GB2071212A

GB2071212A - A device for mounting brake cylinders on axle beams of vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2071212A
Application number: GB8105289A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Bergische Achsen Kotz Soehne
Current assignee: Bergische Achsen Kotz Soehne
Priority date: 1980-02-23
Filing date: 1981-02-19
Publication date: 1981-09-16
Also published as: FR2476576B1; DE3006825A1; GB2071212B; FR2476576A1; SE440060B; IT8119897A0; DE3006825C2; IT1135569B; SE8100647L

Abstract

A device for mounting brake cylinders (5) on axle beams (1) of vehicles, has a bracket (3) fixed on the axle beam (1) and provided with a pattern of holes comprising a plurality of equidistant or unequally spaced apart pairs of holes (10a, 10b) and also, between them, an elongated slot (12) through which a push-rod (6) can pass. By engaging fixing bolts 11 in any given pair of holes (10a, 10b) it is possible to mount on this bracket, at various distances from the axle beam, a diaphragm brake cylinder 5. In order to be able to locate (as shown) a brake cylinder with a spring cylinder (14) so that the bolts (11) lie between the two rows of bracket holes, an adapter plate having two pairs of holes is provided. The pairs of holes (near the corners of the adapter) are capable of registering with two pairs of holes in the bracket. Between these pairs of holes and on the longitudinal central axis of the longitudinal slot of the bracket the adapter is provided with two fixing holes for the bolts 11 to secure the cylinder (5, 14) thereto, a central aperture being provided for the passage of the push rod. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for mounting brake cylinders on axle beams of vehicles The invention relates to a device for mounting brake cylinders on axle beams of vehicles and having a bracket for fixing on the axle beam and provided with a pattern of holes comprising a plurality of equidistant or unequally spaced apart pairs of holes and, between the pairs of holes, an elongated slot through which a push rod of the brake cylinder can pass, so that a diaphragm brake cylinder can be mounted on the bracket at various distances from the axle beam.

Fixing devices of the aforementioned type are known. They are needed to permit variation of the distance of the brake cylinder from the axle so that the push rod of the brake cylinder, when in its working position, engages a brake lever at an angle of 90 in order to operate a friction brake.

The brake lever has a plurality of articulation holes so that the braking moment can be varied in keeping with the size of the axle.

West German Patent Specification No.

11 88 455 discloses a fixing device consisting of a baseplate accommodating the brake cylinder, at least one web disposed at right-angles to the base plate, rigidly connected to the base plate and provided with a pattern of holes, and at least one bracket rigidly connected to the axle beam and provided with a pattern of holes and on which the web is separably fixed by screws or the like at right-angles to the bracket. In this known fixing device, the web can be fixed in several different positions on or between the brackets fixed on the axle beam, a plurality of equidistant or unequally spaced pairs of holes being provided on the bracket to take the fixing screws of the web on the baseplate. With this known fixing device, it is possible to mount on the axle beam various sizes of brake cylinder which are constructed as diaphragm cylinders or as piston cylinders.

The invention is based on the problem of providing a device for fixing brake cylinders on axle beams of vehicles with which it is possible to mount on the bracket, at different distances from the axle beam, a brake cylinders having only two fixing bolts disposed at a set distance from each other on a fixing line, the fixing line extending either parallel with or at right-angles to the axle beam.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for mounting brake cylinders on axle beams of vehicles, and having a bracket for fixing on the axle beam and provided with a pattern of holes comprising a plurality of equidistant or unequally spaced apart pairs of holes and, between the pairs of holes, an elongated slot through which a push road of the brake cylinder can pass so that a diaphragm brake cylinder can be mounted on the bracket at various distances from the axle beam by use of various of the pairs of holes, and having an adapter plate including two pairs of holes for registration with respective pairs of holes in the bracket, including, disposed between these two pairs of holes and on the longitudinal central axis of the longitudinal slot of the bracket, two fixing holes for a diaphragm cylinder and spring storage cylinder and also including a central aperture through which the push rod can pass.

