A spring-set power-released caliper brake, adapted to grip the sides of a clamped member and, specifically, to provide a substantially uniform clamping force irrespective of actuator spring extension. The caliper brake includes a base mounted in fixed relation with respect to the clamped member. An actuator lever and an actuated lever are pivotally mounted in the base intermediate their ends. One of a pair of brake shoes is pivotally mounted on one end of each lever. The cylinder portion of a spring-set, power-released linear actuator is secured to the other end of the actuator lever and a compensating link is pivotally mounted in the other end of the actuated lever. The thruster portion of the linear actuator is pivotally connected to one end of the compensating link. One end of a toggle link is interconnected to the other end of the compensating link and the other end of the toggle link is interconnected to the actuator lever.

This invention relates to caliper brakes, and devices having the general 
character of caliper brakes, which apply substantially equal and opposite 
normal forces to opposite sides of a clamped member, such as a rotatable 
disc or wheel or a stationary crane rail, and are adapted to sustain 
friction forces in planes substantially perpendicular to those normal 
forces. More particularly, this invention relates to spring-set, 
power-released caliper brakes known in the art to which they pertain as 
brakes which are spring applied and are employed, commonly in such 
equipment as hoisting machinery, where the brake is automatically set by 
the spring when the release power source either fails or is otherwise 
interrupted. Specifically, the present invention is adapted to provide a 
substantially constant brake clamping force irrespective of spring 
extension or retraction which varies with caliper brake component wear, 
maladjustment, or brake shoe wear. 
A spring-set, power released caliper brake adapted for use in back-up or 
safety applications should satisfy several requirements. First, the spring 
force, being a function of spring constant and degree of stored energy, 
should be compensated for, either mechanically or in some other fail-safe 
manner, such that the brake clamping force is neither too high nor too low 
and is substantially constant over the operative range of spring 
deflection. Second, a compensating mechanism should enhance the mechanical 
advantage of the caliper, such that the spring force is multiplied by as 
large a factor as possible consistent with the structural integrity of the 
caliper components and the wear characteristics of the brake shoes. Third, 
a simple and ecomonical means should be provided whereby friction forces 
on the brake shoes are transferred to the caliper frame and base. Fourth, 
components of the caliper and spring force compensating mechanism should 
be so arranged as to permit minimum dimensions perpendicular from and on 
at least one side of the clamped member to facilitate incorporation of the 
caliper in other equipment. Fifth, the caliper structure should 
automatically center the shoes relative to the clamped member, when the 
brake is power-released, to prevent the shoes dragging on the clamped 
member. Sixth, the caliper structure should automatically permit the brake 
shoes to float and self-center on the clamped member, when the brake is 
spring-set, to ensure substantially equal and opposite clamping forces on 
the clamped member. Seventh, the caliper structure should permit use of 
actuators which are spring-set and either pneumatically released, 
hydraulically released, or electromagnetically released. 
Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide an improved 
spring-set, power-released brake in which the brake clamping force is 
maintained substantially constant throughout the working deflection of an 
actuator spring. 
Another object of this invention is to employ a spring-force compensating 
mechanism which may be used to increase the mechanical advantage of the 
caliper mechanism where the brake is employed for holding, as opposed to 
dynamic, service and brake shoe wear is not severe. 
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved spring-set, 
power-released caliper brake where simplified base structure provides 
support for all clamping and friction forces, while at the same time 
providing automatic, non-dragging, rigid, self-centering retraction and 
permitting floating, self-centering clamping of the brake shoes relative 
to the clamped member. 
Still another object of this invention is to provide a caliper structure in 
which the spring force compensating mechanism is neatly integrated into 
the space envelope of the caliper substantially without increasing the 
caliper dimensions either perpendicular to the clamped member of laterally 
on one side of the clamped member. 
A further object is to provide a spring-set, power-released caliper brake 
having a spring force compensating mechanism which is readily adaptable to 
spring actuation and either pneumatic, hydraulic, or electromagnetic power 
release. 
These and still further objects and advantages of the present invention 
reside in the details of construction of a preferred embodiment disclosed 
herein and will be evident to one skilled in the art from a study of the 
specification and accompanying drawings. Therefore, the preferred 
embodiment disclosed is merely exemplary and is not intended to detract 
from the full scope of the invention as set out in the annexed claims.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the general 
structure of a preferred embodiment of a lever-actuated spring-set and 
power-released caliper brake 20 in accordance with the present invention. 
Caliper base means 21 comprises a pair of yoke plates 22 and 23, mounting 
flange means 24, and lever centering member 50 disposed between and 
secured to yoke plates 22 and 23. A first lever means 25 is pivotally 
mounted, intermediate its actuated end 26 and actuating end 27, between 
yoke plates 22 and 23 by means of pivot pin 28. A second lever means 29 is 
also pivotally mounted, intermediate its actuated end 30 and actuating end 
31, between plates 22 and 23 by means of pivot pin 32. 
