Patent GB-703655-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to fluid pressure servo-units
IPC: B60T13/24
Filed: 1951-06-13
Abstract: 703,655. Fluid-pressure servo-brakes. ROCK WELL, E. A. June 13, 1951 [June 17, 1950], No. 14007/51. Class 103(1) In a servo-unit for vehicle hydraulic brakes of the type comprising a piston assembly 35 which in its inoperative condition is subjected on both sides to vacuum, preferably produced from an engine air intake manifold, and is moved to assist the manual effort on the master cylinder 21 by the admission of atmospheric air to the chamber 31, the piston assembly is arranged to operate through a rod 100 a piston 104 in a hydraulic cylinder, separate from, but connected to, the intermediate hydraulic cylinder 25 which is directly connected to the master cylinder so that the volume of the hydraulic system is thus effectively increased. The piston assembly 35 comprises two pressure plates 40, 41, the space between which contains air filtering material 60 and is in communication with the atmosphere by a flexible tube 32, the end of which is connected to a filter unit 33. The control valve by which the chamber 31 to the right of the piston assembly is connected either to atmosphere or to the chamber 29 to the left of the assembly, which is always under vacuum, as best seen in Fig. 14, comprises a tubular bellows like grommet valve 70 of rubber or other similar flexible material. When the piston assembly is in its release position, chambers 29 and 31 to either side of the piston assembly are in communication through perforations 77 in the extruded part 76 of the plate 41 and the axial passage through the valve member 70. When the master cylinder is actuated to operate the brakes liquid can initially flow directly to the cylinders of the wheel brakes 22 by reason of the ball valve 112 in the piston 111 of the intermediate cylinder 25 being held off its seat by a projection 114 at the end of the cylinder. When sufficient pressure is exerted on the master cylinder, the piston 111 is moved to the left and carries with it the plunger 78 and valve cup 79 carried thereby. The valve cup 79 first seats on the end of the valve member 70, cutting off communication between the two chambers 29 and 31 therethrough, and then compresses the member 70 against spring 74 and 80 so that the end of the valve member is moved away from the pressure plate 40 thus allowing a passage for filtered atmospheric air within the piston to flow into chamber 31 and move the piston assembly to the left. Since movement of the piston assembly to the left carries the entire control valve assembly away from the valve cup 79, the valve opening is self-terminating and will always be directly related to the displacement of the piston 111. In each valve movement the increasing spring rate of the spring 80 is compensated by the effects of pressure (and vacuum) in chamber 31 on the movable seat 79 so that the force required to operate the valve assembly 36 is substantially uniform at all effective parts of the stroke. The movement of rod 100 relative to the piston assembly is limited by the abutment of a dished flanged member 116 against the pressure plate 40, notches 117 allowing continuation of air flow into the chamber 31. The construction according to the invention, includes a number of features that provide for simplification in manufacture and assembly. As shown in Fig. 1, the power cylinder comprises twoparts coupled together by a V-shaped band 50 which also serves to secure the peripheral edge of the diaphragm 42. The hydraulic cylinders 25 and 26 instead of being cast, are constructed from tubular members and are secured to the end plates of the power cylinder by shouldered bushings 150, 151, as shown in Fig. 2, or by units 174, 175 as in Fig. 14.