← Back to Patent Explorer
US4275907A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Quick connectable coupling

Assignee: HUNTAL Manufacturing CO Inc
•
Filing: 1978-05-16
•
Granted: 1981-06-30
•
Expires: 1998-05-16
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A quick connectable manually separable fluid conduit coupling includes a tubular male member having a tapered forward portion including a sealable bearing surface, and a radially inwardly directed shoulder adjacent the rearward part of the forward portion and adjoining a recessed circumference. A female sleeve includes plural stiff, yet resilient, substantially parallel, circumferentially disposed fingers. Radially inwardly extending lips on the fingers have latching surfaces for automatically snapping behind and grasping the shoulder of the male member upon assembly, and further have wedge surfaces radially outwardly movable by axial motion of the tapered forward portion of the male member into the female sleeve during assembly.

Inventors

  • 👤 Alexander C. Hunt

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-22 16:32
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L37/00; F16L37/08; F16L37/12; F16L37/133

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 250 words
A coupling device for fluid conduits comprising a tubular male member and a female sleeve member adapted for connection to conduits, said male member having tapered means on its outer surface radially expanding along a generally longitudinal axis thereof, and shoulder means adjacent the rearward portion of said outer surface and extending radially inwardly therefrom, said members having means for positioning the same with the bores thereof in communication, resilient latching means on said female sleeve member adapted to be flexed radially outwardly by said tapered means and comprising radially inwardly directed lip means which snap behind said shoulder means when said members are positioned, at least one of said shoulder means and lip means making an obtuse angle with the longitudinal axis of its associated member such that axially directed pulling force will flex said resilient means of said female sleeve member outwardly to disengage said lip and shoulder means, locking ring means positioned around the outer surface of said female sleeve member and movable axially thereof by manual force into and out of a position maintaining said latching means in locking relationship to said shoulder means, and cooperating cam means on said male member and said female sleeve member whereby opposite rotation of said members relative to each other causes said cam means to axially displace said members and comprising cooperating slanted ramps formed on the inner end of said male member and on a contiguous portion of the inner surface of the bore of said female member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 250 words
A coupling device for fluid conduits comprising a tubular male member and a female sleeve member adapted for connection to conduits, said male member having tapered means on its outer surface radially expanding along a generally longitudinal axis thereof, and shoulder means adjacent the rearward portion of said outer surface and extending radially inwardly therefrom, said members having means for positioning the same with the bores thereof in communication, resilient latching means on said female sleeve member adapted to be flexed radially outwardly by said tapered means and comprising radially inwardly directed lip means which snap behind said shoulder means when said members are positioned, at least one of said shoulder means and lip means making an obtuse angle with the longitudinal axis of its associated member such that axially directed pulling force will flex said resilient means of said female sleeve member outwardly to disengage said lip and shoulder means, locking ring means positioned around the outer surface of said female sleeve member and movable axially thereof by manual force into and out of a position maintaining said latching means in locking relationship to said shoulder means, and cooperating cam means on said male member and said female sleeve member whereby opposite rotation of said members relative to each other causes said cam means to axially displace said members and comprising cooperating slanted ramps formed on the inner end of said male member and on a contiguous portion of the inner surface of the bore of said female member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers extending generally axially.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 57 words
The device of claim 2 wherein a circumferential sealing surface is provided on the bore wall of said female member, and a cooperating circumferential sealing surface is provided on the outer wall of said male member, said sealing surfaces being adapted to contact each other when said members are assembled and provide a fluid tight seal therebetween.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
The device of claim 3 wherein at least one of said sealing surfaces has a taper relative to the axis for generating magnified sealing pressure as said members are axially assembled.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
The device of claim 4 wherein at least one of said sealing surfaces is an O-ring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 65 words
The device of claim 2, in which the fingers have inner guide surfaces defining an inner diameter of the female sleeve, the forward portion of the male member defining a length extending to the shoulder, the length being greater than the female sleeve inner diameter to limit bending of the male member between the fingers and guide the male member axially towards the female sleeve.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 51 words
The device of claim 1 wherein a leading circumferential portion on said tubular male member is essentially non-tapered, an annular seal is carried in a circumferential groove in said leading portion of said male member and is adapted to sealingly engage a leading inner peripheral portion of said female sleeve member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 18 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said inner peripheral portion of said female sleeve member is longitudinally tapered.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 70 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of said ring and the outer surface of said female sleeve member contiguous therewith are provided with a bayonet type slot and key, each extending generally axially of said ring and sleeve member with the locking portion thereof extending generally transversely of said axis such that said ring may be rotated on said sleeve member to lock it against axial movement.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 47 words
The device of claim 9 wherein the forward portion of said resilient latching means is provided with a radially outwardly extending lip, and said slot is provided with an angled surface for contacting said key such that said rotation will urge said ring axially toward said lip.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1873304A Cited
US2129704A Cited
US2109344A Cited
US2434167A Cited
US2411057A Cited
DE832228C Cited
US2727759A Cited
US3234965A Cited
US3601361A Cited
US3567175A Cited
US3569903A Cited
US4026581A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-06-29 1984-12-29 1985-06-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-06-29 1988-12-29 1989-06-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-06-29 1992-12-29 1993-06-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag