Fluid joint swivel coupling

A fluid swivel joint coupling has a body member, a first connecting member and a second connecting member. The body member includes an inlet portal, and outlet portal and a diverted fluid passageway connecting them. The first connecting member is pivotably mounted in flow communication with one of the portals for rotation about a first swivel axis, and the second connecting member is pivotably connected in flow communication with the other portal for rotation about a second swivel axis. The second connecting member has a diverted fluid passageway opening onto a third portal, a longitudinal axis extending through the third portal and a portion of the passageway. The first connecting member is operatively connected to a rigid conduit while the second connecting member is operatively connected at the third portal to a flexible conduit. The axes are disposed such that the longitudinal axis is never in the plane which passes through the first swivel axis parallel to the second swivel axis, so that the longitudinal axis may align itself with the direction of any flexible force applied through the flexible conduit. The body member and the second connecting member may have interlocking elements which cooperatively couple, and which uncouple when a tensile force above a predetermined limit is interposed between the flexible conduit and the rigid conduit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a fluid line swivel joint connector, and more 
particularly to a swivel joint connector having fluid input and output 
ends for communicating a first fluid conduit rotatably about a first axis 
at one end to a second fluid conduit rotatable about a second axis at the 
other end, one of the conduits being flexible and the other being rigid, 
the connector behind adapted to align the longitudinal axis of the end 
attached to the flexible conduit with the direction of any tensile force 
applied through the flexible conduit. The swivel joint may be mounted in a 
fuel line of a fuel dispensing station so that the swivel joint may permit 
a dispensing nozzle to pivot relatively to the fuel line, or it may permit 
a first section of the line to pivot relatively to another section, and 
the pivot joint may have detachable means which uncouples to shut flow 
communication at the joint when the tensile load at the joint is above a 
predetermined level. 
It is known in the fuel dispensing art to include a swivel connector at the 
dispenser/hose interface so that twisting loads applied to the dispenser 
are not transmitted to the hose resulting in twisting thereof. Such 
swivels merely permit the dispenser, such as a fuel dispensing nozzle, to 
be pivoted about one or more axes relative to the axis of the hose, the 
swivel permitting flow communication means between the hose and the 
dispensing device. 
Additionally, it is known to utilize quick disconnect or breakaway 
couplings in the fuel line spaced from the dispenser so that if a vehicle 
is driven away from the fuel dispensing station before the dispensing 
nozzle is removed from the filler neck of the vehicle, an uncoupling will 
result, shutting the flow of fuel and preventing the volatile fuel to be 
spilled due to either a dislodging of the moorings of the fuel dispensing 
station, breakage of the hose, or other failure of the fuel dispensing 
system. The prior art has proposed a number of decouplers which are 
acuated by a tensile force in the line. In our aforesaid copending 
application Ser. No. 07/107,947, the problems and deficiencies of the 
prior art decoupler units was described and combination swivel joint and 
quick disconnect coupling devices are disclosed and claimed, the devices 
having coupling means between first and second body members which swivel 
relatively to one another and the coupling means acting normally to 
connect the body members in flow communication and for decoupling when an 
external tensile force above a predetermined level is applied to the fuel 
line, and valving acting for shutting flow communication when the body 
members are decoupled. 
