US2345016A - Brake rotor - Google Patents

Description

MalCh 28, C. E, TACK BRAKEROTOR Filed Feb. 16, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 1 'lll/11111 INV-ENTOR. Cardi Taza/ March 28, 1944. c. E. TACK 2,345,016

BRAKE RoToR Filed Seb. 16, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR..

adi? Tack BYv WMM HFORNEV Patented Mar. 28, 1944 BRAKE ROTOR Carl E. Tack, Chicago, Ill., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 16, 1942, Serial No. 431,069

(Cl. 18S-218) 13 Claims.

My invention relates to brake equipment and particularly to a novel form of rotor designed to be associated with other braking means commonly called stators whose eng-agement with said rotor is commonly utilized as a means of stopping a wheel or other rotating member.

My novel rotor is particularly adapted for use with railway rolling stock although it will be understood thatI such a rotor may be utilized for any equivalent purpose for which it may be readily adapted.

My invention comprehend's a rotor of the general form shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 409,999, filed Septem- -ber 8, 1941, in the United States Patent Oihce, said rotor comprising 'three spaced annular plates interconnected by radially arranged equidistantly spaced blades, the central of said plates being connected at its inner perimeter to a support member aording a connection to a rotating member. This arrangement not only permits air to -be drawn through the rotor from both sides of the support member during actuation of said rotor but also reduces thermal stresses on the support member by connecting it to the central plate instead of to one of the friction plates as in the previous designs.

The principal object of the present invention is to design a rotor of the type shown in my said co-pending application in which the shape of the blades between the annular plates is such as to increase turbulence of air passing between said plates in order to cause said air to impinge upon the surfaces with which it comes into contact and thereby to reduce the lm of air which is present on said surfaces during actuation of the rotor and which serves to insulate said surfaces and to prevent cooling thereof.

Another object of my invention is to increase the effective width of attachment of the blades to the friction and support plates utilized in my novel arrangement by increasing the length of the blades without increasing the size of the plates.

Still another object of my Vinvention is to devSign a rotor f the above described type in which the blades may-be relatively thin without decreasing the' strength of the rotor.

The above-mentioned objects are accomplished by casting the blades in the form of waves, said waves in the illustrated embodiment of my invention being proportional in size to their distance from the center or axis of the rotor` It will lbe apparent to those skilled in the art that by thus shaping the blades, turbulence of air passing therebetween is increased and that the length of the blades, which extend from, the inner to the outer perimeter of, the associated plates, i; increased so as to secure-a greater effectivewdth of attachment to said plates and thus to make possible the utilization of relatively thin blades lwithout weakening the rotor. l

A further object of my invention is the reduction of thermal stresses upon the central or; support plate by alternately arranging the blades at opposite sides of the rotor as shownin one of the illustrated embodiments of my invention. s

A diierent object of my invention is to reduce mechanical stresses upon the rotor by positioning the blades in alignment at opposite sides of the rotor so that they form columns thereacross as shown in another illustrated embodimentof my invention.

Still another object of my invention is to obtain the advantages of column structure' across the rotor as above described and at the same time to obtain reduction of thermal stresses upon the center or support plate by reversing the curves of the blades at opposite sides of the rotor so that the edges of the blades attached to vone-side cf the central plate coincide .at spaced points with the edges of the blades attached to the`l opposite side thereof as illustrated in still another embodiment of my invention. f s *Y In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my novel rotor, and Figure 2 is an edge elevation thereof taken from the right as seen in Figure 1 with a portion cut away along the planeindicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken in the planes indicated by the line 3--3 of Figure 1. v

Figures 4 and 5 show a modication Vof my novel rotor, Figure 4 being a fragmentary edge elevation thereof, and Figure 5 being a sectional view in the plane indicated lby the line 5 5 oi Figure 4.

