Patent ID: 7270350
Filing Date: 2007-09-18
Classification: F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. In a coupler for coupling a male end into a female end, said coupler comprising a main housing having a first end and a second female end, said female end used for receiving a mating male end therein, sealing means operatively associated with said female end for providing a fluid seal, and in combination with a male element comprising a male end inserted in said female end, said male element having at least one thread, the improvement comprising: a mounting element for engaging with said at least one thread of said male end inserted in said female end; said mounting element comprising a pair of spaced-apart fork elements, each said fork element having an elongated interior surface facing the elongated interior surface of the other said fork element; at least one thread-engaging element formed in each said elongated interior surface for engaging with said at least one thread of said male end inserted in said female end on opposite sides thereof; said main housing comprising a pair of channels for sliding therethrough said pair of spaced-apart fork elements, a respective said fork element being slidingly received in a respective one of said pair of channels, said pair of channels being formed in said main housing at said female end thereof; said main housing further comprising a pair of oppositely-disposed, interior cutout portions that cooperate with the hollow interior of said pair of channels and with the hollow interior of said female end, a respective one of said pair of oppositely-disposed, interior cutout portions being associated with a respective one of said channels, said pair of oppositely-disposed, interior cutout portions exposing said at least one thread-engaging element of each of said pair of fork elements to said hollow interior of said female end; said at least one thread-engaging element of each said elongated interior surface comprising at least one elongated linear thread; said each said fork element comprising a first end and a second cantilevered end; each said at least one elongated linear thread sloping downwardly in a direction from said second cantilevered end toward said first end; said at least one elongated linear thread being capable of wedging said male end inserted in said female end as said fork elements are slid in said channels; said mounting element comprising a handle section connected at said first ends of said fork elements; each said fork element having an exterior-facing projection adjacent said second cantilevered end; said main housing further comprising a pair of flanges positioned on opposite sides thereof at said female end, each said flange being juxtapositioned at one said channel, and defining an interior-facing slot in which rides a said projection; each said slot being in alignment with a respective said channel, whereby each said projection slides in a respective slot and in a respective channel when said mounting element is used to couple said male end in said female end.