Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to a wear compensating device for a shoe brake having a brake lever, which brake lever supports a brake lining which acts on a brake body, and which brake lever is adjustable by an actuating arrangement about a main axis between a braking position and a releasing position. The wear compensating device has a first adjusting device which is arranged on the brake lever and which acts on a stop in such a way that the latter, as an actuating travel delimitation, acts on the first adjusting device and therefore at the same time on the brake lever and defines a corresponding releasing position. The first adjusting device has an adjusting element which engages on the stop and on which acts an adjusting force which, during braking and release of the brake, holds the adjusting element in engagement with the stop and varies the releasing position of the brake lever corresponding to the wear of the brake lining and/or of the brake body in such a way that a release gap which is set between the brake lining and the brake body remains constant. The invention also relates to a brake device having two brake levers which has a wear compensating device of said type.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This patent arises from a continuation of PCT Patent Application Serial Number PCT/EP2007/004333, filed on May 15, 2007, which claims priority to German Patent Application 20 2006 007 823.1 filed on May 16, 2006, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relate to wear compensating devices for shoe brake devices having at least one brake lever, which brake lever supports a brake lining which acts on a brake body, and which brake lever is adjustable by an actuating arrangement about a main axis between a braking position and a releasing position. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In a braking position, the brake lining acts on a brake body, for example, a brake disk or a brake drum. In the case of industrial brakes, the braking force is applied by a brake spring which acts on the actuating arrangement. During braking, said brake spring brings the brake lever into braking position. 
         [0004]    In order to release or disengage such a brake, a release device has been provided, which release device acts also on the brake lever by the actuating arrangement. By overcoming the brake spring tension, said release device brings the brake lever into its release position. Such a release device usually functions electromagnetically, mechanically and/or hydraulically. 
         [0005]    During braking, i.e., during repeated actuation of the brake, the brake lining and/or the brake body wear off. As a result, the actuating path or travel of the brake lever is prolonged since the distance between the brake lining and the brake body is increased. In order to compensate this wear, a wear compensating device has been provided which wear compensating device acts upon a stop which has been defined to position the brake body. At the wear compensating device, an adjusting device adjusts the braking distance or travel in such a way that the designated release position can be defined by the impact the adjusting device has on the stop. As a result, the wear can be compensated and the braking distance/actuating path can be kept constant. At the same time, the stop and adjusting device define the releasing position of the brake arrangement. 
         [0006]    For example, a brake arrangement featuring such a wear compensating device is known from the disk brake of type SB17MX made by the Bubenzer Company. Such a brake is specified in the corporate publication “Industriebremstechnik” [Industrial Brake Systems], second edition, of Company Bubenzer. 
         [0007]      FIG. 10  shows such a brake in which two brake levers  50  have been provided, each of which is swivel-mounted at a mounting yoke  52 . By a reference part  53 , the mounting yoke  52  itself has been retained and adjusted to the brake body. At one end, the brake levers  50  support brake linings  55 , and at the other end, they support the actuating arrangement  56 . The stop  58  has been attached to the mounting yoke  52 . 
         [0008]    For braking, a brake spring  60  pushes the brake levers  50  apart on one end so that the other two ends, which support the brake linings  55 , move toward each other in forcipate fashion and restraining the disk-shaped brake body  54  in order to brake. 
         [0009]    In order to disengage or release the brake, the release device  62  contracts, for example, electromagnetically, the brake levers  50  by the actuating arrangement  56  so that the brake linings  55  are released from the brake body  54 . The release gap is delimitated by two adjusting screws  64  which are attached at the brake levers  50  and which adjoin in releasing position of the brake with their ends the stops  58 . In the event of increasing wear of the brake linings  55  or the brake body  54 , these adjusting screws  64  can be adjusted, so that the wear can be compensated and the amount of the releasing gap can be kept appropriately constant. At the same time, the adjusting screws  64  are centering the position of the brake levers  50  and, consequently, the position of the brake linings  55  relatively to the brake body  54 , so that the brake can be assembled in any position, without one of the brake linings  55 , in released or disengaged position, resting against the brake body  54  or grinding at the rotating brake body  54 . 
         [0010]    In the example of  FIG. 10 , the release device acts electromagnetically. However, available are also hydraulic, mechanical, and pneumatic release devices. Such brakes are used, for example, as service brakes for crane undercarriages, swivel devices, or lifting units. 
