Manual breech lock wireline connector

A manual locking assembly for a quick connect coupling includes a cylindrical male pin, a cylindrical sleeve-shaped female part, a rotatable key bolt, a locking bolt retainer, and a spring. The rotatable key bolt is axially arranged and central within the cylindrical sleeve-shaped female part, and has a quadrilateral locking block, a cylindrical guiding flange, and a cylindrical locking bolt having millings on opposite sides. The locking bolt retainer has a cylindrical body including a transversal hole having a radius that corresponds with an outer radius of the cylindrical locking bolt and a groove extending from the transversal hole that corresponds to the millings on the cylindrical locking bolt, a lower flange on a first side of the cylindrical body, and an upper flange located on a second side of the cylindrical body opposite to the first side, the upper flange having an inclined surface on an upper side of the upper flange. The inclined surface of the upper flange is accessible through a hole in the cylindrical sleeve-shaped female part to unlock the manual locking assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a manual locking assembly for a quick connect coupling.

Quick connect couplings of this kind are used, inter alia, for connecting a wireline to a tool string.

2. Description of the Related Art

The following patents describe prior art:

These patents disclose quick connect couplings based on a male part having radial sidewalls that are brought into corresponding engagement in radial grooves of a female part and locked therein by various locking plates in order to resist high torsional forces in addition to tensile forces. The coupling of the male and female parts also occurs laterally, with the interlocking being accomplished by means of a cylindrical spring loaded latching element, suspended in the female part, that is guided axially down in the top of the male part and locked. Normally, unlocking is accomplished using a special tool and a pipe wrench.

EP 1229211 discloses a manual quick connect coupling for a wireline tool comprising a male part having a number of retaining lugs and a transversal groove provided at the front end of the male part. The arrangement also comprises a female part, a connector part, a spring, and a sleeve-shaped part to be mounted in the female part.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,690 relates to a quick connect coupling wherein it is known that a male pin is guided into a locking sleeve and brought into contact with a locking assembly. The male pin is then rotated to bring guiding and retaining lugs into abutment in corresponding locking grooves. Simultaneously, the locking assembly is brought into engagement with a groove cut at the tip of the male pin, whereby a spring is unloaded. The publication further shows how uncoupling is accomplished by compressing the spring and bringing the male pin to the release position by rotation. This is accomplished using special tools and a pipe wrench.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,631 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,543 describe lockable quick connect couplings wherein the coupling is achieved by guiding the male pin into a locking sleeve. It is further shown that a number of guiding and retaining lugs extend from the outer radius of the male pin and that the male pin is retained by rotation, so that the retaining lugs are brought into abutment in locking grooves in the locking sleeve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a locking assembly is provided that allows both the locking and the unlocking of the quick connect coupling to be performed using hand power.

According to the present invention, this is accomplished by means of a quick connect coupling.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 4a-4bshow a locking assembly in the form of a key bolt10incorporated into a quick connect coupling1as well as detail drawings of the three main components of the key bolt10, a locking bolt11, a locking block12, and a locking bolt retainer20.

FIG. 1ashows a side view of the male pin2of the quick connect coupling1guided into a female part6before being rotated 90°, wherein the guiding and retaining lugs3are not brought into abutment in locking grooves7. Locking block12is seated in a groove5in the front piece4of the male pin2before being rotated.

FIG. 1bshows a similar side view of the quick connect coupling1after rotation of the male pin within the female part6, with the guiding and retaining lugs3now being seated in locking grooves7. Locking bolt11and locking block12of the locking assembly10are rotated 90°, so that the locking bolt11with millings11′ on the upper and lower diameter is allowed to slide in grooves25in a locking bolt retainer20, which during rotation is pushed down using the thumb and tensions an underlying spring27.

FIG. 2shows a 3D detail drawing of the key bolt10of the locking assembly that is operated axially between the male pin2and the female part6, and that consists of a locking bolt11with millings11′ on opposing sections for operation through a locking bolt retainer20, a guiding flange13, and a quadrilateral locking block12, the locking block12corresponding with the groove5in the cylindrical front piece4of the male pin2.

FIG. 3ashows a 3D detail drawing of the locking bolt retainer20having a cylindrical body21comprising a lower flange22and an upper flange23, wherein a transversal hole24is drilled centrally through the body21, the transversal hole24corresponding with the outer radius of the locking bolt11, and wherein a groove25corresponding with the millings11′ on the locking bolt11extends from the hole24. The upper flange23has an inclined surface26designed for application of thumb pressure through a hole9with associated guiding grooves8in the female part for use on locking and unlocking.

FIG. 3bis a side view of the locking bolt retainer20showing the hole24and the groove25.

FIG. 4ashows in a 3D drawing the male pin2comprising guiding and retaining lugs3and a front piece4with grooves5for the locking block12.

FIG. 4bshows a similar drawing of the female part6comprising a guiding groove8and a hole9for the locking bolt retainer.