Patent Description:
Inspection, removal and servicing of a brake assembly for heavy vehicles can be difficult and time consuming due to the significant weight of the brake assembly. For example, a drum can weigh in excess of <NUM> and a hub assembly can weigh in excess of <NUM>. The general awkwardness and weight of the heavy brake assembly generally require multiple technicians working in concert to remove and reinstall the brake assembly piece by piece, a process that introduces health and safety concerns, is time-consuming, inconvenient and costly due to the manual labour required.

An example of a prior art device <CIT> is a US patent publication document which describes a device according to the preamble of claim <NUM> for removing a brake drum and hub assembly having height adjustment and angle adjustment mechanisms. These adjustment mechanisms are restricted in their movement and therefore have limited usefulness for inspecting and servicing of brake drum assemblies. Another example of prior art is patent publication document <CIT> which only describes a trolley removal and reassembly of calliper brake assemblies. Another prior art example is described in <CIT> which describes a device having a carriage and plate for wedging a wheel assembly but does not allow rotation of the drum and hub assembly.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for supporting a heavy vehicle brake assembly, the apparatus configured to engage and support the brake assembly to facilitate removal and installation, the apparatus comprising:.

The drum and hub engagement assembly, and the drum and/or hub assembly when so engaged, can be rotatable from an operative position where the engaged drum and/or hub assembly has a longitudinal axis which is generally horizontal for removal and installation thereof to a transverse position wherein the axis is generally vertical. The drum and hub assembly may be rotatable into the transverse position such that the opening of the drum is orientated substantially upwardly so as to facilitate easy access to inspect the interior of the drum. The apparatus can include a friction hinge for preventing rotation of the drum and hub engagement assembly unless force is applied by a user of the apparatus. The apparatus can include a locking mechanism for securing rotation of the drum and hub engagement assembly in a desired orientation.

There exists also an apparatus for supporting a heavy vehicle brake assembly, configured to engage and support the brake assembly to facilitate removal and installation, the apparatus comprising:.

According to an embodiment, the drum and hub engagement assembly, and the drum and/or hub assembly when so engaged, is rotatable from an operative position where the engaged drum and/or hub assembly has a longitudinal axis which is generally horizontal for removal and installation thereof to a transverse position wherein the axis is generally vertical.

According to an embodiment, the drum and hub engagement assembly, and the drum and/or hub assembly when so engaged, is rotatable from the operative position to the transverse position in either a clockwise or an anti-clockwise direction.

According to an embodiment, the lifting device comprises at least one linked foldable support member configured to be driven for movement in the vertical plane, an upper end of the support member(s) associated with the drum and hub engagement assembly and wherein the foldable support member(s) are extendable and retractable relative to the trolley to raise and lower the drum and hub engagement assembly in a vertical line guided by the upright guide assembly.

According to an embodiment, the drum and hub engagement assembly has a stud engagement member for engaging the hub assembly and a drum engagement assembly.

According to an embodiment, the trolley also has means for removing the hub assembly or drum and hub assembly from an axle from a vehicle.

According to an embodiment, the trolley has a pair of spaced apart feet configured to receive a further trolley therebetween.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for removing and reinstalling a heavy vehicle brake assembly having a first trolley as described above, and a second trolley having a surface for assisting in replacement and/or servicing wherein the first trolley has a pair of spaced-apart feet configured to receive the second trolley therebetween.

According to an embodiment, the second trolley has means for raising and lowering the surface thereof.

According to an embodiment, the second trolley is configured to be positionable to be received between the feet of the first trolley and movable away from the first trolley to facilitate servicing and replacement.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of removing a heavy vehicle brake assembly from a vehicle using the system as described above, comprising the steps of:.

According to an embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of:.

According to an embodiment, the drum and hub assembly are removed together.

Further aspects, features, implementations and advantages of the present invention may be appreciated from the following description of one or more embodiments thereof, presented by way of non-limiting example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:.

Figure IA shows a heavy vehicle brake assembly <NUM>, in-situ on a vehicle, while Figure IB shows the heavy vehicle brake assembly with the drum <NUM> having been removed. <FIG> shows an apparatus <NUM> according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus <NUM> being configured for supporting the heavy vehicle brake assembly <NUM> to facilitate removal and installation. The apparatus <NUM> is configured to be positionable relative to the brake assembly and movable away from the vehicle to facilitate removal of the brake assembly, and is exemplified in the Figures as a service trolley.

