Automatic brake clearance adjuster

This invention relates generally to a brake clearance adjuster for a vehicle such as a work machine, off-highway truck, or the like, and more particularly, to a brake clearance adjuster for automatically maintaining a predetermined maximum brake clearance regardless of the wear condition of the brake. The present automatic clearance adjuster mechanism maintains a predetermined maximum brake clearance regardless of the wear condition of the brake. The brake includes a longitudinally extending rod mounted to the brake housing external to the piston element. The present automatic clearance adjuster mechanism includes a sleeve element disposed about the rod, and a biasing element disposed for releasably holding the sleeve element against the rod for preventing movement thereof along the rod to limit the retraction of the piston element to a predetermined distance relative to the sleeve element. The present mechanism also includes a release element disposed to release the biasing element when the piston element is moved in a first or extend direction to allow the sleeve element to be moved by the piston element to an advanced position along the rod and allow the biasing element to hold the sleeve element against the rod in the advanced position when the movement in the extend direction is stopped or the piston element is moved in the opposite direction, the sleeve element when held against the rod in the advanced position limiting the retraction of the piston element to a predetermined distance relative to the advanced position.