Self adjusting handbrake lever - has variable advantage link to overcome brake play

摘要

A self adjusting handbrake lever has the lever (1) pivoted about a main axis (6) set through the mounting block (7) and with a friction clutch (3,4) to couple to an upper cable wheel (8). A ball and wedge coupling (13) couples the handbrake lever to a drop arm (5) at the bottom of which is a second cable wheel (9) which takes up the slack. The first part of the handbrake action operates the drop arm and takes up the slack with a minimum of handbrake travel. As the cable tension increases the ball and wedge coupling opens and the friction clutch links the handbrake lever directly to the upper cable wheel, so that the brakes are applied with an improved mechanical advantage.