Figures 6 and 7 show another modification of my novel rotor, Figure 6 being a fragmentary edge elevation thereof, and Figure 7 being a frag7 mentary sectional View taken in the plane indicated by the line 'l--l of Figure 6. v Y Describing my novel rotor in detail, the support member generally designated 2 comprises a bell-like portion 4 with a hub portion 6 hereinafter more fully described, said bell-like portion being connected at its outer perimeter as at 8 to the central support plate I0 of the rotor gen,- erally designated l2, said central support plate being thickened at I4 to afford a substantial .con-V nection to the bell-like portion 4. Lateral plates I6 and I8 of annular form are secured to opposite sides of the support plate I8 by the equidistantly spaced radially arranged blades 20, 20. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the outer surfaces of the annular plates I6 and I8 are formed and arranged for frictional engagement with nonrotatable brake elements or stators. In` the Inodilcation shown in yFigures 1 to 3, inclusive, the - blades 20, 20 extending between the plates I and I8 are aligned with the blades 20, 20 extending between the plate-is I0 and I6 so that two of the blades 2li, 20 at opposite sides of the rotor serve as a column for resisting the braking pressure applied to the outer surfaces of the plates I6 and I8. The manner in which the blades 28, 20 at opposite sides of the rotor are placed in pairs, each pair for-ming a column between the friction plates at opposite Sides of the rotor, is illustrated in the view of Figure 2 immediately above the middle thereof where the outer extremities or edges of the blades are clearly shown aligned at opposite sides of the rotor.

It may be noted that in my novel structure the pressure applied to the outer surfaces of the plates I6 and I8 at opposite sides of the rotor is evenly distributed among the blades 28, 28 which are evenly disposed about the circumference of the rotor as already described and inasmuch as the blades 20, 20 at opposite sides of the rotor are aligned with each other thus forming columns across the rotor, I Vam able to calculate the stresses to which my novel rotor may be safely subjected as more fully described in my abovementioned co-pending application.

It may be noted that each of the blades 28, 20 is cast in the form of waves, the sizes of which are proportional to their distance from the center or axis of the rotor. The structure of the blades at opposite sides of the rotor I2 contemplates such an arrangement as will afford equal cooling capacity with friction surfaces at opposite sides of said rotor, inasmuch as the form and arrangement of the blades 2Q. 2li is similar to and performs the function of a radial typerof blower so that when the rotor is in normal operating position, rotating at a relatively high rate of speed, peripheral force acts to throw out the air between the blades and thus to draw air into the spaces between said blades, said air being drawn from opposite sides of the belllike portion 4 `of the support member 7.. The wave-like form of the blades causes the air to become turbulent when passing through the rotor, and this turbulence causes the air to impinge upon the adjacent surfaces of the plates I0, I6, and I8 and the surfaces of the blades 20, 20 thus reducing the film of air insulating said surfaces,vas will be readily apparent.

It may be noted that the hub portion 8 of the support member 2 comprises spaced bosses 22, 22 therearound and openings 24, 24 therethrough, and said hub portion also comprises a bore 25. lIt Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that a portion of a rotating member to which the rotor I2 is to be secured may be fitted within the bore 25 and may be secured to the hub 6 by any securing means such as bolt and nut assemblies received Within the openings 24, 24.

Figures 4 and 5 show a different modification of my novel rotor in which said rotor generally designated 26 is similar to that previously described and comprises a center plate 28 and the friction plates 30 and 32 disposed at opposite sides thereof as in the previously described modification, the plate 28 being joined to the plates 38 and 32 by the blades 34, 34, said blades being formed and arranged in a manner similar to that described for the previous modification but being alternately arranged at opposite sides of the rotor. Thus heat generated in the plates 30 and 32 as the result of braking pressure applied to the outer surfaces thereof will be transmitted by the blades 34, 34 at opposite sides of the rotor to the center plate 28 at alternate points on opposite sides thereof, whereby, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, thermal stresses upon said center plate will be substantially reduced.