The adapter plate may be provided with raised centering plates on either side of the central aperture, the centering plates engaging in the longitudinal slots of the bracket. The centering plates may be of the same thickness as the holder.

Thus, in both possible fitting locations for the diaphragm cylinder, a flat supporting surface is created on the bracket, or on the adapter plate as the case may be, and at the same time the nominal distance between the diaphragm cylinder and the point of application of its push rod on the brake lever can be kept constant.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a mounting device for mounting a brake cylinder assembly on a beam axle of a vehicle, the device comprising a bracket for connection to the axle and having a plurality of pairs of holes, the holes of each pair being spaced on either side of an elongated slot provided in the bracket for the passage therethrough of a push rod of the brake cylinder, and comprising an adaptor plate having two pairs of holes arranged for registration with two pairs of the holes in the bracket, having two fixing holes for a diaphragm cylinder and spring storage cylinder, and arranged with their axes on a line normal or substantially normal to lines connecting the axes of each pair of holes in the bracket and having a central aperture which is for the push rod and which coincides with the elongated slot of the bracket.

The following is a more detailed description of one embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a trailer axle without wheel showing a first bracket carrying a diaphragm cylinder without a spring storage cylinder and a second bracket carrying a diaphragm cylinder with a spring storage cylinder; Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the trailer axle of Fig. 1 taken on the line Il-Il in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view of a part of the trailer axle of Figs. 1 and 2, viewed from a brake lever side; Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line IV-lV in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of the trailer axle of Figs. 1 to 4 viewed from the brake lever side; Fig. 6 is a plan view of an adapter plate of the axle of Figs. 1 to 5; and Fig. 7 is a side view of the adapter plate of Fig. 6.

Referring first to Fig. 1, rigidly mounted on the axle beam 1 are two brackets 2, 3, on each of which is mounted a diaphragm cylinder 4, 5, which can, via a push rod 6, a brake lever 7 and a brake shaft 8, transmit braking moment to an expanding cam of a friction brake, the structural details of which are not shown.

Each brake lever 7 is provided with a plurality of articulation holes 9 (see Figs. 2 and 4) to permit variation of the braking moment which is to be transmitted. To ensure that the push rod 6 of the diaphragm cylinders 4, 5, when in the working position, always, as far as possible, engages the brake lever 7 at an angle of approx. 900, the brackets 2, 3 are provided with a plurality of pairs of holes 1 Oa, 1 Ob through which pass two fixing bolts 11 of the diaphragm cylinder 4. Extending along the central longitudinal axis of the brackets 2, 3, between the pairs of holes 1 Oa, 1 Ob, is a longitudinal slot 12 through which the push rod 6 passes.

In the case of the example of assembly shown in the lower part of Fig. 1 and in Figs. 2 and 3, the bracket 2 carries an ordinary diaphragm cylinder 4. The centres of each pair of fixing bolts 11 are located on a fixing line 1 3 which extends parallel with the axle beam 1. The vibrations of the diaphragm cylinder 4 which occur during running are transmitted by the two fixing bolts 11 to the bracket 2. Since the centre of gravity of the very short diaphragm cylinder 4 is located close to the bracket 2, no rigidity problems arise.

Ir the case of the assembly illustrated in the upper part of Fig. 1 and in Figs. 4 to 7, the diaphragm cylinder 5 is combined with a spring storage cylinder 14 which consists of a relatively heavy pot with a thrust spring accommodated therein and also various fittings. The centre of the gravity of the component formed by the diaphragm cylinder 5 and the spring storage cylinder 14 is located substantially further away from the mounting surface of the bracket 3 than the cylinder 4, so that the vibrations which occur during running may give rise to rigidity problems with the fixing bolts 11 on their anchorage in the thin sheet metal of the diaphragm cylinder housing.

