Patent ID: 8196717

Claim:
A drum brake having a pair of brake shoes moveable radially outwardly into contact with an associated brake drum to provide a handbrake function by a cross strut which acts between pivoting brake operating levers which actuate the brake shoes, a handbrake lever pivoted on one brake operating lever contacting one end of the strut to displace the other brake operating lever towards the drum to apply the associated shoe against the drum and by reaction through the strut to also force the other brake operating lever toward the drum to apply the other shoe against the drum, wherein the strut is in two parts one part connected for movement with each respective brake operating lever, the strut parts having inter-engageable formations which when engaged allow the strut to transmit axial force between the brake operating levers, bias means for biasing the strut parts apart to disengage the inter-engageable formations to disable the strut, the inter-engageable formations being engaged when the handbrake lever operated to connect the strut parts to allow the brake to be applied and being disengaged when the hand brake lever is released so that the strut parts can disengage and move apart with the brake operating levers to adjust the effective length of the strut as the brake shoes wear.