Coupling with heat fusible actuator member

A coupling for use in connecting a pair of conduits in fluid communication, said coupling comprising a plug assembly having a fluid flow passage therethrough and being adapted to be connected with one of the conduits, a socket assembly having a fluid flow passage therethrough and being adapted to be connected with another of the circuits, a first one of said assemblies including a valve member movable between a closed condition blocking the fluid flow passage in the first one of said assemblies and an open condition in which said valve member is ineffective to block the fluid flow passage in the first one of said assemblies and spring means for applying force against said valve member urging said valve member toward the closed condition, a second one of said assemblies including a rigid metal body and a heat fusible actuator member which extends across the fluid flow passage in the second one of said assemblies, said rigid metal body includes surface means for defining a plurality of retaining surfaces, each of said plurality of retaining surfaces have an annular configuration and are axially spaced apart along the longitudinal axis of the fluid flow passage in the second one of said assemblies, a first one of said plurality of retaining surfaces is in an outer side surface disposed on one end of said rigid metal body, a second one of said plurality of retaining surfaces is an inner surface disposed within said rigid metal body, said actuator member including a central portion which extends through a central axis of the fluid flow passage in the second one of said assemblies and a mounting means which is connected with said rigid metal body of the second one of said assemblies and supports the central portion of said actuator member with the central portion of said actuator member spaced from said rigid metal body, said mounting means including means for engaging said retaining surfaces to retain said actuator member against movement relative to said rigid metal body, said actuator member including first retainer surface means for engaging a first one of said plurality of retaining surfaces and a second retainer surface means for engaging a second one of said plurality of retaining surfaces, said first retainer surface means including an annular rim portion which is disposed in abutting engagement with said first one of said plurality of retaining surfaces, said second retainer surface means including a surface which is disposed in abutting engagement with said second one of said plurality of retaining surfaces, said central portion of said actuator member and said valve member being engageable to hold said valve member in the open condition against the influence of said spring means, at least a portion of said central portion of said actuator member being fusible and deformable under the influence of force applied against said central portion of said actuator member by said valve member upon exposure of said actuator member to excessive heat to release said valve member for movement from the open condition as the central portion of said actuator member deforms.

A coupling for use in connecting a pair of conduits in fluid communication, said coupling comprising a plug assembly having a fluid flow passage therethrough and being adapted to be connected with one of the conduits, a socket assembly having a fluid flow passage therethrough and being adapted to be connected with another of the conduits, a first one of said assemblies including a valve member movable between a closed condition blocking the fluid flow passage in the first one of said assemblies and an open condition in which said valve member is ineffective to block the fluid flow passage in the first one of said assemblies and spring means for applying force against said valve member urging said valve member toward the closed condition, a second one of said assemblies including a rigid metal body and an actuator member which extends across the fluid flow passage in the second one of said assemblies, said actuator member including a tubular sleeve portion which is disposed in said rigid metal body and through which the fluid flow passage in the second one of said assemblies extends, a bridging portion connected with said sleeve portion and extending through a longitudinal central axis of said sleeve portion, said bridging portion and said valve member being engagable to hold said valve member in the open condition against the influence of said spring means, and a rim portion which projects outwardly from said sleeve portion and abuttingly engages an outer end surface on said rigid metal body to retain said sleeve portion against movement under the influence of force applied against said bridging portion of said actuator member by said valve member, at least a portion of said actuator member being fusible and deformable under the influence of force applied against said bridging portion of said actuator member by said valve member upon exposure of said actuator member to excessive heat to release said valve member for movement from the open condition.

A coupling for use in connecting a pair of conduits in fluid communication, said coupling comprising a plug assembly having a fluid flow passage therethrough and being adapted to be connected with one of the conduits, a socket assembly having a fluid flow passage therethrough and being adapted to be connected with another of the conduits, a first one of said assemblies including a valve member moveable between a closed condition blocking the fluid flow passage in the first one of said assemblies and spring means for applying force against said valve member urging said valve member toward the closed condition, a second one of said assemblies including a rigid metal body and a heat fusible actuator member which extends across the fluid flow passage in the second one of said assemblies, said actuator member including a tubular sleeve portion, said sleeve portion being circumferentially and resiliently compressible from a relatively large cross sectional configuration to a relatively small cross sectional configuration to enable said sleeve portion to be inserted into said rigid metal body, said sleeve portion including retainer means for engaging said rigid metal body upon insertion of said sleeve portion into said said rigid metal body and resilient expansion of said sleeve portion from a relatively small cross sectional configuration to a relatively large cross sectional configuration to retain said sleeve portion against movement relative to said rigid metal body, a bridging portion connected with said sleeve portion and extending through a longitudinal central axis of said sleeve portion, said bridging portion and said valve member being engagable to hold said valve member in the open condition against the influence of said spring means, said retainer means being effective to hold said sleeve portion against axial movement under the influence of force applied against said bridging portion by said valve member, said retainer means being fusible and deformable under the influence of force applied against said bridging portion of said actuator member by said valve member upon exposure of said actuator member to excessive heat to release said valve member for movement from the open condition.

A coupling for use in connecting a pair of conduits in fluid communication, said coupling comprising a plug assembly having a field flow passage therethrough and being adapted to be connected with one of the conduits, a socket assembly having a fluid flow passage therethrough and being adapted to be connected with another of the circuits, a first one of said assemblies including a valve member movable between a closed condition blocking the fluid flow passage in the first one of said assemblies and an open condition in which said valve member is ineffective to block the fluid flow passage in the first one of said assemblies and spring means for applying force against said valve member urging said valve member toward the closed condition, a second one of said assemblies including a rigid metal body and a heat fusible actuator member which extends across the fluid flow passage in the second one of said assemblies, said actuator member including a heat fusible and deformable central portion which extends through a central axis of the fluid flow passage in the second one of said assemblies and a mounting means which is connected with said rigid metal body of the second one of said assemblies and supports the central portion of said actuator member during and after deformation of the central portion of said actuator member, said central portion of said actuator member and said valve member being engageable to hold said valve member in the open condition against the influence of said spring means, at least a portion of said central portion of said actuator member being fusible and deformable under the influence of force applied against said central portion of said actuator member by said valve member upon exposure of said actuator member to excessive heat to release said valve member for movement from the open condition as the central portion of said actuator member deforms, said mounting means including means for maintaining a connection between said central portion of said actuator member and said rigid metal body of the second one of said assemblies to support the central portion of said actuator member during movement of said valve member from the open condition to the closed condition as the central portion of said actuator member deforms.