Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention is in the field of flush face couplings which are threaded together under pressure applied to both the male coupling half and the female coupling half. The coupling of the invention may be used in construction, agriculture and in various manufacturing processes.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,141 to Arosio issued Sep. 2, 1997 discloses a leak resistant fluid coupling arrangement whereby the female coupling half includes a tubular body shutoff upon which a male body and seal sit. See,  FIG. 5  labeled “prior art” herein which is substantially similar to  FIG. 3  of the &#39;141 patent illustrating the male body  40  and seal  17 ′&#39; residing adjacent and in engagement with the tubular body shutoff  7  of the female coupling half  2 .  FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view  500  of a prior art female coupling half  2  and male coupling half  3  coupled. Reference numeral  4  indicates a hole or passageway for the communication of fluid therethrough. Reference numerals  18 / 19  signify a valve in the male coupling half  3  of the prior art as illustrated in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0003]     Still referring to  FIG. 5  herein, it will be noticed that the tubular body shutoff  7  includes an external stop (unnumbered) located longitudinally in the approximate middle thereof and it is this external stop which engages two springs identified with reference numerals  8  and  10  in  FIG. 1  of the &#39;141 patent. Reference numeral  8  is not shown in  FIG. 5  herein. Spring  8  operates and acts between a fixed body and the external stop of the tubular body shutoff urging it longitudinally outwardly to shutoff against valve or bolt  5 . Spring  10  operates and acts between the external stop and an annular sleeve  9  urging the sleeve longitudinally outwardly to create a flush face along with the flush face of the bolt or valve  5 . Action of these two springs has the effect of floating the tubular body shutoff as spring  10  tends to urge the tubular body shutoff away from its closed position while spring  8  tends to urge the tubular body shutoff toward its closed position. Floating of the tubular body shutoff is not desirable because it promotes incomplete closure of the tubular body shutoff against the valve or bolt  5 . If the tubular shutoff body  7  of the &#39;141 patent does not move fully outwardly due to swelling of the seals in the device or because of tight tolerances between the parts and uneven expansion thereof, then the tubular shutoff body fails to close thus creating a leak from the female coupling half.  
         [0004]      FIG. 4  is a quarter-sectional view  400  of a prior art female coupling half.  FIG. 4A  is a quarter-sectional view  400 A of a prior art male coupling half.  FIG. 4B  is a quarter-sectional view  400 B of a prior art female coupling half and male coupling half coupled. Referring to  FIG. 4 , a prior art coupling believed to be a product of Faster, SPA, of Italy is illustrated. It will be noted that reference numeral  490  indicates threads on the interior surface of the outer body thereof and the threads are located on both longitudinal sides of the unnumbered detents. This causes reciprocal threads  491  on the male coupling half as illustrated in  FIG. 4A  to traverse the unnumbered set of detents. Referring to  FIGS. 4, 4A  and  4 B, reference numeral  407  refers to a tubular body shutoff which as stated above in connection with  FIG. 5  is prone to hanging up (i.e., not going completely closed) due to the swelling of seal  451  and is not be expelled far enough toward the open end of the coupling half as designated generally by reference numeral  443  which is the flat face of valve or bolt  405 . Spring  460  urges the tubular shutoff toward the open end. Spring  460 A contributes to urging sleeve  409  toward the open end of the coupling but since sleeve  409  and tubular support  451  are not interlocked, spring  460 A does not contribute to insuring that tubular shutoff  407  does in fact shut off.  
         [0005]     Still referring to  FIGS. 4, 4A , and  4 B, reference numeral  414  represents a closed wall of a tubular bolt which is positioned by spring  422 . Reference numeral  417  represents a seal which engages the tubular bolt of the male and the tubular body shutoff  407  when the device is coupled. Reference numeral  440  is a bolt body and reference numeral  419  is a shutoff surface and reference numeral  430  is seal. It will be noticed when reference is made to  FIG. 4B  that spring  460  urges tubular body shutoff  407  toward its closed position as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . However, the design of the prior art device does not include an interlock of the tubular body shutoff with the male coupling half to insure its closure.  
