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CA1204392A - Automatic slack adjuster - Google Patents

Automatic slack adjuster

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Publication number
CA1204392A
CA1204392A CA000429007A CA429007A CA1204392A CA 1204392 A CA1204392 A CA 1204392A CA 000429007 A CA000429007 A CA 000429007A CA 429007 A CA429007 A CA 429007A CA 1204392 A CA1204392 A CA 1204392A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
rod
nut member
housing
disc
axially
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000429007A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Frederick R. Monick
Stanley J. Muster
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Eaton Corp
Original Assignee
Eaton Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Eaton Corp filed Critical Eaton Corp
Priority to CA000429007A priority Critical patent/CA1204392A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1204392A publication Critical patent/CA1204392A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An improved automatic slack adjuster (10) for disc brakes is provided. The slack adjuster includes an elongated rod (16) threadably attached to a nut member (28), only one of which rod and nut member is rotatable relative to the housing (12) for slack adjustment purposes. A coil return spring (36) acts on spring seat washer (40) which bears on the nut member. The spring seat washer is rotationally fixed (42, 44) to the non-rotatable one of the rod and nut members to prevent wind-up of the coil return spring during a slack adjustment operation.

Description

1~P439Z

The present invention relates to automatic slack adjusters, preferably of the single acting clearance or force sense sensing type, for disc brakes and in particular relates to improved single acting automatic slack adjusters for disc brakes wherein means are provided to prevent the coil return springs from being torsioned (i.e. wound up) during the adjustment operation which might result in an undesirable rotation of the adjusting mechanism as the return spring later unwinds.

lo Automatic slack adjusters for railway brakes and automative brakes of both the disc and drum type are well known. In particular, automatic, single acting (i.e.
operates automatically in the slack take-up direction only) vehicle slack adjusters of the force sensing type (also called the clearance sensing type) wherein the adjustment mechanism will sense the forces in the brake system and either disengage the adjustment mechanism or slip when forces exceed a predetermined level, usually corresponding to the expected forces in the system when the drums or discs are contacted by the movable friction elements, to prevent over adjustment are well known and may be appreciated in greater detail by reference to U.S. Patents Nos. RE 26,965 and 3,507,36q Clearance sensing slack adjusters wherein a torque limited friction clutch of the coil slip clutch type is utilized to limit torque applied to an adjustment member are also known as may be seen by reference to U.S. Patents Nos. 3,5~7,369 and 3,901,357.

- 1 - ~q~

3~Z

Automatic slack adjusters for disc brakes wherein a rod carrying a friction pad, or a slidable caliper pressure plate, is threadably attached to an adjustment nut member, and slack is maintained within predetermined 5limits by selective relative rotation of the adjustment nut member and rod are known in the prior art as may be seen by reference to U.S. Patents Nos. 3,966,028 and 4,064,973.
While the automatic clearance sensing disc brake 10slack adjusters of the prior art have been generally well received, certain of the prior art devices were not totally satsifactory as rotation of the rotatable adjustment member tended to torque ~i.e. wind-up) the brake coil return spring, which return spring tended to 15unwind in a rnanner causing the rotatable adjustment member to be undesirably rotated in the slack increasing direction of rotation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, the 20drawbacks of the prior art have been overcome or minimized to the extent that an improved automatic disc brake slack adjuster of the type utilizing an adjustment mechanism comprising a relatively rotatable threadably engaged nut member and rod member and a coil compression return spring 25acting on the nut member is provided wherein the return spring is isolated from rotation of the rotatable adjustment member. The above is accomplished by providing spring seats, such as washers, which are rotationally fixed relative to the nonrotatable one of the relatively 30rotatable rod and nut members.
In the preferred embodiment, the rod is threadably attached to an adjustment nut member and is rotationally fixed relative to a housing whereby rotation of the adjustment nut member in a given direction of 35rotation relative to the housing will axially advance the ~1 :~Z04392 rod, and the friction material or pressure plate fixed thereto, relative to the adjustment nut member. A coil compression return spring is provided to resiliently bias the brake actuating mechanism, including the nut and rod adjustment members, in the brake release axial direction.
A washer is axially movably and nonrotationally carried by the rod and bears on the adjustment nut member for providing a seat for the return spring. Accordingly, rotation of the adjustment nut member will not be 10 transferred to the coil return spring. The washer may be directly axially slidably but nonrotationally mounted to the housing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved automatic slack adjuster for 15 disc brakes.
This and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the reading of the detailed description of the invention taken in connection with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is a partial sectional view of a portion of a typical wedge and/or roller actuated disc brake utilizing the improved slack adjuster of the present 25 invention.
FIGURE 2 is sectional view taken along line 2--2 in FIG. 1.
FIGURE 3 is sectional schematic illustration of a sliding caliper disc brake in the applied position.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. The words "upwardly," n downwardly, n 35 "rightwardly" and "leftwardly" will designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words 1~043~

