Abstract: A disc brake assembly (10) includes a rotor (12) having a pair of friction faces (14, 16) and a pair of friction elements (18, 20) disposed adjacent the friction faces. A caliper (32) is slidably mounted on a support member (22) by mounting mechanism (40). Mounting mechanism (40) includes a camming member (66) supported by the support member (22) and slidably engaged by the caliper (32) and a torsion spring (82) which yieldably rotates the camming member (66) into camming engagement with the caliper (32) and support member (22).

Abstract: A vortex flow hydraulic shock absorber for damping relative displacement of two components comprising a piston provided with a fluid passage therethrough including a pair of vortex chambers formed in a movable valve body disposed between a pair of resilient annular discs in a valve chamber in the piston. The valve body moves against the force of the resilient annular discs in response to an increase in the pressure difference of the working fluid on opposite sides of the piston to positions in which the fluid is permitted to bypass one or both of the vortex chambers as it traverses the piston, thereby varying the damping force of the shock absorber.

Abstract: A leaf spring construction including at least one leaf element made from a flat sheet of uniform width and thickness, the leaf element having an arcuate shape in the transverse cross-section with a convex surface on tension stress side and a concave surface on compression stress side thereof, the leaf element having in cross-section a width b and a transverse center line forming an arc of a radius r.sub.c with the relation of2.0.gtoreq.r.sub.c /b.gtoreq.0.64and a thickness t with the relation of0.2.gtoreq.t/b.gtoreq.0.05In a laminated leaf spring including a plurality of such leaf elements, each leaf element is formed to have a convex surface of a radius of curvature r.sub.o and a concave surface of a radius of curvature r.sub.i in the relation of1.2.gtoreq.r.sub.o /r.sub.i .gtoreq.1.0.

Abstract: A spring assembly for a vehicle having a "slipper" connection between a main leaf spring and a boot comprises a lower additional leaf spring mounted on the boot and having a hooked free end which bears upwards against the end of the main spring, and engages the hooked end of the main spring when the limit of flexing is reached.

Abstract: An assembly designed to eliminate or attenuate undesirable noises generated by conventional disc brake assemblies when the mounting members for such assemblies become worn with usage. A bias member under compression is disposed in sandwiched relation between a pair of retainer members, one of which is fixedly secured to the fork portion of a motorcycle, and the other of which is fixedly secured to the housing for the braking unit. Thus, the bias member urges such caliper forwardly at all times. Such forward pressure causes the brake caliper mounting pins to seat firmly against the bore formed by the pin guides which are a part of the bracket upon which the caliper is mounted. Although the diameter of such bore will continue to increase attendant operation of the motorcycle, the operation of the compressed bias member will continually accommodate the increased tolerances between the bore and the caliper mounting pins.

Abstract: A device for cooling the wheels of motor vehicles which are equipped with disc brakes mounted on the wheels between the wheel centers and a cover plate. The rotors of the disc brakes are fastened to the wheel flange of the wheel hub by a pot-shaped part which delimits radially an annular space opening in the direction of the cover plate. The cover plate is provided with openings through which a cooling air stream can enter the wheel space containing the brake. The wheel center is provided with openings near a rim portion thereof through which air can escape from the outer annular space left between the brake and wheel center. The annular space communicates through a space between the rim and the brake with an annular space delimited by the remaining space and the cover plate in the axial direction.

Abstract: A self-pumping, hydropneumatic, telescopic, spring damping device with internal level regulation, especially for automotive vehicles, includes an oil filled working chamber and a working piston with damping devices, the working piston rod being hollow and forming a pump chamber for a pump rod which automatically pumps oil from an oil reservoir into the working chamber. A control opening permits flow from the work chamber to the oil reservoir when the desired level is exceeded. A gas cushion in a gas spring chamber connected with the working chamber pressurizes the oil in the working chamber. The gas spring chamber includes a separating piston, and may be connected axially to the working chamber in the region of a flexible or elastic partition which supports the pump rod. The partition includes communicating passages. A pump suction tube communicates a pump rod cavity with the oil reservoir, and is yieldable with respect to movements of the flexible partition.

Abstract: A floating caliper type disc brake wherein a caliper having two leg portions and a bridge portion straddles a rotatable disc and a pair of opposing friction pads are slidably mounted on a carrier. An axially elongated radial opening is formed in the bridge portion of the caliper to displaceably receive therein radially outwardly projecting projections formed on respective friction pads, and a guide member is located on the outer edge of the opening to engage with and retain respective retaining portions formed on respective projections. Pad springs act between the caliper and the friction pads for biassing the friction pads radially inwardly with respect to the caliper.

Abstract: A rotary retardation device utilizing viscous fluid responsive to angular velocity in which the viscous fluid is retained in a cavity, one wall of which is a flexible deformable member, the fluid being sealed in the cavity, and a relatively movable rotary member bearing on the flexible member in a moving path to respond in rotation to the action of the viscous fluid in the cavity.

Abstract: Disclosed is an impact damper which is attached to an object of damping forming a main vibration system having a main natural frequency and serves as an additional vibration system. The natural frequency of the additional vibration system ranges from 60% to 80% of the main natural frequency, and the space between a weight of the additional vibration system and a stop attached to the main vibration system as measured when the object of damping is not vibrating ranges from 0% to 80% of the resonance amplitude of the object of damping.