In order to be able to mount this component on the bracket 3 in a position in which it is rotated through 900, so that the fixing line 13 defined by a line 13 (Fig. 5) joining the two centres of the two fixing bolts 11 extends at a right-angle to the axle beam 1, a square adapter plate 1 5 is used (see Figs. 6 and 7). The adapter plate 1 5 has two pairs of holes 1 6a, 1 6b, the spacing of which is such that they register with two pairs of holes 1 Oa, 1 Ob in the bracket 3 to permit the insertion of connecting screws 1 7. In the centre, the adapter plate 1 5 has an aperture 1 8 through which the push rod 6 can pass.Furthermore, between the pairs of holes 1 6a, 1 6b, are fixing holes 1 9 through which can pass the fixing bolts 11 of the diaphragm cylinder 5.

On the side of the adapter plate 1 5 adjacent the bracket 3, raised centering plates 20 are provided on each side of the aperture 18. The plates 20 engage in the longitudinal slot 12 of the bracket 3.

Thus, a smooth supporting surface is provided on the fixing side of the bracket 3 to receive the end of the diaphragm cylinder 5.

The adapter plate 1 5 is a very simple component which can be manufactured without considerable expense and made available to the vehicle constructor so that he is in a position to solve the problem which arises only when allocating a trailer to a specific trailer vehicle, of reliably mounting the structural component which consists of the diaphragm cylinder 5 and the spring storage cylinder 14.

The fixing of a brake cylinder on a bracket connected to the beam axle in two positions which are rotated through 900 in respect of each other is a problem when the space available on the vehicle does not, for example, make it possible to locate also mechanical parts of a parking brake which must likewise engage the brake lever of the friction brake. In these cases, the standard diaphragm cylinder is combined with a spring storage cylinder which takes over the function of the parking brake. The component consisting of the diaphragm cylinder and the spring storage cylinder is of considerably greater weight than the diaphragm cylinder alone.

Therefore, due to the strength of the thin sheet metal housing of the diaphragm cylinder in which the fixing bolts are anchored, it is no longer possible for the diaphragm cylinder and the spring storage cylinder to be mounted directly on the bracket in the conventional position in which the fixing line extending between the axes of two fixing bolts is parallel with the axle beam. With the adapter plate constructed as described above, it is possible for the fixing line to extend at a rightangle to the axle beam so that the lever arm by which the weight of the diaphragm cylinder and the spring storage cylinder is shortened so that the statics of the fixing beam become considerably improved. By the use of an adapter plate constructed and located as described above with reference to the drawings, it is also possible to produce axle beams with uniform brackets for the brake cylinders and to keep them in stock, since, at the moment an axle beam is produced, it is still unknown whether the bracket will later be required to carry a standard brake cylinder or a unit consisting of a brake cylinder together with a spring storage cylinder.

Claims

1. A device for mounting brake cylinders on axle beams of vehicles, and having a bracket for fixing on the axle beam and provided with a pattern of holes comprising a plurality of equidistant or unequally spaced apart pairs of holes and, between the pairs of holes, an elongated slot through which a push rod of the brake cylinder can pass so that a diaphragm brake cylinder can be mounted on the bracket at various distances from the axle beam by use of various of the pairs of holes, and having an adapter plate including two pairs of holes for registration with respective pairs of holes in the bracket, including disposed between these two pairs of holes and on the longitudinal central axis of the longitudinal slot of the bracket, two fixing holes for a diaphragm cylinder and spring storage cylinder and also including a central aperture through which the push rod can pass.

2. A fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the adapter plate is provided with raised centering plates on either side of the central aperture, the centering plates engaging in the longitudinal slot of the bracket.

3. A fixing device according to claim 2, wherein the centering plates are of the same thickness as the bracket.

4. A mounting device for mounting a brake cylinder assembly on a beam axle of a vehicle, the device comprising a bracket for connection to the axle and having a plurality of pairs of holes, the holes of each pair being spaced on either side of an elongated slot provided in the bracket for the passage therethrough of a push rod of the brake cylinder, and comprising an adaptor plate having two pairs of holes arranged for registration with two pairs of the holes in the bracket, having two fixing holes for a diaphragm cylinder and spring storage cylinder and arranged with their axes on a line normal or substantially normal to lines connecting the axes of each pair of holes in the bracket and having a central aperture which is for the push rod and which coincides with the elongated slot of the bracket.

5. A device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.