Quick connect tube coupling joint

Claim 2

A tube coupling joint comprising a body having an opening therethrough and a forwardly facing shoulder spaced from an outer end of said opening and extending radially therefrom, a tube having an external abutment thereon, a resilient packing between the abutment and body and axially compressed into direct engagement therewith, a collet on the tube having a front End engaging the abutment and having spring fingers, a lug on each finger extending radially outwardly therefrom and engaging the shoulder to retain the tube and collet in the body, means making the fingers accessible from the exterior of the body whereby the fingers may be deflected radially inwardly for releasing the lugs from the shoulder so that the tube and collet may be withdrawn from the body, at least one of said fingers having a radial lug axially spaced from said shoulder in a first axial position of said collet when other lugs are in engagement with said shoulder and which is engageable with said shoulder in a second axial position of said collet when said other lugs are disengaged therefrom and the collet is partially withdrawn from said body.

Claim 3

The joint of claim 1 in which said means comprises radial openings in said body.

Claim 4

The coupling of claim 1 in which said one finger is completely within said body when said other lugs are engaged with said shoulder and said one finger projects from said body when said axially spaced lug is engaged with said shoulder whereby said one finger is exteriorly accessible for deflection radially inwardly only when the collet is partially withdrawn from the body as aforesaid.

Claim 5

The coupling of claim 1 in which said body has a first counterbore to receive said packing and a second and larger counterbore to receive said abutment, said packing being within said first counterbore and in sealing engagement therewith when said other lugs are in engagement with said shoulder, and said packing is in said second counterbore and out of engagement therewith when said axially spaced lug is in engagement with said shoulder, and a portion of said collet has a close sliding fit in said second counterbore in both said axial positions of said collet.

Claim 6

The coupling of claim 1 in which said collet has a cylindrical portion at its inner end engageable with said abutment and a continuous cylindrical portion at its outer end, and said fingers extend between said ends.

Claim 7

The coupling of claim 2 in which said radial openings comprise slots through said body axially inwardly of said shoulder.

Claim 8

A tube coupling joint comprising a body having in succession a bore, a first counterbore larger in diameter than the bore and a second counterbore larger in diameter than the first counterbore and a forwardly facing radial shoulder, a tube having an external bead spaced from an end of the tube to provide the tube with a front tubular portion that extends into said bore, said bead being located in said second counterbore, a packing ring of resilient material on said front tubular portion in said first counterbore and in sealing engagement with said front tubular portion and said first counterbore, a collet on the tube entirely behind said bead and having a continuous circular portion engageable therewith, said collet including axially extending spring fingers connected to said circular portion and each having a rearwardly facing radial surface thereon engageable with said shoulder to retain the tube and collet within the body, said circular portion being within said second counterbore, said fingers in the vicinity of said radial surfaces being radially spaced from the surface of said tube whereby the fingers at said radial surfaces may be deflected radially inwardly until said radial surfaces disengage from said shoulder, means accessible to the exterior of the body whereby the fingers may be so radially deflected, said body having a circular recess of larger diameter than said second counterbore and said shoulder is an end wall of said recess, said bead having a diameter greater than the diameter of the first counterbore and which is a slide fit within the second counterbore, said collet having at least one other finger that is shorter than the first mentioned fingers and that has a rearwardly facing radial surface thereon that is axially inwardly spaced from said shoulder whereby when said first mentioned radial surfaces engage said shoulder said spaced radial surface is inwardly spaced from said shoulder and said other finger is substantially inaccessible from the exterior of the body whereby upon release of said first mentioned radial surfaces from said shoulder the tube and collet may be partially withdrawn from the body until said spaced radial surface engages said shoulder to thereby expose said other finger and to withdraw said packing ring from sealing contact with said first counterbore.

Claim 9

A tube coupling joint comprising a body having in succession a bore, a first counterbore larger in diameter than the bore and a second counterbore larger in diameter than the first counterbore and a forwardly facing radial shoulder, a tube having an external bead spaced from an end of the tube to provide the tube with a front tubular portion that extends into said bore, said bead being located in said second counterbore, a packing ring of resilient material on said front tubular portion in said first counterbore and in sealing engagement with said front tubular portion and said first counterbore, a collet on the tube entirely behind said bead and having a continuous circular portion engageable therewith, said collet including axially extending spring fingers connected to said circular portion and each having a rearwardly facing radial surface thereon engageable with said shoulder to retain the tube and collet within the body, said circular portion being within said second counterbore, said fingers in the vicinity of said radial surfaces being radially spaced from the surface of said tube whereby the fingers at said radial surfaces may be deflected radially inwardly until said radial surfaces disengage from said shoulder, means accessible to the exterior of the body whereby the fingers may be so radially deflected, said body having a circular recess of larger diameter than said second counterbore and said shoulder is an end wall of said recess, said bead having a diameter greater than the diameter of the first counterbore and which is a slide fit within the second counterbore, said collet having at least one other finger that is shorter than the first mentioned fingers and that has a rearwardly facing radial surface thereon that is axially inwardly spaced from said shoulder whereby when said first mentioned radial surfaces engage said shoulder said spaced radial surface is inwardly spaced from said shoulder and said other finger is substantially inaccessible from the exterior of the body whereby upon release of said first mentioned radial surfaces from said shoulder the tube and collet may be partially withdrawn from the body until said spaced radial surface engages said shoulder to thereby expose said other finger and to withdraw said packing ring from sealing contact with said first counterbore.