Patent GB-1339009-A (GB)
Title: Internal shoe-drum brakes
IPC: F16D65/22
Filed: 1970-09-03
Abstract: 1339009 Mechanical and fluid-pressure actuation of drum brakes; slack-adjusting GIRLING Ltd 2 Sept 1971 [3 Sept 1970] 42112/70 Headings F2E and F2F Actuating apparatus for the arcuate shoes 10, 11 of a drum brake comprises hydraulic cylinder 14 mounted on stationary back-plate 18 for movement in a direction parallel to shoe-end movement on brake application, a piston 21 working in a bore 15 of larger diameter and adapted to engage shoe 10, a piston 25 working in a bore 16 of smaller diameter and adapted to engage shoe 11, the bores communicating, e.g. by passage 17, provision for limiting inward movement of the pistons (e.g. the ends of passage 17), and a manually-operable bell-crank lever 31, 32, pivotally mounted at 28 on the cylinder and adapted to engage shoe 11. For normal service braking fluid under pressure is supplied to the inner end of bore 15. Because of the difference in piston areas only piston 21 is moved out, the cylinder moving left by reaction, and piston 25 remaining in engagement with its shoulder. For mechanical actuation, bell crank lever 31, 32, is pivoted clockwise, urging shoe 11 outwardly. Reaction on pivot 28 on cylinder 14 moves the cylinder to the right to apply shoe 10, piston 21 remaining in engagement with its shoulder. Since the cylinder moves in one direction on hydraulic application and in the opposite direction on mechanical application, it is less likely to adhere to the back-plate when rust and dirt have affected the co-operating surfaces. Spring washers 19 are provided at this location. If the bell-crank lever is actuated while the brake is held applied hydraulically, piston 21 is initially in its outward position, but the movement of the cylinder produced by reaction on pivot pin 28 will cause the cylinder to re-engage piston 21 fully, so that the smaller piston is in turn forced outwardly, following up the shoe 11. Fig. 2 incorporates one form of slack adjuster. A spindle 35 is in irreversible screw-threaded engagement with piston 21 and the spindle head 37 is interposed between the inner end of the piston and the inner end of the bore. A screw 38 having a steep thread engaging spindle 35 has a coned head 40 co-operating with a sleeve 41 fixed in the cylinder body between bores 15 and 16. When the brake is applied hydraulically, piston 21 moves to the right taking spindle 35 with it. If owing to lining wear, piston movement exceeds the play between the threads of spindle 35 and screw 38 (running clearance), the spindle is rotated by its engagement with the screw, whereby the effective length of the piston is increased. On release, coned head 40 is disengaged from sleeve 41, and screw 38 can rotate within spindle 35, permitting the shoes to retract to their normal "off" positions. (The cylinder bores communicate by a passage not shown). Fig. 3 shows a linear slack adjuster where a rod 45 having four circumferentially-spaced rows of ratchet teeth 47 is fixed to the part of the cylinder between the bores and a ring 50 fitting freely over the rod has resilient fingers 49 having internal teeth engaging with teeth 47. When outward movement of piston 21 exceeds a certain clearance, the piston pulls the ring &c. over one or more ratchet teeth on the rod. On release, movement in the reverse direction is prevented by tooth shape and contacting coned surfaces.