Abstract:
A novel hose coupling for a liquid transfer system is provided. The coupling comprises a connector portion adapted to lockingly engage an adapter on a receptacle, such as a gas tank, and a handle portion. The handle is proximate to a releasing member which is oriented for manipulation by a hand holding the handle. The releasing member is moveable between a first engaged position in which the coupling is lockingly engaged with a receptacle adapter and a second disengaged position in which the coupling is released from locking engagement with the adapter. Accordingly, the coupling is disengaged from locking engagement with the adapter when the release member is displaced from the engaged position to the disengaged position. The coupling allows one-handed, ambidextrous use, providing a coupling operator with greater maneouverability which is advantageous particularly in instances where receptacle access is limited.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a novel hose coupling or nozzle useful for the delivery of liquid to a receptacle. In particular, the present invention relates to a hose coupling which advantageously allows for single-handed, ambidextrous operation. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Hose couplings for liquid transfer are well known, particularly hose couplings used for the transfer of fuel into receptacles, such as vehicle tanks. Generally, the hose coupling is received by an adapter on the receptacle to permit the transfer of liquid, such as a fuel, into the receptacle. It is common for such hose couplings and adapters to possess normally closed internal valves to prevent the escape of fuel when the hose coupling and adapter are not engaged but which are adapted to open in response to the mating or engagement of coupling with adapter. It is also common for the coupling and adapter to engage in a locked manner to prevent separation while the internal valves of both are open during fuel transfer. 
     An example of a hose coupling and adapter system including the features set out above is the liquid transfer apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,061 to E.R. Wiggins, Inc. In this instance, the hose coupling or nozzle and receptacle adapter are locked by an arrangement of locking pins in the nozzle which engage an annular groove in the adapter and are prevented from movement therefrom by a retaining collar. When fueling is complete and release of the hose coupling from the receptacle adapter is desired, a flexible wire handle is manually manipulated by the operator to release the nozzle from its locked position within the adapter. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,793, also issued to E.R. Wiggins, Inc., describes another liquid transfer apparatus comprising a hose coupling adapted to mate with a receptacle adapter, the engagement of which is also releasable by manipulating a flexible wire handle. On mating, the hose coupling and adapter are locked in a manner analogous to that described above. An arrangement of pivoted dog latches in the coupling, as opposed to locking pins, engage an annular groove in the adapter and are retained in the locked position by a retaining collar until manually released by manipulation of the wire handle. 
     A disadvantage of such prior systems lies in the fact that release of the hose coupling from the receptacle is a two-handed operation in which one hand is required to hold the coupling while the other hand is required to disable the locking mechanism engaging the coupling and adapter. This can be problematic in many circumstances. For example, in instances where access to the receptacle is restricted, one-handed operation of the hose coupling would clearly be advantageous. One-handed operation of the hose coupling would provide the operator with greater maneuverability to access the receptacle, hold open an access door or balance himself or herself, as needed. Moreover, the arrangement of the coupling handle and lock release mechanism commonly favours right-handed operation, making left-handed operation difficult, if possible at all. 
     There is a need, thus, for an improved hose coupling which can be disengaged from its mating adapter on a receptacle using only one hand, and which can be used ambidextrously. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention provides a hose coupling for a liquid transfer system, said coupling comprising a connector portion adapted to lockingly engage an adapter on a receptacle; and a handle portion, said handle being proximate to a releasing member which is oriented for manipulation by a hand holding the handle, said releasing member being moveable between a first engaged position in which the coupling is lockingly engaged with said adapter and a second disengaged position in which the coupling is released from locking engagement with said adapter, wherein said coupling is disengaged from locking engagement with said adapter when said release member is displaced from said first position to said second position. 
     The hose coupling of the present invention advantageously allows one-handed, ambidextrous operation by providing a member proximate to the handle of the coupling which is manipulable by a hand grasping the handle to release or disengage the hose coupling from the adapter when transfer of liquid is complete. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assembly comprising a hose coupling as set out above and a receptacle adapter. 
     These and other aspects of the present invention will be described in more detail herein by reference to the following figures in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an elevated view, partly in section, of a hose coupling according to one embodiment of the present invention adjacent to a receptacle fill neck enclosing a mating adapter; 
     FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the hose coupling; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal section of the downstream end of the coupling; 
     FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section of the fill neck and mating adapter; 
     FIG. 6 is a transverse section taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is a partial longitudinal section of the coupling engaged with the adapter; 
     FIG. 8 is a transverse section taken along line  8 — 8  of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a partial enlarged sectional view taken along line  9 — 9  of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the area enclosed by the dotted line in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 11 is a partial longitudinal section of the coupling engaged with the adapter in which the latch sleeve has been displaced upstream in order to disengage the coupling and adapter; and 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the area enclosed by the dotted line in FIG.  11 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A hose coupling  50  according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 alongside a receptacle  10  adapted to receive the coupling  50 . The coupling  50  comprises a curved body  51  having an upstream handle portion  51   a . The downstream end  51   b  of body  51  is linked to a connector portion  52  that functions to couple with an adapter in a receptacle. The connector portion  52  is encompassed by a latch sleeve  54 . A release member  56  extends from and is integral with the latch sleeve  54 . 
