Abstract: A railroad and industrial vehicle disk brake pad having a supporting plate and a number of friction members. Each friction member is elongated in shape, with two curved parallel long sides, and is fixed to the supporting plate so that the curves of the long sides form a substantially 0° angle with respective concentric circles of a disk to which the pad fitted. To prevent displacement of the friction members, these are fixed to the supporting plate with the interposition of antirotation means.

Abstract: The brake shoe support assembly is able to track the lateral movement of a wheel, typically a wheel on an axle truck that allows lateral wheel movement. In operation, a flange of the wheel pushes on one side of the brake shoe support assembly, pushing it along a pin, and compressing a resilient biasing structure. As the wheel returns to a center or neutral position, the compressed resilient biasing structure expands pushing the brake shoe support assembly back to an original or neutral position. The resilient biasing structure also minimizes the lateral movement of the brake shoe support assembly down the wheel taper under normal braking loads thus preventing shoe ride-off. The resilient biasing structure may be enclosed in a housing adapted to prevent the intrusion of contaminants.

Abstract: Disclosed is an end stabilized backing plate for an extended length brake shoe for use in a railway braking system. The backing plate includes an elongated main portion extending along a longitudinal axis. This main portion has a front face, a back face, a first end portion and an opposed second end portion. A first and second pair of tab members are provided on each of the first and second end portions. These tab members extend in a substantially perpendicular direction with respect to the main body and function to stabilize the end portions of the extended length brake shoe which extend beyond the length of a brake head and reduce and/or eliminate cracking of these end portions of the brake shoe. A method of stabilizing end portions of an extended length brake shoe is also disclosed.

Abstract: A railroad and industrial vehicle disk brake pad having a supporting plate and a number of friction members. Each friction member is elongated in shape, with two curved parallel long sides, and is fixed to the supporting plate so that the curves of the long sides form a substantially 0° angle with respective concentric circles of a disk to which the pad fitted. To prevent displacement of the friction members, these are fixed to the supporting plate with the interposition of antirotation means.

Abstract: Disclosed is an end stabilized backing plate for an extended length brake shoe for use in a railway braking system. The backing plate includes an elongated main portion extending along a longitudinal axis. This main portion has a front face, a back face, a first end portion and an opposed second end portion. A first and second pair of tab members are provided on each of the first and second end portions. These tab members extend in a substantially perpendicular direction with respect to the main body and function to stabilize the end portions of the extended length brake shoe which extend beyond the length of a brake head and reduce and/or eliminate cracking of these end portions of the brake shoe. A method of stabilizing end portions of an extended length brake shoe is also disclosed.

Abstract: A lightweight backing plate for use with at least one of a railway brake shoe and a disc brake pad. Such lightweight backing plate being formed from a predetermined polymeric material selected from a group consisting of unsaturated polyester, polyphenylene sulfide, glass epoxy, phenolic polymers and various combinations thereof.

Abstract: A truck mounted rail brake including at least a primary beam having a center section and a pair of end sections with guide end extensions. A brake head is removably mounted to the end sections by a pin. The pin is dimensioned to allow pivotal movement of the brake head about the pin. The pin is retained in the brake head by either a tab or another pin above and transverse to the first pin.

Abstract: This invention relates to a brake shoe and brake head assembly wherein a brake head for carrying one type of brake shoe may be modified to enable securing thereto and removing therefrom other types of brake shoes without removing the brake head from a brake lever on which the brake head is pivotally mounted.