Disc brake caliper

Abstract

A disc brake caliper comprises a housing ( 1 ) to be arranged to straddle a vehicule brake disc, a cover ( 2 ) attached to the housing, two thrust sleeves ( 8 ), which are connected to a brake pad ( 5 ) and which are axially movable in the housing, a cross bar ( 9 ) connecting the two thrust sleeves, and a lever ( 17 ) for transmitting a brake force from a brake cylinder ( 4 ), attached to the caliper, to a cross bar. Bearing tappets ( 20 ), parallel with the cross bar, are fixedly connected to the inside of the cover. The lever has a curved wedge ( 19 ) with two cylindrical surfaces ( 19′, 19 ″) in engagement with corresponding cylindrical surfaces of the bearing tappets and the cross bar, respectively. An adjuster mechanism ( 28 ) is arranged on a splined shaft ( 29 ) rotatably journalled in the bearing tappets.

I claim:  
     
       1. An interconnected disc brake caliper assembly ready for attachment to a brake cylinder ( 4 ), comprising in combination: a housing for straddling a vehicle brake disc, a cover ( 2 ) attached to the housing substantially parallel to the brake disc which further comprises two thrust sleeves ( 8 ), which are connectable to a brake pad holder ( 6 ) provided with a brake pad ( 5 ) for braking engagement with the brake disc and which sleeves are axially movable and arranged on the cover for disposal in the housing at a distance from each other, a cross bar ( 9 ) encompassing the two thrust sleeves, and a lever ( 17 ) for transmitting a brake force from a brake cylinder ( 4 ) to said crossbar, bearing tappets ( 20 ) arranged parallel with the cross bar ( 9 ) fixedly connected to the inside of the cover ( 2 ) and wherein the lever ( 17 ) comprises an arm ( 18 ) for actuation by the brake cylinder ( 4 ) and a curved wedge ( 19 ) having an inner cylindrical surface ( 19 ′) in engagement with outer cylindrical surfaces of the bearing tappets and an outer cylindrical surface ( 19 ″) with greater radius than the inner cylindrical surface in engagement with an inwardly directed cylindrical surface in the cross bar. 
     
     
       2. A disc brake caliper according to claim  1 , characterized in that an adjuster mechanism ( 28 ) is arranged on a splined shaft ( 29 ) rotatably journalled in the bearing tappets ( 20 ). 
     
     
       3. A disc brake caliper according to claim  2  characterized in that the adjuster mechanism ( 28 ) is arranged between the two bearing tappets ( 20 ). 
     
     
       4. A disc brake caliper according to claim  1 , characterized in that needle bearings ( 22 ,  24 ) are arranged between the inner cylindrical surface ( 19 ′) of the curved wedge ( 19 ) and the outer cylindrical surfaces of the bearing tappets ( 20 ) and the outer cylindrical surface ( 19 ″) of the curved wedge and the inner cylindrical surface in the cross bar ( 9 ). 
     
     
       5. A disc brake caliper according to claim  1 , characterized in that the cover ( 2 ) and the cross bar ( 9 ) are resiliently connected by means of screws ( 13 ) extending through holes ( 12 ) in the cross bar and attached to the cover, a compression spring ( 11 ) being arranged between the head of each screw and a spring sleeve ( 14 ) bearing against the cross bar. 
     
     
       6. A disc brake caliper, comprising a housing ( 1 ) to be arranged astraddle of a vehicle brake disc, a cover ( 2 ) connected to the housing, two thrust sleeves ( 8 ) which are connected to a brake pad holder ( 6 ) provided with a brake pad ( 5 ) for braking engagement with the brake disc, said pad holder and brake pad being axially movable in the housing at a distance from each other, a cross bar ( 9 ) connecting the two thrust sleeves, and a lever ( 17 ) for transmitting a brake force to the cross bar from a brake cylinder ( 4 ) when attached to the caliper, characterized in that bearing tappets ( 20 ) arranged parallel with the cross bar ( 9 ) are fixedly connected to the inside of the cover ( 2 ) and in that the lever ( 17 ) comprises an arm ( 18 ) for actuation by the brake cylinder ( 4 ) and a curved wedge ( 19 ) having an inner cylindrical surface ( 19 ′) in engagement with outer cylindrical surfaces of the bearing tappets and an outer cylindrical surface ( 19 ″) with greater radius than the inner cylindrical surface in engagement with an inner cylindrical surface in the cross bar, wherein an adjuster mechanism ( 28 ) comprises an adjuster housing ( 33 ), an adjustment spring ( 35 ) with its outer periphery in engagement with an inner surface of the adjuster housing, a drying ring ( 38 ) connected to the adjustment spring by means of a radial extension ( 35 ′) thereof in a driving ring recess ( 38 ′), an adjuster hub ( 39 ) connected to the splined shaft ( 29 ) by means of inner splines, and a one-way spring ( 37 ) connected to the driving ring by means of a radial extension and arranged on coaxial cylindrical surfaces of the driving ring and the adjuster hub. 
     
     
       7. A disc brake caliper according to claim  6 , characterized in that the adjuster housing ( 33 ) is provided with external gears in engagement with a gear wheel ( 41 ) rotatably journalled in the cover ( 2 ), the gear wheel ( 41 ) in turn being in engagement with an internal gear segment ( 17 ″) in an arcuate yoke ( 17 ′) of the lever ( 17 ). 
     
     
       8. A disc brake caliper according to claim  7 , characterized in that a control distance A for the adjuster is formed in that the adjuster spring extension ( 35 ′) has a smaller circumferential dimension than a said driving ring recess ( 38 ′). 
     
