Patent ID: 6318515
Filing Date: 2001-11-20
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
Hold down spring for yieldably securing a drum brake shoe to one side of a drum brake backing plate comprising a nail having a head on one end thereof and an expanded portion on the other end thereof, said nail adapted to extend through apertures in said backing plate and in said brake shoe, a cup shaped spring retainer slidable on said nail and movable toward and away from said expanded portion, said head adapted to engage said backing plate to limit movement of the nail through the aperture in the backing plate, said retainer including a circumferentially extending rim circumscribing a contoured surface, and a spring adapted to bear against said brake shoe and the rim to urge the retainer toward said expanded end of the nail and away from said brake shoe, said nail adapted to extend through a slot in said contoured surface, said slot having an inclined portion sloping away from said rim and toward said brake shoe and a seating end portion circumscribed by an abutment surface on said retainer, said abutment surface adapted to engage said expanded portion of the nail when the nail is seated in the end portion of the slot, the inclined portion of said slot adapted to urge said nail therealong to be seated in said end portion of the slot with the expanded portion engaging the abutment surface, wherein the slot includes an enlarged, wider section sufficiently large to permit the expanded portion of the nail to pass therethrough and a narrower section sufficiently small to prevent the expanded portion from passing therethrough, said narrower section including said end portion circumscribed by said abutment surface and wherein said wider section is in the inclined portion of the slot.