FLUID OPERATED BRAKE DEVICE

Abstract: A brake device (10) has a housing of which the two parts (11, 15) are releasably connected together by bolts (25). Co-operating pressure fluid passages in the two housing parts communicate pressure fluid from a source to actuators within the housing, and include separable plug and socket connectors (30, 31) located on the respective housing parts so that separation of the parts effects disconnection of the actuators from the pressure fluid source. A non-return valve is arranged to close on separation of the housing parts and to be opened again by the plug connector. An electrical connection to an electrically powered cooling fan can be similarly broken when the housing parts are separated.

Description: FLUID OPERATED BRAKE DEVICE DESCRIPTION This invention relates to fluid operated brake devices, such as are employed industrially for example in papermaking and related fields. A brake device of this kind typically comprises a brake disc secured to a rotatable shaft which is to be brake and against which brake pads are selectively engaged by pneumatically powered actuators. For protection, operative parts of such a device are enclosed in a housing which must allow convenient access to the operative parts for servicing. The invention is accordingly concerned with the provision of a fluid-operated brake device having a housing which facilitates safe and convenient servicing of the device. ■ The invention thus provides a fluid operated brake device comprising a housing having a portion thereof displaceable to allow access to at least a part of the housing interior, the pressure fluid supply line to the device being arranged to be disconnected as a consequence of such displacement of the housing portion. The housing can thus be constituted as a two-part housing of which one part can be detached from or otherwise displaced with respect to the other to allow access to the housing interior, the power supply to the actuators being by way of juxtaposed portions of the two housing parts, so that the relative displacement of the housing parts results in disconnection of the actuator from the compressed air supply. A non-return valve upstream of the air supply connection between the two housing parts, and arranged to be held open <-*. when the parts are assembled, can be provided. Considerable heat can be generated frictionally within % the housing of a fluid operated brake device and an electric cooling fan can be incorporated in the housing. In this event, the electric power supply can be carried through the separable housing parts in a similar way so that access to the fan cannot be obtained without its being isolated from its power supply. The invention is further described below, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a brake device, including a two-part housing, in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the brake device of Figure 1; and Figures 3 & 4 are partial perspective views, from different viewpoints, of connector portions of the two parts of the brake device housing after separation. The illustrated brake device 10 comprises a two-part housing having a rear part 11 and a front part 15. The housing interior accommodates a brake disc received secured to a shaft extending into the housing, to which braking pressure is to be applied. Pneumatic actuators are mounted within the housing on the front part 15, for selective actuation to applied braking pads to the brake disc. Such brake mechanisms are known and are therefore not further described. For details of an exemplary mechanism of this kind, reference may be made to EP 0 219 938. The housing rear part 11 has the shape of an axially short cylinder except for a connector portion 12 extending radially outwardly, as shown at the right in Figure 1. The outer or front part 15 of the housing is generally similarly shaped, with a radially outwardly extending connector portion 16 overlying the portion 12, but has a frustoconical portion 17 converging forwardly to a front plate 19. The operation of the braking mechanism within the housing generates substantial heat, and the device 10 incorporates positive cooling means in the form of an electrically powered fan 20 mounted in the front part 15. The fan comprises an electric motor driving an impeller vane assembly to rotate about the axis of the housing, so as to draw in cooling air from the outside through a grill 14 provided in the front plate 19. The rear and front housing parts 11 & 15 are releasably secured together by bolts 25 extending through holes extending through the side wall of the front housing part into tapped recesses in the side wall of the rear part. Compressed air and electric power has to be supplied to the illustrated brake device for energisation of the pneumatic brake actuators and the cooling fan 20 respectively. Provision is made accordingly for the connection of pneumatic and electrical power supplies from external sources to the projecting connector portion 12 of the rear housing part 11 by way of respective connector elements 30 and 31, as shown in Figure 4. It is of course necessary for the power supplies to be fed through to the front housing part 15 which mounts the pneumatic actuators and the electric fan 20. In accordance with the invention, the supplies are carried into the connector portion 16 of the housing part 15 through separable connector means, so that the supplies are disconnected from the components which they energise when the housing is opened for servicing. This is achieved in that separation of the two housing parts 11 & 15 necessarily results in disconnection of the power supplies