Abstract: An `X` split hydraulic anti-skid braking system for a four-wheel vehicle, incorporates four skid sensors for providing skid signals dependent upon the behavior of respective wheel, a modulator provided in each circuit to modulate the supply of fluid to the brakes of the respective circuit, a control module for operating at least one of the modulators in accordance with the magnitude and nature of the skid signal or signals, and apportioning valves disposed in the lines between the modulators and the brakes on the rear wheels. The control module is constructed and arranged to ignore a skid signal from a sensor on a rear wheel until a skid signal is also received from the sensor on the other rear wheel, whereafter the control module is operative to operate one of the two modulators.

Abstract: A control valve assembly incorporates a piston and a flow control valve which are both biassed in the same direction against pressure in an hydraulic accumulator by first and second respective springs. Accumulator pressure in a control chamber also acts to urge the flow control valve in the same direction as it is biassed by the second spring and pressure from a pump acts to bias the flow control valve in the opposite direction. A pilot dump valve controlling communication between the chamber and an outlet connection is normally biassed into a closed position by a third spring. The dump valve is adapted to open at a cut-out pressure to dump pressure from the chamber, and the cut-out pressure is determined by the area of the seating of the dump valve over which the pressure in the chamber acts, and the force in the third spring. A cut-in pressure at which the dump valve closes is determined by the area of the piston and the force in the first spring.

Abstract: A control valve assembly incorporates a flow control valve, and a piston which are both biassed in the same direction against pressure in an hydraulic accumulator by first and second respective springs. Accumulator pressure in a control chamber also acts to urge the flow control valve in the same direction as it is biassed by the spring and pressure from a pump acts to bias the flow control valve in the opposite direction. A pilot dump valve controlling communication between the chamber and an outlet connection is normally biassed into a closed position by a third spring. The dump valve is adapted to open at a cut-out pressure to dump pressure from the chamber, and the cut-out pressure is determined by the area of the seating of the dump valve over which the pressure in the chamber acts, and the force in the third spring. A cut-in pressure at which the dump valve closes is determined by the area of the first piston and the force in the second spring.

Abstract: An hydraulic booster has a housing provided with a bore, an inlet connected to a source of high pressure fluid, an outlet connected to a reservoir and a boost piston working in the bore. The boost piston is advanced in response to pressurization of a boost chamber by fluid from the source, under the control of a valve mechanism operated by an input member. The diameters of the bore and the boost piston are arranged to provide an annular chamber round the boost piston connected to the inlet, with the sealing diameter at the rearward end greater than that at the forward end of the chamber, where the boost piston is spaced from the bore. The forward end is sealed by a seal mounted in the bore so that it is radially deformable and able to tolerate the radial clearance between the piston and the bore. The seal is preferably a P.T.F.E. ring backed by an O-ring.

Abstract: An anti-skid braking system incorporates a modulator assembly through which fluid from a source is supplied to a brake. The modulator assembly comprises a de-boost piston working in a bore in a housing, an expander chamber connected to the brake and defined in the bore between one end of the piston and a first valve, and a second valve for controlling the application to the piston of support fluid to determine the relative position of the piston in the bore, the second valve being manipulated in response to a skid signal. The operation of the first valve is controlled independently of the piston by a flow-control regulating valve which is arranged to open the first valve upon failure of a supply of support fluid irrespective of the position of the de-boost piston.

Abstract: An hydraulic brake actuator comprises opposed pistons which work in bore portions in a housing and fluid pressure in a pressure chamber urges the pistons in opposite directions to separate adjacent ends of a pair of brake shoes. A pressure proportioning valve controls communication between pressure spaces constituted by the pressure chamber. The valve is normally open to equalize the pressure in the pressure spaces but closes at a predetermined pressure so that any further increase in pressure is operative in only one pressure space, the pressure in which space acting to keep the valve closed. In use in a brake of the one-leading one-trailing shoe-drum type the increased pressure acts on the piston which applies the trailing shoe to the drum, in order to equalize the torque.

