Brake regulator for automotive vehicle

Claim 2

A brake system for an automotive vehicle having at least two sets of rear wheel-brakes with respective wheel-brake cylinders, at least one of said sets of rear-wheel brakes being operatively connected with a set of front-wheel brakes, comprising: master cylinder means having a pair of sections for respectively pressurizing the wheel-brake cylinders of said sets of brakes; fluid transmission-lines connecting each of said sections of said master cylinder means with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of at least one of said sets of front-wheel brakes and with the wheel-brake cylinders of at least one of said sets of rear wheel brakes; a regulator disposed in each of said transmission lines connecting each of said sections of said master cylinder means with the rear wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear wheel-brakes, said regulator including a body having an axial bore, a differential piston within said bore, a springbiased valve actuated by said piston and a spring for urging tHe piston into an extreme position to hold the valve open while permitting the piston to close the valve after an initial fluid pressure reaches a predetermined level in the transmission line connecting each of said sections with said wheel brake cylinders of the corresponding set of wheel brakes; and means for applying an additional restoring force to the differential piston to aid said spring in urging the piston into an extreme position to hold said valve open in response to the failure of fluid pressure in one of said fluid transmission-lines connecting one of said sections with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear wheel brakes.

Claim 3

A brake system for an automotive vehicle having two sets of front-wheel brakes with respective wheel-brake cylinders and two sets of rear wheel brakes with respective wheel-brake cylinders, at least one of said two sets of rear wheel-brakes being operatively connected with at least one of said two sets of front-wheel brakes, comprising: master cylinder means having a pair of sections for respectively pressurizing the wheel-brake cylinders of said sets of brakes; fluid transmission-lines connecting each of said sections of said master cylinder means with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of at least one of said sets of front-wheel brakes and with the wheel brake cylinders of at least one of said sets of rear wheel brakes; a regulator disposed in each of said transmission lines connecting each of said sections with the rear wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear wheel brakes, said regulator including a body having an axial bore, a differential piston within said bore, a spring-biased valve actuated by said piston and a spring for urging the piston into an extreme position to hold the valve open while permitting the piston to close the valve after an initial fluid pressure reaches a predetermined level in the transmission line connecting each of said sections with said sets of rear-wheel brakes; and means disposed in each of said transmission-lines connecting each of said sections of said master cylinder means with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear-wheel brakes for applying an additional force to the differential piston to aid said spring in urging the piston into an extreme position to hold said valve open in response to the failure of fluid pressure in one of said fluid transmission-lines connecting one of said sections with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear-wheel brakes.

Claim 4

A brake system for an automotive vehicle having two sets of front-wheel brakes with respective wheel-brake cylinders and two sets of rear wheel brakes with respective wheel-brake cylinders, at least one of said two sets of rear wheel-brakes being operatively connected with at least one of said two sets of front-wheel brakes, comprising: master cylinder means having a pair of sections for respectively pressurizing the wheel-brake cylinders of said sets of brakes; fluid transmission-lines connecting each of said sections of said master cylinder means with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of at least one of said sets of front-wheel brakes and with the wheel brake cylinders of at least one of said sets of rear wheel brakes; a regulator disposed in each of said transmission lines connecting each of said sections with the rear wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear wheel brakes, said regulator including a body having an axial bore, a differential piston within said bore, a spring-biased valve actuated by said piston and a spring for urging the piston into an extreme position to hold the valve open while permitting the piston to close the valve after an initial fluid pressure reaches a predetermined level in the transmission line connecting each of said sections with said sets of rear-wheel brakes; and means disposed in each of said transmission-lines connecting each of said sections of said master cylinder means with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear-wheel brakes for applying an additional force to the differential piston to aid said spring in urging the piston into an extreme position to hold said valve open in response to the failure of fluid pressure in one of said fluid transmission-lines connecting one of said sections with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear-wheel brakes.

Claim 5

A brake system for an automotive vehicle having at least two sets of rear wheel-brakes with respective wheel-brake cylinders, at least one of said sets of rear-wheel brakes being operatively connected with a set of front- wheel brakes, comprising: master cylinder means having a pair of sections for respectively pressurizing the wheel-brake cylinders of said sets of brakes; fluid transmission lines connecting each of said sections of said master cylinder means with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of at least one of said set of front-wheel brakes and with the wheel-brake cylinders of at least one of said sets of rear wheel brakes; a regulator disposed in each of said transmission lines connecting each of said sections with the rear wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear wheel-brakes, said regulator including a body having an axial bore, a differential piston within said bore, a spring-biased valve actuated by said piston and a spring for urging the piston into an extreme position to hold the valve open while permitting the piston to close the valve after an initial fluid pressure reaches a predetermined level in the transmission line connecting each of said sections with said sets of rear-wheel brakes; and single means for applying an additional force to the differential piston of either of said regulators to aid said spring in urging the piston into an extreme position to hold said valve open in response to the failure of fluid pressure in a fluid transmission-line connecting one of said sections with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear wheel brakes.

Claim 6

A brake system for an automotive vehicle having at least two sets of rear wheel-brakes with respective wheel-brake cylinders, at least one of said sets of rear-wheel brakes being operatively connected with a set of front- wheel brakes, comprising: master cylinder means having a pair of sections for respectively pressurizing the wheel-brake cylinders of said sets of brakes; fluid transmission lines connecting each of said sections of said master cylinder means with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of at least one of said set of front-wheel brakes and with the wheel-brake cylinders of at least one of said sets of rear wheel brakes; a regulator disposed in each of said transmission lines connecting each of said sections with the rear wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear wheel-brakes, said regulator including a body having an axial bore, a differential piston within said bore, a spring-biased valve actuated by said piston and a spring for urging the piston into an extreme position to hold the valve open while permitting the piston to close the valve after an initial fluid pressure reaches a predetermined level in the transmission line connecting each of said sections with said sets of rear-wheel brakes; and single means for applying an additional force to the differential piston of either of said regulators to aid said spring in urging the piston into an extreme position to hold said valve open in response to the failure of fluid pressure in a fluid transmission-line connecting one of said sections with the respective wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear wheel brakes.

Claim 7

A brake system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said single means includes a spring and a connector between said regulators, said spring normally urging the pistons of said regulators together into extreme positions to hold the valves open while permitting the pistons to close the valves after an initial fluid pressure reaches a predetermined level in the transmission lines connecting each of said sections with said sets of rear-wheel brakes.

Claim 8

A brake system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said single means includes a cylinder and a piston reciprocable therein, stems at opposed ends of said piston extending to normally disengage with said pistons of said regulators, said reciprocable piston subdividing the internal space of said cylinder into two chambers communicating respectively with said wheel-brake cylinders of the corresponding set of rear-wheel brakes.