Abstract: For an air-operated disc brake there is provided an internal brake actuator stroke indicator which provides an indication, readily ascertained from outside the brake caliper, of the amount of actuator stroke remaining in a disc brake apparatus before a remaining available actuator stroke limit is reached. In one embodiment, the stroke indicator is a mechanical device, readable through a sight glass in a caliper port, coupled to the brake actuator in a manner which results in rotary motion of the indicator when the brake actuator is displaced through its stroke. Alternatively, the indicator may be a rotary sensor such as an electrical potentiometer coupled to the actuator, where the potentiometer sends an electrical signal indicative of the actuator stroke to an external display, such as a remote actuator stroke display at a vehicle operator's position.

Abstract: A drum brake assembly includes a pair of brake shoes which are slidably mounted on a fixed support. An elastic retention member is mounted on each of the shoes before they are assembled onto the fixed support. Each of the retention members includes a locking portion which engages the web of the brake shoes, and a pair of arm portions which extend from the locking portions and which engage the web of the brake shoe in such a way as to releasably maintain the locking portion engaged with the web of the brake shoe. When the brake shoes are assembled on the torque member, a portion of the torque member is provided with a sloped edge that engages the locking portion to release the latter as the brake shoes are assembled onto the fixed support, so that the retaining member then exerts a biasing force between the torque member and the brake shoes.