Brake arrangement or the like provided with an electromechanical wear-monitoring transducer

Claim 2

In an arrangement of the character described, particularly in a braking arrangement, in combination, a component having at least one portion subject to wear along at least one dimension thereof; electromechanical transducer means comprising mechanical input means operatively associated with said component and movable to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of wear of said component and having electrical output means for furnishing an electrical signal corresponding to the movement of said input means and thereby corresponding to the degree of wear of said component.

Claim 3

In an arrangement as defined in claim 1, said transducer means continuously monitoring the degree of wear of said component and producing at said output signals having a continuous range of values corresponding to the continuously varying degree of frictional wear of said component.

Claim 4

In an arrangement as defined in claim 1, said transducer means comprising a first part and a second part operatively associated with said component and movable with respect to said first part to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of frictional wear of said component, the value of the signals produced at said output means being a function of the movement of said second part with respect to said first part.

Claim 5

In an arrangement as defined in claim 3, said first part being stationary.

Claim 6

In an arrangement as defined in claim 3, said component being movable to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of frictional wear thereof, and said second part being connected with said component.

Claim 7

In an arrangement as defined in claim 5, said second part being fast with said component.

Claim 8

In an arrangement as defined in claim 5, said second part and said component being movable together as a unit.

Claim 9

In an arrangement as defined in claim 5; and further including hydraulic cylinder and piston means for moving said component and thereby said second part.

Claim 10

In aN arrangement as defined in claim 1, said component being movable to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of wear thereof, and said mechanical input means being at least in part connected with said component.

Claim 11

In an arrangement as defined in claim 9, said mechanical input means being at least in part fast with said component.

Claim 12

In an arrangement as defined in claim 9, at least part of said mechanical input means and said component being movable together as a unit.

Claim 13

In an arrangement of the character described, particularly in a braking arrangement, in combination, a component having at least one portion subject to frictional wear along at least one dimension thereof; and monitoring means for monitoring the degree of wear of said component and including output means, and producing at said output means distinguishable signals corresponding to minimum, maximum and intermediate monitored degrees of frictional wear of said component, said monitoring means comprising a first part and a second part together forming inductive pick-up means, said second part being operatively associated with said component and movable with respect to said first part to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of frictional wear of said component, the value of the signals produced at said output means being a function of the movement of said second part with respect to said first part.

Claim 14

In an arrangement of the character described, particularly in a braking arrangement, in combination, a component having at least one portion subject to frictional wear along at least one dimension thereof; and monitoring means for monitoring the degree of wear of said component and including output means, and producing at said output means distinguishable signals corresponding to minimum, maximum and intermediate monitored degrees of frictional wear of said component, said monitoring means comprising a first part and a second part together forming inductive pick-up means, said second part being operatively associated with said component and movable with respect to said first part to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of frictional wear of said component, the value of the signals produced at said output means being a function of the movement of said second part with respect to said first part.

Claim 15

In an arrangement of the character described, particularly in a braking arrangement, in combination, a component having at least one portion subject to frictional wear along at least one dimension thereof; and monitoring means for monitoring the degree of wear of said component and including output means, and producing at said output means distinguishable signals corresponding to minimum, maximum and intermediate monitored degrees of frictional wear of said component, said monitoring means comprising inductive winding means and also ferromagnetic core means connected with said component and movable with respect to said inductive winding means to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of frictional wear of said component, the value of the signals produced at said output means being a function of the movement of said core means with respect to said inductive winding means, said component being movable to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of frictional wear thereof; and further including hydraulic cylinder and piston means for moving said component and thereby said core means.

Claim 16

In an arrangement of the character described, particularly in a braking arrangement, in combination, a component having at least one portion subject to frictional wear along at least one dimension thereof; and monitoring means for monitoring the degree of wear of said component and including output means, and producing at said output means distinguishable signals corresponding to minimum, maximum and intermediate monitored degrees of frictional wear of said component, said monitoring means comprising inductive winding means and also ferromagnetic core means connected with said component and movable with respect to said inductive winding means to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of frictional wear of said component, the value of the signals produced at said output means being a function of the movement of said core means with respect to said inductive winding means, said component being movable to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of frictional wear thereof; and further including hydraulic cylinder and piston means for moving said component and thereby said core means.

Claim 17

In an arrangement of the character described, particularly in a braking arrangement, in combination, a component having at least one portion subject to frictional wear along at least one dimension thereof; and monitoring means for monitoring the degree of wear of said component and including output means, and producing at said output means distinguishable signals corresponding to a minimum, maximum and intermediate monitored degrees of frictional wear of said component, said monitoring means comprising a first part and a second part together forming differential transformer means, said second part being operatively associated with said component and movable with respect to said first part to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of frictional wear of said component, the value of the signals produced at said output means being a function of the movement of said second part with respect to said first part.

Claim 18

In an arrangement of the character described, particularly in a braking arrangement, in combination, a component having at least one portion subject to frictional wear along at least one dimension thereof; and monitoring means for monitoring the degree of wear of said component and including output means, and producing at said output means distinguishable signals corresponding to a minimum, maximum and intermediate monitored degrees of frictional wear of said component, said monitoring means comprising a first part and a second part together forming differential transformer means, said second part being operatively associated with said component and movable with respect to said first part to a varying extent in dependence on the degree of frictional wear of said component, the value of the signals produced at said output means being a function of the movement of said second part with respect to said first part.

Claim 19

In an arrangement as defined in claim 12, said first part comprising inductive winding means and said second part comprising ferromagnetic core means associated with said winding means.

Claim 20

In an arrangement as defined in claim 12, said pick-up means comprising inductive winding means having a grounded terminal.

Claim 21

In an arrangement as defined in claim 12, and including brake saddle means, said inductive pick-up means being located on said brake saddle means.

Claim 22

In an arrangement as defined in claim 12, said monitoring means including bridGe circuit means and said inductive pick-up means being part of said bridge circuit means.

Claim 23

In an arrangement as defined in claim 18, and further including indicating means in circuit with said bridge circuit means.

Claim 24

In an arrangement as defined in claim 1; and further including indicating means connected with said transducer means.