How many of us oldies remember when they arrived? I preferred the newer version of Anchorlocks as you could repair them on the vehicle without the need for a press.
And three-line air. And Palm couplings. And rubber air lines.
Surprising how many drivers today don’t realise the first stage of the Parkbrake activates the Spring brake!
Was quite disappointed when I opened this thread - I was hoping for lithe young Americans in Acapulco! 
Hey to all, here in Belgium we saw appear the first spiral sussies, air spring handbrakes and rubber mudguards
in '64 together with the all new Volvo (F88 cab) on the L4951 called Tip Top wearing my name 
.
What an ease all those things, But the rubber mudguards took still many years till they were used in common.
Some years later we saw by pulling English trailers the Euro electric sockets, as we had only five pins. Double
pins on a single bulb, which caused some dificulties with unknown drivers as the fuse had blown.
Eric,
Spring brakes were, arguably, the single most significant safety feature to affect lorry drivers since the invention of the lorry. We take them for granted. (Cue solemn music and much pursing of lips and twitching of moustaches). Robert 
PS The downside of spring-brakes was that if the suzies drooped onto the exhaust, or other hot engine parts, and melted, the whole equipage would grind to a halt like I did on Jubilee Way coming out of Dover in the snow in '85 - see picture. Robert 
Hey, first we had the vase type but soon it was the MGM which had a weak point that water and dirt could in easily as
the sponge was gone. Best were with the release bold outside models in the '80’s for me.
With the MGM, self repairing was still common, but you had to be very very carefully otherwise you could easily blast off a rocket through the roof.
Eric,
Hi, Folks , I remember an owner driver who had an H reg Mastif , new after a while i seen him with his arm in a sling head all bandaged up over his eye , asked him what happend he said he was changing a spring with out winding it off ,He didnt do it again , Cheers Barry
I’ve seen one or two fitters remove a chamber without winding it off, at least I heard the clatter then the swearing! Some had a lucky escape, mind you it would be scary if that big beasty in the back end ever got loose!
Despite what Bewick will no doubt think, the mastiff driver wasn’t me!
However, I did once have a soft tyre on the A74 near Ecclefechan once. The pump didn’t have a gauge on it and I didn’t realise I was blowing up the wrong tyre until it exploded. It hurt and I was deaf for 2 days!
John.
Those springs inside were scary, we used to overhaul them ourselves but it took a 10t hydraulic press to get the spring back in. One lad had one tip in the press one day,he had to release the pressure and it was off like a rocket taking lumps of bricks out of the workshop walls 
the four poster ramp was the best press ever made,what would h&s make of that now.lol. 
We can thank ERF for them they were the first ones to import them from america
Changed a few of these in my time over the years.
Bigantbarker999:
We can thank ERF for them they were the first ones to import them from america
Absolutely bang on! I hereby revise my post to: spring brakes were, arguably, the single most significant safety feature to affect lorry drivers, brought to us in the UK by ERF. We take them for granted. Robert
But who invented them? Robert
In '78 Bakers Transport (Soton) had a step frame with spring brakes…I couldn’t tell you the make of trailer but it had US heritage. I was always wary of this new fangled technology!
PS IIRC the Ministry men didn’t like them too much (no windy handbrake to check).
robert1952:
But who invented them? Robert
MGM in 1956.
FodenS80:
robert1952:
But who invented them? RobertMGM in 1956.
Thank you. They must have developed the George Westinghouse (US) railway air brake technology. ERF were the first UK manufacturer to standardise using spring brakes in 1966.
Robert
leylandlover:
How many of us oldies remember when they arrived? I preferred the newer version of Anchorlocks as you could repair them on the vehicle without the need for a press.
We favoured the Achorlocks Also called Piggy Backs, Very easey to change as you said no press needed, Regards Larry.