Disc brake caliper piston diagnostic gauge

• US 4,594,785 A
• Filed: 03/20/1985
• Issued: 06/17/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Herman L. Carlson
• Original Assignee: Herman L. Carlson
• Inventors: Carlson, Herman L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scanlon, Patrick R.
• Application Number:
  US06/713,813
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 33/172 R, 33/169 R, 33/172 B, 33/173, 33/167, 33/180 AT, 33/180 R, 33/181 AT, 33/572, 33/542, 33/147 R, 33/147 K, 33/147 G , 33/147 H, 33/148 R, 33/148 E, 33/148 F, 33/148 H, 73/39, 73/121, 73/744, 73/745, 73/746, 116/283, 116/DIG. 21
• US Class Current: 33/833
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/0028 Brakes, brakeshoes, clutches

Abstract

A disc brake caliper piston diagnostic gauge for the in situ testing and monitoring of a caliper piston which consists of a dial gauge having an externally threaded probe stem housing which extends outwardly therefrom into close proximity to a caliper piston when the gauge is in its operative position on a caliper housing. An anchor plate is threadably mounted upon the stem housing so as to be in abutting engagement with the inside surface of the outboard caliper housing when the gauge is in its operative position upon a caliper housing. A bias spring assembly is provided in threadable engagement with the stem housing so as to be adapted for selective operative engagement with a caliper piston. A contact indicator probe is provided which extends from the dial gauge through the stem housing member into operative engagement with the caliper piston so as to monitor the movement of the caliper piston and to translate the movement of the caliper piston into a visual indication on the dial gauge. Another embodiment of the disc brake caliper piston diagnostic gauge is provided for use with a solid wall outboard caliper housing which includes a hinged adapter anchor plate assembly which consists of a first caliper piston contact plate and a second outboard caliper housing contact plate and which is adapted to operatively engage the gauge so as to monitor the operation of a caliper piston.

Claims

1. In a disc brake caliper piston diagnostic gauge for the in situ testing of caliper piston operation, the combination comprising:

a dial gauge having an outwardly extending externally threaded contact indicator probe stem housing member, said stem housing member adapted to extend from said dial gauge into axially aligned close proximity to a caliper piston and brake pad assembly when said disc brake caliper piston diagnostic gauge is in its in situ operative use position on a caliper housing;

an elongate outboard caliper housing anchor plate threadably mounted upon said stem housing member, said outboard caliper housing anchor plate adapted for selective adjustable abutting engagement with the inside surface of an outboard caliper housing when the disc brake caliper piston diagnostic gauge is in its in situ operative use position upon a caliper housing;

a bias spring assembly provided in selective adjustable threadable engagement with said stem housing member said bias spring assembly adapted for selective operative engagement with a caliper piston and brake pad positioned proximate thereto; and

a contact indicator probe extending from said dial gauge through said probe stem housing member, said indicator probe adapted to selectively be in operative engagement with the caliper piston and associated brake pad so as to measure and monitor relative movement of said caliper piston within the caliper housing and to translate the relative movement of the caliper piston into a visual indication on the dial gauge.

2. In the disc brake caliper piston diagnostic gauge of claim 1 wherein the said bias spring assembly comprises:

a bias spring bearing plate provided in selective adjustable threadable engagement upon said indicator probe stem housing member; and

a bias spring provided on said indicator probe stem housing member in operative engagement with said bias spring bearing plate, said bias spring adapted for selective engagement with a caliper piston and associated brake pad positioned proximate thereto.

3. In a disc brake caliper piston diagnostic gauge assembly for the in situ testing of caliper piston operation, the combination comprising:

a hinged caliper housing adapter anchor plate assembly having a first caliper piston contact plate adapted for selective operative engagement with a caliper piston so as to move in response to corresponding movement thereof and a second outboard caliper housing contact plate in a hinged substantially parallel spaced-apart position relative to said first caliper piston contact plate, said second outboard caliper housing contact plate provided with a threaded stem housing engaging opening therethrough;

a dial gauge having an outwardly extending externally threaded contact indicator probe stem housing, said stem housing adapted for selective adjustable threadable engagement through said stem housing engaging opening provided in said second caliper housing contact plate so as to be in close proximity to said first caliper piston contact plate;

a bias spring assembly provided in selective adjustable threadable engagement with said stem housing, said bias spring assembly adapted for selective operative engagement with said first caliper piston contact plate; and

a contact indicator probe extending from said dial gauge through said probe stem housing, said contact indicator probe adapted to selectively be in operative engagement with said first caliper piston contact plate so as to measure and monitor the corresponding relative movement of the caliper piston acting thereagainst and to translate the relative movement of the caliper piston into a visual indication on the dial gauge.

4. In the disc brake caliper piston diagnostic gauge assembly of claim 3 wherein the bias spring assembly comprises:

a bias spring bearing plate provided in selective adjustable threadable engagement upon said indicator probe stem housing; and

a bias spring provided on said indicator probe stem housing in operative engagement with said bias spring bearing plate, said bias spring adapted for selective engagement with said first caliper piston contact plate positioned proximate thereto.