Sexless coupling for fire hydrant-fire hose connection

• US 7,128,091 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Custodian Patent, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hydra-Shield Mfg. Inc.
• Inventors: Istre, Roy Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US10/669,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20050067022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 137/299, 137/512.1, 137/515.5, 285/73, 285/148.19, 285/336, 285/376
• US Class Current: 137/515.5
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/252 the male part having lugs on its periphery penetrating in the corresponding slots provided in the female part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7839 Dividing and recombining in a single flow path
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7856 Valve seat formed on or carried by a coupling element

Abstract

A sexless coupling for coupling a fire hose to the externally threaded neck of a fire hydrant. The coupling comprises an internally threaded collar portion for threading onto the neck of the fire hydrant, the internally threaded collar portion having a flapper valve and an externally threaded portion. The coupling further comprises an external ring having an internal thread for threading the external ring onto the externally threaded portion of the collar. The external ring carries hooked lugs for forming a male connection and arcuate grooves for forming a female connection with a complementary coupling of a fire hose. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a flat neoprene rubber seal is disposed between facing surfaces on the internally threaded collar and external ring. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, an annular ring of sealing material is disposed in a groove in the external ring and seals against the collar portion adjacent to the threads when the collar and external ring are assembled.

Claims

1. A sexless coupling member for connecting a fire hose to a fire hydrant or another pressurized source of water on a pumper truck, comprising:

an internally threaded collar portion disposed about an axis and having an internally threaded section and an externally threaded section, the internally threaded section being adapted to receive an externally threaded neck of a fire hydrant outlet or a pumper truck outlet;

a flapper valve support portion at the end of the internally threaded collar portion, the valve support portion having a radially extending annular surface facing the first end of the internally threaded collar portion and having an opening therethrough;

a gasket seated against the radially extending annular surface and adapted to seal with the externally threaded neck of the fire hydrant outlet or pumper truck outlet;

a flapper valve supported on a pintle extending across the opening through the radially extending annular surface;

the flapper valve support portion having an internal ring portion with an external thread unitary with the internally threaded collar portion and aligned with the opening through the radially extending annular surface, the internal ring port having a first radial shoulder extending radially outward from the external thread, and the internal ring portion having a pair of opposed pintle holes therein for receiving the pintle which supports the flapper valve, the pintle holes intersecting the external thread and being closed by unthreaded plugs adjacent to the external thread to prevent water passing around the pintle from passing through the pintle holes to locations beyond the external thread;

an external ring having a lower portion with an internal thread for threading with the external thread of the internal ring portion to hold the external ring in integral relation with the internal ring portion, the external ring having a second radial shoulder extending radially outward from the internal thread, and the externally threaded ring portion having at least one blind bore extending for receiving a locking pin when aligned with the at least one blind bore in the internal ring portion to prevent rotation of the external ring with respect to the internal ring portion after threading the external ring onto the internal ring portion, the at least one blind bore having a bottom with an insert of sealing material therein, which insert prevents pressurized water within the coupling from escaping therefrom through the external ring;

the internal thread of the external ring overlying the unthreaded plugs fri the pintle holes to positively retain the unthreaded plugs in place; and

hooked lugs extending axially from the external ring and arcuate grooves disposed between the internal ring portion and external rings, the hooked lugs and arcuate grooves being adapted to cooperate with a complementary sexless coupling on a hose.

2. The sexless coupling of claim 1 wherein an annular seal, adiacent to the external thread on the internal ring portion and the internal thread on the external ring portion, extends radially outwardly of the external and internal threads and being compressed between for sealing between the threads of the internal ring portion and the threads of the external ring only at the iuncture of the threads.

3. The sexless coupling of claim 1 wherein a radially extending seal adjacent to the external thread on the internal ring portion, is engaged by the external ring adjacent to the internal thread thereon for sealing between the internal ring portion and external ring.

4. The sexless coupling of claim 1 wherein the annular seal is made of neoprene rubber.

5. The sexless coupling of claim 4 wherein the coupling further comprises a stiffener extending across the opening upstream of and aligned with the pintle.

6. The sexless coupling of claim 5 wherein the coupling further includes a second blind bore in the internal ring and a second through bore in the external ring aligned with the second blind bore in the internal ring for receiving a second locking pin.

7. The sexless coupling of claim 6 wherein the blind and through bores are in alignment with the locations of the projecting hooks extending from the external ring.

8. The sexless coupling of claim 7 wherein the coupling is made of steel or aluminum.

9. The sexless coupling of claim 8 wherein the insert of sealing material in the blind bore and the unthreaded plugs in the pintle holes are made of aluminum epoxy.

10. The sexless coupling of claim 1 wherein the insert of sealing material in the blind bore and the unthreaded plugs in the pintle holes are made of aluminum epoxy.