An apparatus for supporting a heavy vehicle brake assembly

{
  "publication_number": "US2020217376A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "An apparatus for supporting a heavy vehicle brake assembly",
  "abstract": "An apparatus configured to engage and support a heavy vehicle brake assembly to facilitate removal and installation. The apparatus comprises a drum and hub engagement assembly configured to engage an accessible portion of an in-situ drum and/or hub assembly and to support the drum and/or hub assembly when so engaged for transport between an in-situ position and a removed position. The apparatus includes a lifting assembly having an upright guide assembly and a lifting device for raising and lowering the drum and hub engagement assembly. The lifting device is configured to raise and lower the drum and hub engagement assembly and the drum and/or hub assembly engaged thereby along the upright guide assembly in a vertical line. The apparatus is configured to be positionable relative to the brake assembly and movable away from the vehicle to facilitate removal of the brake assembly.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An apparatus for supporting a heavy vehicle brake assembly comprising a drum and hub assembly, the apparatus configured to engage and support the brake assembly to facilitate removal and installation, the apparatus comprising: a drum and hub engagement assembly configured to engage an accessible portion of an in-situ drum and/or hub assembly and to support the drum and/or hub assembly when so engaged for transport between an in-situ position and a removed position facilitating removal and installation of the drum and/or hub assembly; a lifting assembly having an upright guide assembly and a lifting device for raising and lowering the drum and hub engagement assembly, wherein the lifting device is configured to raise and lower the drum and hub engagement assembly and the drum and/or hub assembly engaged thereby along the upright guide assembly in a vertical line; and wherein the apparatus is configured to be positionable relative to the brake assembly and movable away from the vehicle to facilitate removal of the brake assembly. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drum and hub engagement assembly, and the drum and/or hub assembly when so engaged, is configured to be rotatable to facilitate servicing of the drum and/or hub assembly. 3. An apparatus for supporting a heavy vehicle brake assembly comprising a drum and hub assembly, the apparatus configured to engage and support the brake assembly to facilitate removal and installation, the apparatus comprising: a drum and hub engagement assembly configured to engage an accessible portion of an in-situ drum and/or hub assembly and to support the drum and/or hub assembly when so engaged for transport between an in-situ position and a removed position facilitating removal and installation of the drum and/or hub assembly, and wherein the apparatus is configured to be positionable relative to the brake assembly and movable away from the vehicle to facilitate removal of the brake assembly, and wherein, when the brake assembly is so removed, the drum and hub engagement assembly, and the drum and/or hub assembly when so engaged, is configured to be rotatable to facilitate service. 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, further including a lifting assembly having an upright guide assembly mounted to the apparatus and a lifting device for raising and lowering the drum and hub engagement assembly, wherein the lifting device is configured to raise and lower the drum and hub engagement assembly and the drum and/or hub assembly engaged thereby along the upright guide assembly in a vertical line to facilitate servicing of the drum and/or hub assembly. 5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the drum and hub engagement assembly, and the drum and/or hub assembly when so engaged, is rotatable from an operative position where the drum and hub engagement assembly has a longitudinal axis which is generally horizontal for removal and installation thereof to a transverse position wherein the axis is generally vertical. 6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the drum and hub engagement assembly, and the drum and/or hub assembly when so engaged, is rotatable from the operative position to the transverse position in either a clockwise or an anti-clockwise direction. 7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the lifting device comprises at least one linked foldable support member configured to be driven for movement in a vertical plane, an upper end of the support member(s) associated with the drum and hub engagement assembly and wherein the foldable support member(s) are extendable and retractable relative to the apparatus to raise and lower the drum and hub engagement assembly in the vertical line guided by the upright guide assembly. 8. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the drum and huh engagement assembly has a stud engagement member for engaging the hub assembly and a drum engagement assembly. 9. An apparatus according to claim 3, further having means for removing the drum and hub assembly from an axle from a vehicle. 10. An apparatus according to claim 3, having a pair of spaced apart feet configured to receive a trolley therebetween. 11. A system for removing and reinstalling a heavy vehicle brake assembly having an apparatus according to claim 3, and a trolley having a surface for assisting in replacement and/or servicing wherein the apparatus has a pair of spaced-apart feet configured to receive the trolley therebetween. 12. A system according to claim 11, wherein, the trolley has means for raising and lowering the surface thereof. 13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the trolley is configured to be positionable to be received between the feet of the apparatus and movable away from the apparatus to facilitate servicing and replacement. 14. A method of removing a heavy vehicle brake assembly comprising a drum and hub assembly from a vehicle, comprising the steps of: engaging an in-situ drum or hub assembly with the drum and hub engagement assembly of an apparatus; removing the drum or hub assembly from the vehicle; and lifting or rotating the drum and hub engagement assembly to facilitate servicing. 15. A method according to claim 14, comprising the steps of: positioning a trolley such that the trolley is received within feet of the apparatus; lowering the drum and hub engagement assembly and/or raising a surface of the trolley such that the drum and hub assembly is received on the trolley surface; and disengaging the drum or hub assembly from the drum and hub engagement assembly. 16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the drum and hub assembly are removed together. 17. A method according to claim 16, comprising the steps of: rotating the drum and hub engagement assembly such that the drum and huh assembly is oriented so that the hub is at an upper end of the drum and hub assembly; lowering the drum and hub engagement assembly and/or raising the surface of the trolley, such that the hub assembly is supported on the trolley surface; disengaging the huh from the drum and hub engagement assembly; and raising the drum and hub engagement assembly with the engaged drum such that the hub assembly is separated from the drum."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to an apparatus for supporting a heavy vehicle brake assembly during a servicing procedure or the like. Inspection, removal and servicing of a brake assembly for heavy vehicles can be difficult and time consuming due to the significant weight of the brake assembly. For example, a drum can weigh in excess of 65 kg and a hub assembly can weigh in excess of 50 kg. The general awkwardness and weight of the heavy brake assembly generally require multiple technicians working in concert to remove and reinstall the brake assembly piece by piece, a process that introduces health and safety concerns, is time-consuming, inconvenient and costly due to the manual labour required. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for supporting a heavy vehicle brake assembly, the apparatus configured to engage and support the brake assembly to facilitate removal and installation, the apparatus comprising: a drum and hub engagement assembly configured to engage an accessible portion of an in-situ drum and/or hub assembly and to support the drum and/or hub assembly when so engaged for transport between an in-situ position and a removed position facilitating removal and installation of the drum and/or hub assembly;\n\na lifting assembly having an upright guide assembly and a lifting device for raising and lowering the drum and hub engagement assembly, wherein the lifting device is configured to raise and lower the drum and hub ...",
  "cpc": [
    "F16D 65/0043",
    "B25B 11/02",
    "B25B 27/0035",
    "B25B 27/06",
    "B62B 2202/02",
    "B62B 2202/48",
    "B62B 2203/10",
    "B62B 3/02",
    "B62B 3/04",
    "B62B 3/104",
    "B66F 9/06"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25B 11/02",
    "B62B 3/02",
    "B62B 3/04",
    "B62B 3/10",
    "B66F 9/06",
    "F16D 65/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Workplace Maintenance Solutions Pty Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "JAMES ALLAN MARTIN"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-06-29",
  "publication_date": "2020-07-09",
  "priority_date": "2017-06-29",
  "application_number": "US-201816626063-A",
  "family_id": "64740198",
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  ]
}