Patent ID: 8662540

Claim:
A coupling assembly configured to couple a first tube and a second tube, comprising: a sleeve having first and second ends, each end of the sleeve configured to receive an end portion of a corresponding one of the first and second tubes; first and second retainers, each retainer being positioned adjacent a corresponding one of the first and second ends of the sleeve, each retainer having an aperture disposed therethrough and configured to receive a corresponding one of the end portions of the first and second tubes, each retainer having a scarfed end surface at an end thereof opposite from the sleeve; first and second locking members, each locking member being positioned proximate a corresponding one of the scarfed end surfaces of the retainers such that a first portion of each locking member engages with a corresponding contact portion of the scarfed end surface, and a second portion of each locking member is spaced apart from the scarfed end surface with sufficient clearance to enable each locking member to be at least partially tilted from a first position wherein the second portion of each locking member is spaced apart from the scarfed end surface to a second position wherein the second portion of each locking member is relatively closer to the scarfed end surface, each locking member having an aperture disposed therethrough and configured to receive a corresponding one of the end portions of the first and second tubes, wherein the first and second locking members are configured to be firmly engageable with the first tube and second tube, respectively, as the first and second locking members are tilted from the first position to the second position; and a latch configured to extend between the first and second locking members and configured such that, when the latch is engaged between the first and second locking members, each locking member is tilted from the first position into the second position wherein, in the second position, the first and second locking members are configured to be securable with the end portions of the first and second tubes when the end portions are positioned within the first and second ends of the sleeve, respectively.