         [0011]    In the known brakes, it is necessary from time to time to adjust the adjusting screws  64  according to wear, in order to compensate the wear (up to 70% of the initial thickness) at the brake linings  55 , because otherwise the times of incidence of the brake would change in unacceptable fashion. In other words, the so-called release gap between brake lining  55  and brake body  54  should remain as constant as possible. This manual adjustment increases the number of maintenance intervals occurring during the lifespan of a brake lining. Frequently such brakes are also located at places difficult to access, requiring extensive work of disassembly and assembly to adjust the adjusting screws  64 . 
         [0012]    A further problem consists of the fact that increasing wear results in decreasing spring tension and, consequently, decreasing braking force because of a change of the initial tension, since the position and length of the travel of the actuating arrangement to be overcome has been changed. This can also affect the function of the release device. Possibly electromagnetically induced retention forces are no longer sufficient to overcome the spring force in order to release or disengage the brake. 
       SUMMARY OF THE EXAMPLES 
       [0013]    The wear compensating device includes a first adjusting device that has an adjusting element which engages on the stop and on which acts an adjusting force which, during braking and release of the brake, holds the adjusting element in engagement with the stop and, consequently, adjusts the releasing position of the brake lever corresponding to the wear of the brake lining and/or of the brake body in such a way that a release gap L which is set between the brake lining and the brake body remains constant. In other words, by the adjacent adjusting force, the adjusting element(s) is (are) made to constantly follow up during brake operation. As a result, even if the absolute releasing position of the brake levers changes, the relative release gap (L) between brake lining, or brake linings, and brake body remains approximately constant. Consequently, the lifespan of a brake lining or brake body can be substantially utilized without additional maintenance or adjustment intervals. 
         [0014]    In some examples, the adjusting force is applied by a spring element. As a result, the function of the adjusting device is guaranteed independent of the mounting position of the brake. 
         [0015]    In some examples, an adjusting element is designed in cam-shaped fashion. In some such examples, a swivel-mounted cam is provided which has an adjustment surface engaging at the stop and describing a control curve which, during the transition from releasing position to braking position, compensates the wear by a pivoting movement of the cam. Here, corresponding to wear, a change of distance takes place between the working point of the adjustment surface engaging at the stop and the swivel axis (which is defined with respect to the brake lever) of the cam element. In this example, during the release process, the swivel axis of the cam is displaceably defined in the direction of the braking force relative to the brake lever, by an amount (S) corresponding to the release gap (L). This amount (S) is defined according to brake geometry and ultimately results from the leverage at the respective brake device and the designated release gap (L). 
         [0016]    In some examples, the swivel axis of the cam runs transverse to the direction of the braking force, and the cam itself is designed in fashion of a flat cam disk. In this embodiment, the designated control curve can be developed on a plainly designed cam which can be mounted in space-saving fashion at the brake lever in the area of the stop. In some such examples, the control curve in such a cam is characterized in that the curve of the cam decreases with increasing adjustment. In this embodiment, such a control curve can be easily determined analytically or experimentally. 
         [0017]    In some examples, the amount (S) is provided by an application of bearing defining the swivel axis of the cam, which application of bearing has two bearing elements which are adjustable to each other by the amount (S). In some examples, these bearing elements are placed torque proof and are axially fixed to the brake lever, thus defining the absolute position of the amount (S) which defines the acceptable adjustment travel of the brake levers to the stop. In some examples, a fixed bearing element has been provided which is retained toward the brake lever, and a movable bearing element which is adjustable by the amount (S) to the fixed bearing element, and which defines the relative position of the swivel axis to the brake lever and the absolute position of the swivel axis to the adjusting element or to the cam. 
         [0018]    In some examples, a wear compensating device is employed in which a second adjusting device has been provided which acts on the brake leverage or the actuating arrangement and which is arranged and designed in such a way that it changes the effective length of the actuating arrangement corresponding to wear of the brake lining and/or the brake body to the extent that the brake spring tension and an adjusted release gap/braking distance remain constant at the brake rod. This second adjusting device guarantees that the initial tension of the spring and, consequently, the brake spring tension remains constant even if the brake linings or the brake body are wearing out. At the same time, the amount and position of the release gap at the actuating arrangement are kept constant so that the wear cannot influence the effect of the release device. By the brake lining or brake body lifespan, this second adjusting device maintains constant important brake characteristics, such as, time of incidence, braking force and release or release time. 
