Patent ID: 8672101

Claim:
An automatic slack adjuster for a vehicle brake, comprising: a housing configured to be coupled to a brake actuator for applying a brake actuating force to the vehicle brake; a worm gear set carried by the housing, the worm gear set including a worm gear and a worm shaft, wherein the worm gear is arranged to engage a brake cam shaft of the vehicle brake, and the worm shaft is arranged to transfer the brake actuating force from the housing to the worm gear; a one-way clutch assembly having an input part and an output part, the output part being coupled to the worm shaft such that when the input part and the output part are engaged, the worm shaft is capable of rotating in one direction relative to the input part and cannot rotate in an opposite direction relative to the input part; and an adaptor part carried by the housing and having an externally-accessible operating feature, wherein when the adaptor part is operated in a brake release direction, the output part is disengaged from the input part, wherein when the adaptor part is operated in the brake release direction, the adaptor part rotates and axially displaces the worm shaft a distance sufficient to disengage the output part from the input part by removing at least a portion of a load pressing the output part and the input part toward one another and maintain the input part and the output part disengaged from one another during operation of the adaptor part in the brake release direction.