Articulated disc brake configurations

Claim 2

A brake disk for use in a brake assembly of the type having a number of alternate rotating and stationary disks carried between and axially movable between a backing plate and a pressure plate, comprising: a plurality of identical arcuate segments formed of a friction material and together forming an annular disk, each segment having circumferentially spaced ends and radially spaced sides with substantially the entire faces of the adjacent ends of the segments being of complementary V-shaped configuration; a plurality of links, the links being arranged on one circumference of the disk and outside the rubbing area of the disk, each link spanning the ends of adjacent disks; and means to secure the links to the disks.

Claim 3

The brake disk according to Claim 1 wherein the disk is a rotating disk, the links being located adjacent the outer circumference of the disk and inclUding notches for engaging drive splines of the wheel.

Claim 4

The brake disk according to claim 1 wherein the first end of each segment has a radially inner portion which extends at a 60* angle to the tangent to the inner curved edge of the segment at the point of intersection of the inner curved edge and the radially inner portion of the first end and a radially outer portion extending at a 75* angle to the inner portion.

Claim 5

The brake disk according to claim 1 wherein the means to secure the links and segments are rivets.

Claim 6

The brake disk according to claim 1 wherein the number of segments forming the brake disc is equal to the number of keys of the corresponding member of the brake assembly, the links being notched to receive the keys.

Claim 7

The brake disk according to claim 1 wherein the disk is a stationary disk, the links being located adjacent the inner circumference of the disk.

Claim 8

The brake disk according to claim 1 wherein each segment has ear portions at its first and second ends, the ear portions being of lesser thickness than the remainder of the segment and extending beyond one of the arcuate edges of the segment, each link extending over and secured to the ear portions of adjacent ends of adjacent segments.

Claim 9

The brake disk according to claim 7 wherein each link has a pair of parallel side members spaced from one another by the thickness of the ear portions of the segments, the combined thicknesses of the side members and the ear portion being substantially equal to the thickness of the body portion of the segment.

Claim 10

The brake disk according to claim 8 wherein the pair of side members of each link have aligned notches for engaging axially extending splines of the brake assembly.

Claim 11

A brake assembly comprising an axle, a housing secured to the axle, a first set of disks keyed to the housing for axial movement, a wheel rotatably mounted on the axle, a second set of annular disks keyed to the wheel for axial movement, the disks of the first and second sets being in an interleaved arrangement, a backing plate secured to the housing at one end of the sets of disks, a pressure plate at the opposite end of the sets of disks keyed to the housing for axial movement, and means to apply an axially directed force to the pressure plate to effect axial movement thereof toward the disks; the assembly being characterized in that each disk of one of the sets of disks is comprised of: a plurality of identical arcuate segments, each segment having circumferentially spaced ends and radially spaced sides with substantially the entire faces of the adjacent ends of the segments being of complementary V-shaped configuration; a plurality of links, the links being arranged on one circumference of the disk and outside the rubbing surface of the disk, each link connecting two adjacent segments across their ends to form an annular disk and incorporating means for keying the disk to the respective one of the wheel and axle.

Claim 12

A brake assembly comprising an axle, a housing secured to the axle, a first set of disks keyed to the housing for axial movement, a wheel rotatably mounted on the axle, a second set of annular disks keyed to the wheel for axial movement, the disks of the first and second sets being in an interleaved arrangement, a backing plate secured to the housing at one end of the sets of disks, a pressure plate at the opposite end of the sets of disks keyed to the housing for axial movement, and means to apply an axially directed force to the pressure plate to effect axial movement thereof toward the disks; the assembly being characterized in that each disk of one of the sets of disks is comprised of: a plurality of identical arcuate segments, each segment having circumferentially spaced ends and radially spaced sides with substantially the entire faces of the adjacent ends of the segments being of complementary V-shaped configuration; a plurality of links, the links being arranged on one circumference of the disk and outside the rubbing surface of the disk, each link connecting two adjacent segments across their ends to form an annular disk and incorporating means for keying the disk to the respective one of the wheel and axle.

Claim 13

The brake assembly according to claim 10 wherein at least the wear faces of the disks of the other set of disks are segmented, the leading and trailing edges of the segmented wear faces being of different configurations than the leading and trailing edges of the segments of the one set of disks.

Claim 14

The brake assembly according to claim 11 wherein each disk of the other set of disks comprises an annular core plate and a plurality of wear faces secured to each side of the core plate.

Claim 15

The brake assembly according to claim 12 wherein the one set of disks comprise the second set of disks, the clips being located at the outer circumference of the disks and including notches for engaging the keys of the wheel, and the other set of disks comprise the first set of disks, the core plates being provided with notches on their inner circumferences to engage the keys of the housing.

Claim 16

The brake assembly according to claim 11 wherein each disk of the other set of disks is comprised of a plurality of identical arcuatE segments, each segment having a steel core plate and friction pads secured to the opposite faces of the core plate, a plurality of links spanning adjacent segments, and means securing the links to the segments.

Claim 17

The brake assembly according to claim 14 wherein the other set of disks comprises the first set of disks, the core plates of the segments extending radially inward beyond the friction pads, and the core plates having notches on the inner circumferences thereof for engaging the keys of the housing.