What is "drum brake"

n. A form of brake in which friction is applied by pads to the inner surface of a rotating cylinder (the brake drum) connected directly to a wheel

n. hydraulic brake in which friction is applied to the inside of a spinning drum by the brake shoe [syn: drum brakes]

A drum brake is a brake that uses friction caused by a set of shoes or pads that press outward against a rotating cylinder-shaped part called a brake drum.

The term drum brake usually means a brake in which shoes press on the inner surface of the drum. When shoes press on the outside of the drum, it is usually called a clasp brake. Where the drum is pinched between two shoes, similar to a conventional disc brake, it is sometimes called a pinch drum brake, though such brakes are relatively rare. A related type called a band brake uses a flexible belt or "band" wrapping around the outside of a drum.