There are, however, certain occasions wherein the direction of the external 
tensile force applied to the fuel line is such that both in conventional 
swivel connectors and in the combination swivel joint quick disconnect 
couplings or connectors disclosed in the aforesaid patent application 
where the tensile force will not permit the swivel joint to pivot, i.e., 
the reaction force to the external tensile force does not act in a 
direction which effects rotation about the pivot axis. Such conditions may 
occur when a swivel joint having one end connected to a flexible fluid 
conduit, such as a hose, and another end connected to a rigid fluid 
conduit, such as a nozzle, does not permit the end connected to the 
flexible conduit to align itself with the direction in which the tensile 
force is applied. When this occurs a bending moment results which may act 
to shear the interconnecting members of the joint. For example, if the 
external tensile force is applied in the same plane as that of the pivot 
axis of the swivel joint and of the axes of the inlet and outlet to the 
swivel joint, the reaction to that force can only be resisted by the 
interconnecting members of the joint, and if the force is substantial a 
shearing of the elements may occur. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Consequently, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a 
two axis fluid swivel joint coupling having means at one end connected to 
a flexible conduit and means at another end connected to a rigid conduit, 
and wherein the coupling can align the longitudinal axis of the end 
connected to the flexible conduit with the direction of any tensile force 
applied through the flexible conduit. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a two axis fluid 
swivel joint coupling having fluid input and output ends, one end being 
connected to a first conduit rotatable about a first axis and the other 
end being connected to a second conduit rotatable about a second axis, one 
of the conduits being flexible and operatively connected to the swivel 
joint, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the connection between the 
flexible conduit and the swivel joint connector is offset relative to a 
plane parallel to the one of the swivel axes and passing through the other 
axis. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a two axis fluid 
swivel joint coupling having a body including input and output portals, 
the portals being connected to respective connecting members, the 
connecting members being adapted to pivot about respective offset swivel 
axes passing through the body, a first of the connecting members having a 
fluid passageway extending along a longitudinal axis offset relative to 
the swivel axis extending through the portal to which it is connected and 
communicates with a flexible conduit, the other connecting member being 
connected to a rigid conduit, the swivel axes and the longitudinal axis of 
the passageway through the first connecting member being disposed such 
that the longitudinal axis of the passageway at the connection between the 
flexible conduit and the first connecting member never lies in the plane 
through the swivel axis extending through the second connecting member 
which is parallel to the other swivel axis extending through the portal to 
which the first connecting member is connected. 
Accordingly, the present invention provides a two axis fluid swivel joint 
coupling having a body member including an inlet portal, an outlet portal 
and a diverted fluid passage therebetween. A first connecting member is 
pivotably connected to and in flow communication with a first of the 
portals for rotation about a first swivel axis passing through the first 
portal and the body member. A second connecting member is pivotably 
connected to and in flow communication with the second of the portals for 
rotation about a second swivel axis passing through the second portal and 
the body member. The first connecting member is operatively connected to a 
rigid conduit. The second connecting member has a diverted fluid 
passageway including a longitudinal axis extending through a third portal. 
The second connecting member is operatively connected to a flexible 
conduit with the third portal in flow communication therewith so that 
fluid may flow through the swivel joint between the rigid conduit and the 
flexible conduit. The longitudinal axis of the second connecting member is 
disposed relative to the first and second swivel axes such that the 
longitudinal axis is always offset from that plane which passes through 
the first swivel axis and is parallel to the second swivel axis. i.e. it 
is never in that plane. 
The intended environment for the swivel joint coupling of the present 
invention is in the fuel dispensing line at a fuel dispensing station. 
Thus, the rigid conduit may be a fuel dispensing nozzle which would be 
connected to the first connecting member at the outlet of the body member 
and the flexible conduit then would be the fuel supply hose connected to 
the second connecting member at the inlet of the body member, or 
alternatively, the rigid conduit may be rigid piping connected to the fuel 
system and anchored to structural framework at the station, the piping 
being connected to the first connecting member at the inlet of the body 
member and the second connecting member would then be connected between a 
hose and the outlet of the body member. In either instance the swivel 
joint is connected in the fuel line between the nozzle and a supply 
conduit which receives metered fuel from a remote location. 
The body member may be connected to the second connecting member by a 
conventional pivotable coupling permitting fuel communication 
therethrough, or the connection may be a combination swivel joint quick 
disconnect coupling similar to that disclosed in our aforesaid copending 
patent application wherein the coupling between the body member and the 
second connecting member may be disengaged and the communication of the 
fuel therethrough may be shut when an external tensile force above a 
predetermined limit is applied to the fuel line. 
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the first swivel axis through 
the first connecting member is offset from both the second swivel axis and 
the longitudinal axis of the second connecting member, and the second 
swivel axis is also offset from the longitudinal axis of the second 
connecting member. More specifically, the three axes never lie in the same 
plane. However, although the second axis may lie in a plane with one of 
the other axes, the longitudinal axis of the second connecting member may 
not be in that plane through the first swivel axis which is parallel to 
the second swivel axis.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the drawings, a swivel joint coupling according to the 
present invention may be utilized in connection with fuel dispensing 
facilities of various types especially those dispensing stations which 
dispense gasoline and diesel fuel to the public. Although other 
applications may readily be envisioned, for disclosure purposes the 
present invention will be described in conjunction with fuel dispensing 
stations located at service stations. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a 
dispensing station generally indicated at 10 includes measuring apparatus 
12 adapted to receive and measure pressurized fluid fuel, such as gasoline 
and fuel oil, pumped from a remotely located storage tank through 
underground piping(not illustrated), the pumping equipment being adapted 
to be manually actuated by an operator using the facility. The measuring 
equipment is generally mounted within a cabinet 14 or the like secured to 
structural framework such as members 16 anchored by conventional means to 
an island on which the dispensing station is supported or to the ground 
18. 
