Patent GB-231183-A (GB)
Title: Brake operating device for motor vehicles
IPC: B60T8/24
Filed: 1925-03-19
Abstract: 231,183. Compagnie d'Applications MÚcaniques. March 21, 1924, [Convention date]. Braking.-Comprises a braking system in which the braking and steering mechanisms are so connected that the braking force is normally equally distributed to the brakes of the steering and driving wheels, and is distributed, by the action of the steering mechanism on curves, to two brakecontrolling members in a progressively differential manner, each of the said members being arranged to control one wheel brake or a pair of brakes. The wheel brakes may be grouped in pairs in any way. As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, the device comprises an operating member b connected to a pedal, handlever, or servo-motor, an equalizing lever d and independent arms e each connected to a brake or group of brakes. The steerinla-arm g is connected by linkage to the equalizing bar d which is jointed to the member b, so that when the steering-gear is operated the bar is tilted and its ends engage the arms e at unequal distances from the shaft 3. The braking effect is thus divided unequally between the two sets of brakes controlled by the arms e. The steering- gear may be connected either to the operating member b or to the arms e instead of to the equalizing bar. In the construction shown in Fig. 4, the steering connection i is linked to the arms e and causes them to slide along the equalizing bar d, so varying the leverage of the operating member b on the two arms. In this sliding movement the arms are also caused by cam slots 19 to turn slightly on their shafts 17. This allows for the unequal stretch or distortion in the operating mechanism due to the unequal braking forces. The operating member may be caused to slide along the equalizing bar by the steering- connection i. as shown in Fig. 12. In this arrangement each arm e actuates the two brakes on its side of the vehicle by means of a cable 116 passing over two pullevs on the ends of a lever 113. Independent adjusting means 125 are provided on each brake and indicators 130 show the normal positions of the brake levers. In the construction shown in Fig. 13, a triangular operating and equalizing member d has balls 150 acting on each of the arms e and is operated by a rod connected to a ball-joint 165 guided between ribs 167, 168. Another ball-joint 171 forms the fulcrum for the member d and this fulcrum is carried by a crank arm 173 connected to the steering gear. Thus, when the steering- gear is operated, the fulcrum 171 is moved and the member d is rocked approximately about one of the balls 150, so altering the distribution of the braking-effort. The connection to the steering-gear may be such that the member b, d or e controlled thereby is always moved in the same direction no matter which way the steering-gear is operated, so that the braking distribution is varied in the same manner on right or left curves. A form of equalizing mechanism is described in which each arm e rotates a centrally pivoted lever having at each end a pivot for a smaller controlling pivoted lever, these levers being inter-connected at their inner ends and having their outer ends connected to separate brakes.