Abstract: Fluid cooled wet brake system comprises a sealed housing containing a volume of lubricating oil, a disc disposed in the housing and adapted for fixing to a rotating body such as a wheel hub, and one or more stators. The stators are rotationally fixed but slidably mounted within the housing and can be pushed into contact with respective braking surfaces of the discs by conventional brake pistons. The stators are provided with a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and one or more fluid flow paths extending between the inlet and the outlet through which a cooling fluid flows.

Abstract: A brake shoe (10) for a drum brake system (40) is provided with a brake lining (12) having a friction surface (14) which faces braking surface (60) of a brake drum (38). The lining (12) is characterized by the provision of one or more grooves (16) extending across the friction surface (14). The shoe (10) may be incorporated in a cooled drum brake system (10) in which cooling is provided by ventilation holes in the drum (38). Cooling may be further enhanced by the provision of ventilation holes (66) in a back plate (46) of the system (40). In an alternate system, cooling is provided by sealing the drum (38) to form a space for holding a volume of oil.

Abstract: An energy converting brake system 10 comprises a brake 12 comprising a cooling circuit 18 through which a brake cooling fluid flows. The cooling fluid is passed through heat exchanger 22 which also includes a thermoelectric conversion device 26. Heat from the cooling fluid is dissipated in the heat exchanger 22 through the thermoelectric conversion device 26, which in turn generates an electric current. The electric current can be stored in a storage device 28.

Abstract: A housing (10) for a braking system (56) comprises a casing (12) defining a cavity (14) for housing one or more friction pads (15). The casing (12) is composed of a plurality of separate walls including a circumferential wall (16), back wall (18), and a front wall (20). The circumferential wall (16) is provided with an internal fluid flow path (36) and a fluid inlet (38) and fluid outlet (40) which communicate with the fluid flow path (36). When a supply (45) of fluid is connected with the fluid inlet (38) and outlet (40) via a fluid circuit (43), fluid is circulated through the fluid flow path (36) to cool the housing (10).

Abstract: A hydraulic brake system (10) for operating service brakes (12, 14) and (16) is provided with first and second master cylinders (20, 22) which feed into input ports (26) and (28) of a valve (24). Duplicate hydraulic circuits (30 ) and (34) are coupled with respective output ports (32) and (36) of the valve (24). Each of the hydraulic circuits (30) and (34) also includes a common circuit portion comprising a selective valve (44) and common line (42) leading to brake (16). The system (10) also includes hand brake (18) which is electrically deployed and manually released. A controller (52) controls operation of the system (10) to switch between master cylinders (20) and (22 ), and hydraulic circuits (30) and (34), depending on sensed fluid pressure. In the event of switching both master cylinders (20) and (22) to one of the hydraulic circuits (30) or (34), and a controller continuing to sense low fluid pressure, the common circuit is isolated.

Abstract: A brake system (10) for a rotating component (12), the brake system including a plurality of discs (14) coupled to said component (12) to rotate with said component (12) about an axis, each disc (14) having first and second opposite radial surfaces (22a, 22b), and a plurality of brake plates (16) fixed against rotation but linearly movable relative to said discs (14) parallel to said axis, each brake plate (16) having a braking surface (20). The discs (14) and brake plate (16) juxtaposed so that at least one of the radial surfaces (22) of each disc (14) is facing the braking surface (20) of a brake plate (16). At least one of the facing braking surface (20) and the radial surface (22) is provided with a plurality of grooves (24, 26). The grooves (24, 26) orientated to provide fluid flow paths across at least one of said facing braking surface (20) and radial surface (22).

Abstract: A brake shoe (10) for a drum brake system (40) is provided with a brake lining (12) having a friction surface (14) which faces braking surface (60) of a brake drum (38). The lining (12) is characterised by the provision of one or more grooves (16) extending across the friction surface (14). The shoe (10) may be incorporated in a cooled drum brake system (10) in which cooling is provided by ventilation holes in the drum (38). Cooling may be further enhanced by the provision of ventilation holes (66) in a back plate (46) of the system (40). In an alternate system, cooling is provided by sealing the drum (38) to form a space for holding a volume of oil.

Abstract: A brake plate (10) adapted for use in a wet brake system (24) having at least one disc rotatable about its axis through a volume of a liquid, said brake plate (10) including at least a plate body (12); a braking surface (14) on one radial face (16) of said plate scraper (18) extends axially beyond the braking surface (14) and a second position where said scraper (18) is retracted axially to lie substantially flush with or below the braking surface (14).