Integral disk brake apparatus for snowmobiles

Claim 2

In a snowmobile having a unitary body with front running support and steering skis, an endless drive track supporting the rear portion thereof, a forwardly located engine compartment with an engine therein, transmission means extending between said engine and said drive track including a housing unit having a driven shaft therein and means to operatively engage with said drive track for common driving movements thereof, and means for selectively engaging or disengaging said shaft with said engine, the improvement comprising: a. disk means within said housing unit having first and second opposed braking surfaces mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith; b. first and second brake pads; c. mounting means for separately mounting said first and second brake pads within said housing unit adjacent said first and second surfaces, respectively; and d. manually operable fluid power means for moving selected ones of said brake pads and disk means to frictionally engage said disk means between said first and second brake pads to brake said drive track, said mounting means and manually operable fluid power means having substantial portions thereof integrally formed as a part of said housing unit.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said disk means includes a hub portion mounted on said shaft, said hub portion being keyed to said shaft for limited axial movements thereon to automatically center said disk means between said first and second brake pads upon actuation of said manually operable means.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said mounting means and said manually operable means include a piston having said first brake pad mounted thereon, said piston being mounted in a piston chamber integrally formed in said housing unit for movements between disk engaging and disk releasing positions, spring means to bias said piston to said disk releasing position, manually operable pump means, and conduit means connecting said pump means to said piston chamber, and wherein said pump means, conduit means and piston chamber have a supply of brake fluid therein to move said piston to said disk engaging position in response to manual operation of said pump means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said second brake pad is mounted in a second chamber integrally formed in said housing for movements toward and away from said second surface and wherein means are provided to hold said second brake pad in close proximity to said second surface and to permit selective adjustment thereof.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said last named means is an adjustment screw extending through said housing unit and having an inner end positioned in contact with said second brake pad.

Claim 7

A snowmobile having a unitary body with front running skis, an endless drive track supporting a rear seating portion thereof, a forwardly located engine compartment with an engine therein, transmission means extending between said engine and said drive track including a housing unit having therein a driven shaft and means to operatively engage with said drive track for common driving movements thereof, means for selectively engaging or disengaging said shaft with said engine, a braking disk within and substantially enclosed by said housing and mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, first and second brake pads located on opposite sides of said disk, a piston chamber integrally formed in said housing unit, a piston assembly located in said piston chamber having said first brake pad mounted thereon and being movable between an operative disk engaging position and an inoperative disk releasing position, manually operable pump means, conduit means connecting said pump means to said piston chamber, said pump means, conduit means and piston chamber having a supply of brake fluid therein to move said piston assembly to said disk engaging position in response to manual operation of said pump means, a second chamber in said housing unit, said second brake pad being mounted in said second chamber for movements toward and away from said braking disk, and means to adjustably position said second brake pad in close proximity to said braking disk.

Claim 8

A snowmobile having a unitary body with front running skis, an endless drive track supporting a rear seating portion thereof, a forwardly located engine compartment with an engine therein, transmission means extending between said engine and said drive track including a housing unit having therein a driven shaft and means to operatively engage with said drive track for common driving movements thereof, means for selectively engaging or disengaging said shaft with said engine, a braking disk within and substantially enclosed by said housing and mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, first and second brake pads located on opposite sides of said disk, a piston chamber integrally formed in said housing unit, a piston assembly located in said piston chamber having said first brake pad mounted thereon and being movable between an operative disk engaging position and an inoperative disk releasing position, manually operable pump means, conduit means connecting said pump means to said piston chamber, said pump means, conduit means and piston chamber having a supply of brake fluid therein to move said piston assembly to said disk engaging position in response to manual operation of said pump means, a second chamber in said housing unit, said second brake pad being mounted in said second chamber for movements toward and away from said braking disk, and means to adjustably position said second brake pad in close proximity to said braking disk.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 including handlebar steering means connected to said skis located between said engine compartment and said rear seating portion, and wherein said manually operable pump means is mounted on said handlebar steering means.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein an adjustment screw extends through said housing unit with an inner end thereof positioned in contact with said second brake pad to permit selective adjustment of the position thereof.