Patent ID: 6089539
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: F16L,F17C

Abstract:
A valved coupler for fluid carrying lines comprising:a tubular socket body having a passage with inlet and outlet ends;a ball valve rotatable in the tubular socket body passage and movable from an open to a closed position, said inlet end being sealed when said ball valve is in the closed position;a plug having an internal passageway and a peripheral locking groove formed on a tip end portion mounted in the outlet of the tubular socket body,a slide collar provided in the passage of said tubular socket body;a first spring in the tubular socket body engaging the slide collar and biasing the slide collar toward the outlet end, the slide collar being moved away from the outlet end to compress the first spring when the plug is received in the outlet end;a locking ball mounted for radial movement at the outlet end of said tubular socket body and moved outwardly when said slide collar is moved toward the outlet end and allowed to be moved inwardly to an inward position when said slide collar is moved in direction away from the outlet end by the plug;an outer sleeve slidably supported on an exterior of said tubular socket body;rotating means provided on the outer sleeve and engaging said ball valve to rotate the ball valve from the open position to the closed position as said outer sleeve is moved from a first position in a direction toward the inlet end to a second position;a second spring for urging said outer sleeve toward the outlet end to its first position and causing rotation of said ball valve in a direction to move to the open position;a slide holder slidably mounted in said tubular socket body on an outlet side of the ball valve and between the ball valve and the slide collar, the first spring engaging the slide holder, the slide holder being configured so an internal pressure in the plug greater than a predetermined level moves the slide holder toward the outlet end and the plug, said first spring urging the slide holder away from the outlet end and plug when the internal pressure of the plug is lower than the predetermined level;an unlock ball radially movably in said tubular socket body and held outwardly while said slide holder is moved toward the outlet end and being free to move inwardly when said slide holder is moved away from the outlet end; andan inner sleeve slidably mounted on the outlet end of the tubular socket body and having a position slidably inside the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve being prevented from moving toward the outlet end from a first position by the locking ball when the locking ball is moved outwardly, and being prevented from moving toward the inlet end from a second position holding the locking ball in its inward position by the unlock ball when the unlock ball is held outwardly, the locking ball being held in the peripheral locking groove of said plug in its inward position, the inner sleeve in its first position releasing said locking ball to permit outward movement of the locking ball to clear the peripheral locking groove.