Means for reducing the gap between rotor-backing plate interface during brake depressurization

Claim 1

An aircraft multiple disc brake assembly having: a wheel member rotatably mounted on a non-rotatable shaft; a torque-absorbing member carried by said shaft for effectuating braking of said wheel member, said torque-absorbing member having a backing plate portion and an axial portion; fastener means for connecting a first friction surface to said backing plate portion; a pressure plate member engaged with said axial portion and axially moveable therealong, said pressure plate member having a second friction surface axially facing the first friction surface; a plurality of rotor disc members disposed in the area between said first and second friction surfaces of said pressure plate member and said backing plate portion, said rotor disc members having opposite axial ends with a plurality of third friction surfaces thereon, said rotor disc members mounted for rotation with said wheel member and axially moveable therealong; a plurality of stator disc members disposed in the area between said first and second friction surfaces of said pressure plate member and said backing plate portion, said stator disc members being interleaved with said rotor disc members and operatively engaged with said axial portion of said torque absorbing member and axially moveable therealong, said stator disc members having a plurality of opposite axial ends with fourth friction surfaces thereon; fluid pressure responsive force producing means secured to said torque absorbing member for moving said pressure plate member axially toward said backing place portion thereby compressing all said first, second, third and fourth friction surfaces into engagement with each other in response to a brake signal to effect a brake application; brake retraction means operatively connected to said torque absorbing member for disengaging all said first, second, third and fourth friction surfaces on termination of said brake signal; and said interleaved rotor and stator disc member arrangement being adapted to have one of said third friction surfaces of one said rotor disc member adjacent one of said fourth friction surfaces of said stator disc, and all said plurality of third and fourth friction surfaces being adapted to have substantially equal axial distance spacing between adjacent friction surfaces when said wheel member is rotating in the absence of a brake signal; wherein the improvement comprises spring means disposed between said backing plate portion and said first friction surface for moving said first friction surface axially toward one of the plurality of fourth friction surfaces of said adjacent rotor disc member to decrease said axial distance spacing therebetween in the absence of a brake signal and thereby reduce the degredation of said first friction surface through oxidation.