a brake device for braking a shaft including a number of rotors rotatable with the shaft and at least one stator interposed among the rotors . the frictional force generated between the rotors and the stator is fed back to a rotatable pressure plate to assist in braking the shaft . in a first embodiment , a projection of the pressure plate engages one of a number of toothed portions that are provided on one of the stator elements to transmit force from the stator elements back to the pressure plate . in a second embodiment , a linkage element for turning the pressure plate also engages one of the toothed portions on the stators , thus transmitting force from the stator back to the pressure plate to assist in braking .