         [0019]    Some examples are provided with a spindle arrangement the effective length of which, during brake operation, is being adjusted corresponding to wear through torsion of a first spindle element toward a second spindle element. Here, the second adjusting device performs the adjustment required during brake operation. Respective maintenance work is reduced and maintenance intervals are only required to exchange worn out brake linings or a worn out brake body. 
         [0020]    In some examples, the interaction of elements occurs via linear movements performed during an actuation of the brake are converted to a respective circular motion of the first spindle element. An example brake device includes a coupling lever having guide sections such as, for example, two working sections moving together vertically. 
         [0021]    In some examples, a brake device is provided which has two brake levers employing a wear compensating device. In such a brake device, the problems discussed above in the context of the known brake device are overcome at least partially. This example also allows the brake levers to be centered toward the brake body in their releasing position so that the brake or brake device can be used in any mounting position. 
         [0022]    Applying the adjusting force with a spring element, which is coupled to the adjusting elements, guarantees that the process of centering is performed symmetrically since the adjusting force acts symmetrically on both adjusting elements. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective schematic illustration of an example brake device having a wear compensating device, wherein the brake device is in a braking position. 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  illustrates the brake device shown in  FIG. 1  wherein the brake device is in a release position. 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the example brake device shown in  FIG. 1  in a braking position. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the example brake device shown in  FIG. 2  in a release position. 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the example brake device shown in  FIG. 4  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is another view of the brake device shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , shown in the braking position. 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is another view of the example brake device of  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5  shown in the release position. 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  is an end view of the example brake device of  FIGS. 1 through 7 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional a sectional view of an example application of bearing of the example braking device of  FIGS. 1-9  taken along line C-C of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 10  illustrates a known example brake device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0033]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are a perspective view of an example brake device  1 , which is shown in various functional positions.  FIG. 1  shows the brake device in braking position and  FIG. 2  in release position. 
         [0034]    The brake device  1  has two brake levers  2  and  4  each of which consists of two lugs. The brake levers  2  and  4  are connected in flexible fashion to a yoke  6  via bolt arrangements, and are swivel-mounted in the yoke  6  about the main axes  8 . At the lower end of the brake levers  2  and  4  (at the end of the shorter lever section viewed from the main axes  8 ), brake lining arrangements  10  have been designed in swivel-mounted fashion, respectively. Each of the brake lining arrangements  10  has a brake lining  12 . A brake body  14  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) runs between the brake surfaces of the brake linings  12  facing each other. The upper end of the brake levers  2  and  4  (at the end of the longer lever section viewed from the main axes  8 ) are connected to each other via an actuating arrangement  16 . The yoke  6  continues to support a stop  18 , which is attached at the yoke  6  in symmetrical fashion to the brake levers  2  and  4 . The position of the brake device  1  is defined by the yoke  6  relative to the brake body  14 . The actuating arrangement  16  comprises a brake spring  20  and a release device  22 , which compresses during the process of activation the brake levers  2  and  4  by a mechanism (not shown in detail), thus disengaging or releasing the brake device  1 . During the process of decelerating, the activation of the release device is cancelled or discontinued and the brake spring pushes apart the brake levers  2  and  4  so that the brake linings  12  exert a respective braking force on the brake body  14 . 
         [0035]    Each brake lever  2  and  4  is equipped with a first adjusting device  100 , each of which act on the stop  18 . The brake device is also equipped with a second adjusting device  200  which acts on the actuating arrangement  16 . Both adjusting devices  100 ,  200  are used to compensate the brake lining wear and thus guarantee constant performance of the brake device during the entire lifespan of the brake linings  12  or the brake body  14 . 
         [0036]    The first adjusting device  100  is described in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5  and  9 . Structure and function of the first adjusting device  100  are described by the first adjusting device  100  arranged at brake lever  4 . The respective first adjusting device  100  at brake lever  2  is designed to be laterally reversed. 
