Brake spider

Claim 1

A spider for a brake to be utilized at a cylindrical wheel end portion of a heavy duty truck or trailer axle, said brake including a drum mounted for rotation with a wheel at said wheel end portion and a pair of brake shoes including a dual web support structure centrally located thereon, one end of said dual web support structure of each said brake shoes being supported by pivot pin means and the other end of said dual web support structure of each said brake shoes including means to be acted upon by a brake actuation means, said brake actuation means being supported adjacent said brake shoes at only a single support location axially separated from an axially central location of said dual web support structure of said brake shoes, said spider comprising: a pivoting end support plate having a first circular opening at one end thereof for closely receiving said axle therein, said pivoting end support plate being welded to said axle at a first axial location thereon at an edge of said first opening toward said wheel to cause said pivoting end support plate to extend radially, outwardly from said axle, said pivoting end support plate having an extended end thereof for supporting said pivot pin means at a central portion thereof aligned with said central location of said dual web support structure of said brake shoes; an actuation support plate having a second circular opening at one end thereof for closely receiving said axle therein, said actuation support plate being welded to said axle at an edge of said second opening away from said wheel at a second axial location on said axle which is axially separated from said first axial location to cause said actuation support plate to extend radially, outwardly of said axle to position an extended end thereof at a circumferential location about said axle which is directly opposite said extended end of said pivoting end support plate, said actuation support plate having at its said extended end a means for supporting said actuation means at said single support location; said pivoting end support plate and said actuation support plate respectively lying totally within planes which are perpendicular to said axle and parallel to each other; and a pair of side plates extending axially at each side of said axle adjacent said first and said second openings, said side plates being integrally joined at a base portion thereof to said pivoting end support plate and extending therefrom to be welded to said actuation support plate to add rigidity and support to said pivoting end support plate at said first axial location and said actuation support plate at said second axial location.