Another modification of my novel rotor is shown in Figures 6 and 7, said rotor being similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive and being generally designated 36, said rotor comprising the support plate 38 and the annular friction plates 40 and 42 disposed at opposite sides thereof, each of said friction plates being joined to the support plate 38 by the blades 44, 44, said blades being formed and arranged in a manner similar to that described for the previous modifications except that the curves or waves of said blades are reversely arranged at opposite sides of the rotor 36 so that the edges of the blades 44, 44 attached to one side of the plate 38 coincide at spaced points with the edges of the blades 44 attached to the opposite side of the plate 38 as at 48, 46. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the coincidence o-f the curves of the blades at 46, 46 results in spaced columns being formed across the rotor at said points of coincidence whereby mechanical stresses upon said rotor will be more effectively resisted while at the same time thermal stresses on the center plate 38 will be largely avoided due to the fact that heat will be transferred thereto at spaced points by each pair of blades 44, 44 at opposite sides of the rotor.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiments of the device shown which are merely by way of illustration and not limitation as Various and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a brake rotor, a support member comprising a bell-like portion having means for connection to an associated rotating member, said support member also comprising an annular support plate connected at the inner perimeter thereof to the outer perimeter of said bell-like portion, annular friction plates at opposite sides of said support plate, and spaced, radially disposed blades joining said friction plates to said support plate, each of said blades being in the form of waves, said waves being proportional in size to their distance from the center of the rotor.

2. In a brake rotor, a support member comprising a bell-like portion having means for connection to an associated rotating member, said support member also comprising an annular support plate connected at the inner perimeter thereof to the outer perimeter of said bell-like portion, annular friction plates at opposite sides of said support plate, and equidistantly spaced blades joining said friction plates to saidvsupport plate, each of said blades being in the form of waves.

3. In a rotor, spaced annular friction plates,

an annular support plate therebetween, spaced undulate blades joining each friction plate to the adjacent side of said support plate, the blades at opposite sides of said supportl plate bein-g alternately arranged whereby thermal stresses thereon are reduced, and means connected to the inner perimeter of said support plate for securing said rotor to an associated rotating member.

4. In a rotor, spaced annular friction plates, an annular support plate therebetween, equidistantly spaced wavy blades joining each friction plate to the adjacent side of said support plate, the waves in said blades at opposite sides of the rotor being reversely arranged, and means connected to the inner perimeter of said support plate for securing said rotor to an associated rotating member.

5. In a rotor, spaced annular friction plates, a support member therebetween, spaced undulate blades joining each friction plate to the adjacentside of said support member, the blades at Opposite sides of said support member being alternate'- ly arranged whereby thermal stresses thereon are reduced, and means for securing said rotor to an associated rotating member.

6. In a brake rotor, spaced annular friction plates, a support member extending therebetween, and integral blades joining said plates to said member, said blades being radially undulate in form.

7. In a brake rotor, a plurality of spaced plates, air inlet means communicating with the space between said plates, transverse blower blades extending between said plates, said blades being radially undulate in form, and means for attaching said rotor to an associated rotating element.

8. In a brake rotor, a plurality of spaced plates, at least one of which is provided with an opening therethrough to afford an air inlet, brace means comprising radially undulate blades extending between said plates, and means for securing said rotor to an associated rotating member.

9. In a brake rotor, spaced plates, support means therebetween, and undulate blades joining each plate to said means, the blades at opposite sides of said means being alternately arranged, at least one of said plates being annular t0 aiford an air inlet to the space between said plates.

10. In a rotor, spaced friction plates, support means therebetween, at least one of said plates being annular to aiord an air inlet to the space between said plates, and brace means comprising wave-like blades extending between each plate and the adjacent side of said support means, the waves in the blades at opposite sides of said support means being reversely arranged.

1l. In a brake rotor, a plurality of spaced plates, air inlet means communicating with the space between said plates, and brace means comprising wavy blades extending between said plates, the Waves in said blades being proportional in size to their distance from the axis of the rotor.

12. In a rotor, a plurality of friction plates, at least one of which is annular, and brace means extending therebetween and comprising wavy blades, the waves in said blades being proportional in size to their distance from the axis of the rotor.

13. In a brake rotor, a plurality of spaced plates, air inlet means communicating with the space between said plates, support means between said plates, and brace means comprising wave-like .blades extending between each plate and the adjacent side of said support means, the waves in the blades at opposite sides of said support means -being reversely arranged.

CARL E. TACK.

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