Antiskid brake control system

Claim 2

In antiskid brake control system having means, responsive to the rotational deceleration of a braked wheel of a vehicle, for producing an electrical signal in dependence upon such deceleration and means responsive to such signal for reducing the instantaneous effective braking force applied to such wheel, the improvement comprising blocking means for inhibiting said signal when the rotational speed of such wheel exceeds a prescribed value.

Claim 3

The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said blocking means inhibits the generation of said signal.

Claim 4

The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said blocking means inhibits the transmission of said signal.

Claim 5

The improvement defined in claim 3 wherein said blocking means includes switch means arranged in the path of such signal, said switch means being operative to open when said rotational speed of such wheel exceeds said prescribed value.

Claim 6

The improvement defined in claim 4, further comprising, in combination: a. a wheel brake associated with such wheel; b. a source of fluid pressure connected to said wheel brake; c. a sink of fluid pressure connected to said wheel brake; d. normally open inlet valve means, connected between said source and said wheel brake, for interrupting the flow of fluid pressure from said source to said wheel brake upon the occurrence of said electrical signal; and e. normally closed outlet valve means, connected between said wheel brake and said sink, for passing fluid pressure from said wheel brake to said sink upon the occurrence of said electrical signal when said switch means is closed, thereby permitting actuation of only said inlet valve means when said switch means is open.

Claim 7

The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said means for producing an electrical signal and said blocking means form a sensing device which comprises, in combination: a. drive member means, connected to rotate in dependence upon the rotation of such wheel about a first axis; b. driven member means, connected to rotate in dependence upon the rotation of said drive member means, said driven member means being in spring-restrained relationship with said drive member means thereby to allow a relative rotation between said driven and said drive member means of up to a prescribed maximum distance when said drive member means decelerates; c. first electrical contact means attached to said driven member means and movable relative to said drive member means up to said prescribed maximum distance when said drive member means decelerates; d. lever means arranged to rotate with and to pivot with respect to said drive member means about a second axis parallel to said first axis, said lever means having a center of gravity offset from said second axis; e. limit stop means associated with said drive member means and said lever means to limit the movement of said lever means about said Second axis, said center of gravity thereby being movable from a first position offset from said first axis to a second position offset from said first axis, said first position being closer to said first axis than said second position; f. spring means for mechanically biasing said lever means toward said first position, thereby to allow said lever means to move outward from said first axis under the influence of centrifugal force upon rotation about said first axis; and g. second electrical contact means, attached to said lever means such that, when said lever means is in said first position, said first contact means can touch said second contact means when said first contact means moves relative to said drive member means and, when said lever means is in said second position, said first contact means can not touch said second contact means even when said first contact means moves said prescribed maximum distance, the touching of said first and said second contact means being operative to produce said electrical signal.

Claim 8

The improvement defined in claim 6 wherein the range of movement of said first contact means overlaps the range of movement of said second contact means, whereby, within the region of overlap, increasing rotational speeds of said drive member means result in an increase in the values of deceleration required to cause said first and said second contact means to touch.

Claim 9

The improvement defined in claim 6 wherein the angle formed by lines drawn from said center of gravity to said first and second axes is approximately a right angle, when said lever means is in said first position.

Claim 10

The improvement defined in claim 6 wherein said drive member means is arranged in the vehicle with said first axis in the vertical direction.