Pneumatic self-sealing female coupling incorporating combination locking tumblers

An improved pneumatic, self-sealing female coupling of the type that has a cylindrical portion having a pair of opposed ends, a forward abutment connected to one of said ends, a rearward abutment connected to the other of said ends, an air passage communicating between the said forward and the said rearward abutments, a ball bearing latch associated with said air passage and said cylindrical portion to releasably attach, at said forward abutment and within said air passage, a grooved nipple that is operable to be connected to a pneumatic tool or fixture, a locking sleeve of annular configuration that is telescoped on said cylindrical portion and is adapted for a reciprocating movement thereon between a locked position against the forward abutment, to activate said ball bearing latch, and an unlocked position, against the rearward abutment, to deactivate said ball bearing latch, means for biasing said locking sleeve in its said locked position, means, associated with said air passage for sealing said air passage when said grooved nipple is not located therein and for providing a seal between said grooved nipple and said air passage when said grooved nipple is located therein, and means for attaching an air line to said rearward abutment and in communication with said air passage;

• the improvement comprising:
• a locking sleeve including a plurality of independent sections, each of which forms a combination locking tumbler of annular configuration including:
• an outer periphery having an array of numbers radially arranged thereabout, said numbers being equally spaced from one another;
• and
• an inner periphery having a locking pin connected thereto in an inwardly directed, radial orientation;
• said cylindrical portion having:
• a plurality of circumferential grooves spaced apart from one another with each of said grooves being located in the same plane of a said locking pin as viewed when said locking sleeve is in its said locked position and with each of said grooves being sized for a close fitting sliding engagement with a said locking pin;
• a longitudinally extending groove at least intersecting said circumferential grooves at right angles and extending to said other end, said longitudinal groove being sized for a close fitting sliding engagement with said locking pins;
• and
• an index located on said forward abutment, whereby when said locking sleeve is in its said locked position, said locking pins are operable for registry in said circumferential grooves and said combination locking tumblers thereof are operable for a random rotation about said cylindrical portion so that said locking sleeve is not operable for movement to its unlocked position and said grooved nipple and pneumatic tool or fixture connected thereto is thus not operable for separation from said female coupling, but when said combination locking tumblers are rotated about said cylindrical portion such that a selected number of each, known only to a user of said female coupling is opposite to said index, said locking pins are operable for entry into said longitudinal groove to thereby permit said locking sleeve to be reciprocated into its said unlocked position to thereby permit said grooved nipple and said pneumatic tool or fixture connected thereto to be separated from said female coupling.