         [0006]     Therefore, it is desirable to avoid leaks upon disconnection of a coupling by ensuring that valve in the female half of the coupling are interlocked with the male coupling half during disconnection of the coupling halves.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     A coupling is disclosed which includes a female coupling half and a male coupling half is disclosed. The male coupling half includes a male body having an exterior with a recess therein which extends circumferentially around the exterior of the male coupling half. The female coupling half includes a valve, a female body, and a female body extension affixed to the female body. The female valve is sometimes referred to herein as a pintle. The valve (pintle) is affixed by threading it to the female body. A sliding sleeve is movable with respect to the female body, the female body extension and the valve. The sliding sleeve is movable between a first position abutting the valve and closing the valve, and, a second position not abutting the valve thus opening the valve.  
         [0008]     The male body of the male coupling half interengages the sliding sleeve of the female coupling half during engagement therewith moving the sliding sleeve from the first closed position to the second open position.  
         [0009]     The sliding sleeve of the female coupling half includes a first set of detents carried therewith which interengage the circumferentially extending recess in the exterior of the male body during coupling of the coupling halves. The first set of detents are released from interengagement with the circumferentially extending recess in the exterior of the male body of the male coupling half during uncoupling of the halves from each other after the sliding sleeve is moved to the first position abutting the valve of the female coupling half.  
         [0010]     The female body extension of the female coupling half includes a second set of detents therein. The sliding sleeve of the female coupling half includes an exterior having a circumferentially extending recess therein and the second set of detents interengage the recess in the exterior of the sliding sleeve during coupling of the coupling halves.  
         [0011]     The female body extension includes an inner surface and an outer surface and the inner surface interengages and locks the first set of detents interengaging the recess in the male body of the male coupling half during coupling. The female coupling half includes a locking ring having an inner surface and an outer surface. The locking ring resides radially outwardly of the female body extension of the female coupling half. The inner surface of the locking ring is in sliding engagement with the female body extension of the female coupling half during coupling and locks and interengages the second set of detents interengaging the recess in the exterior surface of the sliding sleeve valve of the female coupling half.  
         [0012]     The female coupling half includes an outer sleeve having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface of the outer sleeve includes a shoulder thereon and, during uncoupling, the shoulder engages the locking ring moving the locking ring releasing the second set of detents from the recess in the exterior surface of the sliding sleeve which in turn releases the sliding sleeve enabling movement of the sliding sleeve to the first closed position abutting the valve (pintle) and releasing the first set of detents of the female coupling half.  
         [0013]     The female body extension includes a recess in the inner surface thereof. The first set of detents carried with the sliding sleeve is released when positioned adjacent the recess in the inner surface of the female body extension.  
         [0014]     The female coupling half includes a first spring operable between the body and the sliding sleeve urging the sliding sleeve longitudinally outwardly. The female coupling half includes a second spring operable between the body and the locking ring urging the locking ring longitudinally outwardly locking the second set of detents in the exterior recess of the sliding sleeve.  
         [0015]     The valve/pintle of the female coupling half includes a passageway for breaking vacuum between the sliding sleeve and the body of the female coupling half.  
         [0016]     The male and female coupling halves each include a surface having threads thereon for interconnecting the coupling halves. The threaded surfaces do not traverse the first set or second set of detents during coupling and uncoupling.  
         [0017]     When the coupling is disconnected, the outer sleeve of the female coupling half is urged outwardly to protect the external acme threads on the female body extension. A cover protects the third spring operable between the cover/body of the female coupling half and the outer sleeve.  
         [0018]     As the male coupling half (nipple) engages the female coupling half (coupler), the locking sleeve of the male coupling half with internal threads thereon is rotated to thread onto the external threads on the body extension of the female coupling half. As the threads interengage, the outer sleeve of the female coupling half is forced back against the force of the third spring allowing connection of the coupling halves. As the male body extension of the male coupling half is urged into the body extension of the female coupling half, the first set of detents is urged radially inwardly into the ball race or external recess of the male body extension locking the sliding sleeve of the female coupling half to the male body of the male coupling half. This locks the sliding sleeve of the female coupling half to the male body of the male coupling half when in all positions other than the disconnected position with the valves of the male and female coupling halves closed.  
