Positive locking connector
First Claim
1. A connector for holding a female coupling half and a male coupling half together comprising:
- threaded means on the male and female coupling halves for moving the male coupling half axially into the female coupling half upon rotation of the coupling halves relative to each other;
locking means in the female coupling half for engaging the male coupling half in the female coupling half to prevent rotation of the male and female coupling halves relative to each other; and
blocking means adjacent the locking means, movable between (a) a blocking position for blocking the locking means from engaging the male coupling half and (b) an unblocking position releasing the locking means to engage the male coupling half, a portion of the blocking means being positioned to be contacted by the male coupling half moving axially into the female coupling half, the male coupling half moving the blocking means to the unblocking position when the male and female coupling halves are threaded together.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A connector for connecting together two ends of a fluid-carrying line comprises two coupling halves. The female half includes a cylindrical female housing. A support sleeve is concentric with and mounted around part of the female housing, and the forward end is threaded to receive the male half. An actuator sleeve is around the support sleeve. A movable locking member in the form of balls are seated in opening through the support sleeve against the actuator sleeve. A trigger ring inside the support sleeve slides between a blocking position under the balls and an unblocking position releasing the balls. One surface of the actuator sleeve urges the balls against the trigger ring. The threaded forward end of the male half engages the threads of the female half. A nose section on the male half, which extends forward of the threads, engages a trigger actuator ring in the female half. The trigger actuator moves the trigger ring to the unblocking position permitting the balls to move inward to engage groves around the outside of the nose member. Movement of the trigger actuator allows fluid flow when the male member moves. When the two halves are apart the balls seat in pockets on the actuator sleeve so that the actuator and support rotate together. When the balls move inward against the nose, the actuator slides to release the balls from the pockets, which allows the actuator to rotate relative to the support.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A connector for holding a female coupling half and a male coupling half together comprising:
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threaded means on the male and female coupling halves for moving the male coupling half axially into the female coupling half upon rotation of the coupling halves relative to each other; locking means in the female coupling half for engaging the male coupling half in the female coupling half to prevent rotation of the male and female coupling halves relative to each other; and blocking means adjacent the locking means, movable between (a) a blocking position for blocking the locking means from engaging the male coupling half and (b) an unblocking position releasing the locking means to engage the male coupling half, a portion of the blocking means being positioned to be contacted by the male coupling half moving axially into the female coupling half, the male coupling half moving the blocking means to the unblocking position when the male and female coupling halves are threaded together. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
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17. A connector for connecting together two ends of a fluid-carrying line, the connector comprising a male coupling half and a female coupling half for connecting together and for disconnecting from each other, the female coupling half comprising:
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a generally cylindrical female housing having a central opening through which fluid can flow, a support sleeve concentric with and mounted around at least a portion of the female housing, the support sleeve having a threaded opening at a forward end, an actuator sleeve concentric with and mounted around at least part of the support sleeve, the support sleeve having at least one opening through it, a moveable locking member in the opening in contact with the actuator sleeve, a trigger ring generally concentric with and mounted inside of the support sleeve and slidable between a blocking position and an unblocking position, the trigger ring in the blocking position being positioned under the locking member, the actuator sleeve having a first surface positioned against the locking member, biasing means for urging the first surface against the locking member to urge the locking member against the trigger ring, a trigger actuator ring, concentric with and positioned inside of the female housing and engaging the trigger ring for sliding the trigger ring to the unblocking position and for being moved by the trigger means when the trigger means returns to its blocking position; the male coupling half comprising a male housing having a threaded forward end with a nose section extending forward of the threads, the threaded forward end engaging the threads of the support sleeve of the female coupling half, the nose section engaging the trigger actuator ring when the male half is threaded into the female half to move the trigger actuator ring which moves the trigger ring to the unblocking position permitting the locking members to move radially inward to engage the nose section.
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18. A connector for holding a female coupling half and a male coupling half together comprising:
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threaded means on the male and female coupling halves for moving the male coupling half axially into the female coupling half upon rotation of the coupling halves relative to each other; locking means in the female coupling half for engaging the male coupling half in the female coupling half to prevent rotation of the male and female coupling halves relative to each other; and blocking means adjacent the locking means, movable between (a) a blocking position for blocking the locking means from engaging the male coupling half and (b) an unblocking position releasing the locking means to engage the male coupling half, a portion of the blocking means being positioned to be contacted by the male coupling half moving axially into the female coupling half, means on the male coupling half moving the blocking means to the unblocking position when the male and female coupling halves are threaded together.
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22. A connector for holding a female coupling half and a male coupling half together comprising:
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threaded means on the male and female coupling halves for moving the male coupling half axially into the female coupling half upon rotation of the coupling halves relative to each other; an actuator sleeve on the outside of the female coupling half; and indexing means between the actuator ring and the female coupling half for locking the actuator sleeve to the rest of the female coupling half when the female coupling half and the male coupling half are not fully threaded together and for allowing the actuator sleeve to freewheel with respect to the rest of the female coupling half when the female coupling half and the male coupling half are fully threaded together.
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Specification