Abstract: An hydraulic booster has a housing provided with an input member, a boost piston, an output member, and connections to a source of pressure and a fluid reservoir. A force applied to the input member is transmitted to the output member and augmented by the boost piston in response to pressurization of a boost chamber controlled by a valve mechanism in response to operation of the input member. An auxiliary chamber is defined between the boost piston and the output member. In a first stage of operation to take up lost-motion in the system, the auxiliary chamber is supplied with fluid from the source to advance the output member relative to the boost piston through a distance determined by a limiting mechanism. In a second stage of operation the output member and the boost piston move together in response to pressurization of the boost chamber. The area of the boost piston on which the auxiliary pressure acts is greater than or equal to the effective area of the boost piston.

Abstract: In an hydraulic booster for a vehicle braking system a boost piston provides an output force in response to pressurization of a boost chamber under the control of a boost valve mechanism, which controls communication between the boost chamber and a pressure source and the boost chamber and a fluid reservoir. The operation of the boost valve mechanism is controlled by pressure in a control chamber which is pressurized by operation of a pedal-operated input piston. A recuperation valve controls communication between the boost and control chambers, and is operated in response to movement of the input piston. Pressure in the boost chamber acts on the input piston to urge it in a direction to keep the recuperation valve closed. This enables the input piston to work in a bore in the boost piston, with the control chamber in the boost piston and forward of the boost chamber.

Abstract: In a fluid-pressure-operable relay valve a control piston works in a bore in the valve housing to control sequential communication between an inlet port and an outlet port, and between the outlet port and an exhaust port. An exhaust valve seating on the control piston is engageable with an exhaust valve member coupled to one end of a lever pivotally mounted in the housing, and a spring acts on the exhaust member to urge an inlet valve member towards an inlet seating surrounding the inlet port. Since the spring acts in opposition to fluid pressure at the inlet port, a relatively small `cracking force` is required to the urge the inlet member away from the inlet seating to open the inlet valve.In alternative constructions the inlet and exhaust members are combined into a single valve member which is urged directly by the spring towards the inlet seating.

Abstract: An anti-skid braking system incorporates a modulator assembly through which fluid from a source is supplied to a brake. The modulator assembly comprises a de-boost piston working in a bore in a housing, an expander chamber connected to the brake and defined in the bore between one end of the piston and a first valve, and a second valve for controlling the application to the piston of support fluid to determine the relative position of the piston in the bore, the second valve being manipulated in response to a skid signal. The first valve is normally biassed in to a fully open position, and the operation of the first valve is controlled independently of the piston. An inhibit device is incorporated to ensure that at the termination of a skid signal first valve is maintained in a closed position at least until the piston has returned to an advanced position in which the effective volume of the expander chamber is at a minimum value.

Abstract: In an hydraulic power booster a boost piston working in a bore in a housing is of stepped outline having at least three axially spaced portions of at least two different diameters. The two end portions carry seals having slidable sealing engagements with complementary portions of the bore, and a stationary seal is fixed in the housing. An intermediate portion of the piston disposed between the end portions and of smallest diameter has a slidable engagement in the stationary seal.

Abstract: An apportioning valve for controlling the pressure applied to the rear brakes of a vehicle comprises an inlet to receive actuating fluid and an outlet for connection to the rear brakes. The inlet and outlet are normally connected via an inlet chamber, and an auxiliary chamber is connected to the inlet chamber via a throttle and to a vent valve seat. A pendulum is biased against the valve seat during deceleration and thus closes the valve seat and allows pressure to build up in auxiliary chamber. When pressure in the auxiliary chamber is sufficiently high control pistons move to isolate the inlet from the outlet.

Abstract: An anti-skid braking for a vehicle comprises a wheel having an hydraulic brake applicable by supplying thereto fluid under pressure from a master cylinder, a sensor to sense the presence of skid conditions at the wheel during braking and thereupon to produce a skid signal, a dump valve operative to cause fluid to be displaced from the brake in response to a skid signal so as to relieve the brake pressure, and a flow-control regulator valve arranged to regulate flow of fluid to the brake so as to re-apply the brake pressure at a controlled rate. The flow-control valve comprises a first restriction of predetermined size connected in series with a second restrictor defined between two relatively movable members and located upstream of the first restriction. The first restriction is defined at least in part by the member of which that member is biassed by a valve spring against the action of the pressure difference across the first restriction.