The apparatus <NUM> has a drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> configured to engage an accessible portion of an in-situ drum and hub assembly <NUM>. The drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> is configured to support the engaged drum and hub assembly <NUM> while it is being moved between an in-situ position and a removed position to facilitate removal and installation of the drum and hub assembly <NUM>.

The apparatus <NUM> also has a lifting assembly <NUM> for raising and lowering the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM>, and the drum and hub assembly <NUM> if so engaged, to facilitate servicing. In the embodiment illustrated in the Figures, the lifting assembly <NUM> has an upright guide assembly <NUM> and a lifting device <NUM> which is guided to raise and lower the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM>, and drum and/or hub assembly <NUM> when so engaged, for movement in a vertical line by the upright guide assembly <NUM>. The drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> is pivotally attached to the lifting assembly <NUM> which is described further in the paragraphs below.

Thus the apparatus <NUM> advantageously allows for the easy and efficient engagement and removal of the heavy brake assembly <NUM> without requiring heavy lifting which reduces the risk of injury and also reduces the costs and time to remove and reinstall the heavy brake assembly <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the lifting device <NUM> includes a pair of spaced apart linked foldable support members <NUM> where upper and lower end portions of the foldable support members <NUM> are pivotally attached respectively to the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> and the base of the apparatus <NUM>. The foldable support members <NUM> are actuated by a hydraulically powered system <NUM> in the form of a hydraulic cylinder positioned therebetween effecting folding and unfolding of the linked foldable supportmembers <NUM> to raise and lower the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> and thus the engaged drum and hub assembly <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>.

In the examples shown in the Figures, the lifting assembly <NUM> has a pair of upwardly directed sleeves <NUM>, and the guide assembly <NUM> is in the form of a pair of upright spaced apart shafts extending from the base of the apparatus <NUM>. The upright shafts of the guide assembly are slidably received in the respective sleeves <NUM> allowing the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> to be guided by the guide assembly <NUM> in a vertical line when raised and lowered by the lifting device <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the apparatus <NUM> positioned near the heavy vehicle brake assembly <NUM> and the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> which has been brought into engagement with the in-situ drum and hub assembly <NUM>. The base of the apparatus <NUM> comprises a chassis having rollers <NUM> in the form of swivel castors arranged such that the apparatus <NUM> is positionable relative to the brake assembly <NUM> for engagement thereof and movable away from the vehicle to facilitate removal or replacement of the brake assembly <NUM>.

In the example shown in <FIG>, once the brake assembly <NUM> has been removed from the vehicle, the lifting device <NUM> can be operated to raise the drum and hub assembly <NUM> to an appropriate level to facilitate servicing by a technician. It can be appreciated that the lifting device <NUM> is capable of lifting the drum and hub assembly <NUM> through a range of heights to allow the apparatus <NUM> to be used by different service technicians for different purposes.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> includes a support cradle <NUM> for cradling the bell of the drum <NUM>, a stud engagement member <NUM> for engaging the wheel studs <NUM> of the hub assembly <NUM> and a pair of spaced apart clamping members <NUM> for clamping the drum and hub assembly <NUM> to the stud engagement member <NUM>. The stud engagement member <NUM> can be configured to engage to two or fourwheel studs <NUM> to engage the brake assembly <NUM>. The stud engagement member <NUM> as exemplified in <FIG> is in the form of a plate which has slots or apertures <NUM> in which the wheel studs <NUM> can be received. To secure the hub assembly <NUM> to the engagement member <NUM>, wheel nuts (not shown) may be applied to the wheel studs <NUM>.

The spaced apart clamping members <NUM> extend transverse from opposing sides of the stud engagement member <NUM> so as to receive the drum and hub assembly <NUM> therebetween. The clamping members <NUM> are extendable and contractable relative to the stud engagement member <NUM> and have inwardly directed flanges <NUM> at each end thereof which are configured to engage an end portion of the drum and hub assembly <NUM> such that the drum and hub assembly <NUM> is clamped between the stud engagement member <NUM> and flanges <NUM>. It can be appreciated that the clamping members <NUM> are extendable and retractable to allow the securing of differently shaped and sized drums or drum and hub assemblies between the flanges and the stud engagement member.

If the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> is to engage only the drum <NUM>, it can be understood that the drum <NUM> would be engaged by the clamping members <NUM> such that the drum <NUM> is secured between the flanges <NUM> and stud engagement member <NUM>. Alternatively, if only the hub assembly <NUM> is engaged by the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM>, the hub assembly <NUM> may be secured to the stud engagement member <NUM> by wheel nuts as described above.

