US 4,226,103 AGranted

Locking device for glad hand brake line couplers

OwnerRay M. Stricklandinventor

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Abstract

A locking device engageable in mating relationship with a glad hand brake line coupler of a semi-trailer disconnected from its tractor is disclosed. A depressible lock mechanism supported by a housing of the locking device is connected to a plunger which is extended into an air passage opening in a heavy rubber grommet of the glad hand coupler when the lock mechanism is depressed. Once the plunger is extended, it can only be retracted by means of a key which unlocks the depressible lock mechanism. When the locking device is matingly engaged with the glad hand coupler, it is prevented from vertical displacement from the glad hand connector by engagement of tongues and corresponding tongue receiving recesses of the glad hand and the locking device. The locking device is prevented from lateral or rotational displacement with respect to the glad hand coupler by the engagement of the plunger with the inside walls of the air passage opening in the rubber grommet.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A locking device for locking engagement with a trailer brake line coupler having a tongue, a tongue-receiving recess and a seal with an air passage opening therein, said locking device comprising in combination:

a. a housing having a lower surface and an upper surface;
b. a tongue extending outward from said housing for insertion into said tongue-receiving recess of said brake line connector;
c. a flange attached to said housing extending outwardly from said lower surface, said flange having a tongue-receiving opening for receiving said tongue of said brake line connector;
and
d. a lock mechanism mounted in said housing, said lock mechanism having an extendible plunger extendible outward from said lower surface into said air passage opening, said plunger being retractable by unlocking said locking device, said tongue of said housing extending into said tongue-receiving recess and said tongue of said brake line connector extending into said tongue receiving opening when said extendible plunger extends into said air passage opening;
whereby, said locking device is not removable from said brake line coupler when said extendible plunger extends into said air passage opening without damaging said locking device and/or said brake line connector.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.