Who invented disc brakes

The first British company to market a production saloon sedan fitted with disc brakes to all four wheels was Jensen Motors with the introduction of a Deluxe version of the Jensen with Dunlop disc brakes.

The first German production car with disc brakes was the Mercedes-Benz SE coupe featuring British-built Girling units on the front. The next American production automobile equipped with caliper-type disc brakes was the Studebaker Avanti.

Front disc brakes became standard equipment in on the Rambler Marlin as well as on the Ford Thunderbird,and the Lincoln Continental. A four-wheel disc brake system was also introduced in on the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Compared to drum brakes, disc brakes offer better stopping performance, because the disc is more readily cooled.

As a consequence discs are less prone to the "brake fade" caused when brake components overheat; and disc brakes recover more quickly from immersion wet brakes are less effective. By contrast, a disc brake has no self-servo effect and its braking force is always proportional to the pressure placed on the brake pad by the braking system via any brake servo, braking pedal or lever; this tends to give the driver better "feel" to avoid impending lockup.

Drums are also prone to "bell mouthing", and trap worn lining material within the assembly, both causes of various braking problems. Many early implementations for automobiles located the brakes on the inboard side of the driveshaft, near the differential, but most brakes today are located inside the road wheels. An inboard location reduces the unsprung weight and eliminates a source of heat transfer to the tires.

Disc brakes were most popular on sports cars when they were first introduced, since these vehicles are more demanding about brake performance. Discs have now become the more common form in most passenger vehicles, although many particularly light weight vehicles use drum brakes on the rear wheels to keep costs and weight down as well as to simplify the provisions for a parking brake.

As the front brakes perform most of the braking effort, this can be a reasonable compromise. The first motorcycles to use disc brakes were racing vehicles. The first mass-produced road-going motorcycle to sport a disc-brake was the Honda CB Disc brakes are now common on motorcycles, mopeds and even mountain bikes. Historically, brake discs were manufactured throughout the world with a strong concentration in Europe and America.

Between and , manufacturing of brake discs migrated predominantly to China. Click Here to Know about a Legend Dr. When pressurised fluid acts between them, it forces each piston apart. One piston forces a friction pad onto the disc by direct action, while the other piston forces the caliper in the opposite direction and in doing so brings the companion pad in direct contact with the disc.

Some calipers fitted to high performance cars contain four pistons, two in each caliper. For extra performance, discs can be drilled or have angled grooves milled across their faces. The combination of these different materials can cause the disc to wear out and as such it is expected that new discs are fitted on every second or third pad change. Search For Used Cars. Fluid fade is when the same high temperature finds its way to the brake fluid which can boil.

This changes the properties of the fluid meaning that the brake pedal can go to the floor, reducing braking performance. The first car to be fitted with front disk brakes on all 4 wheels was Croslay and was also an extra on the Crysler Imperal Limo. Brake Rotors www. Tim Rodie. Rachael Hogg. Jane Fyffe. Carzin Lightz. Chef Simonetta. Sales : Service : Toll-Free: Compare Live chat.

The History of Brakes. The History of Vehicle Brakes Brakes may not be the sexiest part of a car to talk about, but they certainly grab attention if they fail at doing their job. Spoon Brakes Early passenger vehicles, such as steam cars or carriages, were challenging to operate. Drum Brakes With the advent of rubber tires, braking systems needed an adjustment. Hydraulic Brakes Hydraulic power represents the next advancement in braking systems.

Disc Brakes Although technically patented in , disc brakes did not become common in automobiles until the s, when vehicles became heavier and faster and different types of car engines were invented.

The Future of Brakes As vehicle technology continues to evolve, so too will braking technology.