Patent ID: 7469933

Claim:
A quick connect coupling with a safety release mechanism, comprising: a male coupling having an insert; a female coupling having a receiver defined therein which is adapted to receive at least a portion of said insert; a locking cavity positioned in said female coupling; a resilient locking device operatively interconnected to said male coupling and positioned in opposing relation to said locking cavity, wherein upon insertion of said male coupling into said female coupling link at least a portion of said resilient locking device extends into at least a portion of said locking cavity to substantially prevent disengagement of said male coupling and said female coupling; a release mechanism interconnected to said male coupling and in operable engagement with said resilient locking device, said release mechanism capable of traveling between at least two positions wherein in a first locked position said release mechanism is withdrawn from said resilient locking device and in a second release position said release mechanism engages at least a portion of said locking device to release said locking device from said locking cavity to disengage said male coupling from said female coupling; and a spacer in operable engagement with said release mechanism and repositioned by rotating at least a portion of said spacer, wherein said release mechanism is incapable of traveling from said first locked position to said second release position without a repositioning of said spacer.