         [0037]    The first adjusting device  100  is designed from a cam disk  102  which is swivel-mounted at the brake lever  4  via a retaining clip  104  ( FIGS. 4 and 9 ). In the example shown, the retaining clip  104  is attached to the brake lever  4  by mounting screws  105 . However, in some embodiments, the cam disk  102  is directly housed in the brake lever  2 . The cam disk  102  is mounted to the retaining clip  104  by the application of bearing  106 , which penetrates an appropriate recess  107  in the cam disk  102  ( FIGS. 5 and 9 ). 
         [0038]    On the cam disk  102  acts an adjusting force which causes a pivoting movement in the direction of the arrow marked with K (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The cam disk  102  has an adjusting surface  108  which engages in the stop  18 . 
         [0039]    The swivel axis  110  which runs parallel to the main axis  8  is displaced in dependence of the braking position of the brake device ( FIG. 9 ). This is achieved by the application of bearing  106  in the following way. 
         [0040]      FIG. 9  shows a longitudinal section through the application of bearing  106 . Here, a fixed bearing element  112  and a movable bearing element  114  have been provided. 
         [0041]    Each of the two bearing elements  112 ,  114  have a cylindrical cup-shaped outer surface and are spaced apart by a gap S. In operation, they are forced apart by the springs  116  and are coupled to each other via the adjusting screw  118  in order to facilitate assembly and disassembly. The fixed bearing element  112  is retained in the arms of the retaining clip  104  by the mounting screws  120 , namely in respective mounting openings  122 . Here, the fixed bearing element  112  and the movable bearing element  114  penetrate the cam disk  102  which, via a plain bearing bush  124 , swivels or pivots on the application of bearing  106 . 
         [0042]    The gap (S) defines the release gap (L) between brake lining  12  and brake body  14 . The function is described in  FIG. 4 . Here, the brake device is described by a sectional view. For release, the brake levers  2  and  4  are compressed at the longer ends (on the top) by the actuating arrangement  16 . The cam disk  102  rests against the stop  18  with its adjusting surface  108 . The force applied there by the release process presses the cam disk  102  against the movable bearing element  114 . 
         [0043]    As a result, the gap S is closed against the expansion force applied by the springs  116  and the movable bearing element  114  is displaced by the amount S transverse to the swivel axis  110  and relative to the fixed bearing element  112 , and the brake lever  4  (as well as brake lever  2 ) moves about the main axis  8  so that the brake lining is released from the brake body by the amount L. 
         [0044]    During braking the process is reversed. If wear occurs on the brake lining  12  or on the brake body  14 , a two-step adjusting process takes place: During the process of closing the brake, the brake spring  20  first pushes the brake levers  2  and  4  apart to the extent that the fixed bearing element  112  and the movable bearing element  114  are again disconnected from each other by the amount S (the position shown in  FIGS. 5 and 9 ). If, in this position, the brake lining  12  is not yet engaged to the brake body  14 , i.e., if a gap (due to wear) remains between brake body  14  and brake lining  12 , the brake spring  20  pushes the brake levers  2  and  4  further apart. In the process, the adjustment surface  108  is released from the stop  18 . However, the adjusting force acting in direction K causes it to pan to the extent that it rests again at the stop  18 . The following release process occurs by closing the gap S in the application of bearing  106 . Consequently, through a respective design of the adjusting surface  108 , the wear is compensated and the release gap L between brake disk or brake body  14  and brake lining  12  is kept constant at the application of bearing  106  corresponding to the amount S of the gap. 
         [0045]    The control curve of the cam disk  102  defining the adjusting surface  108  is designed in such a way that the cam disk  102  with increasing adjustment in the direction K has a decreasing curve so that the radial distance between the swivel axis  110  and the working point  109  of the adjusting surface  108  increases respectively at the stop  18 . Here, the active pairing between stop  18  and adjusting surface  108  is designed in such a way that, with adjacent adjusting surface  108 , no adjustment, i.e., no panning or moving of the cam disk  102  occurs on the application of bearing  106 . Thus, the active pairing at the working point  109  is self-restricting toward forces which, possibly through the working point  109 , run transverse to the main axis  8  or transverse to the swivel axis  110 . An adjustment of the cam disk  102  occurs only during the actual process of braking by the adjusting force. In the example shown, this adjusting force is applied by a spring element  126 , which is mounted in tension between the cam disks  102 . However, the adjusting force can also be applied by a spring acting between retaining clip  104  and cam disk  102 , or in any other way. 
