Self-adjusting hydraulic disk brakes

Claim 1

IN A VEHICLE HAVING A SUPPORTING FRAME AND A ROTATING AXLE TO BE BRAKED, AN AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTING DISK BRAKE COMPRISING: A HOUSING INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND HOUSING MEMBERS SECURED TO SAID FRAME ABOUT SAID AXLE; A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY SHIFTABLE ROTOR AND STATOR DISKS MOUNTED ABOUT SAID AXLE WITHIN SAID HOUSING IN COAXIAL INTERLEAVED POSITION; FRICTION SURFACES ON AT LEAST ALTENATE DISKS; ACTUATING MEANS OPERATIVE BETWEEN SAID HOUSING MEMBERS ADAPTED TO EFFECT FRICTIONAL BRAKING ENGAGEMENT OF SAID DISKS BY AXIALLY COMPRESSING SAID DISKS INTO FRICTIONAL INTERENGAGEMENT WITH ACTUATING FORCE; AUTOMATIC ADJUSTING MEANS TO COMPENSATE FOR WEAR OF SAID FRICTION SURFACES INCLUDING AN AXIALLY EXTENDING DEFORMABLE MEMBER HAVING A PREDETERMINED LONGITUDINAL CRUSHING RESISTANCE LESS THAN SAID ACTUATING FORCE OF SAID ACTUATING MEANS, SAID ADJUSTING MEANS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY AND AXIALLY BETWEEN SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND ONE OF SAID HOUSING MEMBERS; AND RESILIENT MEANS ACTING BETWEEN SAID DEFORMABLE MEMBER AND ONE OF SAID HOUSING MEMBERS TO SPACE ALL SAID DISKS AXIALLY UPON DEENERGIZING OF SAID ACTUATING MEANS TO DISENGAGE SAID BRAKES, WHEREBY AS SAID FRICTION SURFACES WEAR INCREMENTALLY, SAID DEFORMABLE MEMBER IS PROGRESSIVELY CRUSHED PERMANENTLY IN AN AXIAL DIRECTION BETWEEN SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID HOUSING MEMBERS IN AN AMOUNT CORRESPONDING TO WEAR OF SAID FRICTION SURFACES.