Backflush coupling and method for internal combustion engine cooling system

In a internal combustion engine having a cooling system which includes a heater hose, an improved backflush coupling disposed in fluid communication with said heater hose and comprising:

• a male connector half having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose and provided at its inner extremity with male threads;
• a female connector half having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose, the inner extremity of said hollow body of said female connector half including an annular flange having a front seating surface and a rear seating surface, first sealing means disposed between said male and female connector halves to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween, said female connector half further having a union sleeve having an annular wall at one extremity for seating against said rear seating surface, and having female threads at its opposite extremity threadable upon said male threads whereby said union sleeve may be rotated in one direction to compress said sealing means against the adjacent end of said male connector thereby to establish a fluid tight connection whereby said backflush coupling may serve as a conduit for coolant in the normal operation of said engine, said union sleeve being rotatable in an opposite direction to enable separation of said male connector half from said female connector half for attachment of a hose to one of said male and female connector halves to apply fluid to said cooling system, and for use of the other of said male and female connectors as a drain;
• and
• a cylindrical lock sleeve axially slidable over said body of said male connector half and interengageable with said union sleeve to prevent relative rotation between said union sleeve and said male connector.

In an internal combustion engine having a cooling system which includes a heater hose, an improved backflush coupling disposed in fluid communication with said heater hose and comprising:

• a male connector half having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose and provided at its inner extremity with male threads, and further having a radially outwardly disposed lock element;
• a female connector half having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose, the inner extremity of said hollow body of said female connector half including an annular flange having a front seating surface and a rear seating surface, first sealing means disposed between said male and female connector halves to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween, said female connector half further having a union sleeve having an annular wall at one extremity for seating against said rear seating surface, and having female threads at its opposite extremity threadable upon said male threads whereby said union sleeve may be rotated in one direction to compress said sealing means against the adjacent end of said male connector thereby to establish a fluid tight connection whereby said backflush coupling may serve as a conduit for coolant in the normal operation of said engine, said union sleeve being rotatable in an opposite direction to enable separation of said male connector half from said female connector half for attachment of a hose to one of said male and female connector halves to apply fluid to said cooling system, and for use of the other of said male and female connectors as a drain, said opposite extremity of said union sleeve including a plurality of longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced apart tab seats;
• and
• a double ended cylindrical lock sleeve disposed upon said body of said male connector half and having at one end a longitudinally extending locking tab adapted to fit within one of said tab seats, and having at its opposite end a deep tab slot adapted to completely receive said lock element, and further having a shallow tab slot adjacent said deep tab slot adapted to partially receive said lock element, said lock sleeve being longitudinally slidable in one direction to dispose said lock element within said deep tab slot and enable threaded rotation of said union sleeve upon said male connector half to place one of said tab seats adjacent said locking tab, said lock sleeve being oppositely slidable to disengage said lock element from said deep tab slot and locate said locking tab within said one of said tab seats whereby said union sleeve can be partially rotated to align said shallow tab slot for receipt of said lock element to prevent relative rotation of said union sleeve and said male connector half.

In an internal combustion engine having a cooling system which includes a heater hose, an improved backflush coupling disposed in fluid communication with said heater hose and comprising:

• a male connector half made of transparent material and having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose and provided at its inner extremity with male threads;
• and said body of said male connector half further including a ramp and a ball operative in the presence of fluid flow to roll up said ramp and thereby provide a visual indication of the rate of fluid flow;
• a female connector half having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose, the inner extremity of said hollow body of said female connector half including an annular flange having a front seating surface and a rear seating surface, first sealing means disposed between said male and female connector halves to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween, said female connector half further having a union sleeve having an annular wall at one extremity for seating against said rear seating surface, and having female threads at its opposite extremity threadable upon said male threads whereby said union sleeve may be rotated in one direction to compress said sealing means against the adjacent end of said male connector thereby to establish a fluid tight connection whereby said backflush coupling may serve as a conduit for coolant in the normal operation of said engine, said union sleeve being rotatable in an opposite direction to enable separation of said male connector half from said female connector half for attachment of a hose to one of said male and female connector halves to apply fluid to said cooling system, and for use of the other of said male and female connectors as a drain.

