Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
In an air-operated diaphragm spring brake comprising: a housing defining a chamber, a push rod extending through an opening in the housing and having an outer end which is adapted to connect to and to act upon a braking mechanism exterior to the housing, and a diaphragm within the chamber for actuating the push rod longitudinally between operative and inoperative positions, the improvement which comprises: a visual indicium provided by a discontinuity formed in the surface of the push rod in a position whereby a portion of the indicium will be exterior to the housing only when the push rod is in the operative position and the braking mechanism is substantially out of adjustment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
114 words
In an air-operated diaphragm spring brake comprising: a housing defining a chamber, a push rod extending through an opening in the housing and having an outer end which is adapted to connect to and to act upon a braking mechanism exterior to the housing, and a diaphragm within the chamber for actuating the push rod longitudinally between operative and inoperative positions, the improvement which comprises: a visual indicium provided by a discontinuity formed in the surface of the push rod in a position whereby a portion of the indicium will be exterior to the housing only when the push rod is in the operative position and the braking mechanism is substantially out of adjustment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 1 whereby the discontinuity comprises at least one indentation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 2 including a coating applied at the discontinuity to fill the said at least one indentation with the coating.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 2 wherein the said at least one indentation is a groove.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 1 and further comprising a second indicium on the push rod intermediate the visual indicium and the outer end to indicate the existence of the visual indicium when the visual indicium is within the chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 5 wherein the second indicium is provided by a second discontinuity formed in the surface of the push rod.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 6 wherein the second discontinuity comprises at least one indentation on the push rod.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 7 wherein the second discontinuity is adjacent to the opening and exterior to the housing when the push rod is in the inoperative position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 7 wherein the push rod is coated at the position of the second discontinuity to fill the said at least one indentation with the coating.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 7 wherein the said at least one indentation is a groove.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
157 words
In an air operated diaphragm spring brake comprising: a housing defining a chamber, a push rod extending through an opening in the housing and having an outer end which is adapted to connect to and to act upon a braking mechanism exterior to the housing, and a diaphragm within the chamber for actuating the push rod longitudinally between operative and inoperative positions, the improvement which comprises: a first visual indicium provided by a discontinuity formed in the surface of the push rod in a position whereby a portion of the indicium will be exterior to the housing only when the push rod is in the operative position and the braking mechanism is substantially out of adjustment, and a second visual indicium formed by a discontinuity intermediate the first visual indicium and the outer end whereby the second visual indicium will be adjacent the opening exterior to the housing when the push rod is in the inoperative position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
157 words
In an air operated diaphragm spring brake comprising: a housing defining a chamber, a push rod extending through an opening in the housing and having an outer end which is adapted to connect to and to act upon a braking mechanism exterior to the housing, and a diaphragm within the chamber for actuating the push rod longitudinally between operative and inoperative positions, the improvement which comprises: a first visual indicium provided by a discontinuity formed in the surface of the push rod in a position whereby a portion of the indicium will be exterior to the housing only when the push rod is in the operative position and the braking mechanism is substantially out of adjustment, and a second visual indicium formed by a discontinuity intermediate the first visual indicium and the outer end whereby the second visual indicium will be adjacent the opening exterior to the housing when the push rod is in the inoperative position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 11 wherein one of said discontinuities comprises at least one indentation on the push rod.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 12 including a coating applied at said one of said discontinuities to fill said at least one indentation with the coating.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
An air operated diaphragm spring brake according to claim 12 wherein said at least one indentation is a groove.