Patent ID: 8302744

Claim:
An automatic slack adjuster, comprising: a housing, the housing having an aperture for receiving a brake camshaft, a worm wheel co-axially located within the housing aperture and configured to co-axially engage the brake camshaft in a manner which precludes rotation of the worm wheel relative to the brake camshaft, and an adjuster drive arranged to rotate the worm wheel relative to the housing; a brake actuator arm, the brake actuator arm being arranged to receive a brake actuator pushrod such that motion of the brake actuator pushrod causes the housing to rotate about a rotation axis of the worm wheel; and a one-way clutch assembly, the one-way clutch assembly having a reference arm arranged to be affixed to a vehicle axle and, containing an aperture for receiving the brake camshaft, a support bracket affixed to the reference arm in a non-rotating manner, a side plate and a gear wheel co-axially captured between the reference arm and the support bracket such, that the side plate and the gear wheel are rotatable about a common axis, and at least one one-way pawl, the at least one one-way pawl located in the support bracket and biased in a radially-outward direction against one-way teeth formed on an inner radius of the gear wheel, such that the at least one pawl permits rotation of the gear wheel in a first rotation direction and inhibits gear wheel rotation in a second rotation direction, wherein the one-way clutch assembly side plate is affixed to the housing such that the reference arm aperture is co-axial with the housing aperture, and gear teeth on an outer circumference of the one-way clutch gear wheel engage an adjustment screw which transfers gear wheel motion to the adjuster drive.