     With reference to FIG. 2, the latch sleeve  54  is concentrically slidable over the connector portion  52 . Release member  56  is in sliding contact with a bearing pad  55 , which is mounted on the underside of body  51 , and is constrained against rotary motion relative to the axis of coupling  50  by a bearing pad support  57 . The latch sleeve  54  forms an inward flange at its downstream end that contacts the outside surface of a barrel  72  and is constrained from axial motion in the downstream direction by a spring wire retaining ring  98  residing in a groove in barrel  72 . The interior of the body  51  defines a conduit  59  for the transport of a liquid from a source of supply as seen in FIG. 2. A rotary gland nut  58  is retained in the body  51  at the upstream end of the handle portion  51   a  by a retaining ring  60 , and leakage of liquid through the gland nut  58  is prevented by O-ring seals  62 . The gland nut  58  is internally threaded to cooperate with the threaded end of a liquid supply hose (not shown). The rotary gland nut  58  allows axial rotation of the hose coupling  50  relative to a liquid supply hose enhancing the maneuverability of the coupling  50 . 
     The downstream portion  51   b  of the body  51  extends to an inturned flange  53   a  and terminates with a short internally-threaded recess  53   b . Recess  53   b  is threadably engaged with barrel  72  of the connector portion  52 . The joint between barrel  72  and body  51  is hermetically sealed by O-ring gasket  64 . The outer surface of barrel  72  extends from the threaded portion to an outwardly extending flange  96  and beyond to approximately the end of latch sleeve  54 . 
     The interior of barrel  72  is best illustrated in FIG. 3. A spider  68 , comprising a central hub and a plurality of radially disposed ribs (shown in FIG.  4 ), is secured against the downstream face  69  of flange  53   a  by the clamping action of barrel  72  transferred through clamping ring  66 . The central hub of the spider is axially bored and threaded to receive a correspondingly threaded extension of poppet  84 . From its threaded portion, the poppet  84  extends as a cylinder, in the downstream direction, flaring outwardly in frusto-conical fashion to another much shorter cylindrical part which is grooved to provide a retaining recess for O-ring seal  76 . The poppet  84  terminates with a further short frusto-conical surface  86 . 
     The inner wall  88  of barrel  72  defines a cylindrical cavity  90  containing a hollow piston  74 . The exit port of piston  74  is flared to form a frusto-conical chamber in which the terminal surface  86  of poppet  84  normally resides. Compression spring  70  is seated concentrically at its upstream end on the ribs of spider  68  and at its downstream end is constrained in cavity  92  within piston  74  such that piston  74  is forced to remain in intimate contact with poppet  84 . O-ring seal  76 , between poppet  84  and piston  74  surfaces, and O-ring seal  94 , between the outer surface of piston  74  and the inner wall  88  of barrel  72 , provide hermetic sealing of applicable parts to constitute a normally closed valve at the downstream end of coupling  50 . Inner wall  88  extends in the downstream direction beyond hollow piston  74  and is grooved to provide a retaining recess for an additional O-ring seal  80 . 
     A compression spring  78  is in contact with barrel flange  96  at one end and forcibly contacts a pin cage  82  at the other end, pressing the pin cage against the flanged edge  54   a  of latch sleeve  54 . A plurality of chordal latch pins  100  are nested in an array in pin cage  82  as shown in FIG.  8 . Slots  102 , equal in number and circumferential disposition to latch pins  100  are cut in barrel  72 , each on an inclined plane extending axially along the barrel and radially inward with respect to its axis so that each forms a ramp on which the corresponding latch pin may be urged by pressure from pin cage  82  and spring  78 . As one of skill in the art will appreciate, latch pins  100  may be substituted by any other appropriate latching means such as, for example, pivoted dog latches and the like. 
     An adapter  15 , as would be found in a receptacle such as a tank, is shown in FIG.  5 . The adapter  15  comprises a valve body  20  and a bracket  35  to which it is threadably engaged. The valve body  20  and bracket  35  are hermetically sealed by O-ring gasket  26 . The bracket  35  is generally cylindrical in form, defining a generally annular cavity  21  around valve body  20  within fill neck  12 . Bracket  35  is securely attached to fill neck  12  by fastening means  32  which cooperate with a single radially disposed lug  31  on bracket  35  (See FIG.  6 ). Downstream of valve body  20 , bracket  35  forms a narrower cylinder which sits on the interior of a receiving tank, for example. The downstream exterior surface of bracket  35  may optionally be adapted for connection to a hose. As shown in FIG. 5, this surface may consist of a plurality of barbs  33 , such as those commonly used in conjunction with a flexible hose and hose clamp to provide a hermetically sealed connection. Alternatively, this surface may be threaded. However, as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, there is no requirement for a hose connection to bracket  35 . 
