Patent ID: 7384085

Claim:
A releasable split coupling device provided with load-carrying releasable locking elements, the coupling device comprising: an inner coupling part having at least one elongated locking arm that has an upper end that is suspended on a hinge shaft located within an oval shaped slot and a lower end that has a lower bearing surface, the locking arm being pivotable between a locked position and an unlocked position; an outer coupling part having at least one countersunk hollow arranged to receive the inner coupling part; wherein the locking arm comprises at least one tooth arranged to engage an interior surface of the outer coupling part when the locking arm is in the locked position; a locking body arranged to position the locking arm into the locked position wherein the locking arm is prevented from pivoting out of the countersunk hollow, thus coupling the inner and outer coupling parts together, and into the unlocked position wherein the locking arm is free to pivot out of the countersunk hollow, thus allowing the inner and outer coupling parts to separate; wherein in the locked position the lower bearing surface of the locking arm abuts against a bearing surface in the axial slot of the inner coupling part; and wherein in the unlocked position a clearance is defined between the lower bearing surface of the locking arm and the bearing surface in the axial slot of the inner coupling part; wherein the oval shaped slot is sized larger than the diameter of the hinge shaft such that the locking arm is movable relative to the hinge shaft along the length of the oval shaped slot; and an adjustable member that extends into the oval shaped slot and against the hinge shaft, the adjustable member being positionable in a plurality of selected positions to adjust the position of the locking arm relative to the hinge shaft; wherein adjustment of the position of the adjustable member further adjusts the clearance between the lower bearing surface of the locking arm and the bearing surface of the axial slot when the locking arm is in the unlocked position.