded shaft (52) which is received threadedly within the threaded opening (49) of the shaft (48) and at the other end a conically shaped member (54) which engages the conically shaped surface (38) of the first end member (30).

Abstract: Simplified assembly and reduced parts count in a linear mechanical lock assembly of the type where a rod is normally gripped against axial translation through a housing by a coil spring and released by unwinding the spring, is achieved by a one piece housing with integrally formed spring containment and rod bearing elements.

Abstract: A shock absorber has a spring disc to close one end of a fluid path defined through a piston for generating damping force in response to piston stroke in one of bounding and rebounding direction. A coil spring is also provided for providing additional spring force for flow restriction and thus increasing damping force to be generated in response to the piston stroke in one of the bounding and rebounding directions. The coil spring is so oriented to become active in response to a piston stroke in a magnitude greater than a predetermined value and greater than a piston stroke criteria which defines neutral range of the piston stroke.

Abstract: A disc brake caliper assembly for a rotary disc brake of a vehicle which has a wear adjustment mechanism is provided. The disc brake caliper assembly (10) includes a caliper housing (14) with a piston (28) slidably mounted therein, but prevented from rotating by a lug (30) on a brake shoe (16) secured thereto which keys in a groove (32) in the piston. An actuator screw (44) and actuator nut (66) are positioned in an internal bore (65) in the piston for mechanical actuation of the brakes. If the brake pads (20,22) wear, on hydraulic actuation of the brakes, a thrust washer (70) engages and moves the actuator nut axially along the actuator screw to a new position which restricts reverse movement of the piston to a new (wear adjusted) position relative to the caliper housing. An actuator cone (68) having a friction clutch surface biased into engagement with a friction clutch surface on the piston prevents reverse movement of the actuator nut.

Abstract: An eddy-current braking apparatus including a brake drum; an annular support disposed within the brake drum; a plurality of shafts mounted for rotation on the support and each disposed substantially parallel to the axis of the drum the shafts being spaced apart in an annular array on the support; and a permanent magnet fixed to each of the shafts directly adjacent to the brake drum and each having opposite polarity poles, disposed on opposite sides of the shaft. Also included is a drive mechanism for producing rotation of the shafts between braking positions wherein the magnets produce magnetic circuits including the brake drum and non-braking positions wherein the magnets produce magnetic circuits substantially excluding the brake drum.

Abstract: The hydraulic damper according to the invention has at least one restricted communication passage (47) between its two working chambers (8, 9) whose cross section is controlled by a viscous restriction valve (51) positioned via a control pressure of a fluid of a control damper with at least one secondary chamber (41, 42) delimited in a secondary cylinder (39) by a control piston (40), which cylinder and control piston are integrally attached, one to the main body (1), the other to the damping piston (4) of the damper, such that the damping law of the control fluid positioning said valve (51) is linked to the relative displacements of the main body (1) and damping piston (4).Application to the equipping of elastic-return struts with integral damping, in particular for helicopter rotors and blades. FIG. 2.

Abstract: An actuator mechanism for a braking system employing multiple disc brakes to insure an air gap between the pressure plate of the brake stack and the piston head of a piston. The piston is mounted in a cylindrical housing with an end wall to which a rod is secured. The rod extends into the piston and has a hardened ball on its end for engagement by a deformable sleeve. The deformable sleeve is connected to an outer cylindrical tube for movement therewith. Such outer tube has a flange on one end that slidably engages the cylindrical wall of the piston and a ring on the other end that is adapted to engage an annular spring retainer member slidably mounted on the outer tube. The piston has an inwardly extending annular abutment that engages the retainer member with a coil spring encircling the outer tube having one end engaging the flange and the other end engaging the retainer member to provide widely spaced footprints for the spring.

Abstract: The present specification discloses a clamp member and a torque taking member with the clamp member being slidably mounted on the torque taking member by at least one sliding pin connection, whereby the clamp member can slide relative to the torque taking member to apply a friction pad to each side of a braking disc. The at least one pin connection comprises a pin which engages in a bore with a flexible sleeve located on the pin, the flexible sleeve engaging the wall of the bore. The pin has a two part construction with the flexible sleeve located between said parts, said parts being secured together so as to deform the flexible sleeve radially outwardly into engagement with the wall of the bore.

Abstract: A braking system for a railway vehicle having bogies which have fixed axles and independent wheels, the braking being of the disk-brake type. Each brake includes multiple disks comprising rotary disks (7) secured to the wheel (2) to be braked and fixed disks (8) secured to the axle (1) carrying the wheel to be braked, braking being obtained by pressing the fixed disks against the rotary disks, the system also including a cooling circuit enabling the heat energy generated by braking to be dissipated, cooling being obtained by a forced flow of fluid through the circuit.