         [0046]    The second adjusting device  200  acts on the actuating arrangement  16  and is described in  FIGS. 3 through 8 . The actuating arrangement  16  is hinged at the longer ends of the brake levers  2  and  4  by respective hinge pins  24  and  26 . Structure and function are also described by the sectional view in  FIG. 5 . The main item of the actuating arrangement  16  is the operating rod  28  which, with its one end, penetrates or extends into the release device  22  and which, with its other end, is screwed into the spindle bush  30 . An adjustable stop sleeve  32  is attached to another thread section. The brake spring  20  is restrained with initial tension, which can be adjusted by the stop sleeve, between release device  22  and stop sleeve  32 . The release device  22  or housing is hinged in flexible fashion to the brake lever  2  by a connecting piece  34  (see  FIG. 3 ) and the hinge pin  24 . The release device  22  shown in  FIG. 5  includes a release mechanism, which is not shown and not described in any detail. Such a release mechanism can be operated in electromechanical, mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic fashion. 
         [0047]    Via an intermediate bearing  36 , the spindle bush  30  is hinged also in flexible fashion to the brake lever  4  by the hinge pin  26 . The brake and/or release movement of the brake device  1  is occurs by a linear movement of the operating rod  28 , which moves axially relative to the release device  22  in a direction depicted by arrow B in  FIG. 5 . During braking, the brake spring  20 , supported at the housing of the release device  22 , pushes against the stop sleeve  32  and pushes the operating rod  28  into the spindle bush  30 , which transmits by the intermediate bearing  36 , the force on the brake lever  4 . As a result, the two brake levers  2  and  4  are pushed apart at the ends supporting the hinge pins  24  and  26 , and said brake levers swivel toward each other about the main axes  8  at the ends supporting the brake lining arrangements  10 . The brake linings  12  engage at the brake body  14 . 
         [0048]    In order to release or disengage the brake, a release mechanism (not shown) in the interior of the release device  22  acts in opposite direction on the operating rod  28 . As a result, the operating rod  28  is pulled into the release device  22  against the spring force applied by the brake spring  20 . In the process, via the spindle bush  30 , the operating rod  28  pulls the intermediate bearing  36  in the direction of the release device  22 . The ends having the hinge pins  24  and  26  of the brake levers  2  and  4  move toward each other and the ends having the brake lining arrangements  10  correspondingly move away from each other. 
         [0049]    When wear of the brake linings  12  or the brake body  14  increases, the position of the operating rod  28  to the release device  22  changes to the extent that said operating rod  28  increasingly moves out of the release device  22  in the direction of the spindle bush  30 . This reduces the initial tension of the brake spring  20  and, consequently, considerably changes important braking parameters. Because of the reduced spring force, the brake becomes softer, the braking force is reduced, and the times of incidence is increased. This adjustment takes place independent of whether or not the width of the release gap L to be bridged is kept constant by the first adjusting device  100 . 
         [0050]    In order to keep the braking action constant, the second adjusting device  200  is provided. Said second adjusting device  200  comprises an engaging piece element  202  retained on the operating rod  28 , which engaging piece element  202  is coupled by a coupling lever  204  to a freewheel assembly  206  retained on the spindle bush.  FIGS. 6 and 7  show the action of the coupling lever  204 , which coupling lever  204  is retained in flexible fashion in a plane by a lug coupling  208  connected to the release device  22  and which plane runs parallel to the moving direction (B) of the operating rod  28 . 
         [0051]    By the hinge arrangement  210 , the coupling lever  204  is retained to the lug coupling  208  in such a way that in the center between lug coupling  208  and coupling lever  204  there is so much inhibitive friction that the coupling lever  204  independent of its mounting position does not change its swiveled position with regard to the lug coupling  208  independently. 
         [0052]    During braking, the brake spring  20  displaces the operating rod  28  in the direction of the spindle bush  30 . In the process, said brake spring picks up the engaging piece element  202  which engages with its engaging piece  212  in an adjusting fork  214  at the coupling lever  204  running approximately transverse to the moving direction (B) of the operating rod  28 . By the linear movement of the operating rod  28 , which is transferred to the first adjusting fork  214  by the engaging piece element  202  and the engaging piece  212 , the coupling lever  204  is panned or moved about the hinge arrangement  210  in direction R (see  FIG. 6 ). In the process, the second adjusting fork  216  engages an adjusting plug  218  at the freewheel assembly  206  and twists the adjusting plug  218  relative to the spindle bush  30 . 