     Support ring  24  and spacer  28  nest within valve body  20  at its downstream end. A plurality of ribs  24   a  (shown in FIG.  6 ), integral with support ring  24 , suspend a central boss  25 . A stem  34  situated centrally within valve body  20  supports a poppet head  16  at its upstream end and is slidably seated within boss  25  at its downstream end. The poppet head  16  has a cylindrical outer surface  17  that is grooved to retain O-ring seal  18  and an inner surface that is flared outward in frusto-conical fashion to form surface  19 . The internal surface of valve body  20  is proportioned to provide a close sliding relationship with poppet surfaces  17  and  19 . A compression spring  22  urges the poppet head against the upstream end of valve body  20  constituting a normally closed valve at the upstream inlet end of valve body  20 . 
     An annular groove  30  formed in about the middle of the outer surface of valve body  20  is dimensionally adapted to receive latch pins  100  of hose coupling  50 . Sloping flank  36  of groove  30  and sloping shoulder  29  adjacent to groove  30  serve to deflect or lock the latch pins as will be described in more detail. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates coupling  50  and adapter  15  in locked engagement. As valve body  20  of adapter  15  penetrates barrel  72  of the connector portion  52  of coupling  50 , the latch pins  100  deflect radially when they contact sloping shoulder  29  of valve body  20 . This causes latch pins  100  to move outward along the flanks of slots  102 , displacing pin cage  82  and compressing spring  78 . On further penetration by valve body  20 , the force of compression spring  78  applied against pin cage  82  causes the pin cage to urge the latch pins into groove  30  (See FIG.  10 ), thereby preventing axial displacement of coupling barrel  72  with respect to valve body  20 . In this arrangement, coupling  50  and adapter  15  are said to be lockingly engaged. Spring  78 , acting through pin cage  82 , causes the extremities of the latch pins  100  to be held in contact with the inturned flange  54   a  of the latch sleeve  54  as shown in FIG.  9 . Separation of the parts is prevented by the interaction between latch pins  100  and the opposing flanks of groove  30  and slots  102 . 
     With further reference to FIG. 7, it is seen that the nose of valve body  20  is in contact with hollow piston  74  which has been displaced to a position at the upstream end of cavity  90 , concurrently compressing spring  70 . Simultaneously, the face of poppet  84  of coupling  50  comes in contact with poppet head  16  of adapter  15  causing compression of spring  22 . Full penetration of the coupling barrel by the valve body results in an open conduit through cavity  90  and cavity  21  which allows the passage of liquid from coupling  50  through adapter  15  to a receptacle such as tank  10 . 
     To disengage coupling  50  from the adapter  15  of a receptacle, an operator using the hand holding the handle-like portion  51   a  of coupling  50  can manipulate release member  56  from the engaged position in which the coupling  50  and adapter  15  are lockingly engaged to a disengaged position in which the coupling  50  and adapter  15  are released from locking engagement. This action will displace latch sleeve  54  a short distance in the upstream direction, as shown in FIG. 12, allowing latch pins  100  to be urged axially and consequently radially outward along flank  36  of groove  30  until the latch pins  100  are clear of the outer extremity of flank  36 . In this position, latch pins  100  no longer prevent axial displacement of coupling barrel  72  with respect to valve body  20  and springs  70  and  22  cooperate to urge coupling  50  and adapter  15  to revert to their uncoupled state with the aforementioned valves residing in their normally closed state. 
     The present hose coupling can be utilized in standard liquid transfer systems which generally accommodate hose pipes having an inside diameter of approximately between ¾ inch (20 mm) and 2 inches (50 mm). As will be appreciated, however, practical consideration must be given to parameters such as weight, including the weight of the coupling and any attachments including the hose, as well as the fluid static pressure, in order to determine the suitability of the present coupling in any given liquid transfer system. 
     It will be understood by those of skill in the art that the specific embodiments described herein are illustrative of the present invention only and other embodiments are possible that are within the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims. Moreover, in the description of the embodiments, one of skill in the art will further appreciate that non-essential elements can readily be substituted with elements that perform the same function. For example, the term “fastening means” as it is used herein is meant to encompass screws, bolts, pins and any other means useful to fasten two or more parts together as would be appreciated by one of skill in the art. Likewise, the springs referred to herein may be substituted by any other appropriate biasing means. By reference to O-ring seals and the like, it will be appreciated that any appropriate sealing means could be substituted.