Abstract: An electrically adjustable shock absorber is disclosed which includes a piston-cylinder assembly with a shock absorbing device. An electrically adjustable cylindrical slide is arranged in a tubular extension which is attached to the piston and which affects the shock absorption device by closing off at least one fluid opening provided in the extension wall to the shock absorbing device.

Abstract: A hydraulically damped rubber mounting in which a liquid filled working chamber 1 is bounded in at least a first partial area by a plate 3 which is made of a magnetizable material and supported on a spring 2. Depending upon the parameters, the plate 3 can be moved back and forth in direction of the working chamber 1 by means of a magnetic system. The transmission of acoustically effective vibrations via the rubber mounting can thus be suppressed.

Abstract: Running gear (1) of a railway vehicle, which is suspended on the undercarriage (2) of the railway vehicel by blade support springs (3) and suspension attachment (8), with the additional arrangement of an additional blade spring as absorption spring (12); the absorption spring (12) is essentially more flexible than the rigid blade support spring (3), and the absorption spring (12), is tensed into the spring band (7) of the blade support spring (3). Blade support spring (3) and absorption spring (12) are kinematically connected in parallel.

Abstract: A fluid-filled cylindrical elastic mount having an elastic body between an inner and an outer sleeve, a movable member movably disposed in a pressure-receiving chamber defined by the outer sleeve and the elastic body, a rigid member cooperating with the outer sleeve to define a space diametrically opposite to the pressure-receiving chamber in a load-receiving direction of the mount, and a partition member having a flexible portion and dividing the space into two sections one of which serves as an equilibrium chamber disposed diametrically opposite to the pressure-receiving chamber. The movable member and the inner surface of the pressure-receiving portion define a fluid resonance portion for isolating high-frequency vibrations. An orifice passage is spirally formed for fluid communication between the pressure-receiving and equilibrium chambers, for damping low-frequency vibrations.

Abstract: Abraded dust arising during operation of a disc brake and having the effect of contaminating the environment may be collected and stored in a container of the disc brake according to the invention. This container should be large enough to enable it to accumulate as much abraded dust as is generated in the course of the lifetime of a pair of brake shoes. The container preferably includes a housing embracing one part of the brake disc, and a filter disposed between the housing and the brake disc. The filter is constructed of several layers of the same type or of different types and includes an arrangement adapted to guidedly introduce into the filter the air stream carrying the dust abraded off the brake components during the operation of the brake. In a filter made of two layers, these layers may be held to advantage fastened in their place by a flow guide grating or lattice adapted to guide the air stream with abraded dust in its flow into the filter.

Abstract: An adjustable damping force hydraulic shock absorber comprising a cylinder, a piston partitioning the interior of the cylinder into two chambers, a plurality of passages through which working fluid contained in the cylinder flows when the piston axially moves in the cylinder, a damping force generating mechanism for generating a damping force by controlling the flow of the working fluid through the passages, and a damping force regulating valve capable of regulating the damping force by opening or closing one specific passage of the plurality of passages.

Abstract: A vehicle spring suspension system comprising a primary spring and a secondary spring attached to the primary spring for aiding the primary spring to restore vehicle height and to carry increasing loads placed on or in the vehicle. The secondary spring is connected at one end by an assembly which can have serveral different arrangments for varying the load supporting function of the secondary spring on the primary spring, depending on the need for more or less load carrying cooperation between the primary and secondary springs.

Abstract: An energy absorbing device, suitable for use in the leg structure of aircraft passenger seating for the purpose of attenuating crash forces, having first and second attachment fittings 11, 21 with a tube 10 of fiber reinforced plastics material extending between them. Tube 10 has a crush initiation band 17 at which buckling of the tube commences upon compressive overload. Long, tough fibers are used as the reinforcing material in the tube so that, when compression of the device has concluded, there is a residual tensile capability. Successful operation of the device is facilitated by providing attachment fitting 12 with a slider 15 which helps to maintain the collapsing portion of the tube in axial alignment with the uncollapsed portion. The slider also acts as a tube wall straightener to unbuckle the collapsed fibers when tensile load is applied.

Abstract: This invention relates to a reinforcement member to be mounted internally in the doors of an automobile, and more particularly to the member comprising two parallel flat members and one or two corrugated members which connect said two parallel members in such a manner as to position the ridges of folds thereof perpendicular to the surfaces of the plate members. The reinforcement member is mounted internally in car doors. When the car receives an impact from the side of the door, the corrugated surfaces of the member can distribute the impact evenly by deforming themselves into a fan-like shape to thereby prevent the door from being abruptly folded at one point.

Abstract: The brakes of a towed vehicle can be applied remotely responsive to braking of the towing vehicle. An air compressor driven by the motor of the towing vehicle can supply compressed air to a compressed air storage tank with a pneumatic line extending from the compressed air storage tank rearwardly to a braking assembly which is positioned in the passenger compartment of the towed vehicle. The braking assembly is adjustable and includes a rod positioned between the steering wheel and the brake pedal of the towed vehicle and is secured to both. A pneumatic control device is connected to the pneumatic line to receive a signal therethrough to actuate the braking assembly through an actuation device such as a pneumatic piston to exert pressure to expand the length of the bar and apply the brakes of the towed vehicle.

Abstract: A brake actuator having a service brake coupled to an emergency/parking brake through a lost-motion connection that allows the service brake to be applied independently of the emergency/parking brake includes a slack adjuster, the pawl of which is withheld from engagement with the teeth of the slack adjuster ratchet wheel by an interrupter vane whenever the emergency/parking brake is actuated, to thereby disable the slack adjuster.