from the actuators and the fan. As shown in Figure 4, the electrical power supply is conveyed within the connector portion 12 from the connector element 31 to an electrical connector socket 32, accessible at the outer face 34 of the connector portion which is juxtaposed to the inner face 35 of the connector portion 16. The juxtaposed side 35 mounts a co-operating three-pin plug 36, at a position for reception in the socket 32 when the two housing parts, and thus the connector portions 12 & 15 are, assembled together. Similarly, the air supply connections 30 communicate within the connector portion 12 with sockets 37 at the outer face 34 of the rear connector portion. From the opposed face 35, plug connectors 39 project at positions to be received in the sockets 37 when the housing parts are assembled together. Thus, separation of the two housing parts 11 & 15 for servicing the brake mechanism and/or the fan 20, necessarily results in disconnection of the pneumatic and electric power supplies to those components. Preferably, the air supply passages within the connector portion 12 include check or non-return valves (not shown) biassed to prevent air supply outwardly of the sockets 37, which check valves are forced into an open position by the plug connectors 39 in the assembled condition of the housing parts. The check valves can thus each comprise a ball or other valve member urged against a valve seat by a bias spring and displaced from the seat by being engaged by the connector 39. The present invention can be embodied in a variety of ways other than as specifically illustrated and described.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A brake device having fluid-operated actuator means, the brake device comprising a housing having first and second parts which are relatively displaceable from a closed position to permit access to at least a part of the housing interior, a pressure fluid connection element at the housing exterior for connection with a source of pressure fluid, passage means in the first and second housing parts communicating the pressure fluid connection with the actuator means, and separable co-operating connectors included in the passage means and located on the first and second housing parts respectively so that displacement of the housing parts effects disconnection of the actuator means for the pressure fluid source. 2. A brake device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the passage means include a non-return valve between the connection element and the co-operating connectors, the non¬ return valve being arranged to close on the displacement of the housing parts and to be opened on return of the parts to the closed position. 3. A brake device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the co¬ operating connectors comprise a plug and a socket connector, and wherein the plug connector engages the non-return valve in the closed position of the housing parts to open the valve. 4. A brake device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the valve comprises a spring-biassed valve member and the plug connector engages the valve member to move it to the open position against the spring bias. 5. A brake device as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the first housing part is arranged to be permanently mounted and the second housing part mounts the actuator means and is displaceable from the first housing part. 6. A brake device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the co- operating connectors are located at respective faces of the first and second parts which are juxtaposed in the closed position. 7. A brake device as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein the connection element is located on the first housing part. 8. A brake device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the connection element is located at a face of the first housing part extending transversely to the juxtaposed faces. 9. A brake device as claimed in claim 5, 6, 7 or 8 wherein the displacement of the housing parts comprises separation of the second housing part from the first part. 10. A brake device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the housing parts comprise respective juxtaposed portions having the connection element and the co-operating connectors, the juxtaposed portions projecting outwardly from the main portions of the parts. 11. A brake device as claimed in any preceding claim having an electrically powered cooling fan, an electric power supply connection element at the exterior of the housing for connection with an electric power supply source, conductor means in the first and second housing parts communicating the electric connection element with the fan, the separable co¬ operating contacts included in the conductor means and located on the first and second housing parts respectively so that the displacement of the housing parts effects disconnection of the fan from the electric power supply source. 12. A brake device as claimed in claim 11 wherein the co-operating contacts and located adjacent and spaced from the co-operating connectors. 13. A brake device as claimed in claim 12 having a second fluid pressure connection element, a second passage means and second separable co-operating connectors, the co¬ operating contacts being located between the first mentioned and the second co-operating connectors

Inventors: DOMMETT SIMON PAUL, PEARSON BARRY, WALTER DAVID THOMAS, DOMMETT, SIMON, PAUL, PEARSON, BARRY, WALTER, DAVID, THOMAS
Applicants: TI INTERLOCK LTD, TI INTERLOCK LIMITED
Application year: 1993
Main classification: F16D65
IPC codes: B60T17, F16D55, F16D65