Metered fuel exits the measuring equipment after being pumped thereto and 
from there conventionally flows through piping generally indicated at 20 
comprising various conventional piping couplings, nipples, fittings and 
other conventional connecting members which convey the fuel from the 
measuring equipment to a flexible hose 22. Adjacent the connection with 
the hose, and intermediate that location and the measuring equipment, the 
piping 20 is anchored by conventional anchoring means 4 to a structural 
support, which may be part of the structural framework 16. The anchoring 
means 24 secures the piping and resists the external loads which may be 
placed on the various components to thereby resist damage to those 
components and the measuring apparatus 12. The flexible hose 22 is of a 
conventional re-enforced construction as approved by the appropriate 
regulatory bodies, and may be of any convenient size and length to permit 
an operator to easily reach the fuel tank inlet 26 of a vehicle 28 for 
insertion therein of the spout 30 at the end of a rigid dispensing nozzle 
32, the nozzle being connected in flow communication with the hose 22 
either directly or by means of a swivel joint connector, which preferably 
may be a swivel joint connector or coupling 44 constructed in accordance 
with the principles of the present invention. Alternatively, the swivel 
joint connector 34 my be placed between the hose and the rigid piping, 
such as at 36. However, for purposes of describing the invention, the 
coupling 34 is disclosed as between the nozzle 32 and the hose 22, the 
hose being a flexible conduit. Conventionally the nozzle includes valving 
in the fluid passageway in the body thereof, the valving being controlled 
by an adjustment trigger 35 biased to close the valving and operable to 
open the flow passageway upon depression or squeezing by the operator. 
Under normal conditions, a vehicle operator will drive his or her vehicle 
28 adjacent the fuel dispensing station 10, and then either an attendant 
or the operator will remove the nozzle 32 from a storage location on the 
cabinet 14, turn on the pumping equipment, insert the nozzle spout 30 into 
the inlet to the vehicle fuel tank, and squeeze the trigger 35 to dispense 
the fuel. When the dispensing operation is completed, the individual is 
expected to remove the nozzle spout from the fuel tank inlet, turn off the 
pumping equipment and replace the nozzle on the cabinet. After paying for 
the fuel received, the vehicle operator will drive the vehicle from the 
premises. Occasionally, a vehicle may be driven from the proximity of the 
dispensing station 10 without first removing the nozzle spout 30 from the 
fuel tank inlet 26. This may occur for a number of reasons, and is not 
necessarily limited to individual operators pumping their own gas, but 
could occur as a result of a driver of a large truck not being able to see 
the station attendant and believing the fueling process to be completed. 
When this occurs forces are generated at the nozzle which may dislodge and 
damage the measuring equipment 12, the forces generated at the nozzle 
being tensile forces which are transmitted through the hose 22 to the 
piping and resisted by the anchoring means 24. However, when such forces 
exceed that for which the anchoring means is capable of withstanding, 
damage to the measuring equipment 12 as well as the various components of 
the piping may result. Additionally, when such damage occurs the highly 
combustible fuel may be spilled resulting in a potential fire hazard and 
additional environmental hazards. 
Described in our aforesaid patent application is a combination swivel joint 
and quick disconnect device which may be interposed between the hose 22 
and the nozzle 32 thereby serving as a detachable and flexible nozzle 
swivel, or alternatively it may be interposed between various sections of 
the hose or between the piping and the hose to thereby serve as a 
detachable and flexible hose swivel. However, as with conventional swivel 
couplings, the detachable swivel device disclosed in our aforesaid patent 
application may not function as a swivel when the direction of application 
of the tensile force prevents pivoting of the components about the pivot 
axes. This can occur when the swivel joint connector will not permit the 
end connected to the hose to align itself with the direction in which the 
tensile force is applied. When this occurs a bending moment results and if 
the tensile force is sufficient a shearing of the interconnecting swivel 
members of the joint can result. 
