Slack adjuster main spring housing contaminant sump

A drainage system for use with a slack adjuster for a railway brake rigging, said slack adjuster including a main spring housing, a cone nut housing enclosing a critical operating area of the slack adjuster comprising components configured to operate together to adjust the brake rigging, and an over travel housing, said drainage system including at least one opening extending through a sidewall portion of the main spring housing, said at least one opening configured to allow fluid and/or contaminants to drain through this at least one opening to reduce exposure of the critical operating area of the slack adjuster to the fluid and/or contaminants, said drainage system including a seal/splash guard compressed between mating surfaces of the main spring housing and the cone nut housing, wherein the seal/splash guard comprises a rubber washer having a central opening defined by an inner portion and wherein the rubber washer further includes an outer portion, wherein a rubber material is located at an inner portion and the outer portion of the washer and wherein the seal/splash guard is positioned between and abuts a conical spring in the cone nut housing and abuts a washer located at an end of the main spring housing, wherein the seal/splash guard acts as a spring seat for the conical spring, wherein the rubber material located at the inner portion of the washer comes into sealing contact with and/or interlocks with an elongated rod located within the slack adjuster, and wherein compression of said seal/splash guard prevents entrance of fluid and/or contaminants into the critical operating area of the slack adjuster.

A double-acting tension actuatable slack adjuster to adjust the slack in a railway vehicle brake linkage, said slack adjuster comprising:

• (a) an elongated hollow cylindrical housing member which is restrained against rotation and pivotally connectable at a first end thereof, said elongated hollow cylindrical housing including a main spring housing, a cone nut housing, and an over travel housing;
• (b) an elongated rod member which is restrained against rotation and pivotally connectable at a first end thereof, said rod member having at least a portion thereof threaded, said threaded portion of said rod member extending into said housing member through a second end of said housing member;
• (c) a cone lock nut threadedly engaged with said threaded portion of said rod member intermediate a first and second end thereof, said cone lock nut axially movable for rotating about said threaded portion of said rod member to change the length of said slack adjuster by changing the relative longitudinal position between said housing member and said rod member, said cone lock nut being located within the cone nut housing;
• (d) at least a first spring for urging said cone lock nut into a first position with respect to said housing member;
• (e) a second spring for overcoming a force applied by said first spring and for urging said cone lock nut into a second position;
• (f) at least one drainage system for allowing fluid and/or contaminants to drain out of the slack adjuster, said at least one drainage system including at least one opening extending through a sidewall portion of the main spring housing, said at least one opening configured to allow fluid and/or contaminants to drain therethrough to reduce exposure of the critical operating area to fluid and/or contaminants;
• and
• (g) a seal/splash guard compressed between mating surfaces of the main spring housing and the cone nut housing, wherein the seal/splash guard comprises a rubberized washer and wherein the rubberized washer has a central opening defined by an inner portion and wherein the rubber washer further includes an outer portion, wherein a rubber material is located at the inner portion and the outer portion of the washer and wherein the seal/splash guard is positioned between and abuts a conical spring in the cone nut housing and abuts a washer located at an end of the main spring housing, wherein the seal/splash guard acts as a spring seat for the conical spring, wherein the rubber material located at the inner portion of the washer comes into sealing contact with and/or interlocks with an elongated rod located within the slack adjuster, and wherein compression of said seal/splash guard prevents entrance of fluid and/or contaminants into the critical operating area of the slack adjuster.

A method of preventing the accumulation of water and/or contaminants within a slack adjuster and for protecting a critical operating area of the slack adjuster, said slack adjuster including a main housing, a cone nut housing enclosing the critical operating area of the slack adjuster, and an over travel housing, said method comprising providing at least a first drainage system comprising at least one opening extending through a sidewall portion of the main spring housing, said at least one opening configured to allow fluid and/or contaminants to drain therethrough to reduce exposure of the critical operating area to fluid and/or contaminants and providing a seal/splash guard compressed between mating surfaces of the main spring housing and the cone nut housing, wherein the seal/splash guard is positioned between and abuts a conical spring in the cone nut housing and abuts a washer located at an end of the main spring housing, wherein the seal/splash guard acts as a spring seat for the conical spring, and wherein the seal/splash guard comprises a rubberized washer having a central opening defined by an inner portion and wherein the rubber washer further includes an outer portion, wherein a rubber material is located at the inner portion and the outer portion of the washer, wherein the rubber material located at the inner portion of the washer comes into sealing contact with and/or interlocks with an elongated rod located within the slack adjuster and wherein, during assembly of the main spring housing and the cone nut housing, the rubber material is compressed into any open areas at the mating surfaces to prevent fluid and/or contaminants from entering into the cone nut housing and contacting the critical operating area.