Abstract: A master cylinder for a hydraulic brake system includes a piston which divides a primary bore into a primary chamber and a secondary chamber. The piston rod sealingly slides in a secondary bore of smaller cross-sectional area than the primary bore. An expander piston sealingly slides in a bore and defines a primary expander chamber and a secondary expander chamber. In use, initial movement of the piston causes fluid to be displaced from the primary chamber to the brake circuit at a rate corresponding to the area of the primary bore. When the pressure in primary chamber becomes sufficiently large the expander piston is moved to the right against the bias of a spring to allow fluid to flow out of primary chamber into primary expander chamber via a passage. An equal volume of fluid is displaced from secondary expander chamber into secondary chamber via a passage.

Abstract: In an anti-skid braking system a supply of operating fluid from a master cylinder to a vehicle brake is modulated in accordance with skid signals from a skid sensing mechanism. The system incorporates an hydraulic pump of the double-acting type having a plunger working in a bore and a working chamber which is in communication with a modulator assembly adapted to control brake application following skid correction.

Abstract: In an hydraulic system an unloader valve is disposed in a supply line between a pump and an hydraulic accumulator. The unloader valve is operative to prevent the accumulator from being overcharged and to allow the pump to re-charge the accumulator should the pressure stored therein fall below a desired minimum value. The unloader valve incorporates a control valve comprising a spool and a pressure responsive slave which is operated by fluid pressure under the control of the control valve. The spool is movable between a first position in which the accumulator is isolated from the slave so that pump pressure is supplied to the accumulator and acts through a membrane on a trapped volume of gas under pressure, and a second position in which fluid pressure from the accumulator acts on the slave to unload the pump. The membrane of the accumulator acts directly on the spool to control movement of the spool between the two positions.

Abstract: In a braking system a dump valve opens during an imminent skid condition to dump fluid from a brake circuit to a reservoir space. A reservoir piston defining a boundary of the reservoir space then moves in a first bore against a spring so that a control rod, integral with the reservoir piston, allows a ball valve member to engage with its seat to cut-off communication between a master cylinder and a wheel brake. Simultaneously, fluid flows from the reservoir space through an inlet valve to a working chamber of a pump provided in a second bore in the reservoir piston so that a pump piston working in the bore engages with a rotatable eccentric. Fluid is then pumped from the pump chamber, past an outlet valve through an outlet passage in the control rod, and returned to the reservoir space through the open dump valve.

Abstract: In an hydraulic anti-skid braking system a pump having a liquid throughput which is adapted to increase with the rotational speed of the wheel is arranged to control operation of a modulator valve assembly for relieving the pressure supplied to the brake when the deceleration of a wheel exceeds a predetermined value. A sensing device for sensing the deceleration of wheel operates a control valve assembly which is provided to control the supply of operating fluid from the pump output to the modulator valve assembly.

Abstract: An internal shoe-drum brake is disclosed in which a pair of arcuate shoes can be applied to a rotatable drum by an hydraulic actuation system for normal service braking when the brake acts as a brake of the "two-leading" shoe type and a mechanical actuation system for parking or emergency braking when the brake acts as a brake of the "duo-servo" type. The hydraulic system comprises two hydraulic pistons, each of which acts on the leading end of a respective shoe, and first and second abutments are provided against which the trailing ends of the shoes are adapted to rest. One abutment is fixed but the other abutment includes an auxiliary hydraulic piston which is adapted to be urged against a fixed stop by hydraulic pressure applied to the pistons. The reaction from the trailing end of a respective shoe tends to urge the piston away from the stop, but the area of the piston is sufficient to prevent this happening when the hydraulic pressure is acting on the piston.

Abstract: A fluid pressure braking system is disclosed which includes an hydraulic actuator connected to a vehicle brake and a pressure actuator for operating the hydraulic actuator and which is connected to a fluid pressure reservoir via a brake control valve. An auxiliary valve having an inlet connected to a fluid pressure source, which may be the reservoir, is responsive to a deceleration responsive inertia device which, when deceleration exceeds a predetermined value operates the valve to connect pressure from the source to a pressure operable member which operates on the actuators in opposition to the pressure at the inlet of the pressure actuator thereby effecting a pressure reduction at the outlet of the hydraulic actuator in dependence on deceleration. The auxiliary valve includes a metering feature whereby when it is opened, outlet pressure operates against a pressure area of the valve to effect metering of pressure to the pressure operable member.