Slack adjuster having a one piece housing
AssigneeNew York Air Brake Corporation
InventorsHoward E. Huber, Jr., Ann Gibson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A slack adjuster having a single, unitary housing that changes in length to compensate for brake pad wear in a rail car braking system. A threaded tension rod extends a variable length from the housing depending on rotation of the tension rod relative to the housing. A clutch assembly enclosed within a rod guide controls rotation of the tension rod and an overtravel assembly positioned in the single housing controls whether the clutch assembly will allow or prevent rotation of the threaded rod. A control rod and actuating tube transmit the controlling forces to the overtravel assembly so that the tension rod will be retained in a new length when the slack adjuster needs to take up slack in the braking system.
Claims14
A slack adjuster, comprising:
- a single housing extending from a first end to a second end;
- a tension rod positioned within and extending a length from the first end of the housing that is moveable relative to the housing to change the length that extends from the housing;
- a clutch assembly having a clutch positioned in the housing and engaged with the tension rod to control movement of the tension rod relative to the housing;
- a control rod interconnected to the second end of the housing and moveable relative to the housing;
- an overtravel assembly positioned in the housing and operatively connected to the clutch assembly and the control rod to set the length of the tension rod that extends from the first end of the housing;
- and
- a rod guide having a first end enclosing the clutch and a second end enclosing the tension rod, wherein the rod guide is fixedly attached to an intermediate portion of the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.