HAND TIGHTENED HYDRAULIC FITTING

• US 20130161941A1
• Filed: 11/13/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gates Corporation (Gates Industrial Corp. Plc)
• Original Assignee: Gates Corporation (Gates Industrial Corp. Plc)
• Inventors: Gilbreath, Donald R., Leasure, Randall Mark, Zulauf, Keith E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,803,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/80
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/00 Locking of screws, bolts or nuts F16B35/005 takes precedence; locking of bottle closures B65D; locking of rail-fastening bolts for permanent ways E01B9/12; locking of fastening means for railway fishplates E01B11/38; locking devices for valves or cocks F16K
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/02 in which the locking takes place after screwing down F16B39/01 takes precedence; split-pins, circlips, or the like for preventing relative axial movement only F16B21/10; fastening nuts by welding or riveting F16B37/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/101 with a plate, spring, wire or ring holding two or more nuts or bolt heads which are mainly in the same plane
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 19/005 comprising locking means for the threaded member locking of screws or nuts per se F16B39/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 19/02 Pipe ends provided with collars or flanges, integral with the pipe or not, pressed together by a screwed member
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/08 with additional locking means F16L17/035, F16L17/04, F16L21/04, F16L21/06 take precedence; screwed joints F16L19/08; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2201/10 Indicators for correct coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/00 Flanged joints F16L13/00, F16L17/00, F16L19/00 take precedence; adjustable joints F16L27/00; for hoses F16L33/00; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00; for double-walled or multi-channel pipes or assemblies F16L39/00; connecting arrangements or other fittings specially adapted to be made of plastics or to be used with pipes made of plastics F16L47/00; specially adapted for pipes of brittle material pipe F16L49/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49815 Disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49948 Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5367 Coupling to conduit

Abstract

This disclosure relates generally to hose couplings useful for mining applications, more particularly to a fluid coupling capable of generally fully tightened by hand, including a visual lock for visual indication and safety when in a hand-tightened position. The coupling generally includes a male portion, a female portion, a retaining member and a locking member. The male portion passes through the retaining member, and the retaining member threadingly engages the female member. The locking member prevents unthreading of the retaining member from the female member.

Claims

1. A coupling system comprising:

a male portion;

a female portion;

a hand-tightenable threaded retaining member which draws said male portion and said female portion into sealing engagement when threadingly engaged; and

a locking member which locks said hand-tightened retaining member to prevent it from unthreading.

2. The coupling system of claim 1 wherein said retaining member comprises internal threads and said female portion comprises corresponding external threads which so threadingly engage.

3. The coupling system of claim 2 wherein said retaining member comprises an abutment portion that abuts a boss of said male portion and thereby draws said male portion into sealing engagement with said female portion.

4. The coupling system of claim 3 male wherein said male portion comprises an insert portion configured to generally matingly couple to a receptacle portion of a female portion of said coupling system.

5. The coupling system of claim 4 further comprising a seal between said insert portion and said receptacle portion.

6. The coupling system of claim 1 wherein said retaining member comprises internal threads and said male member comprises corresponding external threads which so threadingly engage.

7. The coupling system of claim 6 wherein said retaining member comprises an abutment portion that abuts a boss of said female portion and thereby draws said female portion into said sealing engagement with said male portion.

8. A coupling system, comprising:

a male portion comprising an insert portion configured to generally matingly couple to a receptacle portion of a female portion of said coupling system, wherein said male portion is capable of extending through a retaining member of said coupling system;

said retaining member comprising threads that threadingly couple to corresponding threads of said female portion, and an abutment portion that abuts a boss of said male portion and thereby pulls said male portion into said female portion when said threads and said corresponding threads are threadingly coupled; and

a locking member comprising an extension, said extension capable of generally extending though one or more retainer orifices of said retaining member, and further capable of coupling with a locking groove of said female portion to inhibit unthreading of said threads and said corresponding threads.

9. The coupling system of claim 8, wherein said retaining member further comprises knurling capable of enhancing the ability to turn said retaining member by hand when threadingly coupling or uncoupling said retaining member and said female portion.

10. The coupling system of claim 8, wherein said male portion further comprises a hose receiving portion capable of coupling to a hose, tube, pipe, and/or a manifold.

11. The coupling system of claim 8, wherein said female portion further comprises a connection portion capable of connecting said female portion to a hose, tube, pipe, and/or a manifold.

12. The coupling system of claim 8, wherein said female portion further comprises a wrenching section configured to enhance torqueing said female portion.

13. The coupling system of claim 8 wherein said female portion further comprises a seal groove capable of generally retaining a seal.

14. The coupling system of claim 13, wherein said seal comprises an O-ring.

15. The coupling system of claim 8 wherein said male portion further comprises a seal groove capable of generally retaining a seal.

16. The coupling system of claim 8, wherein said locking member further comprises an indication portion capable of indicating said coupling system is generally engaged in a hand-tightened position.

17. The coupling system of claim 8 wherein said locking member comprises a cable.

18. A method of coupling one or more hoses, comprising:

providing a coupling system comprising a male portion, a female portion, a retaining member and a locking member;

said male portion comprising an insert portion configured to generally matingly couple to a receptacle portion of a female portion of a coupling system, extending said male portion through said retaining member so that an abutment portion of said retaining member abuts a boss of said male portion;

threadingly coupling internal threads on said retaining member to corresponding external threads on said female portion, whereby said retaining member draws said male portion into sealing engagement with said female portion; and

engaging said locking member by inserting an extension of said locking member through a retainer orifice of said retaining member into a locking groove of said female portion thereby inhibiting unthreading of said threads and said corresponding threads.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising creating a seal between said male and female portions at least in part via a seal groove in said receptacle portion.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said creating a seal further comprises a seal generally configured to be retained in said seal groove.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising tightening fully by hand via knurling when threadingly coupling said retaining member and said female portion.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising coupling said male portion to a hose, pipe and/or a manifold via a hose receiving portion of said male portion.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising coupling said female portion to a hose, pipe and/or a manifold via a connection portion of said female portion.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising torqueing said female portion via a wrenching section.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising indicating said coupling system is generally engaged at least in part using an indication portion of said locking member.