Abstract: The present invention provides a pad retaining plate assembly which can be operated to allow for pad replacement without any part having to be removed and without the inconvenience of having to deal with nuts, bolts, etc. The pad retaining plate assembly comprises a latch member which is movable relative to a guide, the guide being secured to a brake shoe so that the latch member can then attain an operative position wherein the latch member projects through an aperture in the brake shoe. A spring also mounted on the brake shoe is arranged to grip the latch member and to hold the latch member in the said operative position when this position is attained. The latch member can be moved away by a simple tool against the grip of the spring to facilitate pad replacement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a disc brake having a lever-type caliper, suitable for use on railway vehicles. The lever caliper type disc brake comprises a pair of pivotally mounted lever arms with an actuator arranged to act between said lever arms to cause the lever arms to pivot and apply the brake. An adjustable pad positioning device is connected to one lever arm to limit the available pivotal movement for said one lever arm when said actuator is in a brakes released position. The adjustable pad positioning device thus restricts the available movement for said one lever arm when the actuator is in the brakes released position so that the pad carried by said one lever arm is always held at a defined distance from the rotating disc in the brakes released position.