Brake lever for an S-cam automotive drum brake

Claim 1

A brake lever adapted for angular movement for attachment to a splined S-cam shaft of an automotive drum brake and connection to a brake cylinder push rod for automatic brake adjustment in the clearance sensing mode comprising in combination, a worm wheel rotatably mounted in a housing of the brake lever and having internal splines for cooperation with the S-cam shaft, and an axially movable worm screw shaft rotatable in the housing perpendicular to the worm wheel and having a worm screw meshing with the worm wheel, and a mechanism establishing a reference point relative to the worm wheel rotation, a control arm carrying a control disc with peripheral gear teeth mounted coaxially with the worm wheel for transmitting a control movement from the reference point by means of a unit coupled between the control arm and axially movable shaft including an intermediate control gear wheel rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the movable shaft meshing with the control disc gear teeth and teeth about a control ring gear wheel, which is thereby rotatable on the worm screw shaft as a function of the angular movement of the brake lever, a force transmitting path between the control ring and the worm screw shaft responsive to slack to automatically adjust the brakes including a one-way clutch with a sleeve and a clutch ring and torque limiting clutch means biased into engagement by spring means engaging and axially biassing the worm screw shaft, means permitting limiting movement of the control ring gear wheel on the worm gear shaft thereby introducing a control gap (A) permitting circumferential play between the control ring and the clutch sleeve as the brake lever moves from normal position which thereby prevents brake adjustment until the play is overcome, and spring means biasing the control ring and the clutch sleeve towards a predetermined initial relative circumferential position wherein the control ring is moved as said function of the brake lever movement by means of said unit coupled between the axially movable worm screw shaft the control ring gear wheel with said play in engagement with said intermediate control gear wheel rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the movable shaft meshing therewith and with the control disc teeth.