Abstract: An internal shoe drum brake incorporates an automatic adjuster which includes and adjuster element carried by one of the brake shoes, a strut extending between the shoes and engaged by the adjuster element and a rotary adjuster cam mounted on the same shoe as the adjuster element, or a parking brake lever pivoted on the shoe, the cam engaging the adjuster element in a non-rotatable manner. When the shoes are separated for braking, excess shoe separation causes the adjuster element to be disengaged from the cam so that the cam is rotated by a spring to re-engage the adjuster element and thereby establish a retracted position of the shoes.

Abstract: The padded shoe brake comprises a pair of shoe pads, the wheel rim mating surface of which has a hollow shape and is adapted to continuously encompass both sides and an inner annular portion of the wheel rim, a control and guiding assembly being operative to move the shoe pads along paths which intersect the wheel rim between the sides and the inner annular portion of the wheel rim.

Abstract: A vibration adjustable spacer (10) is disclosed. In a preferred implementation spacers 10, 10', 10" are used to damp the vibrational resonance of a number of printed circuit boards (42, 44, 46) in an assembly (40). The spacer (10) has an adjustable snubbing member (30) which extends to abut an essentially stationary surface (7) when the board is accelerated in one direction and a pivotable member (22) operating such that retraction of the snubbing member is impeded when the board is accelerated in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A drum brake assembly and adjuster therefor includes a wire element supporting a pawl and yieldably opposing movement of the pawl away from a rest position. The wire element is releasably connected to the pawl and a brake shoe for the drum brake assembly.

Abstract: Coaxial inner and outer tubular members are mutually supported by a resilient tubular elastic intermediate member mounted between them. A main plate is formed with a fixing portion substantially corresponding in shape to a first fixing portion of the outer member and fixed thereto and with a protruding portion extending outwards, and extends parallel to the central axis. A bracing plate is formed with a fixing portion fixed to a second fixing portion of the outer member and with a protruding portion extending outwards, and is also parallel to the central axis. The extreme ends of the protruding portions of the main and bracing plates are fixed together. A planar filler plate extends perpendicularly to the central axis at an axially intermediate position along the main and bracing plates and spans between the tubular outer member and the main and bracing plates with its peripheral edge abutting against axially intermediate portions thereof and with its major portion fixed thereto.

Abstract: A dust shield plate is clamped between the spider of an automotive vehicle wheel and the rotor of a disc brake for that wheel. This plate covers the axially inboard side of the wheel spider and prevents dust given off by the disc brake from getting on the wheel at the axially outboard side of the wheel spider. The shield plate has a circular peripheral edge which slidably engages the inside of the wheel at its tire-supporting rim and circumferentially spaced slits extending inward from this edge to provide flexible and resilient fingers in succession along the periphery. This enables the shield plate to be slidably inserted into wheels with somewhat different inside diameters.The shield plate has seven arcuate openings enabling it to be mounted on a wheel with four or five wheels studs or four wheels studs and two guide pins.

Abstract: A vibration damper of viscous damping type for damping low-frequency (10 to 20 Hz) vibrations has at least one subpassageway oblique to the axis of a main passageway. Since vortexes are generated around the main passageway as damping fluid passes through the subpassageway, the fluid can effectively reciprocate through the main passageway in response to pressure gradients induced by the vortexes, thus increasing the damping force generated as the fluid flows through the main passageway. Further, since the frequency at which the maximum flow rate, that is, the maximum damping factor can be obtained is determined on the basis of the dimensions of a passageway, the dimensions of the main passageway and the subpassageway are selected so as to match the maximum-flow-rate frequency of the subpassageway with that of the main passageway.

Abstract: A vibration compensation system for actively attenuating the vibration of a machine. The machine has a housing, with respect to which vibration is to be damped, and at least one body moving within the housing. The vibration compensation system includes a countermass capable of being linearly reciprocated relative to the housing in a direction parallel to the motion of the moving body within the machine. A motor, coupled to the housing, drives the countermass. Elements are provided for sensing the position, or any time derivative or time integral thereof, relative to the housing of the moving body and the countermass. control elements supply power to the motor in response to the signal outputs from all of the sensors so that the acceleration of the countermass is in a direction opposite the acceleration of the moving body. The magnitude of the acceleration of the countermass is equal to the product of the acceleration of the moving body multiplied by its mass divided by the mass of the countermass.

Abstract: A caliper brake apparatus of the side-pull type having a center adjusting device comprising a fixed member fixedly mounted on a center rod and a turnable member rotatably mounted on the center rod. The turnable member holds a brake spring for the brake apparatus and has a pair of projections extending diametrically outwardly of the rod. The fixed member is provided with an axially movable screw member having a forward end in contact with one of the projections and has a spring member in bearing contact with the other projection for biasing the turnable member to hold the above-mentioned one projection in contact with the forward end of the screw member at all times.

Abstract: A MacPherson strut front suspension is provided with an upper spring seat assembly which retains the upper end of a front coil spring and is rotatable together with the coil spring and a strut outer tube relative to a vehicle body. The upper spring seat assembly comprises concentric inner and outer tubular members, a spring seat rubber interconnecting the inner and outer tubular members, and a shallow dish-shaped abutment member which is attached to the inner tubular member to be rotatable together therewith and abuttingly engageable to limit upward movement of the outer tubular member relative to the inner tubular member.