In the present invention, at least the longitudinal axis of that portion of 
the swivel joint which is connected to the hose (or other flexible 
conduit) is always offset from the one plane which passes through the 
swivel axis of the connecting member attached to the nozzle (or other 
rigid conduit) parallel to the other swivel axis. This will be understood 
by referring to FIG. 2 for a general description of a swivel joint 
coupling 34 which meets this criteria The swivel joint coupling 34 has a 
first connecting member 38 which may be attachable at its free end to the 
rigid nozzle 32 depicted in FIG. 1 and is mounted within an annulus of a 
body member 40 for relative rotation about a pivot or swivel axis 42. As 
hereinafter described the connecting member 38 has a fluid passageway 
which communicates with a diverted fluid passageway within the member 40. 
The body member 40 is additionally connected to a second connecting member 
44 for relative rotation about a second pivot or swivel axis 46, the 
connecting member 44 having a fluid passageway, as hereinafter described, 
which normally communicates the passageway within the body member 40 to a 
portal 48 at its free end where it may be attachable to the flexible hose 
22 depicted in FIG. 1. The passageway through the second connecting member 
44, as hereinafter described, is diverted from the direction of fluid flow 
between the body member 40 substantially along the axis 46 to a direction 
extending in a line of flow along the longitudinal axis 50 through the 
portal 48, this being the direction of fluid flow through the flexible 
hose at the connection with the second connecting member 4. Thus, the axis 
50 is never in the plane through the axis 42 which is parallel to the axis 
46. It is either parallel to that plane, will intersect that plane, or is 
skewed relative to that plane. Although in the illustrated instance that 
plane is offset from the axis 46, it need not be for the swivel joint 
coupling to align the axis 50 with the direction of any tensile force 
applied through the hose 22, as long as the above criteria applies. 
The details of the swivel joint coupling 34 can be clearly understood with 
reference to FIGS. 3 through 5. Although the coupling 34 may be a direct 
flow-through swivel coupling for permitting pivotable swiveling about the 
axes 42 and 46, for purposes of condensation of this description, the 
swivel joint coupling of the present invention is here disclosed as a 
detachable quick disconnect or breakaway swivel coupling of the type 
disclosed in our aforesaid copending patent application. Accordingly, the 
first connecting member 38 comprises a conduit which preferably is a male 
member connected within an annulus 52 of the body member 40 and rotatable 
relative thereto about the axis 42, the annulus 52 defining a portal for 
ingress or egress of fluid for communication thereof through the conduit 
or connecting member 38. Threads 54 on the outside surface of the 
connecting member 38 exterior of the body member 40 are adapted to connect 
this member to a rigid conduit such as the nozzle 32, in which event the 
portal defined by the annulus 52 is the exit portal of the swivel 
coupling. Alternatively the threads 54 may connect the member 38 to rigid 
piping and the annulus 52 would then be the inlet portal. An annular 
spring type retaining or detent member 56 positioned within an annular 
recess 58 formed in the outside wall of the connecting member 38 and 
received within an annular recess 60 in the inner wall of the annulus 52 
permits the member 38 to swivel or rotate relative to the body 40 about 
the axis 42. A pair of seals in the form of "O" rings 62 preclude leakage 
of fluid through the portal due to the relative rotation. 
A fluid passageway 64 is defined within the interior of the body member 40, 
and this passageway is diverted in direction from the axis 42 through the 
annular portal 52 to another portal 66 in the body member 40. In this 
instance the passageway 64 is thus diverted by 90.degree.. The portal 66 
is disposed about the axis 46, and is the inlet portal of the body member 
40 when the portal defined by the annulus 52 is the outlet portal, and 
vice versa. The portal 66 is mounted in flow communication with a portal 
68 in the second connecting member 44 by means of a pivotable connection 
such that the second connecting member 44 may swivel or rotate relative to 
the body member 40 about the swivel axis 46. The connecting member 44 
includes a diverted passageway 70 extending from the portal 68 disposed 
about the axis 46 to the portal 48 disposed about the axis 50. Again in 
this instance the angle at which the passageway 70 is diverted is 
90.degree.. The portal 68 functions as an outlet and the portal 48 as an 
inlet of the connecting member 44 when the portal 66 is the inlet to the 
body member 40. Thus, both the body member 40 and the second connecting 
member 44 have diverted passageways 64, 70 respectively which change the 
direction of flow through the swivel joint, the passageway 64 acting to 
change the flow direction from that coincidental with the swivel axis 42 
to that coincidental with the swivel axis 46, while the passageway 70 
changes the direction of flow in the member 44 from that coincidental with 
the longitudinal axis 50 to a direction coincidental with the swivel axis 
46. 
