Slack adjuster for a brake system

A braking system comprising:

• brake beams each including a compression beam, a tension beam, and a strut secured between the compression beam and tension beam;
• brake heads attached to opposite terminal ends of each of the brake beams, each of the brake heads carrying a brake shoe positioned for engagement with a vehicle wheel during a brake application;
• force transfer members pivotally connected to the struts of the brake beams;
• a rod and a brake cylinder interconnecting one end of the force transfer members;
• a slack adjuster interconnecting second ends of the force transfer members, the slack adjuster including an elongated housing member having opposite third ends coupled with the force transfer members, the slack adjuster also including a hollow control rod and a main rod disposed within the housing member, the slack adjuster configured to change a length of the housing member in response to activation of the braking system and in response to wear of a brake shoe coupled with at least one of the brake heads, the hollow control rod held to the housing member by an external yoke trigger comprising a pair of clamps configured to grasp the hollow control rod, wherein the pair of clamps are located outside of the housing member, and wherein the pair of clamps is clamped in place by a connecting member;
• and
• a dual spring and canister assembly comprising nested springs, and wherein a length of the slack adjuster is changed by at least one of the nested springs being compressed within the dual spring and canister assembly.

A method comprising:

• coupling a slack adjuster with force transfer members of a braking system that also includes brake beams with brake heads coupled with the force transfer members, the slack adjuster including an elongated housing member having opposite ends coupled with the force transfer members, the slack adjuster also including at least one of (a) a dual spring and canister assembly disposed within the housing member, wherein the dual spring and canister assembly comprises nested springs, and wherein a length of the slack adjuster is changed by at least one of the nested springs within the dual spring and canister assembly being compressed within the dual spring and canister assembly, or (b) a hollow control rod and a main rod disposed within the housing member, the hollow control rod held to the housing member by an external yoke trigger comprising a pair of clamps configured to grasp the hollow control rod;
• changing the length of the slack adjuster in response to activation of the braking system and in response to wear of a brake shoe coupled with at least one of the brake heads, wherein the length of the slack adjuster is changed by the main rod moving within the hollow control rod;
• and
• clamping the pair of clamps in place by a connecting member.