Patent ID: 6679354
Filing Date: 2004-01-20
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
An actuator mechanism in a drum-in-hat park brake for use in a vehicle, said park brake including a first brake shoe and a second brake shoe that are respectively retained on a backing plate secured to said vehicle, said first brake shoe and said second brake shoe each having a first web with a first engagement end and a second engagement end, said first engagement end of each of said first and second webs being aligned with an anchor while said second engagement end of each of said first and second webs are spaced apart by said actuator mechanism, spring means attached to said first and second webs for urging said first and second webs toward said anchor and said actuator mechanism, said actuator mechanism including a housing with a first end that engages said first web and a second end that engages said second web, a lever that is pivotally retained in said housing and connected by linkage to an input member, said lever having a first end that engages said first web and a second end with a hook thereon for receiving a loop end of said linkage, said linkage communicating an input force from an operator that causes said lever to pivot and exert an actuation force to said first and second webs that correspondingly move first and second friction members associated with said first and second brake shoes into engagement with a drum to effect a brake application, said actuator mechanism being further characterized in that said lever has a projection located between said hook and said first end, a notch that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said lever and located on an edge of said projection, and a detent on a surface of said hook that is connected by a slot to a hole located between said hook and said first end and in that a clip member having a first portion initially located in said notch and a second portion initially located in said detent responds to an initial input force applied by said loop to said second portion moves a lip on said second portion from said detent along said slot and into said hole while said first portion correspondingly moves out of said notch and a third portion of said clip is aligned with said hook such that said loop is retained in said hook.