The body member 40 and the second connecting member 44 may be pivotably 
connected together in conventional manner similar to the pivotable 
connection between the first coupling member 38 and the body member 40. 
However, if it is desired that the swivel joint function to separate when 
an extraneous tensile force on the fluid line is above a predetermined 
level, the body member 40 and the connecting member 38 may have 
interconnectable means generally indicated at 72 such as that disclosed in 
our aforesaid patent application. The means 72 permits the second 
connecting member 44 and the body member 40 to rotate relative to each 
other about the axis 46 when coupled and to forcibly uncouple by sliding 
apart as a result of the excessive extraneous tensile force applied 
between the first connecting member 38 and the second connecting member 44 
along a line of action with respect to the axes 42 and 50. The 
interconnectable means 72 comprises interlocking member 74 and 76 on the 
body member 40 and the second connecting member 44 respectively. These 
interlocking members are constructed in a mortise and tenon fashion in the 
sense that member 72 is received within a dado slot 78 formed in step 
fashion between the member 76 and a surface 80 of the second connecting 
member 44, the member 74 including a lip 82 spaced from a ledge 84 formed 
on the body member 40, and the member 76 is received within the space 
between the lip 82 and the ledge 84. The interlocking member 76 is an 
arcuate substantially semi-circular segment formed about the axis 46 at 
the portal 68 of the second connecting member 44. The interlocking member 
74 is an annular hub formed about the portal 66 in the body member 40, the 
center of the annulus being the axis 46. The interlocking members 74 and 
76 thus have corresponding surfaces which interface together when the body 
member 40 and the second connecting member 44 are slidably juxtaposed into 
coupling engagement, and may rotate relative to one another hen so 
coupled. 
The peripheral wall 86 of the interlocking member 74 has a conically 
tapered form, the taper being from the lip 82 to the outer surface 88 
spaced from the lip remote from the ledge 84. When the members 74 and 76 
are joined, the conically tapered portion of the member 74 interfaces with 
a correspondingly tapered internal portion of an annular detent ring 90, 
the detent ring 90 being urged into engagement with the member 74 by means 
of a preloading bias wave spring 92. The detent ring 90 and the spring 92 
are received within an annular well or recess 94 formed in the second 
connecting member 44 and opening onto the dado adjacent the ledge 80. As 
so held the member 74 is prevented from moving relative to the member 76 
in the direction of disengagement, while the conically tapered wall 
portion 86 of the member 74 may rotate within the cooperating surface of 
the detent ring 90, the latter also acting as a bearing surface for such 
rotation. An annular seal such as "quad" ring 96 acts as a fluid seal to 
prevent leakage as fluid flows through the portals 66, 68. Thus, an 
infrangible release is provided by the cooperation of the interlocking 
members and the detent ring, the release acting to uncouple the body 
member 40 and the second connecting member 44 upon application of a 
tensile load in excess of a predetermined level in the direction of 
disengagement. 
Valving means is provided in each of the body member 40 and the second 
connecting member 44, which valving means is disposed to maintain the 
portals 66, 68 in flow communication with each other when the members 40 
and 44 are coupled together, yet close the respective passageways when the 
body members are uncoupled. Thus, an annular retaining ring 98 is disposed 
in a cavity 100 in the body member 40 for positioning a cap valve 102 
therein. The cap 102 includes a guide spindle 104 extending substantially 
along the axis 46. A check valve 106 having an intregral hollow stem 108 
receives the spindle 104 and is movable along the axis 46 guided by the 
spindle 104, while a coil spring 110 acts to bias the check valve 106 
toward the portal 66. An annular check valve seat is disposed about a rim 
of the check valve 106 and is retained thereon by means of a pair of 
retaining members 114, 116. When the body member 40 is disconnected from 
the second connecting member 44 the valve seat 112 is forced into 
cooperation with an annular seat 118 to close the portal 66, and when this 
occurs the free end 120 of the valve stem 108 projects out of the portal 
66. An identical valving structure is disposed within a cavity 122 of the 
second connecting member for closing the portal 68 therein when the second 
connecting member 44 is uncoupled from the body member 40, and the 
reference numbers in regard thereto are omitted for purposes of clarity. 
