COUPLINGS

• US 3,781,039 A
• Filed: 08/02/1971
• Issued: 12/25/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ernest Arthur Watson, Thomas Philip Edwards, Walter Frederick Locke
• Original Assignee: Ernest Arthur Watson, Thomas Philip Edwards, Walter Frederick Locke
• Inventors: Locke, Walter Frederick, Watson, Ernest Arthur, Edwards, Thomas Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Application Number:
  US05/168,206
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 251/149.6,149.8,149.1 285/1,314,316,277 137/614.02,614.03,614.04,614.05,614.06 339/91B
• US Class Current: 285/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/23 by means of balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/32 at least one of two lift valves being opened automatically when the coupling is applied
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6276 comprising one or more balls engaging in a hole or a groove
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87925 Separable flow path section, valve or closure in each

Abstract

A coupling which will automatically disconnect when subjected to an axial load of more than a predetermined amount. The coupling may be connected or disconnected manually by either a turning or a sliding movement of an external sleeve, this manual operation being separate from the automatic disconnection.

Claims

1. A coupling for joining two units, the coupling including a first part and a second part attached respectively to the units to be joined, each part having a bore arranged to provide a path from one unit to the other unit, the first part and the second part being retained in coupled relationship by detents held captive within the second part and urged, in the coupled position, radially inwards into at least one recess on the external surface of the first part by a sleeve carried by and capable of movement on the second part, wherein the sleeve is arranged for movement on the second part against a first, compression, spring for automatic uncoupling on axial overload and against a second, torsion, spring for manual uncoupling.

2. A coupling as claimed in claim 1 wherein a first mode of movement is axial against said first, compression, spring, and a second mode of movement is rotational against said second, torsion, spring.