Title: Fail-safe braking system

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Claims: I claim:

1. In a brake system for a vehicle, a brake rotor member rotatable with a wheel of said vehicle, a first brake shoe member engageable with said rotor member, a second brake shoe member engageable with said rotor member, first hydraulic actuator means acting on said first shoe member to apply a braking force to said rotor in response to a hydraulic pressure signal, second hydraulic actuator means acting on said second shoe member to apply a braking force to said rotor in response to said hydraulic pressure signal, a brake master cylinder for selectively applying hydraulic pressure signals to said first and second actuator means, a first conduit connecting said first actuator means to said master cylinder for receipt of said pressure signals, a second conduit connecting said second actuator means to said master cylinder, and a valve connecting said master cylinder and said first and second conduits, said valve comprising a body having a bore formed therein, a valve spool received in said bore, means retaining said spool substantially centered between opposed first and second pressure chambers formed in said body, means connecting said first conduit in fluid communication with said first chamber, means connecting said second conduit in fluid communication with said second chamber, and means connecting the pressure chamber of said master cylinder with said first and second chambers, a reduction of pressure within either of said chambers causing said valve spool to move toward the chamber of reduced pressure due to the resulting unbalanced pressure in the opposite chamber, said spool including a projecting portion extending outward of said body and visible outside said body, the position of said projecting portion relative to said body providing a visual indication of the position of said valve spool.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including electrical indicator means operatively connected to said valve spool indicating movement of said valve spool into a position closing communication between said master cylinder and one or the other of said first and second conduits.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which said electrical indicator means comprises a circuit including a power source, a visible and/or audible warning means, and a switch closing said circuit in response to said movement of said valve spool.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which said switch is mounted on said valve body, said projecting member contacting an actuating member of said switch to complete said circuit.

Other info:

Inventors: Griesenbrock, Karl-Heinz (Heiligenhaus, DT)

Application Number: 587755
Filing Date: 1975-06-17
Publication_date: 1976-09-14
Assignee: Eaton Corporation (Cleveland, OH)
Primary Class(es): 303/6.01 180/6.48, 188/71.4, 188/72.4, 188/151A, 200/82D
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

2710620	Jun, 1955	Watson	303/84.
2902557	Sep, 1959	Brockman	200/82.
3280401	Oct, 1966	Cook et al.	303/6.
3465853	Sep, 1969	Zabalbeitia	188/18.
3473851	Oct, 1969	Neves	303/84.
3477549	Nov, 1969	Barton	188/345.
3485329	Dec, 1969	Hauser	192/4.
3602554	Aug, 1971	Ichimura et al.	303/21.
3748413	Jul, 1973	Sawyer	200/82.
3840098	Oct, 1974	Alt et al.	303/6.
3882972	May, 1975	Newstead et al.	188/72.

Other Refs: 1,815,901

Jun, 1970	DT

Primary Examiner: Halvosa, George E. A.
Assistant Examiner: Butler, Douglas C.
Attorney: Teagno & Toddy