         [0019]     When fully connected or coupled, the second set of detents is urged radially inwardly by the spring biased locking ring into engagement with a second ball race or recess extending circumferentially about the exterior of the sliding sleeve. The locking ring secures the sliding sleeve in the connected or coupled position. If the locking sleeve of the male coupling half is attempted to be rotated under the influence of a person&#39;s hand to disconnect (or under the influence of mechanical vibration), the sliding sleeve (which is locked to the male body ) prevents any axial movement and prevents disconnection (uncoupling) of the coupling halves. Only when the outer sleeve of the female coupling half is urged against the force of the third spring and engages a shoulder on the locking ring and thus axially moves the locking ring will the second set of detents release the sliding sleeve to travel or move axially toward the first, closed position. While this is occurring the first set of detents remain locked to the male coupling half until the sliding sleeve is moved axially to the first, closed position where the first set of balls are free to move radially outwardly into a recess in the female body extension of the female coupling halves.  
         [0020]     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a thread to connect coupling with positive flow shutoff upon disconnection.  
         [0021]     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a thread to connect coupling which will cannot be disengaged by vibration or manually unthreaded without first retracting the outer safety sleeve on the female coupling half.  
         [0022]     Accordingly, it an object of the invention to provide a thread to connect coupling with positive flow shutoff upon disconnection which is threaded together without traversing a set of detents with a threaded surface.  
         [0023]     These and other objects will be understood when reference is made to the Brief Description of the Drawings, Description of the Invention and Claims which follow hereinbelow. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]      FIG. 1  is a quarter-sectional view of the female coupling half and the male coupling half uncoupled.  
         [0025]      FIG. 1A  is an enlarged quarter-sectional view of the female coupling half of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 1B  is an enlarged quarter-sectional view of the male coupling half of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged quarter-sectional view of the female coupling half and the male coupling half coupled.  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged quarter-sectional view of the female coupling half and the male coupling half in the process of being coupled.  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is a quarter-sectional view of a prior art female coupling half.  
         [0030]      FIG. 4A  is a quarter-sectional view of a prior art male coupling half.  
         [0031]      FIG. 4B  is a quarter-sectional view of a prior art female coupling half and male coupling half coupled.  
         [0032]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a prior art female coupling half and male coupling half coupled. 
     
    
       [0033]     A better understanding of the drawing figures will be had when reference is made to the Description of the Invention and Claims which follow hereinbelow.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0034]      FIG. 1  is a quarter-sectional view of the female coupling half  100  and the male coupling half  150  uncoupled.  FIG. 1A  is an enlarged quarter-sectional view  100  of the female coupling half of  FIG. 1 . And,  FIG. 1B  is an enlarged quarter-sectional view  150  of the male coupling half of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 1A  and  1 B, female coupling half  100  includes a body  120  and a body extension  120 A threaded  120 B thereto. Body extension  120 A is essentially concentric with respect to body  120 . A passageway  120 J is centrally located in body  120 . The materials of the body  120  and other structural parts can be any material capable of handling hydraulic fluid at high pressure such as, for instance, stainless steel. The seals used herein may be any suitable elastomeric material used in high pressure hydraulic fluid applications. Body extension  120 A includes an inner surface  120 C and an outer surface  120 E. A portion of the outer surface of the body extension  120 A includes threads  120 D. The threads are preferably ACME threads. Threads  120 D interengage threads  106 A of the locking sleeve  106  of the male half of the coupling  150  as is described herein elsewhere with more detail.  
         [0036]     Referring still to  FIGS. 1, 1A  and  1 B, a pintle or valve  121  is threaded  121 A to female body  120 . Valve  121  includes a generally flat face  121  E which is open in  FIG. 1  and engages corresponding flat face  113  of the male coupling half  150 . Male coupling half includes a cap  126  which is threaded  126 A to valve  112 . Valve  112  includes radially extending ports or apertures  112 A for communicating with the female half of the coupling as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Seal  125  is an elastomeric seal and is trapped between end cap  126  and valve  112  to prevent extrusion or blowout of the seal.  
         [0037]     Pintle or valve  121  includes an end portion  121 B which is sealed  122  so as to prevent the escape of hydraulic fluid between the interface of the valve  121  and the sliding sleeve  108 . Radially extending passageways  121 C in valve  121  communicate fluid to the male coupling half as illustrated in  FIG. 2  in the coupled condition. Radially extending passageway  121 D in valve  121  is a vacuum break which facilitates closure of the sliding sleeve  108  to ensure that seal  122  carried by the sliding sleeve engages valve  121  as indicated by reference numeral  121 B. Seal  124 , an elastomeric seal, prevents the escape of hydraulic fluid in a path between the female body  120  and the inner surface  108 D of the sliding sleeve  108 .  