"inboard" and "outboard" will designate directions toward and away from the centerline o~ a vehicle to which the disc brake is mounted, being rightwardly and leftwardly, respectively, in Figure 1. The words "inwardly" and "outwardly" will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the device and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import.
One embodiment of the improved automatic slack adjuster of the present invention is illustrated as utilized with a disc brake wedge-type actuator in FIG. 1.
The disc brake actuator-adjuster assembly 10 comprises a housing 12 which is mountable to a caliper (not shown) 15 such as a floating or sliding caliper or the like. The specific structure of the housing 12 and of the caliper forms no part of the present invention.
Sliding caliper disc brakes are schematically illustrated in Fig. 3 and typically include an air 20 chamber, or air motor, A, a wedge actuator assembly B, a housing C carrying a caliper D and a relatively rotatable disc E. An actuation/adjustment mechanism F is slidably received in the housing C for selectively advancing a caliper pressure late G towards the disc to cause the 25 friction shoes H to frictionally engage the disc and for maintaining a predetermined running clearance or slack, between the shoes and the disc.
A disc brake shoe, or a sliding caliper pressure plate, 14 is nonrotationally carried by an elongated rod 30 16 on the outboard end 17 thereof for axial movement there-with. Leftward axial movement of rod 16 and pressure plate 14 will result in frictional engagement of a rotatable disc, as is well known. A pair of pins 18 are slidably received in bores 20 in housing 12 to prevent rotation of 35 plate 14 and rod 16 relative to housing 12. Pins 18 may also serve as lining wear indicators or the like.

~Z043~2 The inboard end 22 of rod 16 is provided with external threads 24 which are threadably engaged with interal threads 26 provided in bore 27 in adjustment nut member 28. Adjustment nut member 28 is axially and rotationally movable in bore 30 of housing 12. To apply the brake 10 by leftward axial movement relative to housing 12 of adjustment nut member 28, rod 16 and pressure plate 14, a well known air or fluid motor-wedge actuator assembly (not shown) such as are illustrated in lo U.S. Patents Nos. 3,~47,229; 4,064,973 and 4,085,830~ may be utilized. The actuator assembly will act through driving member 32 to apply a leftwardly directed axial force to nut member 28.
To adjust for wear of the brake friction material (not shcwn) to maintain the running clearance, or slack, between the disc and the friction material within predetermined limits, it is necessary to occasionally increa~e the axial spacing between pressure plate 14 and adjustment member 28 in a predetermined, controlled manner. This is accomplished by the use of stroke and/or stroke-force sensing automatic adjusting mechanisms which will selectively rotate adjustment member 28 relative to housing 12. In the illustrated adjuster, the ad~usting mechanism includes a means (not shown) to sense greater than expected axial movement of driving member 32 during the brake applying operation and means to automatically rotate the driving member in response thereto. A torque limiting coil clutch 34 will rotate the adjustment nut 28 in response to rotation of driving member 32. As rod 16 is rotatably fixed to housing 12, rotation of nut member 28 in the slack decreasing direction of rotation relative to housing 12 will result in increased axial extension of outboard rod end and plate 14 relative to the nut member 28. The speci~ic construction of the mechanism for selectively rotating ~djustment member 28, usually in ~A~

