Patent GB-793124-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to couplings for example, for fluid conduits
IPC: F16L37/252
Filed: 1955-12-09
Abstract: 793,124. Pipe &c. couplings. WEBA, Inc. Dec. 9, 1955 [Dec. 13, 1954], No. 35500/55. Class 99(1). A coupling includes a member 70 provided with at least two open-ended, helical or angularly disposed slots 74, at least two retaining elements 84 mounted on that member and movable by resilient means into and out of the slots, and at least two lugs 37 on a coupling member 30, the lugs upon engagement of the members 30, 70, being received in the slots and engageable with the elements 84 to move the latter out of the slots so that the lugs can pass beyond the elements and couple the members together, whereafter movement of the elements out of the slots against the force of the resilient means serves to open the slots for withdrawal of the lugs therefrom and disengagement of the members. Coupling member 30. A cylindrical plug 32 is provided with a pair of opposed flats 33 and a flange 35 for mounting the member in a fixed position, and a closure plate 34 has a number of circumferentially spaced, radial cam lugs 37 of saw-tooth configuration, Fig. 9, and triangular in cross-section, the front face 40 of the lugs being coplanar with the end of the plug 32, and the higher side 38 of the lugs extending longitudinally of the axis of the plug. Fixed to the inner end of the plug is a cylindrical housing 45 which encloses a spring-pressed valve adapted to open and close the free end of the housing ; a nipple 47 for connection to a conduit is secured to the flange 35. Coupling member 31. A cylindrical valve housing 50 is formed at one end with a shoulder 51, and internally with a conical seating 53 for an annular sealing member or O-ring 62 located at the closed end of a hollow, slidable valve 58 provided with a number of circumferentially spaced apertures 61 and an axially projecting stem 63. The valve is biased towards the closed position thereof by a spring 59. An annular sealing member or O-ring 55 is located internally of and adjacent the end 56 of the member 50, and an internal screw-thread 54 for a tubular nipple 99 is formed at the opposite end of the member. Surrounding the housing is an inner sleeve 70 the internal flange 72 of which abuts the shoulder 51 of the housing 50 and the end 71 of which extends beyond the end 56 of the housing. Extending inwards from the end 71 of the sleeve are a number of circumferentially spaced and longitudinal external grooves 75 each associated with and opening into an intermediate portion of a cam slot 74. An outer sleeve 80, located around and slidable on the sleeve 70, is formed with internal ribs 84 equal in number to the slots 74 in the sleeve 70 and terminating in circumferentially aligned. flat faces 85 spaced inwardly from the end 81 of the sleeve. The ribs extend longitudinally from an internal shoulder 83 and slidably engage in the grooves 75 of the sleeve 70. In assembly, the ends 71 and 81 respectively of the sleeves 70 and 80 are coplanar, and the ribs 84 extend into the slots 74 intermediate the ends thereof so as to obstruct or close off a portion of the slots. A helical compression spring 88 is located between the shoulder 83 of the sleeve 80 and a shoulder of a sleeve 90 held in position by an abutment 101 on the nipple 99. Operation. The sleeve 80 on the member 31 is pulled back to allow the valve housing 45 and plug 32 of the member 30 to be engaged respectively in the valve housing 50 and the sleeve 70, the lugs 37 being simultaneously received in the slots 74 of the sleeve ; the faces 40 of the lugs move into engagement with the end faces 85 of the ribs 84. Rotation of the member 30 causes the sides 41 of the lugs to engage with one wall of the slots 74 and push back the sleeve 80 against the bias of the spring 88, the ribs 84 being withdrawn from across the slots 74 and thereby allowing movement of the lugs 37 towards the inner ends of the slots. When the lugs have passed the ribs the sleeve 80 is moved forward by the spring so that the ribs are again located across the slots to retain the coupling members in engagement. In a modification, a coupling member 130, Fig. 24,'is provided with a plug 132 in which is mounted a spring-loaded valve 135 that seats on an O-ring 134 held in position by an insert 139 having an internal groove 140 for reception of an O-ring 141. The insert is secured in position by a screwed collar 142 projecting radially from which are lugs 151 corresponding in function to'the lugs 37 and rotation of the collar relative to the plug 132 is prevented by locking rings 154, 155 having serrated interlocking surfaces and themselves locked against rotation by bent-over, integral extensions. The coupling member 131 includes a valve member 166 urged towards the closed position by a spring 168 and onto an O-ring 167 held in a sleeve 169 secured in position by a screwed member 173. Inner and outer sleeves 175, 180 functioning in the same manner as the sleeves 70, 80 of the coupling shown in Fig. 3 are located around the member 131.