Floating brake drum and hat assembly

1. A floating brake drum and hat assembly comprising:

a brake drum having a braking surface and an attachment flange;

a hat having an outer diameter and a brake drum mounting flange for mounting to the attachment flange of the brake drum; and

means for coupling the attachment flange of the brake drum into contact with the brake drum mounting flange of the hat, the means for coupling structured and arranged to allow radial thermal expansion and contraction of at least a portion of the attachment flange of the brake drum and/or at least a portion of the brake drum mounting flange of the hat,

wherein the outer diameter of the hat is sized to provide space for thermal expansion.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the brake drum mounting flange of the hat comprises a plurality of threaded brake drum mounting studs and the attachment flange of the brake drum comprises a plurality of corresponding holes.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the means for coupling comprises a plurality of threaded nuts for threading onto the threaded brake drum mounting studs and forming the assembly.

4. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the brake drum attachment flange is scalloped to reduce material and provide space for thermal expansion.

5. The assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of grommets for mounting within the holes the attachment flange of the brake drum, the plurality of grommets are structured and arranged to provide a degree of thermal isolation between the attachment flange of the brake drum and the brake drum mounting flange of the hat.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of grommets are structured and arranged to provide additional space for thermal expansion of the attachment flange of the brake drum.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the attachment flange of the brake drum has a plurality of brake drum tabs.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the brake drum mounting flange of the hat comprises a plurality of hat tabs for engagement with the brake drum tabs.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of hat tabs of the brake drum mounting flange further comprises a threaded hold-down ring mounting stud.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the means for coupling comprises a hold-down ring, the hold-down ring having a plurality of holes to correspond with the threaded hold-down ring mounting studs and a plurality of threaded nuts for threading onto the threaded hold-down ring mounting studs and forming the assembly.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the means for coupling further comprises a plurality of spacers for placing over the threaded hold-down ring mounting studs and under the hold-down ring to isolate the brake drum tabs from the hold-down ring.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the means for coupling further comprises a plurality of biasing members for placing onto the brake drum tabs and under the hold-down ring to preload the brake drum tabs.

13. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of hat tabs of the brake drum mounting flange further comprises an unthreaded hold-down ring mounting stud.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the means for coupling comprises a hold-down ring, the hold-down ring having a plurality of holes to correspond with the unthreaded hold-down ring mounting studs and a plurality of lock rings for engaging grooves on the unthreaded hold-down ring mounting studs and forming the assembly.

15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the means for coupling further comprises a plurality of spacers for placing over the unthreaded hold-down ring mounting studs and under the hold-down ring to isolate the brake drum tabs from the hold-down ring.

16. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the means for coupling further comprises a plurality of biasing members for placing onto the brake drum tabs and under the hold-down ring to preload the brake drum tabs.

17. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of hat tabs of the brake drum mounting flange further comprises a flange projection extending in an axial direction and in a radial direction so as to form a plurality of flange projections adapted to receive a snap ring.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the means for coupling comprises the snap ring.

19. The assembly of claim 18 , wherein the snap ring is in the form of a multiple turn spiral ring.

20. The assembly of claim 18 , wherein each flange projection extends in an axial direction at the circumferential edge of hat tab and in a radially inward direction, providing an annular aperture, adapted for radially outward and axial-directed constrained seating of the snap ring.

21. The assembly of claim 18 , wherein each flange projection extends in an axial direction at the circumferential edge of hat tab and in a radially outward direction, providing an annular aperture, adapted for radially inward and axial-directed constrained seating of the snap ring.

22. The assembly of claim 21 , further comprising at least one pin for securing the snap ring to the hat.

23. A method of making a floating brake drum and hat assembly comprising:

providing a brake drum having a braking surface and an attachment flange;

providing a hat having an outer diameter and a brake drum mounting flange for mounting to the attachment flange of the brake drum; and

coupling the attachment flange of the brake drum into contact with the brake drum mounting flange of the hat by providing a means for coupling structured and arranged to allow radial thermal expansion and contraction of at least a portion of the attachment flange of the brake drum and/or at least a portion of the brake drum mounting flange of the hat,

wherein the outer diameter of the hat is sized to provide space for thermal expansion.