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Concept
Air brake (road vehicle)
Summary
An air brake or, more formally, a compressed-air-brake system, is a type of friction brake for vehicles in which compressed air pressing on a piston is used to apply the pressure to the brake pad or brake shoe needed to stop the vehicle. Air brakes are used in large heavy vehicles, particularly those having multiple trailers which must be linked into the brake system, such as trucks, buses, trailers, and semi-trailers, in addition to their use in railroad trains. George Westinghouse first developed air brakes for use in railway service. He patented a safer air brake on March 5, 1872. Westinghouse made numerous alterations to improve his air pressured brake invention, which led to various forms of the automatic brake. In the early 20th century, after its advantages were proven in railway use, it was adopted by manufacturers of trucks and heavy road vehicles.
Air brakes are typically used on heavy trucks and buses. Typical operating pressure is approximately . A compressed-air-brake system is divided into a supply system and a control system.
The supply system compresses, stores and supplies high-pressure air to the control system as well as to additional air operated auxiliary truck systems (gearbox shift control, clutch pedal air assistance servo, etc.). The air compressor draws filtered air from the atmosphere and compresses it, storing the compressed air in high-pressure reservoirs. Most heavy vehicles have a gauge within the driver's view, indicating the availability of air pressure for safe vehicle operation, often including warning tones or lights. A mechanical "wig wag" that automatically drops down into the driver's field of vision when the pressure drops below a certain point is also common.
The control system consists of service brakes, parking brakes, a control pedal, and an air storage tank. If the vehicle is towing a trailer, it often has a separate trailer-brake system that receives compressed air from the supply system.
The parking brakes use a disc or drum arrangement which is designed to be held in the 'applied' position by spring pressure.
Official source
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