Anti-leak quick action coupler

• US 5,967,491 A
• Filed: 10/01/1998
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Parker Intangibles LLC (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
• Inventors: Brady, Kenneth T., Magnuson, Ruel D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US09/164,877
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 251/149.6, 251/149.1, 251/149.9, 137/614.05, 137/614.03
• US Class Current: 251/149.6
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/23 by means of balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/46 with a gate valve or sliding valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87965 Valve- or closure-operated by coupling motion

Abstract

A push-to-connect coupler has a cylindrical coupler body with first and second radial flow passages separated by an internal partition, an inner valve assembly, and an outer sleeve assembly. The inner valve assembly includes a valve sleeve which cooperates with a cylindrical extension extending axially downstream from the partition to prevent leakage from the coupler body. When the nipple is inserted into the coupler socket, the nipple moves the valve sleeve axially upstream away from the distal end of the extension to allow fluid to flow between the extension and the valve sleeve to the nipple. The outer sleeve assembly includes a locking sleeve and a cylindrical slide valve surrounding the coupler body. The locking sleeve is spring-biased to urge locking balls into a groove on the nipple and retain the nipple in the coupler socket. The slide valve is slidable to selectively allow fluid to bypass a partition in the coupler body and flow to the nipple. The locking sleeve automatically engages the slide valve at disconnect to prevent accidental disconnect without shutting off flow through the coupler.

Claims

1. A coupler for receiving a nipple, said coupler comprising a cylindrical body with a first end for receiving a conduit and a second end for receiving a nipple, a partition fluidly separating the first end from the second end and defining first and second cavities, a first radial passage through the body at a first axial location into the first cavity and a second radial passage through the body at a second axial location into the second cavity, a series of locking balls disposed in circumferentially-arranged radial holes in the body toward the second end for engaging and retaining the nipple,

a locking sleeve surrounding said coupler body, said locking sleeve including a channel extending circumferentially around an inside surface of said sleeve for receiving the locking balls, said sleeve being axially moveable between a first position where said locking balls are allowed to move radially outward into the channel, and a second position where said locking balls are urged radially inward by said sleeve and can engage the nipple,

a spring disposed between a shoulder projecting radially outwardly from the coupler body and a shoulder projecting radially inwardly from the sleeve for normally biasing said sleeve into the first position and for allowing the sleeve to be manually manipulated into said second position,

a cylindrical slide valve also surrounding said cylindrical body of said coupler, said slide valve including a channel extending circumferentially around an inside surface of the valve, the valve being axially moveable between a first position where said channel is radially aligned with only the first radial passage and not the second passage to prevent fluid flow through the coupler, and a second position where said channel is radially aligned with both the first and second radial passages to allow fluid flow through the coupler, said slide valve, when in said second position, being engaged by the sleeve when the sleeve is manually manipulated from the second position to the first position to also move said slide valve into the first position.

2. The coupler as in claim 1, wherein said sleeve includes an outwardly-stepped portion at a first end of the sleeve, and said slide valve includes a narrow portion received within said outwardly-stepped portion of said sleeve and a shoulder formed on the outside surface of the slide valve at a first end of the slide valve, said sleeve engaging said outside shoulder of said slide valve to move said slide valve into the first position when said sleeve is manually manipulated from said second position to said first position.

3. The coupler as in claim 1, wherein the slide valve can also be disposed in any intermediate position between the first position and the second position to meter fluid through the coupler.

4. A coupler for receiving a nipple, said coupler comprising a cylindrical body with a first end for receiving a conduit and a second end for receiving a nipple, a partition fluidly separating the first end from the second end and defining first and second cavities, a first radial passage through the body at a first axial location into the first cavity and a second radial passage through the body at a second axial location into the second cavity, a series of locking balls disposed in circumferentially-arranged radial holes in the body toward the second end for engaging and retaining the nipple,

a cylindrical slide valve also surrounding said cylindrical body of said coupler, said slide valve including a channel extending circumferentially around an inside surface of said valve, said valve being axially moveable between a first position where said channel is radially aligned with only the first radial passage and not the second radial passage to prevent fluid flow through the coupler, and a second position where said channel is radially aligned with both said first and second radial passages to allow fluid flow through the coupler,

a valve sleeve received in said cylindrical body of said coupler and moveable between a first position into engagement with said locking balls for forcing said locking balls radially outward into the groove in the locking sleeve and a second position out of engagement with said locking balls for allowing said locking balls to move radially inward into engagement with the nipple, said valve sleeve having a forward end engageable by the nipple to move the valve sleeve from the first position to the second position,

a cylindrical extension extending axially from said partition toward said second end, said extension and said valve sleeve being in engaging sealing relation when said valve sleeve is in said first position and preventing fluid flow out of the coupler, and being in axially spaced relation when said valve sleeve is in said second position to allow fluid flow out of the coupler.

5. The coupler as in claim 4, wherein said extension includes a resilient seal bounding a distal end, said seal being in engaging relation with said valve sleeve when said valve sleeve is in said first position.

6. The coupler as in claim 4, wherein said valve sleeve includes an annular recess formed in the forward end for receiving the nipple.

7. The coupler as in claim 4, further including a spring normally biasing said valve sleeve into said first position, said sleeve extending between a shoulder formed on the inside surface of the cylindrical body of the coupler and a shoulder formed on the outside surface of the valve sleeve.