     
       9. A disc brake caliper according to claim  6 , characterized in that the adjuster housing ( 33 ) is connected to the inner cylindrical surface ( 19 ′) of the curved wedge ( 19 ) by a pin ( 34 ) extending from the surface into a housing groove ( 33 ′). 
     
     
       10. A disc brake caliper according to claim  6 , characterized in that a control distance A for the adjuster is established in that a pin ( 34 ) has a smaller diameter than a circumferential dimension of a groove ( 33 ′) in said housing. 
     
     
       11. A disc brake caliper according to claim  6 , characterized in that a control distance A for the adjuster is established by the adjuster spring extension ( 35 ′) having a smaller circumferential dimension than said driving ring recess ( 38 ′). 
     
     
       12. A disc brake caliper, comprising in combination, a housing ( 1 ) to be attached to a vehicle brake disc assembly, a cover ( 2 ) for said housing adapted to contact a brake pad holder ( 6 ) provided with a brake pad ( 5 ) for braking engagement with the brake disc, said pad holder and brake pad being axially movable in the housing during braking strokes, a cross bar ( 9 ) axially movable with said pad holder and brake pad carrying two thrust sleeves, a rotatable lever ( 17 ) for transmitting a brake force to the cross bar from a brake cylinder ( 4 ), bearing tappets ( 20 ) fixedly connected to the inside of the cover ( 2 ) having outer cylindrical surfaces for supporting the rotation of said lever ( 17 ), a curved wedge ( 19 ) carried by the lever for axially moving the cross bar in a braking operation, said lever ( 17 ) further having an inner cylindrical surface ( 19 ′) in engagement with outer cylindrical surfaces of the bearing tappets and an outer cylindrical surface ( 19 ″) with greater radius than the inner cylindrical surface in engagement with a mating cylindrical surface of the cross bar, and needle bearings affixed adjacent to the respective inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of the lever ( 17 ) to reduce friction between the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of the lever ( 17 ) and the respective tappets ( 20 ) and the cylindrical surface of the cross bar. 
     
     
       13. A disc brake caliper system comprising a housing (   1   )  to be arranged astraddle of a vehicle brake disc, a cover  (   2   )  attached to the housing, two thrust sleeves  (   8   ),  which are connected to a brake pad holder  (   6   )  provided with a brake pad  (   5   )  for braking engagement with the brake disc and which are axially movable in the housing at a distance from each other, a cross bar  (   9   )  connecting the two thrust sleeves, and a lever  (   17   )  for transmitting a brake force from a brake cylinder  (   4   )  attached to the housing, to the cross bar, characterized in that the mechanism including the cover  (   2   ),  the thrust sleeves  (   8   ),  the cross bar  (   9   )  and the lever  (   17   )  is a self - sustained unit for insertion in the housing  (   1   ),  and further characterized in that the cover  (   2   )  and the cross bar  (   9   )  are resiliently connected by means of screws  (   13   )  extending through holes  (   12   )  in the cross bar and attached to the cover, a compression spring  (   11   )  being arranged between the head of each screw and a spring sleeve  (   14   )  bearing against the cross bar.   
     
     
       14. A disc brake caliper system comprising a housing (   1   )  to be arranged astraddle of a vehicle brake disc, a cover  (   2   )  attached to the housing, two thrust sleeves  (   8   ),  which are connected to a brake pad holder  (   6   )  provided with a brake pad  (   5   )  for braking engagement with the brake disc and which are axially movable in the housing at a distance from each other, a cross bar  (   9   )  connecting the two thrust sleeves, and a lever  (   17   )  for transmitting a brake force from a brake cylinder  (   4   )  attached to the housing, to the cross bar, characterized in that the mechanism including the thrust sleeves  (   8   ),  the cross bar  (   9   )  and the lever  (   17   )  is a self - sustained unit for insertion in the housing  (   1   )  and further characterized in that bearing tappets  (   20   ),  parallel with the cross bar  (   9   ),  are fixedly connected to the inside of the cover  (   2   )  and in that the lever  (   17   ),  besides an arm  (   18   )  for actuation by the brake cylinder  (   4   ),  comprises a curved wedge  (   19   ),  having an inner cylindrical surface  (   19   ′)  in engagement with outer cylindrical surfaces of the bearing tappets and an outer cylindrical surface  (   19 ″ ) —with greater radius than the inner cylindrical surface—in engagement with an inner cylindrical surface of the cross bar.   
     
     
       15. A mechanism according to claim  14  characterized in that an adjuster mechanism (   28   )  is arranged on a splined shaft  (   29   )  rotatably journalled in the bearing tappets  (   20   ). 
     
     
       16. A mechanism according to claim  15 , characterized in that the adjuster mechanism (   28   )  is arranged between the two bearing tappets  (   20   ). 
     
     
       17. A mechanism according to claim  16 , characterized in that an adjuster housing (   33   )  of the adjuster mechanism  (   28   )  is provided with external gears in engagement with a gear wheel  (   41   )  rotatably journalled in the cover  (   2   ),  the gear wheel  (   41   ) in turn being in engagement with an internal gear segment (   17   ″)  in an arcuate yoke  (   17   ′)  of the lever  (   17   ). 
     
     
       18. A brake application mechanism, comprising in combination: 
       
         a first modular housing unit for receiving a brake application mechanism adapted to be disposed between a brake cylinder and a braking pad,  
       
       
         a second modular cover unit for insertion into said housing unit comprising an independent self sustained brake application mechanism with a brake force transmitting lever for transmitting brake forces from the brake cylinder to the braking pad, and  
       
       
         attachment means comprising spring biased screws arranged between the housing unit and the cover unit for attaching the brake application mechanism of the cover and having the brake application mechanism held together with the cover as a unit for insertion into said housing unit.