DEBRE-MARKOS UNIVERSITY

Institute of Technology
School of Mechanical and Industrial engineering

Machine Element II
Chapter - 3
Brakes

1 Prepared By: Seyfu T. & Mamaru W.

 What is Brake?
➢ Brake is a mechanical device by means of which motion of a body is retarded for
slowing down or to bring it to rest, by applying artificial frictional resistance.
➢ In this process of regulating the motion, the brakes absorbs either kinetic energy or
potential energy.

Requirement of brakes:
➢ The function of brakes is to stop the vehicle within the required time.
➢ The rate of retardation should be equal to the pedal effort and the effort applied
by the driver to stop the vehicle should not be excessive.
➢ The rate of wear should also be low.
➢ The brake system should not be affected by water, heat, and dust etc. It should
require a very low maintenance and durable.

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 Principle of Braking
 Common principles on which a braking system depends when

stopping a car is friction and heat.

 By applying resistance, or friction, to a turning wheel, a vehicle's

brakes cause the wheel to slow down and eventually stop, creating
heat as a byproduct.

 The rate at which a wheel can be slowed depends on several factors

including vehicle weight, braking force and total braking surface

area.
 Brake Design
The design of a brake depends upon the following factors :
1. The unit pressure between the braking surfaces,
2. The coefficient of friction between the braking surfaces,
3. The peripheral velocity of the brake drum
4. The projected area of the friction surfaces, and
5. The ability of the brake to dissipate heat equivalent to the energy being
absorbed.

❖ The major functional difference between a clutch and a brake is that a clutch is
used to keep the driving and driven member moving together, whereas brakes
are used to stop a moving member or to control its speed.

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 Materials for Brake Lining
The material used for the brake lining should have the following characteristics :
1. It should have high coefficient of friction with minimum fading. In other
words, the coefficient of friction should remain constant over the entire
surface with change in temperature.
2. It should have low wear rate.
3. It should have high heat resistance.
4. It should have high heat dissipation capacity.
5. It should have low coefficient of thermal expansion.
6. It should have adequate mechanical strength.
7. It should not be affected by moisture and oil.

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 …con’t
The materials commonly used for facing or lining of brakes and their properties are
shown in the following table
Table. Properties of materials for brake lining.

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 Types of Brake Linings
There are three basic types of Linings. They are:
1. Organic Linings: Organic Linings are generally compounded of six basic
ingredients.
a) Asbestos
b) Friction modifier
c) Fillers
d) Curing agents
e) Binders
f) Other materials: eg; powdered lead, brass chips, Al powder etc.
2. Semi-metallic Linings and
3. Metallic Linings

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 Types of Brakes
The brakes, according to the means used for transforming the energy by the
braking element, they are classified as

1. Hydraulic brakes e.g. pumps or hydrodynamic brake and fluid agitator,

2. Electric brakes e.g. generators and eddy current brakes, and
3. Mechanical brakes.

The hydraulic and electric brakes cannot bring the member to rest and are mostly
used where large amounts of energy are to be transformed while the brake is
retarding the load such as in laboratory dynamometers, high way trucks and
electric locomotives. These brakes are also used for retarding or controlling the
speed of a vehicle for down-hill travel.

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 Classification of Mechanical Brakes
According to the shape of the friction element, these brakes may be
1. Block or shoe brakes
➢ Single Shoe Brake
➢ Double shoe Brake
2. Band brakes.
➢ Simple Band Brake
➢ Differential Band Brake
3. Radial brakes. In these brakes, the force acting on the brake drum is in radial
direction. The radial brakes may be sub-divided into
➢ External contracting brakes and
➢ Internal expanding brakes.
4. Axial brakes. In these brakes, the force acting on the brake drum is in axial direction.
The axial brakes may be
➢ Disc brakes and Cone brakes.
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 a) Single Block or Shoe Brake
A single block or shoe brake is shown in Figure below. It consists of a block or shoe which is
pressed against the rim of a revolving brake wheel drum. The block is made of a softer
material than the rim of the wheel. This type of a brake is commonly used on railway trains
and tram cars. The friction between the block and the wheel causes a tangential braking force
to act on the wheel, which retard the rotation of the wheel.

In these figure line of action of tangential force Ft passes through the fulcrum of the lever.