Once the brake assembly <NUM> is brought into engagement with the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM>, the apparatus <NUM> can be moved away from the vehicle, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>. To remove the brake assembly <NUM> from the vehicle, mechanical assistance may be required, for example in the form of a five-ton hydraulic press <NUM> which is integrated into the apparatus <NUM> as illustrated in the Figures. However it can be appreciated that the mechanical assistance may take other forms such as pneumatic or electrically-powered systems which can be similarly integrated into the apparatus <NUM> or provided separately.

The drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> is pivotably attached to the lifting assembly <NUM>, and with the drum and/or hub assembly <NUM> secured thereto allows inspection and replacement of bearings (not shown). The drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> is rotatable from an operative position where the engaged drum and/or hub assembly <NUM> has a longitudinal axis which is generally horizontal forwards and backwards to a transverse position such that the longitudinal axis of the drum and/or hub assembly is generally vertical allowing inspection, servicing, or replacement of the bearings therein from either end.

<FIG> illustrates that the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> and engaged drum <NUM> is by rotated <NUM>° forwards such that the longitudinal axis is rotated from the operative position to the transverse position, while <FIG> illustrates that the that the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> and engaged drum <NUM> is rotated <NUM>° backwards such that the longitudinal axis is rotated from the operative position to a further transverse position. It canbe appreciated that while <FIG> illustrate an example where only the drum <NUM> is engaged, the apparatus <NUM> can obviously be used with both the drum and hub assembly <NUM> engaged.

Alternatively, as illustrated in <FIG>, only the in-situ hub assembly <NUM> may be engaged to the stud engagement member <NUM> and removed from the vehicle, and thus the stud engagement member <NUM> with the hub assembly <NUM> so engaged can be raised or lowered or rotated in a similar manner as described above for servicing.

The lifting assembly <NUM> has a pair of arms <NUM>, each arm <NUM> being pivotally attached at one end to a clamping member <NUM> of the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> while the opposing end of each arm <NUM> is connected to the lifting device <NUM>, as illustrated in the Figures. In addition, the pivotal attachment can be in the form of a friction hinge such that the drum and hub assembly <NUM> does not rotate unless force is applied by a service technician. A handle <NUM>, as exemplified in the Figures, can be provided for ease of handling to rotate the drum and hub assembly <NUM>. The handle <NUM> can be also be provided with a lockingmechanism (not shown) to secure the drum and hub assembly <NUM> in a desired orientation.

<FIG> illustrates a system <NUM> according to an embodiment of the invention including an apparatus as described above in the form of a service trolley <NUM> along with a support trolley <NUM> which can be used to facilitate servicing and/or replacement of the hub assembly and/or drum <NUM>. The support trolley <NUM> may be provided with a lifting device <NUM> such that the surface <NUM> of the support trolley <NUM> can be raised or lowered to an appropriate level to facilitate servicing by a technician. The lifting device <NUM> is exemplified in <FIG> as a scissor lift mechanism, however it will be appreciated that other forms of lifting devices could be utilised. Alternatively, the support trolley <NUM> may not have a lifting device.

The service trolley <NUM> has a pair of spaced apart feet <NUM>, the support trolley <NUM> being receivable between the feet <NUM> such that the drum <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, can be lowered by the lifting assembly <NUM>, onto the support trolley surface <NUM> and disengaged from the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM>. Alternatively, the support trolley surface <NUM> can be raised to meet the drum <NUM>. Once the previous drum <NUM> has been removed, the support trolley <NUM> with the replacement drum <NUM> thereon is positionable between the feet <NUM> of the service trolley <NUM> and the process reversed to engage and support the replacement drum <NUM> and reassemble the brake assembly <NUM> on the vehicle.

End portions of each foot <NUM> of the service trolley <NUM> are provided with one of the four rollers <NUM> thereby ensuring that the weight of the drum and hub assembly <NUM> when so engaged by the service trolley <NUM> is stable and evenly balanced.

Although only two trolleys <NUM>, <NUM> are illustrated in the Figures, it can be appreciated that two or more service or support trolleys <NUM>, <NUM> could be used to remove and reinstall the brake assembly <NUM> and to serve as work surfaces, such as during replacement of the bearings, such as illustrated in <FIG>.

In an example method of use of the system <NUM>, the service trolley <NUM> is positioned such that the stud engagement member <NUM> abuts the outer end of the in-situ drum <NUM> and the support cradle <NUM> supports the weight of the drum <NUM>. Then the clamping members <NUM> are engaged to the other end of the drum <NUM> such that the drum <NUM> is clamped between the flanges <NUM> of the clamping members <NUM> and stud engagement member <NUM> thereby securing the drum <NUM> to the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM>. The hub assembly <NUM> can be secured to the stud engagement member <NUM> by applying wheel nuts (not shown) to the wheel studs <NUM> of the hub assembly <NUM>.