Abstract: A hydro-elastic support mounted between two mechanical elements, subjected to excitations of variable frequencies, and able to provide two levels of stiffness by simple outside control includes an elastic vault adapted to be fastened to one of the mechanical elements, a support adapted to be fastened to the other mechanical element, an upper fluid chamber, a compensation chamber limited by a membrane, a helical duct providing a communication of the fluid between the two chambers, and a central piston for compensation of movement of the fluid from the upper fluid chamber to the compensating chamber. The piston can be immobilized by any time by an integrated mechanism that can be controlled remotely.

Abstract: A safety brake for braking a moving member includes at least one active member co-operating by friction with a passive member. The active member is kept at a distance from the passive member by an incompressible fluid which opposes the effect of a drive element (7) that is coupled to the active member and tends to urge the active member against the passive member. The incompressible fluid is enclosed in a circuit (6) which possesses a frangible portion (8) such that when the frangible portion is broken in order to activate the safety brake, it constitutes an exhaust opening to allow the incompressible fluid to escape from the circuit (6).

Abstract: A self-adjuster for a drum brake of the leading-trailing or duo servo type having the adjuster lever mounted on one of the brake shoe webs and engaged in as separate slot on the spreader and adjuster strut from the slot in which a brake shoe web and a parking brake actuating lever are received, preventing the adjuster lever from being jammed by the brake shoe web or the parking brake actuating lever. The pivot point for the adjuster lever is the same as that for the parking brake actuating lever, and is a pin mounted on the brake shoe web which is received in the other adjuster strut slot with the parking brake lever.

Abstract: A vibration damping device disposed between a vibrating body such as an internal combustion engine and a base such as a vehicular chassis, comprises an accelerometer which is mounted on the vibrating body and detects an acceleration in the vertical direction of the vibrating body, and a control unit which controls the viscosity of rheopectic fluid within a flow restricting member disposed in the damping device in response to an acceleration signal from the accelerometer. The control unit operates in such a manner that, when the control unit receives an acceleration signal whose value is smaller than a preset value, voltage is applied to the electrodes disposed in the flow restricting member and as a result the dynamic damping effect is gained.

Abstract: An hydraulically operated slip assembly useful to grip pipe being run into or pulled from a well. This assembly has upper and lower plates, each having a passage for pipe. Wedges, carrying unique slip systems are positioned around the passages between the plates and are slidably mounted for guided radial movement inwardly to initially grip pipe in neutral position and outwardly to ungrip pipe as moved by an hydraulic cylinder pivotally mounted aside on the lower plate. The unique slip systems automatically increase gripping force on initially gripped pipe on more than about 0.7 inches up or down movement from neutral position caused by loads on the pipe. Forces resulting from increased pipe gripping force on pipe develop frictional forces within the slip assembly, which effectively prevent outward movement of the wedges after inadvertent or on purpose operation of the cylinder to ungrip the pipe.

Abstract: A variable rate shock absorber comprising a tubular working cylinder (10) destined to be mounted on a suspended part of a vehicle, a piston rod assembly (24) slidably received in the working cylinder (10) and having an end (34) destined to be mounted on a fixed part of a vehicle, the piston rod assembly (24) having at its free end a piston member (48) cooperating with the working cylinder (10) to divide the interior thereof into an upper (44) and a lower working chamber (56), a valve mechanism in the piston member (48) to permit controlled two-way flow between the upper and lower working chambers an electro-magnetic valve mechanism (62) disposed between the upper working chamber (44) and a reservoir (18) and selectively actuatable to allow fluid flow therebetween, the valve mechanism (62) comprising a first member (80, 114) slidably mounted with respect to a second member (72, 116) between a closed position and an open position, characterized in that the first member (80, 114) is movable into at least one par

Abstract: A disk brake of a floating caliper type having a disk rotating with a vehicle wheel, a caliper having a hydraulic cylinder mechanism, a support member secured to a stationary portion of a vehicle and a pair of friction pads mounted on the support member. The friction pads supported by the support member through wedge contact and resiliently urged by spring portions of pad clip members so that the friction pads are kept in surface contact with the support member at the time of non-braking. A sufficient area for transmitting the braking forces applied by the friction pads are stably maintained at the time of start of the braking, and the rotation moment on the pads are reduced and the braking forces are dispersedly transmitted to the disk run-in and run-out sides of the support member during the braking.

Abstract: A drum brake has two sets of braking linings. The drum brake includes a brake plate and a brake drum. An additional cylinder is mounted on an outer periphery of the brake plate. The additional cylinder is actuated by hydraulic oil on depression of an additional brake pedal provided proximate to a clutch pedal of the car. A further brake lining is provided around an outer periphery of the brake drum. On depression of the additional brake pedal, the brake lining engages with the outer surface of the brake drum to provide additional stopping capability.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel and rotor assembly is provided for use with a vehicle having a disc-type brake. The assembly includes a wheel for threaded connection with an axle and a rotor. The rotor has a core section joined to an annular ring section and the core section has apertures aligned for threadably joining the rotor to the wheel. Heat pipes are embedded within said rotor core. The heat pipes provide a heat sink for the annular ring section of the rotor causing a fluid within the heat pipe to vaporize on an end of the heat pipes more adjacent to the annular ring section and to condense on an end of the heat pipe more adjacent to the wheel to transfer heat from the annular ring to the wheel.