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 …con’t

If the angle of contact is less than 60°, then it may be assumed that the normal pressure
between the block and the wheel is uniform. In such cases, tangential braking force on the
wheel,

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 Let us consider the following cases …con’t
Case 1. When the line of action of tangential braking force (Ft) passes through the
fulcrum O of the lever, and the brake wheel rotates clockwise as shown in Figure below
(a), then for equilibrium, taking moments about the fulcrum O, we have

Noted: that when the brake wheel rotates anticlockwise as shown in Figure above (b),
then the braking torque is same, i.e.

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 …con’t
Case 2. When the line of action of the tangential braking force (Ft) passes through a
distance ‘a’ below the fulcrum O, and the brake wheel rotates clockwise as shown in
Figure below (a), then for equilibrium, taking moments about the fulcrum O,

13 In these figure line of action of Ft passes below the fulcrum

 …con’t
When the brake wheel rotates anticlockwise, as shown in Fig. (b), then for equilibrium,

Case 3. When the line of action of the tangential braking force passes through a distance ‘a’
above the fulcrum, and the brake wheel rotates clockwise as shown in Figure below (a), then
for equilibrium, taking moments about the fulcrum O, we have

14 Line of action of Ft passes above the fulcrum.

 …con’t

When the brake wheel rotates anticlockwise as shown in Figure above (b), then for
equilibrium, taking moments about the fulcrum O, we have

Notes: 1. From above we see that when the brake wheel rotates anticlockwise in case 2
and when it rotates clockwise in case 3, the equations (i) and (ii) are same, i.e.
RN × x = P.l + μ.RN.a

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 ➢ From this we see that the moment of frictional force (μ. RN.a) adds to the
moment of force (P.l). In other words, the frictional force (assist) helps to
apply the brake. Such type of brakes are said to be self energizing brakes.
➢ When the frictional force is great enough to apply the brake with no external
force, then the brake is said to be self-locking brake.
From the above expression, we see that if x ≤ μ.a, then P will be negative or
equal to zero. This means no external force is needed to apply the brake and

hence the brake is self locking.

➢ The condition for the brake to be self locking is

x ≤ μ.a

➢ The self-locking brake is used only in back-stop applications.

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 …con’t
2. The brake should be self-energizing and not the self-locking.
3. In order to avoid self-locking and to prevent the brake from grabbing, x is kept
greater than μ.a.
4. If Ab is the projected bearing area of the block or shoe, then the bearing pressure on
the shoe, pb = RN / Ab
We know that Ab = Width of shoe × Projected length of shoe = w (2r sin θ)
5. When a single block or shoe brake is applied to a rolling wheel, an additional load is
thrown on the shaft bearings due to heavy normal force (RN) and produces bending
of the shaft. In order to overcome this drawback, a double block or shoe brake

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 Dimensions of the shoe
✓ Dimensions of the shoe can be determined from the relation

RN = P . A , A= b.w
RN = P .b. w
where p – permissible pressure b/n the shoe and brake drum
b – breadth of the shoe
w – width of the shoe
Rate of heat generated (Q)
✓ Rate of heat generated = Frictional force x Average velocity
Q = Fr * V Fr = μ.RN
Q = μ.RN * V where V- average velocity

𝑉1 +𝑉2
V=
2
𝜋𝑑𝑁
𝑉1 = - initial velocity of the brake drum
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d – diameter of the drum
N – speed of the drum
V2 – final velocity of the drum = 0
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 Example 1: A single block brake is shown in Figure below. The diameter of the drum is
250 mm and the angle of contact is 90°. If the operating force of 700 N is applied at the
end of a lever and the coefficient of friction between the drum and the lining is 0.35,
determine
a) Frictional force
b) The torque that may be transmitted by the block brake.

Given :
➢ d = 250 mm or r = 125 mm
➢ 2θ = 90° = π / 2 rad ;
➢ P = 700 N ;
➢ μ = 0.35

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 1. A single block brake is shown in Figure below. The diameter of the drum is 250 mm
and the angle of contact is 70°. If the operating force of 950 N is applied at the end of
a lever and the coefficient of friction between the drum and the lining is 0.35,
Determine
a) Frictional force
b) The torque that may be transmitted by the block brake
c) The rate of heat generated (Q) during the braking action, the initial brake speed
is 300 rpm.