When the members are coupled together the free ends 120 of each of the 
valve stems 108 are forcibly engaged to overcome the bias of the 
respective spring 110 and open the flow path through the portals 66, 68. 
The relationship of the axes 42, 46 and 50 can be clearly seen in FIG. 4 to 
correspond with that illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, whether the 
swivel joint is detachable when the tensile force is above a predetermined 
limit or is merely a conventionally connected swivel joint fluid coupler, 
the axis 50 is never in the plane through the axis 42 which is parallel to 
the axis 46, and in this preferred embodiment of the invention that plane 
is also offset from the axis 46. 
The effect of the relationship between the axes 42, 46 and 50 can be 
clearly understood with reference to FIGS. 6 through 9. 
FIG. 6 illustrates that a tensile force T.F. applied to the flexible 
conduit attached at the port 48 of the swivel joint 34 at an angle in a 
vertical plane has two components; an axial component F.sub.1 in the 
direction of the axis 50 and a vertical component F.sub.2. The axial 
component F.sub.1 is resisted by the rigid conduit attached to the 
connecting member 38 while the vertical component F.sub.2 effects a 
counter-clockwise rotation R.sub.1 of the swivel joint about the axis 42 
as viewed from the left end in the figure. Thus a reaction along the axis 
46 tending to pull or pry the connecting member 48 from the body member is 
precluded. 
In FIG. 7 a tensile force T.F. applied to the flexible conduit at an angle 
to a horizontal plane also has two components, F.sub.1 and F.sub.3, 
F.sub.1 being axially along the axis 50 and resisted by the reaction 
forces along the axis 42, while F.sub.3 is a horizontal component which 
acts to rotate the connecting member 44 relatively to the body member 40 
about the axis 46 in the direction illustrated at R.sub.2, i.e., 
counter-clockwise as viewed from the top of the figure. 
FIG. 8 illustrates the effect of the tensile force T.F. applied to the 
flexible conduit at an angle to both the vertical and horizontal plane. 
Here there are three components: F.sub.1, F.sub.2 and F.sub.3. F.sub.1 is 
an axial component along the axis 50, while F.sub.2 is a vertical 
component effecting rotation of the swivel joint about the axis 42 in the 
direction R.sub.1, and F.sub.3 is a horizontal component effecting 
rotation of the connecting member 44 relatively to the body member 40 
about the axis 46 in the direction R.sub.2. 
FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 8 except that the connecting member 44 is 
illustrated in a rotated initial position relative to the position 
illustrated in FIG. 8. Here, the axis 50 is skewed relative to the axis 42 
and the portal 48 is on the other side of the axis 42 from that 
illustrated in FIG. 8 (and FIGS. 6 and 7). The components F.sub.1, F.sub.2 
and F.sub.3, as illustrated in FIG. 8, are respectively axial, vertical 
and horizontal forces which are resisted by a clockwise rotation R.sub.3 
of the swivel joint about the axis 42 as viewed from the left end of the 
figure. 
In each case illustrated in FIGS. 6 through 9, the force applied to a 
flexible conduit connected at the port 48 is resisted without a reaction 
force tending to pull or pry apart the swivel connection between the body 
member 40 and the connecting member and the connecting member 44 because 
of the geometric relationship between the axes 42, 46 and 50, i.e., axis 
50 is never in that plane through axis 42 which is parallel to axis 46. 
In FIGS. 10 and 11 another swivel joint coupling 134 is illustrated wherein 
the body member 140 has a diverted passageway of 45.degree. as distinct 
from the 90.degree. diverted passageway in the body member 40. The 
connecting member 138 is rotatable about the axis 142 while the body 
member 140 together with the connecting member 138 may rotate relative to 
the connecting member 144. The connecting member 144 has a diverted fluid 
passageway from the line of flow along the axis 146 to the line of flow 
along the axis 150, also 45.degree.. Again, in this embodiment the axis 
150 is never in the plane through the axis 142 which is parallel to the 
axis 446, so that the reaction to any tensile force applied will not tend 
to pry apart and thus snap or break the connection between the connecting 
member 144 and the body member 140. 
Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest 
themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood 
that the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiment of the 
invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be 
construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which 
do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included 
within the scope of the appended claims.