Hydraulic brake pressure control system and method for vehicles

Claim 2

In a vehicle having a body frame and wheel axle support means separated from each other by a suspension system, wheel brake cylinders, a master cylinder and a pressure fluid braking circuit connecting said braking cylinders to said master cylinder, the combination of a brake regulator with wheel load sensing means connected to the regulator for controlling operation of the regulator, said regulator being secured to one of said body frame and wheel axle support means and including a cylinder, a differential piston subdividing the cylinder interior into two chambers facing piston surfaces of different areas and connected respectively to the master cylinder and the brake cylinders, valve means for controlling the intercommunication of said two chambers engaging said piston, and spring means biasing the piston in the direction to keep said valve means normally open, said wheel load sensing means including a leaf spring pivoted at one end to said body frame and at the other end to said wheel axle support means, and said leaf spring engaging said piston of the regulator through an interposed ball at a fulcrum point between the ends of the leaf spring and close to one end so as to exert a biasing force axially of said piston to regulate the biasing force of said spring means of the regulator.

Claim 3

The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein the end of said leaf spring closer to the fulcrum is pivoted on a bracket which also holds the brake regulator and the other end of the leaf spring is pivoted to one end of an arm whose other end is pivoted to one of said body frame and wheel axle support means, said arm being adjustable and including rotatable bolts and nuts threaded on both ends thereof to change the length of the arm, the changes of length of said arm enabling modulation of the force of said spring means against the regulator piston.

Claim 4

The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein said leaf spring is provided with an eye at each end, one of said eyes being engaged on a shaft projecting from said body frame and the other eye being mounted on a shaft projecting from said wheel axle support means.

Claim 5

The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said one eye member is mounted on a shaft projecting from said bracket, said bracket being secured to said body frame.

Claim 6

The combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein said eye at the other end of the leaf spring is mounted on a shaft projecting from said arm which is secured to said wheel axle support means.

Claim 7

The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein an elastic grommet is positioned between each of said eye members of the leaf spring and the mounting shaft therefor.

Claim 8

The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said leaf spring is bent double at one end, the friction force between the two laminations of the bent spring absorbing the vibration of the leaf spring whereby to more accurately transmit wheel load forces of the leaf spring to the regulator piston.

Claim 9

The combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein an elastic member is placed between the two laminations of the doubled leaf spring.

Claim 10

In a vehicle having a body frame and wheel axle support means separated from each other by a suspension system including spring elements, wheel brake cylinders, a master cylinder and a pressure fluid braking circuit connecting said brake cylinders to said master cylinder, the combination of a brake regulator with wheel load sensing means connected to the regulator for controlling operation of the regulator, said regulator being secured to one of said body frame and wheel axle support means and including a cylinder, a differential piston subdividing the cylinder interior into two chambers facing piston surfaces of different areas and connected respectively to the master cylinder and the brAke cylinders, valve means for controlling the intercommunication of said two chambers engaging said piston, and spring means biasing the piston in the direction to keep said valve means normally open, said wheel load sensing means including a leaf spring pivoted at one end to said body frame and at the other end to said wheel axle support means through an adjustable arm, said leaf spring being separate from, additional to and independent of said spring elements of the suspension system and engaging said piston of the regulator at a fulcrum point between the ends of the leaf spring and close to one end so as to exert a biasing force axially of the piston to regulate the biasing force of said spring means of the regulator, whereby said leaf spring because of its independence of the suspension system and its pivotal support through said arm conducts force of bending action only to the regulator piston.

Claim 11

In a vehicle having a body frame and wheel axle support means separated from each other by a suspension system including spring elements, wheel brake cylinders, a master cylinder and a pressure fluid braking circuit connecting said brake cylinders to said master cylinder, the combination of a brake regulator with wheel load sensing means connected to the regulator for controlling operation of the regulator, said regulator being secured to one of said body frame and wheel axle support means and including a cylinder, a differential piston subdividing the cylinder interior into two chambers facing piston surfaces of different areas and connected respectively to the master cylinder and the brAke cylinders, valve means for controlling the intercommunication of said two chambers engaging said piston, and spring means biasing the piston in the direction to keep said valve means normally open, said wheel load sensing means including a leaf spring pivoted at one end to said body frame and at the other end to said wheel axle support means through an adjustable arm, said leaf spring being separate from, additional to and independent of said spring elements of the suspension system and engaging said piston of the regulator at a fulcrum point between the ends of the leaf spring and close to one end so as to exert a biasing force axially of the piston to regulate the biasing force of said spring means of the regulator, whereby said leaf spring because of its independence of the suspension system and its pivotal support through said arm conducts force of bending action only to the regulator piston.

Claim 12

The combination set forth in claim 9, wherein said leaf spring directly engages said piston of the regulator at said fulcrum point without interposition of other elements.

Claim 13

The combination as set forth in claim 10, wherein said leaf spring passes swingably through an opening provided in the outer end of said piston which juts out from its cylinder.