Coupler
AssigneeDover Corporation
InventorsJack Alan McMath, Paul R. Wilder, Larry Lee Alderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dry break coupler of a coupling device has an adapter connected thereto in an arrangement in which the adapter must be disposed within the coupler in the position in which it is locked to the coupler before a rotatable shaft can be rotated to initially lock the adapter to the coupler. The coupler has a poppet valve, which opens a valve in a passage in the adapter when the poppet valve is opened to provide communication therebetween, movable to its open position by the rotatable shaft only after the adapter has been locked to the coupler. The adapter cannot be released from the coupler until after the poppet valve has been moved from its open position to its closed position by rotation of the rotatable shaft in the opposite direction.
Claims19
A coupler for receiving an adapter or the like having a passage therein and valve means to close the passage, said coupler including a body, means to lock and unlock the adapter to said body, said locking and unlocking means being resiliently urged into its unlocking position, said body having a passage therein, valve means in said body passage and movable to an open position to provide communication between said body passage and the adapter passage, actuating means to move said valve means between its open and closed positions and to move said locking means to its locking or unlocking position, said valve means causing movement of the valve means in the adapter passage to an open position when said valve means is moved to its open position by said actuating means, and latch means to prevent movement of said locking and unlocking means until said body has received the adapter in the position in said body in which said locking and unlocking means can lock the adapter to said body, said latch means preventing said actuating means from moving said valve means until said locking and unlocking means has locked the adapter to said body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.