Pipe joints or couplings – With assembly means or feature – Particular tool-engaging means or with tool
Patent
1996-09-11
1999-08-10
Nicholson, Eric K.
Pipe joints or couplings
With assembly means or feature
Particular tool-engaging means or with tool
285315, 285340, F16L 3700
Patent
active
059347090
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates generally to fluid couplings and in particular to couplings which incorporate quick connection and release mechanisms between male and female coupling members interconnecting fluid flow lines.
A number of fluid couplings of the above type have been developed. Applicant's Australian Patent No. 646972 describes several prior art fluid couplings and an improvement over these. That disclosure particularly relates to quick connection and release fluid couplings and an improvement over these. That disclosure particularly relates to quick connection and release fluid couplings in which a male coupling member is releasably connected to a female coupling member upon insertion of the male member into the female member. A locking mechanism acts to relatively lock the male and female members and generally includes locking elements such as balls suitable to engage in aligned grooves or recesses in the male and female members. Locking release means are also provided to release the locking elements from the respective grooves or recesses and thus allow disconnection of the male member from the female member.
One feature of these previous fluid couplings is that the locking release means are relatively easy and quick to operate and ideally require only a single unassisted movement action to effect disconnection release. While in many domestic and industrial applications, this is particularly desirable, it has been found that these types of fluid couplings may, on occasions, be subject to accidental release by virtue of the release mechanisms employed. While accidental release may occur relatively infrequently and thus be tolerable for the majority of uses, in situations where accidental release cannot be tolerated, ie. in situations where safety may be jeopardized, in high pressure or high flow fluid hoses, or with volatile or expensive fluids, a more reliable release mechanism is preferred, in order that the fluid coupling is deliberately or positively released only when required.
One such pipe coupling is disclosed in Australian Patent No. 579370. In that coupling a cylindrical male member is provided with a groove extending completely about the circumference of its outer surface, and a cylindrical female member is provided with a pair of oppositely located chordal apertures. The apertures and groove are relatively so located so that, when the male and female members are conjoined, a pin driven into each aperture engages tangentially in a portion of the groove in the male member, thus locking the two members together. The pins are of a slightly larger diameter than that of the apertures to ensure an interference fit so that the pins remain fixed in place.
While a fluid coupling conforming to the above parameters serves to ensure that accidental release of the coupling is prevented, the connection arrangement suffers several disadvantages. In particular, the apertures and groove can be difficult to align whilst the pins can be awkward to insert, especially in dirty couplings or blocked apertures. Being separate from the coupling members, the pins can be readily lost or misplaced. Separate tools are required for both the insertion and removal of the pins, and often considerable mechanical force is required to remove the pins and thus effect desired release of the male member from the female member. In addition, unless the pins are fully driven into the apertures they can tend to snag on objects and fixtures in situations where the flow lines and couplings are being dragged or moved about. Thus, such a connection arrangement is at least inconvenient and particularly not suited where release of the coupling may be required on a somewhat regular or frequent basis, or in inconvenient locations.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least alleviate some or all of the disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved female coupling member for a fluid coupling.
It is a further and particular object of the invention to provide a flu
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Australasian Steel Products Pty Ltd.
Nicholson Eric K.
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