         [0038]     Still referring to  FIGS. 1, 1A  and  1 B, sliding sleeve  108  carries a first set of radially movable detents  107  in apertures  108 B. Sliding sleeve  108  includes an exterior surface  108 A and a circumferentially extending recess or ball race  108 C therein. Ball race  108 C interengages a second set of detents  130  carried by the body extension  120 A. Both the first  107  set of radially movable detents and the second set  130  of radially movable detents are used to reliably secure the coupling halves together. First  107  set of radially movable detents interengage ball race or recess  114  in the exterior of the male body extension  110 A of the male coupling half  150  as best viewed in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0039]     Referring again to the sliding sleeve  108  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 1 A, elastomeric seal  123  is carried in an unnumbered recess or groove and functions to seal surfaces  110 E,  110 D when the male coupling half is threaded  106 A,  120 D into the female half of the coupling. See,  FIG. 2  illustrating the coupled condition. First spring  108 E is operable between female body  120  and an unnumbered shoulder of sliding sleeve  108  and urges the sliding sleeve toward the first, closed position illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 1 A. Sliding sleeve  108  is movable between a first, closed position as shown in  FIG. 1A  to a second, open position as shown in  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 1 A and sliding sleeve  108 , the leading end includes surfaces  108 F and  108 G for interengagement with corresponding surfaces generally denoted with reference numerals  110 D,  110 E in connection with male body extension  110 A. Male body extension  110 A is threaded  110 C to male body  110 .  
         [0040]     Still referring to  FIGS. 1 and 1 A, locking ring  105  resides exteriorly to said female body extension  120 A and is urged axially outwardly by spring  105 D which operates between an unnumbered surface on female body  120  and an unnumbered internal shoulder surface of locking ring  105 . Locking ring  105  includes an inner surface  105 C and an outer surface  105 A. A portion of the outer surface  105 A of the locking ring includes a shoulder thereon for engagement with a corresponding internal shoulder on an internal surface  101 B of the outer retractable sleeve  101 . Reference numeral  105 B indicates a recess in the locking ring allowing the second set of detents to be pushed radially outwardly by the sliding sleeve in the first, closed position as indicated in  FIG. 1  (disconnected/uncoupled condition).  
         [0041]     Still referring to  FIGS. 1 and 1 A, outer sleeve  101  covers and protects threads  120 D on the female body extension  120 A. Outer sleeve  101  is retractable for uncoupling against the force of spring  101  A which operates between a cover  103  interposed between body  120  and the end of the outer sleeve  101 . Cover  103  protects the internal components of the female coupling half against the unwanted intrusion of dirt and debris.  
         [0042]     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  1 B locking sleeve  106  is rotatably affixed to the male body  110  by detents or balls  106 C residing in ball race or recess  110 B. An aperture  106 D provides a path for insertion of the balls  106 C. Reference numeral  106 B indicates the interface between the rotatable locking sleeve  106  and the male body  110 . Reference numeral  110 J indicates a flow passageway for the communication of hydraulic fluid. In the coupled condition as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , reference numeral  160  indicates the passageway which interconnects the radially extending ports  112 A and  121 C. Spring  140  operates between male body  110  and the valve  112  which prohibits the flow as shown in the disconnected state ( FIG. 1 ).  
         [0043]      FIG. 2  is a quarter-sectional view  200  of the female coupling half  100  and the male coupling half  150  coupled. Reference numeral  106 E illustrates a plug for the pathway  106 D for the insertion of the balls. Reference numeral  120 F indicates a recess in the female body extension  120 A which provides room for detents  107  to escape when the male body  106  is being extracted from the female coupling half. Some liberty was taken in the illustration of  FIGS. 1 and 1 A to the extent that the detent labeled  107  and shown therein would be slightly lower due to the force of gravity. Detents under the force of gravity would in fact be recessed and reside in their apertures  108 B.  
         [0044]     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , first spring  108 E and third spring  110 A are compressed and second spring  105 D is extended. The first set of detents  107  engage circumferentially extending recess  114  of the male body extension  110 A locking the sliding sleeve  108  and the male body extension  110 A together. The second set of detents  130  which are larger than the first set of detents engage circumferentially extending recess  108 C. Recess  108 C is best illustrated in  FIG. 3  with the second set  130  of detents released because of the external movement of the outer sleeve  101  by a person&#39;s hand or tool against the force of spring  101 A and because of some unthreading of the coupling halves.  
