Although relatively new on American cars, disc brakes do not represent a new concept of braking. This paper reviews their development and first testing in the 1930's, their application to European cars in the 1950's, and their subsequent introduction on American cars in the 1960's.
Described in detail are the three categories of caliper disc brakes: disc floating, caliper fixed; disc and caliper fixed; disc fixed, caliper floating. The author believes the latter will be the brake that eventually becomes standard equipment on American cars, first on front wheels and later. after development of an adequate parking brake mechanism, on four wheels.