A pair of brake shoe means 33 and 34, having actuation lug means 35 and 36, 
friction lining means 37 and 38, and brake surfaces 39 and 40 are 
pivotally mounted respectively on actuating ends 27 and 31 of levers 25 
and 29 by means of pivot pins 41 and 42. Brake surfaces 39 and 40 are 
substantially parallel to clamped surfaces 43 and 44 of clamped member 45. 
The axes of pivot pins 41 and 42 lie in planes spaced away from and 
substantially parallel to clamped surfaces 43 and 44. Actuation lugs 35 
and 36 include guide surfaces 46 and 47 in slidable opposed relation to 
guide surfaces 48 and 49 on yoke plates 22 and 23. Guide surfaces 46, 47, 
48, and 49 lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to clamped surfaces 
43 and 44 and parallel to the axes of pivot pins 28, 32, 41, and 42. It 
will be evident to one skilled in this art that sufficient clearance must 
be provided between guide surface pairs 46-48 and 47-49 to permit full 
retraction and actuation of brake shoe means 33 and 34. 
Referring now also to FIGS. 3, 4,and 5, spring-set, power-released linear 
actuator means 51 includes housing portion 52 and thruster portion 53. 
Housing portion 52 is secured to a pair of actuator lugs 54 by stud means 
55 and nuts 56. Thruster portion 53 is spring actuated in direction 57 and 
fluid actuated in direction 58. Compensating lever means 59 is pivotally 
mounted, intermediate its thruster end 60 and toggle end 61, between a 
pair of lugs 62 on the actuated end 30 of lever 29 by means of pivot pin 
63. Thruster portion 53 is pivotally interconnected to thruster end 60 of 
compensating lever 59 by clevis 64 and pivot pin 65. Toggle link means 66 
comprises eye portion 67 threaded into clevis portion 68 and jam nut 69. 
Clevis portion 68 is pivotally interconnected to toggle end 61 by pivot 
pin 70, the assembly thereof being of overall stacked depth to fit between 
the recessed cavity defined by lugs 62. Eye portion 67 is pivotally 
mounted between lugs 71 on the actuated end 26 of lever 25 by pivot pin 91 
at a location intermediate the axis of actuation of thruster 53 and the 
pivotal axis of pin 28. The exact location of pin 91 and the proportions 
of compensating lever 59 and toggle link 66 will vary with spring 
characteristics and will be a matter of design for a lever actuated 
caliper of given proportions. 
Linear actuator means 51 is typical of spring-set fluid-released actuators 
known to those skilled in this art. Housing portion 52 includes head-end 
72 and back-end 73 secured together by bolts 74. Thruster portion 53 
includes piston means 75 having tubular rod portion 76 extending through 
head-end 72. A thruster alignment means 77, including a loose-fitting 
threaded rod 78 secured axially in tube 76 by threaded fitting 79 and 80, 
by clevis 64 and jam nut 81, compensates for angular movement of 
compensating lever 59 with respect to housing portion 52. Compression 
spring means 82 is caged between back-end 73 and side 83 of piston 75. 
Fluid release chamber 84 is defined by the inner surfaces of head-end 72, 
the outer surface of tube 76, and side 85 of piston 75. Seals 86 and 87 
seal the slidable surfaces respectively between piston 75 and housing 52 
and between tube 76 and head-end 72. Wiper rings 88 and 89 are intended to 
protect seals 86 and 87. Clearly, admission of fluid under pressure into 
chamber 84 through port 90 provides power to compress spring 82 and the 
caliper brake thereby to release clamped member 45; equalization of fluid 
pressure on both sides of piston 75 will permit spring 82 to extend and 
the caliper brake thereby to clamp member 45. 
It will be evident to those skilled in these arts that pins 28, 32, 41, 42, 
63, 65, 70, and 91 may be secured axially by a variety of means, one of 
the simplest being cotter pins. Further, it will also be evident that in 
disc brake applications, friction lining means 37, and 38 are normally 
secured to shoes 33 and 34 by means of bonding cements or rivets; in other 
applications, such as in rail clamps where minor surface damage to the 
clamped member is of little concern, hardened metal serrated brake shoe 
means may be secured by bolt means directly to the actuating ends of 
levers 25 and 29. 
It will be further evident to those skilled in this art that spring-set 
linear actuator means employing either pneumatic, hydraulic, or 
electromagnetic power release may be adapted to the present invention. The 
clamped member, while illustrated as being a disc, could likewise be a 
crane wheel or crane rail. The linear actuator might be located between 
the actuated ends of levers 25 and 29. 
It is believed that my invention of a lever actuated caliper brake will 
have been clearly understood from the foregoing detailed description of my 
now preferred and illustrated embodiment. Various modifications, changes, 
additions, and equivalents may be resorted to in view of these teachings 
by one skilled in this art without departing from the spirit of my 
invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be construed as 
limited to the specific details illustrated and described above, and 
whereas a choice between variations, modifications, changes, additions, 
and equivalents falling within the true scope of my invention will depend 
largely upon the circumstances in which it is used, it is my express 
intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexed 
claims be given the broadest interpretation to which the language fairly 
admits.