Patent Publication Number: US-4841999-A

Title: Brake durm cleaner assembly and method of cleaning

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to cleaning means and methods and, more particularly, to an improved method and assembly for cleaning a brake drum. 
     2. Prior Art 
     After a boat trailer is backed into salt water in order to launch or pick up a boat, the trailer must be washed with fresh non-salt water in order to prevent salt water corrosion of the trailer&#39;s metal parts. Unfortunately, water hosing down of the trailer does not rid the trailer&#39;s brake drums of salt water. Leaving such salt water in place eventually badly corrodes and impairs the function and life of the brake drums and brake actuating mechanism. There are also other circumstances in which a vehicle&#39;s brake drums can become filled with water, mud, dirt and debris and need cleaning in order for them to function properly. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a means and a method of cleaning a brake drum to rid it of salt water, mud, dirt, debris, etc., in order to maintain its proper function and longevity and prevent its corrosion. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The improved assembly and method of the present invention satisfy all the foregoing needs. The assembly and method are substantially as set forth in the Abstract. 
     Thus, a brake drum can be cleaned to remove salt water, salt, mud, dirt, debris, etc. by drilling a hole in the brake backing plate and passing the rear portion or stem of a novel spray adapter out therethrough, leaving the expanded front spray head portion inside the drum. The stem is then connected to a water hose, as by a clamp, and water is passed through the hose and adapter into the brake drum interior as a plurality of jets or sprays of water. In this regard, the adapter head has a number of spaced spray orifices, rounded, or elongated, narrow, curved, etc. 
     The head is cylindrical, spherical or another shape. The adapter may be unitary and made of plastic, for example, nylon, polypropylene, etc., and can have a stepped or convoluted rear stem exterior surface to facilitate locking it in the water hose. A water pulsator can be connected to the rear end of the adapter in the hose to deliver pulsed jets of water from the adapter for improved cleaning. Water from the adapter can drain out the space between the brake drum and brake backing plate. Further features of the invention are set forth in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an enlarged schematic side elevation, partly broken away, of an adapter used in a first preferred embodiment of the improved assembly of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic front elevation of the adapter of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of the improved assembly of the present invention for practicing the method of the present invention, utilizing the adapter of FIGS. 1 and 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevation, partly in section, of a second preferred embodiment of the improved assembly of the present invention; and, 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic side elevation, partly in section, of a third preferred embodiment of the improved assembly of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS. 1-3 
     Now referring more particularly to FIGS. 1-3 of the accompanying drawings, a first preferred embodiment of the adapter method and assembly of the present invention are schematically depicted therein. Thus, FIG. 3 shows assembly 10 which comprises a novel spray adapter 12, a water hose 14 and means comprising a c-clamp 16 for releasably connecting adapter 12 to hose 14. 
     Adapter 12 comprises a body 18, preferably of plastic such as nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene or the like, but which also can be of metal, ceramic, cermet or the like. Body 18 is unitary and has a generally tubular rear stem portion 20 having a central passageway 22 longitudinally therethrough and a three-stepped convoluted rear area 24 to facilitate anchoring it in hose 14 (FIG. 3). 
     Body 18 also includes an expanded front spray head portion 26 connected to stem 20 and including a central cavity 28 connected to passageway 22 and to a plurality of spaced, narrow, elongated spray orifices or slits 30 in the sides 32 and front 34. Orifice 28 in front 34 is cross-shaped. 
     In accordance with the present method of cleaning a brake drum, and brake actuating mechanism, a hole 36 is first drilled through brake drum backing plate 38 from the interior thereof to the exterior 40 thereof in which undesired materials such as salt water, mud, dirt and debris 42 can collect (FIG. 3). The stem 20 is pushed out through hole 36 and releasably connected at area 24, as by clamp 16, to water hose 14 slipped thereover, leaving head 26 in the exterior 40 of drum backing plate 38. 
     Cleaning water is then passed through hose 14 and adapter 12, exiting head 26 through orifice 30 as a series of fine spray jets 44, easily spraying off mud, dirt, salt and debris from drum 38 and washing it and residual salt water away, all of which can drain out through the space between the brake drum and the brake backing plate. 
     Accordingly, assembly 10 is simple, efficient and easily and effectively used in the present method. Adapter 12 can be made in any suitable size and shape. For example, it can be about 13/4 inches long, with a 7/8 inch diameter head 26 and 1/2 inch diameter stem 20 which may be about 11/4 inches long. 
     FIG. 4 
     A second preferred embodiment of the improved assembly of the present invention is schematically depicted in FIG. 4. Thus, assembly 10a is shown. Components thereof similar to those of assembly 10 bear the same numerals, but are succeeded by the letter &#34;a&#34;. 
     Assembly 10a ,includes adapter 12a having a straight tubular stem 20a with central passageway 22a therein connected to space 28a in spherical head 26a. Round orifices 30a are also connected to space 28a. Adapter 12a is connected by clamp 16a to hose 14a to complete assembly 10a. Assembly 10a has substantially the features of assembly 10 and can be made of similar materials. 
     FIG. 5. 
     A third preferred embodiment of the improved cleaning assembly of the present invention is schematically depicted in FIG. 5. Thus, assembly 10b is shown. Components thereof similar to those of assembly 10 or 10a bear the same numerals but are succeeded by the letter &#34;b&#34;. 
     Assembly 10b includes hose 14b connected through clamp 16b to rear stem 20b of adapter 12b. Stem 20b has an undulating rather than tri-stepped area 24b to facilitate clamping to hose 14b. The front area 50 of stem 20b has orifices 30b in addition to the elongated curved orifices 30b in generally oval shaped head 26b. Otherwise, adapter 12b is identical in function and construction to adapters 12 and 12a. Assembly 10b has functions and advantages similar to those of assembly 10 and 10a. 
     In addition to the above, assembly 10b includes a conventional water pulsating unit or chamber 52 of any suitable type, such as a movable in-stream ball or the like. Chamber 52 is connected to the rear end of stem 20b and disposed in hose 14b so that all water which passes through hose 14b and into adapter 12b is pulsed by chamber 52, causing water jets 44b to be pulsed into the brake drum for greater cleaning ability. 
     Various modifications, changes, alterations and additions can be made in the improved assembly and method of the present invention, their components, steps and parameters. All such modifications, changes, alterations and additions as are within the scope of the appended claims form part of the present invention.