A brake disk or drum has at least one working surface which opposes a braking member such as a brake pad or shoe. A plurality of spaced, raised island formations are provided across the working surface, with channels extending between the island formations. Each raised island formation has an outer surface which contacts a brake pad or brake shoe during braking.

An oxidation protection system disposed on a substrate is provided, which may comprise a boron layer comprising a boron compound disposed on the substrate; a silicon layer comprising a silicon compound disposed on the boron layer; and at least one sealing layer comprising monoaluminum phosphate and phosphoric acid disposed on the silicon layer.

A process for producing a protective coating on a brake side of a brake disk main element includes using a laser powder build-up welding process. An NbC metal matrix powder or a Cr.sub.3C.sub.2 metal matrix powder is produced by agglomeration and sintering of NbC particles or Cr.sub.3C.sub.2 particles with particles of a metallic matrix composed of a stainless steel. During the laser powder build-up welding process, the NbC metal matrix powder or the Cr.sub.3C.sub.2 metal matrix powder and an aluminum alloy powder is supplied simultaneously to a molten surface region of the brake disk main element which has been melted by a laser.

A method for making a brake disc may include providing a disc brake with a braking band and depositing on the disc a layer of chromium carbide and nickel-chromium in particle form to form a base protective coating. The method may also include depositing on the base protective coating a material in particle form consisting of tungsten carbide, iron, chromium and aluminium to form a surface protective coating made of tungsten carbide, iron, chromium and aluminium. Both protective coatings may be made by High Velocity Oxygen Fuel or High Velocity Air Fuel or Kinetic Metallization techniques.

A brake disc for a railway vehicle includes: a disc plate portion that has a sliding portion of a front face; a plurality of radial fins that are provided on the rear face of a disc plate portion, and that have a shape that extends in the radial direction of the disc plate portion; and a circumferential rib that is provided between each pair of adjacent radial fins, and that has a shape that extends in the circumferential direction of the disc plate portion. A flow path for air is formed between the pair of radial fins, and the flow path for air is narrowed by the circumferential rib. On the circumferential rib, a gradual slope for suppressing fluctuations in an airflow that passes between the pair of radial fins is provided from a base part to a top part.

In some implementations of the current subject matter, a brake rotor can include a supporting layer applied to a friction surface of a brake rotor substrate, which can optionally include cast iron, and a coating applied over the supporting layer. The supporting layer can include a preparatory metal, and the coating can impart wear and corrosion resistant properties to the friction surface. Related systems, methods, articles of manufacture, and the like are disclosed.

Provided is a friction material that includes a boron-containing solid lubricant. The friction material may be used to form a brake pad for automotive vehicles. The friction material may include, by weight, about 1.0% to about 6.0% of the boron-containing solid lubricant, about 5.0% to about 15.0% of a fibrous or powdered metal material, an abrasive, an organic filler, an inorganic filler, and a binder. Advantageously, an antimony free and copper free friction material of the present disclosure may still achieve high fiction performance and long pad life, providing a more environment friendly solution to brake systems.

A brake disc configured to be connected to a vehicle axle and to be squeezed between brake pads, comprising a central disc body (30), first and second disc plates (36, 38) releasably securable to the central disc body. Each disc plate has a wear surface and a disc body facing surface. The brake disc has a geometrical centre axis. Each disc plate has an inner periphery and an outer periphery extending from the wear surface to the disc body facing surface. A first ledge (60) mates with the inner periphery of the first disc plate, and a second ledge (60) mates with the inner periphery of the second disc plate. Each ledge comprises at least a ledge portion which is inclined relative to the geometrical centre axis for counteracting axial movement of the disc plates relative to the central disc body.

The invention comprehends friction plates, typically fabricated of metal, having friction material that is disposed in multiple concentric bands disposed in interrupted or discontinuous segments or a combination of both. In a first embodiment, the friction material is arranged in two concentric bands on each face, an inner band having a smaller radial width and an outer band having a larger radial width. In a second embodiment, the inner band is replaced with a plurality of discontinuous sections or segments wherein their circumferential separation is greater than their circumferential length. A third embodiment is similar to the second embodiment except that the inner, discontinuous segments have a circumferential length greater than their circumferential separation.

Provided is a friction modifier giving excellent formability in producing a friction material and capable of reducing rust formation on a rotor even when the moisture-absorbed friction material is left pressed against the rotor for a long. The friction modifier is made of a titanate compound having a tunnel crystal structure, wherein the titanate compound has a rate of chlorine ion dissolution of 0.5 ppm to 400 ppm.