         [0045]     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , sliding sleeve  108  is illustrated in the second, open position under the influence of the male body extension  110 A forcing the sliding sleeve leftwardly against the forceful resistance of spring  108 E. In the coupled condition as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the threads  106 A on locking sleeve  106  fully receive the corresponding threads  120 D of the female body extension  120 A. As threads  106 A of the locking sleeve of the male are threaded onto threads  120 D of the female body, outer sleeve  101  is urged against spring  101 A and the male body extension forces the sliding sleeve  108  against the force of spring  108 E first engaging the first set of detents  107  followed by the engagement of the second set  130  of detents with the sliding sleeve. Second set of detents  130  are forced radially inwardly during coupling by the force of spring  105 D which acts against the female body and the locking ring  105  which forces the locking ring  105  over the second set of detents  130  and pushes them radially inwardly into ball race or recess  108 C of the sliding sleeve.  
         [0046]     As the male coupling half is threaded onto and into the female coupling half, the flat face  113  of the end cap  126  engages pintle (valve)  121 E and urges the male valve  112  open against the force for the spring  140  thus completing a flow path defined by reference numerals  120 J,  121 C,  160 ,  112 A and  110 J.  
         [0047]      FIG. 3  is a quarter-sectional view  300  of the female coupling half and the male coupling half in the process of being uncoupled. Referring to  FIG. 3 , passageway  121 D illustrates a vacuum break as the sliding sleeve  108  is extracted under the urging of the male body extension  110 A. To uncouple the coupling as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the outer sleeve  101  must be pulled leftwardly as shown such that the internal shoulder  101 B engages and external shoulder  105 A on the locking ring which moves the locking ring against the force of spring  105 D allowing and positioning recess  105 B above the second set of detents to be thrust radially outwardly of circumferential recess or race  108 C under the influence of the tension caused by unthreading the coupling. Therefore, to uncouple the coupling the outer sleeve  101  must be retracted and simultaneously the threaded locking sleeve  106  must be unthreaded from the female body extension. It is not enough for vibration or intentional unthreading alone to separate the coupling halves.  
         [0048]     As the male coupling half (nipple)  150  engages the female coupling half (coupler)  100 , the locking sleeve  106  of the male coupling half  150  with internal threads  106 A thereon is rotated to thread onto the external threads  120 D on the body extension  120 A of the female coupling half. As the threads interengage, the outer sleeve  101  of the female coupling half is forced back against the force of the third spring  101 A allowing connection of the coupling halves. As the male body extension  110 A of the male coupling half is urged into the female body extension  120 A of the female coupling half, the first set of detents  107  is urged radially inwardly into the ball race  114  or external recess of the male body extension locking the sliding sleeve  108  of the female coupling half to the male body of the male coupling half. This locks the sliding sleeve  108  of the female coupling half to the male body of the male coupling half in all positions other than the disconnected position with the valves  121 ,  112  of the male and female coupling halves closed.  
         [0049]     When fully connected or coupled, the second set of detents  130  is urged radially inwardly by the spring biased  105 D locking ring  105  into engagement with a second ball race  108 C or recess extending circumferentially about the exterior of the sliding sleeve  108 . The locking ring  105  secures the sliding sleeve  108  in the connected or coupled position. If the locking sleeve  106  of the male coupling half is attempted to be rotated under the influence of a person&#39;s hand to disconnect (or under the influence of mechanical vibration), the sliding sleeve  108  (which is locked  107 / 114  to the male body) prevents any axial movement and prevents disconnection (uncoupling) of the coupling halves. Only when the outer sleeve  101  of the female coupling half is urged against the force of the third spring  101 A and engages a shoulder  105 A on the locking ring  105  and thus axially moves the locking ring  105  will the second set of detents  130  release the sliding sleeve to travel or move axially toward the first, closed position ( FIG. 3 ). It is not necessary to hold the outer sleeve  101  in its retracted position permanently while coupling as the detents move radially outwardly positioning the locking ring  105  in the position illustrated in  FIG. 3 . While this is occurring the first set  107  of detents remain locked  107 / 114  to the male coupling half until the sliding sleeve  108  is moved axially to the first, closed position where the first set of balls/detents  107  are free to move radially outwardly into a recess  120 F in the female body extension of the female coupling halves.  
         [0050]     It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the instant invention has been disclosed and described by way of example only and that numerous modifications and deviations of the example may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 4