Abstract: A brake adjustment mechanism is provided for a bicycle wheel to allow cantilevered bicycle brakes to be adjusted quickly and easily and without the application of the brakes to the bicycle wheel. The brake adjustment mechanism employs a cable yoke which has a body adapted for connection to the flexible brake cable of a conventional cantilevered bicycle brake. The yoke has a pair of projecting supports that extend outwardly from opposite sides of a yoke body and toward opposite sides of the bicycle wheel. A separate socket is carried by each of the projecting supports. The sockets are movable in rotation relative to the yoke and each socket has a tapped opening facing a separate one of the bicycle brake lever arms. A pair of elongated rigid rods are each secured at one end to separate ones of the bicycle brake lever arms. Both of the elongated rods have externally threaded ends which are threadably engaged in separate ones of the tapped openings of the sockets.

Abstract: A gas spring has a housing closed at one end and a piston rod brought out of the other end of the housing. The housing is detachably mounted in a surrounding tube and is able to be pushed into the latter as far as an end position. Securing elements are mounted respectively at the outer end of the piston rod and on the surrounding tube. So as to ensure that a part supported by the gas spring is reliably held also when the housing is partly pulled out of the surrounding tube a locking element for the detachable locking of the housing with the surrounding tube is provided in an intermediate position in which the housing respective to the end position is partly pulled out of the surrounding tube.

Abstract: A suspension system for isolating a platform from external vibrations includes spring assemblies suspending the platform. In each spring assembly an elongated outer coil spring is suspended at an upper end thereof from a support structure. A tube is disposed loosely within the outer spring and is attached to a lower end of the spring so as to extend upwardly. An elongated inner coil spring is disposed loosely within the tube and is suspended from an upper point of the tube. The inner spring has a lower end attached to the platform. For friction dampening, o-rings are fitted on the inner spring in sliding contact with the tube.

Abstract: A hydraulic positioner for seats includes a cylinder and piston structure with a piston rod secured to the piston and extending from the cylinder. A reservoir is provided in the cylinder by a gland jointly biased by a first spring located within the cylinder and a second spring which also urges the piston rod to an extended position. A sleeve is movable by the gland for visual indication of the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder.

Abstract: The invention proposes a hydroelastic support intended to be interposed between two assemblies to be suspended by one with regard to the other, especially for the suspension of an engine in a motor vehicle, of the type comprising two armatures connected respectively to the two assemblies, these two armatures being joined by a block of elastomer material, the support comprising at least one working chamber delimited at least in part by the block of elastomer material, and an expansion chamber, these two chambers being filled at least partially with liquid and linked together by a communication passage, and of the type in which the working chamber is also delimited in part by a movable diaphragm in elastic material and whose external face comprises a cam follower with which a cam of a drive device of the movable diaphragm cooperates in order to apply to the latter displacements controlled in such a way as to create in the working chamber pressure forces synchronous with the harmonics of the vibrations of one of

Abstract: An aircraft multiple disc and brake assembly having an axle with a cylindrical wheel member journaled thereon. The inner peripheral portion of the wheel member has a plurality of circumferentially spaced splines to support axially spaced rotor discs which are interleaved with stator discs which are splined to axially extending ribs mounted on a torque tube which in turn is connected to the axle. A piston support member is secured to the axle via a hub member and has a plurality of circumferentially spaced cylinders with a piston slidably mounted therein. One end of each piston cooperates with the receiving cylinder to define a piston chamber that permits pressurization to actuate the braking action. The other end of the piston has a pair of discs with mating spherical contoured surfaces to permit a tilting therebetween to eliminate side loading and provide even wear.

Abstract: A manually operated railroad car handbrake release system in which the release of the handbrake at one end of a car automatically causes release of the brakes at the opposite end of the same car. The system utilizes the standard type handbrake, but has affixed to each of the handbrake units a hydraulic cylinder, with interconnecting hydraulic lines between hydraulic cylinders located at opposite ends of the railcar. Brake releasing actuation at one handbrake unit pressurizes the hydraulic system so that the cylinder affixed to the brake unit at the opposite end of the car is also actuated to operate the release handle and release the brake at that end. When the release handles are actuated and released, return springs disposed about the cylinders piston rods automatically return the release handles and pistons at both ends to their non-actuated positions. The brake release system is operative from either end of the railroad car, and does not include any provision for resetting the brakes.