         [0053]    During brake release, the operating rod  28  is retracted and the engaging piece element  202  together with the engaging piece  212  is correspondingly moved back. Here, enough clearance SP has been provided between the engaging piece  212  and the first adjusting fork  214  that, with a normal release gap, the engaging piece  212  is reset without acting on the first adjusting fork  214  or the coupling lever  204 . As a result, the coupling lever  204  also does not act on the adjusting plug  218  and, consequently, also not on freewheel assembly  206  which remains in its swiveled position and which does not twist the spindle bush  30  on the operating rod  28 . The clearance SP has been adjusted to the designated release gap L or the gap S in the application of bearing  106  between brake linings  12  and brake body  14 . This means that in case of a systematic release gap no movement of the coupling lever  204  takes place, which movement adjusts the spindle bush  30  on the operating rod  28  by the freewheel assembly  206 . 
         [0054]    Only if, because of increasing wear of the brake linings  12  and/or the brake body  14 , the coupling lever  204  is panned or moved further in the direction R by the engaging piece  212  acting in the adjusting fork  214 , the engaging piece  212  acts also during release, i.e., during retraction of the operating rod  28 , in the first adjusting fork  214  and pans or moves the coupling lever  204  into the position shown in  FIG. 7 . In the process, the second adjusting fork  216  picks up the adjusting plug  218  at the freewheel assembly  206 , and the freewheel assembly  206 , which is blocked in this direction, twists the spindle bush  30  on the operating rod  28  to the extent (direction T in  FIG. 8 ) that the operating rod  28  turns the spindle bush  30  downward. This increases the actual length of the actuating arrangement  16  between the stop sleeve  32  and the connecting piece  34  so that the wear of the brake linings  12  or the brake body  14  is compensated without having changing the initial tension of the brake spring  20 . 
         [0055]    In the example shown, engaging piece  212  and adjusting plug  218  are guided by ball joints and sliding blocks, which are designed according to the adjusting forks  214 ,  216 . Here, a guide sleeve has been provided between ball joint and sliding block which compensates the height tolerances to the pan plane of the coupling lever  204 , especially during panning or moving of the adjusting plug  218 . Here, the clearance SP in the first adjusting fork  214  is provided through a specific arrangement between the sliding block and the profile of the adjusting fork. Besides the arrangement shown, the interaction between the engaging piece  212  or the adjusting plug  218  and the adjusting forks  214 ,  216  can also take place by any other appropriate design. With corresponding geometry of the adjusting fork sides, engaging piece  212  and adjusting plug  218  can even act directly in the adjusting forks  214 ,  216 . 
         [0056]    In the example shown above, the first adjustment devices  100  and the second adjustment device  200  are provided at a brake device  1 . This combination makes it possible to compensate up to 70% brake lining wear without changing the braking action (braking force, time of incidence). Maintenance work is reduced to a minimum. 
         [0057]    Other examples offer the possibility to provide the first adjustment device  100  and the second adjustment device independently. This means that, in examples in which the brake body  14  is centered in relation to the brake linings  12 , for example, via a specific mounting position of the brake device  1 , the first adjustment devices  100  can be dispensed while the second adjustment device  200  is provided in order to provide substantially constant braking force during the entire lifespan or duration of the brake lining or brake body. 
         [0058]    In another example, in which, for example, maintenance intervals at the brake device  1  have not been determined on the basis of brake lining wear but, instead, because of other influences, the second adjustment device  200  can possibly be dispensed if the brake lining wear to be expected is so insignificant that it cannot be expected that the wear will have an actual effect on the braking force; it is, however, desired to have a reliable wear compensating centering. 
         [0059]    Besides the disk-shaped cams shown, it is basically also possible to use other control elements. For example, it is more or less possible that ramp or screw-shaped adjustment surfaces engage at the stop  18 . With such a cam design, the swivel or rotation axis of the cam would run approximately in the direction of the braking force. 
         [0060]    There are also other possible examples for providing the bearing gap S. For example, a spring-loaded massive bearing bolt, which replaces the fixed bearing and movable bearing elements  112  and  114 , can be mounted in a respective retainer groove, which bearing bolt allows for a bearing displacement corresponding to the gap during release of the brake against the stop  18 . 
         [0061]    Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.