Abstract: A disc brake wherein first and second friction member are aligned by first and second rails with a rotor. A piston retained in a caliper has a first radial groove separated from a second groove in a carrier for the first friction member by an oval member. The piston responds to pressurized fluid to create a braking force that acts the piston to move the first friction member into engagement with the rotor. On engagement with the rotor the first friction member rotates to bring the carrier into abutment engagement with the rail and at the same time the oval member pivots within the second groove to push the housing such that a running clearance is eliminated with the rotor such that the pressurized fluid may thereafter act on the housing to define a clamping force between the first and second friction members and rotor to effect a brake application.

Abstract: A one-piece sheet metal combination retainer and anchor for use in a non-servo floating shoe drum brake assembly (10) having a pair of laterally extending ears (62, 64,94, 96) for axially retaining respective ends (22, 24) of a pair of brake shoes (12, 14), and a pair of rivet head reinforceable axially extending portions (58, 60, 82, 84) for anchoring the brake shoe ends during brake application. A base portion (50, 88) has one or more rivet (54, 56, 86, 90) or shaft (92) receiving apertures with the each of the axially extending portions abutted by a rivet head flat surface (70). The base portion has a transversely extending central region (76, 98) to provide, in conjunction with a brake assembly backing plate (52), a parking brake cable (80) retaining clamp.

Abstract: An actuator for a drum brake including a plunger connected through a resilient member to a linkage attached to a web on a brake shoe. A rod extends from the plunger and engages a lever arm that is pivotally retained on the web. The lever engages an extendable strut of an adjuster arrangement through which a running clearance is maintained between the brake shoe and a drum. During a brake application, pressurization fluid acts on the plunger to develop an operational force that is communicated through the resilient member to move the brake shoe into engagement with a drum. Should the operational force overcome the resilient member, the plunger moves toward the linkage and a reactive force is applied through the rod that acts through the lever arm to prevent a pawl from rotating such that a current length of the strut and correspondingly a current running clearance is sustained.

Abstract: An actuator for a drum brake including a plunger connected through a resilient member to a linkage attached to a web on a brake shoe. A rod extends from the plunger and engages a lever arm that is pivotally retained on the web. The lever engages an extendable strut of an adjuster arrangement through which a running clearance is maintained between the brake shoe and a drum. During a brake application, pressurization fluid acts on the plunger to develop an operational force that is communicated through the resilient member to move the brake shoe into engagement with a drum. Should the operational force overcome the resilient member, the plunger moves toward the linkage and a reactive force is applied through the rod that acts through the lever arm to prevent a pawl from rotating such that a current length of the strut and correspondingly a current running clearance is sustained.

Abstract: An adjuster arrangement for maintaining first and second brake shoes of a brake between a minimum and a maximum clearance with respect to a drum. The adjuster arrangement has a pawl located on a pivot pin on the first brake shoe and an arm that engages a star wheel of an expandable strut. A first leg of a thermo clip is held against the first brake shoe by the pivot pin and receives thermal energy generated during a brake application. During a brake application, the pawl pivots on the pin and imparts a rotary torque to the star wheel to expand the strut to create a maximum clearance while at the same time a predetermined temperature generated during a brake application acts on the thermo clip to moves the pawl out of engagement with the star wheel to prevent rotating the star wheel and thereby sustain a minimum clearance.

Abstract: Guide pins for retaining a caliper in an anchor of a disc brake assembly. The guide pins are characterized by a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end with a first diameter section that extends from the first end separated by a shoulder from a second diameter section that extends from the second end. The cylindrical body has a threaded axial bore that extends from a face on the second end toward the first end. A bolt has a shaft with threads thereon which mate with the threaded axial bore in the cylindrical body. A bushing is concentrically located on the shaft and in a corresponding axial opening in an ear that extends from the anchor. Torque applied to the bolt acts on and brings the bushing into engagement with the face on the second end of the cylindrical body however as the bushing has a greater length than the width of the axial opening of the ear, a desired gap is developed between a head on the bolt, the second end and the ear.

Abstract: A guide pin (36,42) for caliper (16) of a disc brake assembly (10) having a first cylindrical body (102,202) having a first head (104,204) thereon secured to a second cylindrical body (112,212) having a second head (114,214) on a first end and a threaded section (116,216) that extends from a shoulder (120,220) to a second end. A resilient washer (110,210) is located between the second head (114,214) and an ear (38,44) on an actuation section (18) of the caliper (16).

Abstract: A disc brake assembly (10) having a support member (14) secured to a vehicle and a caliper (16) having an actuation section (18) connected by a bridge (22) to an arm (20). The actuation section (18) has a bore (24) therein for retaining a piston (26) to define an actuation chamber (28). A first friction member (30) is connected to the piston (26) and a second friction member (32) is connected to the arm (20). The caliper (16) has spaced apart first (38) and a second (44) ears extending from the actuation section (18). The first ear (38) receives a first guide pin (36) that is located in a first bore (40) and the second ear (44) receives a second guide pin (42) that is located in a second bore (46) of the support member (14) to define first and second bearing surfaces that align the caliper (16) over a rotor (34) associated with a wheel of the vehicle.

Abstract: A drum brake for use in a brake system (10) having first (14) and second (16) shoes retained on a backing plate (20). The first brake shoe (14) has a first end (22) connected to an actuator (12) and a second end (26) connected to an anchor arrangement (24) and the second brake shoe (16) has a first end (36) connected to the actuator (12) and a second end (38) connected to the anchor arrangement (24) The actuator (12) responds to an input signal during a brake application by moving the first (14) and second (16) brake shoes into engagement with a drum (18). The anchor arrangement (24) includes a load sensor (64) for measuring a torque generated between the first (14) and second (16) brake shoes and the drum (18). The anchor arrangement (24) has a bracket (44) with a base (46) having first (48) and second (50) side walls which are secured to the backing plate (20). The first side wall (48) has a first central opening (56) therein while the second side wall (50) has a second central opening (58) therein.

Abstract: The drum brake (10) comprises a backing plate (11) having an anchor block (15) and shoe retainer (17) attached thereto, a parking brake lever (40) connected with one (14) of a pair of drum brake shoes (12, 14), a first pair of drum brake shoe ends (16, 18) engaging an actuation mechanism (20) and a second pair of drum brake shoe ends (22, 24) engaging the anchor block (15). A cam mechanism (50) is attached pivotally to the backing plate (11) and extends transversely relative to the plane of the backing plate (11). A parking brake cable (72) extends through an opening (25) in the backing plate (11) and is connected with the cam mechanism (50) and a second, shorter cable (70) extends between the cam mechanism (50) and an end (42) of the parking brake lever (40). Retraction of the parking brake cable (72) effects a greater displacement of the shorter cable (70) and parking brake lever (40) to effect a parking brake application.