In an internal combustion engine having a cooling system which includes a heater hose, an improved backflush coupling disposed in fluid communication with said heater hose and comprising:

• a male connector half having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose and provided at its inner extremity with male threads;
• a female connector half having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose, the inner extremity of said hollow body of said female connector half including an annular flange having a front seating surface and a rear seating surface, first sealing means disposed between said male and female connector halves to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween, said female connector half further having a union sleeve having an annular wall at one extremity for seating against said rear seating surface, and having female threads at its opposite extremity threadable upon said male threads whereby said union sleeve may be rotated in one direction to compress said sealing means against the adjacent end of said male connector thereby to establish a fluid tight connection whereby said backflush coupling may serve as a conduit for coolant in the normal operation of said engine, said union sleeve being rotatable in an opposite direction to enable separation of said male connector half from said female connector half for attachment of a hose to one of said male and female connector halves to apply fluid to said cooling system, and for use of the other of said male and female connectors as a drain, said body of said female connector half including fluid passage means opening from the interior of said body of said female connector half radially outwardly;
• and
• annular second sealing means disposed upon said front seating surface and seating upon said fluid passage means, said second sealing means being movable to unseat said fluid passage means upon attainment of a predetermined pressure within said interior of said body of said female connector half.

In an internal combustion engine having a cooling system which includes a heater hose, an improved backflush coupling disposed in fluid communication with said heater hose and comprising:

• a male connector half having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose and provided at its inner extremity with male threads;
• and
• a female connector half having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose, the inner extremity of said hollow body of said female connector half including an annular flange having a front seating surface and a rear seating surface, first sealing means disposed between said male and female connector halves to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween, said female connector half further having a union sleeve having fluid passage means extending exteriorly of said union sleeve, said union sleeve further having an annular wall at one extremity for seating against said rear seating surface, and having female threads at its opposite extremity threadable upon said male threads whereby said union sleeve may be rotated in one direction to compress said sealing means against the adjacent end of said male connector thereby to establish a fluid tight connection whereby said backflush coupling may serve as a conduit for coolant in the normal operation of said engine, said union sleeve being rotatable in an opposite direction to enable separation of said male connector half from said female connector half for attachment of a hose to one of said male and female connector halves to apply fluid to said cooling system, and for use of the other of said male and female connectors as a drain, said body of said female connector half further including aspirator means, and further including fluid passage means opening from the exterior of said body of said female connector to said aspiration means whereby air may be drawn into a low pressure region adjacent said aspirator means, said fluid passage means of said union sleeve communicating interiorly of said union sleeve with said fluid passage means opening exteriorly of said female connector body.

In an internal combustion engine having a cooling system which includes a heater hose, an improved backflush coupling disposed in fluid communication with said heater hose and comprising:

• a male connector half having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose and provided at its inner extremity with male threads, said body of said male connector half including fluid passage means opening from the interior of said body of said male connector half radially outwardly;
• a female connector half having an elongated hollow body fixed at its outer extremity in communication with said heater hose, the inner extremity of said hollow body of said female connector half including an annular flange having a front seating surface and a rear seating surface, first sealing means disposed between said male and female connector halves to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween, said female connector half further having a union sleeve having an annular wall at one extremity for seating against said rear seating surface, and having female threads at its opposite extremity threadable upon said male threads whereby said union sleeve may be rotated in one direction to compress said sealing means against the adjacent end of said male connector thereby to establish a fluid tight connection whereby said backflush coupling may serve as a conduit for coolant in the normal operation of said engine, said union sleeve being rotatable in an opposite direction to enable separation of said male connector half from said female connector half for attachment of a hose to one of said male and female connector halves to apply fluid to said cooling system, and for use of the other of said male and female connectors as a drain;
• and
• annular third sealing means disposed in overlying relation to said fluid passage means and movable to unseat said fluid passage means upon attainment of a predetermined pressure within said interior of said body of said male connector half.