Brake and vehicle braking system

Claim 2

A band brake system comprising a rotatable brake drum having an annular flange, a flexible brake and circumferentially arranged about the annular flange of said drum, actuating means for contracting said brake band into frictional engagement with said annular flange and guide means arranged about the circumference of said brake band for urging, during contraction of said brake band about the rotating drum, a segment of said brake band radially toward said annular flange in one rotational direction of said brake drum and radially away from said annular flange in the other rotational direction of said brake drum to thereby more evenly distribute the radial frictional loads between said brake band and said annular flange.

Claim 3

A band brake system according to claim 1, wherein said brake band includes protrusions extending from the outer periphery thereof, said protrusions being inclined with respect to said outer periphery, said guide means including first and second guide members fixedly mounted with respect to said brake drum, each of said guide members having a slot therein inclined with respect to said brake band outer periphery for slidably receiving said protrusions.

Claim 4

A band brake system according to claim 2, wherein said protrusions comprise wire loops extending from said brake band and including stop means connected to said guide members for limiting axial movement of said brake band with respect to said annular flange.

Claim 5

A band brake system according to claim 2, wherein the inclination of the slot said first guide member and the inclination of the protrusion cooperating therewith are substantially the same and are arranged to urge a first segment of said brake band radially away from said annular flange in said one rotational direction of said brake drum, and the inclination of the slot in said second guide member and the inclination of the protrusion cooperating therewith are substantially the same and are arranged to urge a second segment of said brake band radially toward said annular flange in said one rotational direction of said brake drum.

Claim 6

A band brake system according to claim 4 wherein the inclination of said protrusions forms approximately a 45° angle with a plane tangential to the outer periphery of said brake band at the intersection of said protrusions with said brake band.

Claim 7

A band brake system according to claim 1, wherein said guide means further limits rotational movement of said brake band with respect to said brake drum.

Claim 8

A band brake system according to claim 1, wherein said guide means include first and second pivotable linkages, said pivotable linkages each comprising an anchorage fixedly mounted with respect to said brake drum, a rigid link pivotally mounted at one end to said anchorage and pivotally mounted at the other end to said brake band, the link of said first pivotable linkage being oriented with respect to said brake band and its anchorage such that, during contraction of said brake band about the rotating drum, the portion of said brake band connected to said first pivotable linkage is urged away from said annular flange, and the link of said second pivotable linkage being oriented with respect to said brake band and its anchorage such that, during contraction of said brake band about the rotating drum, the portion of said brake band connected to said second pivotable linkage is urged toward said annular flange.

Claim 9

A band brake system according to claim 1, wherein said brake band has inner and outer circumferential surfaces and including a resilient tensile member biasing said brake band into radially spaced relation to said annular flange, a friction element supported by said resilient tensile member and forming the inner circumferential surface of said brake band, said friction element extending through said tensile member and forming at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of said brake band.

Claim 10

A band brake system according to claim 8, wherein said tensile member comprises a plurality of flexible cores extending lengthwise through at least a portion of said friction element.

Claim 11

A band brake system according to claim 9, wherein said cores are provided with a plurality of projections extending outwardly therefrom.

Claim 12

A band brake system according to claim 10, wherein at least some of said projections extend outwardly beyond the outer circumferential surface of said friction element.

Claim 13

A band brake system according to claim 8, wherein the ends of said tensile member are arranged in confronting relation on the periphery of said flange, each end of said tensile member having a curved lip, a band end member associated with each end of said tensile member, each band end member having a curved lip hingedly connected to the curved lip of its associated tensile member end.

Claim 14

A band brake system according to claim 8, wherein said tensile member comprises a flexible sheet having a plurality of openings therethrough, said friction element extending radially through said openings in said sheet.

Claim 15

A band brake system according to claim 8, including a plurality of heat conducting elements extending substantially through the thickness of said friction element from the inner to the outer circumferential surfaces of said brake band.

Claim 16

A band brake system according to claim 8, wherein the ends of said tensile member are provided with a plurality of band elements, the band elements of one end of said tensile member overlapping and intermeshing with the band elements of the other end of said tensile member.