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US 4,902,045 AGranted
Connectors
AssigneeHunting Oilfield Services Limited
InventorsJohn D. McGugan, Michael J. Mackie, Norman Buckley
Life of this patent
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AssigneeHunting Oilfield Services Limited
InventorsJohn D. McGugan, Michael J. Mackie, Norman Buckley
Estimating the term…
A connector comprises a first coupling assembly comprising a first coupling member associated with an annular body from which extend a plurality of radially flexible fingers provided at their ends with engagement ribs engageable in grooves in a second coupling member to be abutted against the first coupling member. The fingers are held in their radially inner engaged position by a locking ring axially movable relative to the annular body between a locking position and an inoperative position. The locking ring may be associated a disengagement portion which, as the locking ring moves to its inoperative position, engages the ends of the fingers to move them radially outwardly to disengage the ribs from the grooves. The annular body may be axially movable relative to the first coupling member or fixed relative thereto. When fixed, guide vanes may be provided between the fingers to define a guide surface in the region of the ribs which lies between the operative and inoperative positions of the fingers to prevent inadvertent contact of the ribs and grooves when the fingers are in their inoperative positions.
A connector comprising a first coupling assembly comprising a first coupling member for coupling to a second coupling member, an annular body provided on said first coupling member for connecting said first coupling member to said second coupling member, said annular body having a plurality of radially flexible fingers extending generally axially therefrom, said fingers being provided in end portions thereof with first engagement means for engagement with corresponding second engagement means on said second coupling member, said fingers being radially flexible between an inoperative position and an operative position in which said first and second engagement means are engaged, a locking ring axially movable relative to the annular body of the first coupling assembly between a disengagement position and a locking position in which said locking ring extends around said fingers so as to prevent disengagement of said first and second engagement means, and a plurality of members each said guide member extending between a pair of said fingers and adapted to prevent contact between said first and second engagement means when said fingers are in their inoperative position.
A connector comprising a first coupling assembly comprising a first coupling member for coupling to a second coupling member, an annular body provided on said first coupling member for connecting said first coupling member to said second coupling member, said annular body having a plurality of radially flexible fingers extending generally axially therefrom, said fingers being provided in end portions thereof with first engagement means for engagement with corresponding second engagement means on said second coupling member, said fingers being radially flexible between an inoperative position and an operative position in which said first and second engagement means are engaged, a locking ring axially movable relative to the annular body of the first coupling assembly between a disengagement position and a locking position in which said locking ring extends around said fingers so as to prevent disengagement of said first and second engagement means, and a plurality of guide members, each said guide member extending between a pair of said fingers for guiding said second coupling member relative to said first coupling member, said guide members defining generally axially extending radially inner edge portions in the region of said first engagement means of said fingers which edge portions lie radially inwardly of said first engagement means when said fingers are in their operative position and radially outwardly of said first engagement means when said fingers are in their operative position.
A connector comprising a first coupling assembly comprising a first coupling member for coupling to a second coupling member, an annular body provided on said first coupling members for connecting said first coupling member to said second coupling member, said annular body having a plurality of radially flexible fingers extending generally axially therefrom, said fingers being provided in end portions thereof with first engagement means for engagement with corresponding second engagement means on said second coupling member, said fingers being radially flexible between an inoperative position and an operative position in which said engagement means are engaged, a locking ring axially movable relative to the annular body of the first coupling assembly between a disengagement position and a locking position in which said locking ring extends around said fingers so as to prevent disengagement of said first and second engagement means, disengagement means associated with said locking ring and for movement therewith, said disengagement means being engageable with the free ends of said fingers as said locking ring moves from its locking position to its disengagement position to move said fingers from their operative position to their inoperative position for disengaging said first and second engagement means to permit uncoupling of said first and second coupling members, and a plurality of members, each said guide member extending between a pair of said fingers, said plurality of members defining generally axially extending radially inner edge portions in the region of said first engagement means of said fingers which edge portions lie radially inwardly of said first engagement means when said fingers are in their inoperative position and radially outwardly of said first engagement means when said fingers are in their operative position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.