A Century of Brakes: The History of Brakes & Brake Safety
When it comes to your car the only thing as important as moving you forward is making you stop. The brake systems on cars have changed significatly over the last century. Here is a brief look at the different shapes the brake has taken over the years.
1902 – Lanchester’s disc brakes
Pro – Well brakes had to start somewhere…
Con – Intense screeching annoys anyone in earshot
1904 – External Rear Wheel Brakes
Pro – Work about equally as well as standard horse carriage brakes
Con – Must travel with chock blocks, Uh oh!
1907 – Herbert Frood pads
Pro – Got rid of the annoying screeching
Con – Lined the pads with Asbestos, Oops! Cough... Cough...
1918 – Lockheed Hydraulic Brakes
Pro – Used a pressure system to apply stopping power
Con – Auto makers wait almost 10 years to adopt
1950’s Self Adjusting Drum Brakes
Pro – Increased stopping power. Great now we can react slower!
Con – Heat buildup means brake fade…thrilling suspense but not in a fun way.
1950’s Brake Booster Disc Brakes
Pro – Forget the need to press so hard to stop
Con – Subject to warping in the early days.
Anti Lock Braking Systems
Pro – Well these pretty much do the job if you’re not Tweeting or Texting while driving!
Con – Better brakes means more aggressive driving…. Is that a pro or a con?
Resource:
http://www.ehow.com/about_5064052_history-car-brakes.html
http://www.used-car.com.au/history-of-cars/brakes.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_brakes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_brake