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 Pivoted Block or Shoe Brake
when the angle of contact is greater than 60°, then the unit pressure normal to the surface
of contact is less at the ends than at the center. In such cases, the block or shoe is pivoted
to the lever as shown in Figure below, instead of being rigidly attached to the lever. This
gives uniform wear of the brake lining in the direction of the applied force. The braking
torque for a pivoted block or shoe brake (i.e. when 2θ > 60°) is given by

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Example 2. The block brake, as shown in Figure below, provides a braking torque of 360 N-
m. The diameter of the brake drum is 300 mm. The coefficient of friction is 0.3. Find
1. The force (P) to be applied at the end of the lever for the clockwise and counter clockwise
rotation of the brake drum; and
2. The location of the pivot or fulcrum to make the brake self locking for the clockwise
rotation of the brake drum

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 b) Double Block or Shoe Brake

When a single block brake is applied to a rolling wheel, the additional load is thrown
on the shaft bearings due to the normal force (RN). This produces bending of the shaft.
In order to overcome this drawback, a double block or shoe brake as shown in Figure
below, is used.
It consists of two brake blocks applied at the opposite ends of a diameter of the wheel
which eliminate or reduces the unbalanced force on the shaft

Operating system
The brake is set by a spring which pulls the upper ends of the brake arms together.
When a force P is applied to the bell crank lever, the spring is compressed and the
brake is released .

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 …con’t

In case of double block or shoe brake, the braking torque is given by

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 Example 1. A double shoe brake, as shown in Figure below is capable of absorbing a
torque of 1400 N-m. The diameter of the brake drum is 350 mm and the angle of contact
for each shoe is 100°. If the coefficient of friction between the brake drum and lining is 0.4;
Find :
1. the spring force necessary to set the brake; and
2. the width of the brake shoes, if the bearing pressure on the lining material is not to
exceed 0.3 Mpa.

Given:
TB = 1400 N-m = 1400 × 103 N-mm ; d = 350 mm
or r = 175 mm ;
2θ = 100° = 100 × π / 180 = 1.75 rad ; μ = 0.4 ;
pb = 0.3 MPa

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 Solution

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 Band Brakes
✓ In this type of brake, the friction between the blocks and the drum provides braking action
a) Simple Band Brake
In this band brake one end of the band is attached to a fixed pin or fulcrum of the lever while
the other end is attached to the lever at a distance b from the fulcrum as shown below.

When a force P is applied to the lever at C, the lever turns about the fulcrum pin O and
tightens the band on the drum and hence the brakes are applied. The friction between the
band and the drum provides the braking force.
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 …con’t

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 …con’t

▪ If the permissible tensile stress (σt) for the material of the band is known, then maximum
tension in the band is given by

▪ The width of band (w) should not exceed 150 mm for drum diameter (d ) greater than 1
meter and 100 mm for drum diameter less than 1 meter. The band thickness (t) may also
be obtained by using the empirical relation i.e. t = 0.005 d
▪ For brakes of hand operated winches, the steel bands of the following sizes are usually
used :

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 Exercise 1:
A simple band brake operates on a drum of 600 mm in diameter that is running at 200
r.p.m. The coefficient of friction is 0.25. The brake band has a contact of 270°, one
end is fastened to a fixed pin and the other end to the brake arm 125 mm from the fixed
pin. The straight brake arm is 750 mm long and placed perpendicular to the diameter
that bisects the angle of contact.
a) What is the pull necessary on the end of the brake arm to stop the wheel if 3500 W
is being absorbed ?
b) What is the direction for this minimum pull ?
c) What width of steel band of 2.5 mm thick is required for this brake if the maximum
tensile stress is not to exceed 50 MPa ?

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 Differential Band Brake
(Reading Assignment)

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 Internal Expanding Brake

▪ The friction between the shoes and the drum produces the braking torque and hence
reduces the speed of the drum. The shoes are normally held in off position by a spring
as shown in Figure (a).
▪ The drum encloses the entire mechanism to keep out dust and moisture. This type of
brake is commonly used in motor cars and light trucks.

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 Working principle

Exercise 2:
1. Describe the principle of operation of an internal
expanding shoe brake.
2. Derive the expression for the braking torque

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 End of Chapter – 3

Thank You all !!!

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