Patent ID: 7942163
Filing Date: 2011-05-17
Classification: F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A pipe coupling for pressurized media, comprising: a first coupler having a first housing, a first conduit extending along a longitudinal axis, and a first shutoff sleeve surrounding the first conduit and movable along the longitudinal axis between a closed state and an open state, the first shutoff sleeve bounding a first annular compartment with the first conduit within the first housing in the closed state, the first conduit having a flat first end face at a first inner axial end region, a first interior passage, and a plurality of first ports that extend between the first interior passage and the first annular compartment, the first shutoff sleeve containing the pressurized media in the first annular compartment in the closed state; a second coupler having a second housing, a second conduit extending along the longitudinal axis, and a second shutoff sleeve surrounding the second conduit and movable along the longitudinal axis between a closed position and an open position, the second conduit having a shaft that terminates in a flat second end face at a second inner axial end region, a second interior passage, and a plurality of second ports in communication with the second interior passage, the second shutoff sleeve bounding a second annular compartment with the shaft within the second housing, the second shutoff sleeve overlying the second ports in the closed position for containing the pressurized media in the second interior passage; holders on the first and second housings for holding the first and second couplers together against movement apart along the longitudinal axis with the flat first and second end faces in mutual engagement in a held condition; and an actuator operative in the held condition of the first and second couplers for moving the first shutoff sleeve along the longitudinal axis to the open state in which the pressurized media is no longer contained in the first annular compartment and, in turn, for moving the second shutoff sleeve to the open position in which the second shutoff sleeve is remote from the second ports, thereby enabling the pressurized media to flow between the first and second couplers.