The service trolley <NUM> can then be positioned to remove the drum and hub assembly <NUM> from the vehicle for servicing or replacement. In particular, the drum and hub assembly <NUM> can be raised or lowered by operating the lifting assembly <NUM> to a convenient height for inspection and/or servicing by a technician. Furthermore, the drum and hubassembly <NUM> can be rotated for easy access to inspect the interior thereof. Thus advantageously the drum and hub assembly <NUM> can be engaged and removed by the service trolley <NUM> in a single step reducing the need to lift heavy equipment, time and costs to service the brake assembly and increasing the safety to the technicians.

If replacing the drum and hub assembly <NUM>, the service and support trolleys <NUM>,<NUM> can be positioned such that the support trolley <NUM> is received within the feet <NUM> of the service trolley <NUM>. Then the drum and hub assembly <NUM> can be positioned onto the support trolley by lowering the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> or raising the support trolley surface <NUM>, and then disengaging the drum and hub assembly <NUM> from the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM>. It can be appreciated that instead of removing the drum and hub assembly <NUM> together, the drum <NUM> can first be removed from the vehicle by the service trolley <NUM> and placed onto the support trolley <NUM> before the service trolley <NUM> is then used to engage and remove the hub assembly <NUM>.

In another example use of the system, the service and support trolleys <NUM>, <NUM> can also be used to separate the hub assembly <NUM> from the drum <NUM> at a removed position from the vehicle. First, the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> can be rotated such that axis of the drum <NUM> is vertically oriented with the hub assembly <NUM> at the upper end thereof, a support block can be placed on the support trolley <NUM>, which is positioned such that it is received within the feet <NUM> of the service trolley <NUM>. The drum and hub assembly <NUM> can then be lowered onto support trolley <NUM> until the weight of the hub assembly <NUM> is supported by the support block.

By removing the wheel nuts (not shown) attaching the hub assembly <NUM> to the stud engagement member <NUM> the hub assembly <NUM> disengages from the drum <NUM> while the drum <NUM> is still engaged by the clamping members <NUM>. When the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> is raised, the engaged drum <NUM> is also raised leaving the hub assembly <NUM> supported on the support trolley <NUM>. Thus the drum and hub assembly <NUM> can be separated in an easy and efficient way at a position removed from the vehicle, which is made possible by the ability of the service trolley <NUM> to raise and lower the drum and hub engagement assembly <NUM> in a vertical line.

Once the drum and hub assembly <NUM> has been inspected and serviced, they can be reassembled using a method which is generally the reverse of the disassembly procedure discussed above. It can be appreciated that the method described above is a mere example, and that the service trolley and/or support trolley <NUM>, <NUM> can be used in a variety of ways to facilitate removal and servicing of the heavy brake assembly.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. Thus, the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments.

Claim 1:
An apparatus (<NUM>) for supporting a drum and hub assembly (<NUM>) of a heavy vehicle brake assembly, the apparatus (<NUM>) configured to engage and support the drum and hub assembly (<NUM>) to facilitate removal and installation, the apparatus (<NUM> comprising:
a drum and hub engagement assembly (<NUM>) configured to engage an accessible portion of the in-situ drum and/or hub assembly (<NUM>) and to support the drum and/or hub assembly (<NUM>) when so engaged for transport between an in-situ position and a removed position facilitating removal and installation of the drum and/or hub assembly (<NUM>);
wherein the apparatus (<NUM>) is configured to be positionable relative to the brake assembly (<NUM>) and movable away from the vehicle to facilitate removal of the brake assembly (<NUM>);
the apparatus (<NUM>) further including a lifting assembly (<NUM>) having an upright guide assembly (<NUM>) and a lifting device (<NUM>) for raising and lowering the drum and hub engagement assembly (<NUM>), wherein the lifting device (<NUM>) is configured to raise and lower the drum and hub engagement assembly (<NUM>) and the drum and/or hub assembly (<NUM>) engaged thereby along the upright guide assembly (<NUM>) in a vertical line;
characterized in that the drum and hub engagement assembly (<NUM>), and the drum and/or hub assembly (<NUM>) when so engaged, is configured to be rotatable about an axis which substantially passes through a centre of mass of the drum to facilitate servicing of the drum and/or hub assembly (<NUM>).