1~)43~Z

response to sensing greater than expected axial movement thereof, forms no part of the present invention.
Mechanisms of this type may be seen by referenc~ to U.S.
Patents Nos. 3,211,263; 3,547,~29; 3,966,028; 4,064,973 5 and 4,085,830~
A coil compression return spring 36 surrounds rod 16 and is axially restrained between spring seat 38 axially fixed to housing 12 at the outboard end of bore 30 and washer 40 to urge the adjustment nut mechanism 28, rod 10 16 and pressure plate 14 rightwardly for release or disengagement of the brake. Washer 40 bears directly on the outboard surface of adjustment member 28.
As may be seen by reference to Fig. 2, washer 40 is provided with an inwardly extending tab 42 which is 15 slidably received in an axially extending groove 44 provided in rod 16. Accordingly washer 40 is axially movable relative to rod 16 and housing 12 but is substantially rotatior.ally fixed relative to housing 12 and rod 16. By rotationally fixing washer 40 to rod 16, 20 rotational movement of adjustment nut member 28 relative to rod 16 during a slack adjustment operation will not result in rotation in washer 40 nor of return spring 36 relative to housing 12 thereby eliminating the tendency of the return spring to wind up due to rotation of nut member 25 28 and then later unwind disadjusting the brake 10.
As is known, automatic slack adjusters may be provided wherein the adjustment nut member 28 is rotationally fixed relative to the housing and the rod 16 is selectively rotated relative to the housing for slack 30 adjustment purposes. In such an adjuster, the spring seat bearing on the adjustment member would be rotationally fixed relative to the adjustment member.
Of course, various structures other than the illustrated tab 36 and groove 38 may be utilized to 35rotationally fix the spring seat to the non-rotatable one of the adjustment nut member and rod.

3~

Alternatively, washer 40 may be slidably but nonrotationally mounted directly to housing 12 by means of a radially outwardly extending tab received in an axially extending groove provided in the housing, or the like.
Although this invention has been described in its preferred embodiment with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of lO construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims (2)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An improved disc brake clearance sensing slack adjuster for maintaining a predetermined running clearance between the brake friction pads and the disc, said adjuster comprising a housing, a disc totatable relative to the housing, an elongated rod axially movable in the housing, a nut member axially movable in the housing, said rod member threadably engaged at one end thereof to said nut member, a friction pad engagement means fixed to the other end of said rod, actuating means to selectively axially move said nut member and rod towards said disc, automatic adjustment means to rotate said nut member relative to said housing in response to sensing greater than predetermined running clearance, means to rotationally fix said rod member relative to said housing and a coil compression return spring surrounding said rod member and acting on said nut member to resiliently urge said nut member away axially from said disc, the improve-ment comprising, said rod provided with an axially extending groove on the outer surface thereof and a washer spring seat seating one end of said compression spring and axially engageable with said nut member, said washer spring seat provided with a radially inwardly extended tab which is slidably receivable in said groove whereby said washer is axially movable and rotationally fixed relative to said housing and said coil compression return spring is rotationally isolated from the nut member.
2. The improved slack adjuster of claim 1, wherein said washer surrounds said rod.
CA000429007A 1983-05-26 1983-05-26 Automatic slack adjuster Expired CA1204392A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000429007A CA1204392A (en) 1983-05-26 1983-05-26 Automatic slack adjuster

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000429007A CA1204392A (en) 1983-05-26 1983-05-26 Automatic slack adjuster

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1204392A true CA1204392A (en) 1986-05-13

Family

ID=4125333

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000429007A Expired CA1204392A (en) 1983-05-26 1983-05-26 Automatic slack adjuster

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1204392A (en)

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