Hydraulic coupling
AssigneeNWD International, Inc.
InventorNigel D. L. Williamson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid coupling assembly particularly adapted for connecting hydraulic conduits to the ports of a fluid manifold. The coupling comprises a male member which is threadedly connected to the port and which includes tapered locking surfaces on the male and female members, respectively, that are in tight frictional engagement when the male member is threaded into the female member. An O-ring is positioned in a pocket and disposed between the threads and the tapered locking surfaces to isolate the locking surfaces from hydraulic fluid, thereby ensuring a dry, frictional wedge lock. The O-ring is of a size that permits it to move axially in the pocket. In a modified embodiment of the coupling, there is provided an adjustable fitting which includes a lock nut having a skirt portion that is wedged into the tapered O-ring pocket.
Claims37
A fluid coupling assembly comprising:
- a female member having an outer face and an axial bore extending inwardly from the outer face and adapted to be in communication with fluid under pressure, said bore having internal thread means therein and an internal annular tapered locking surface disposed between said thread means and said outer face,
- a male member having a portion disposed within said bore and having external thread means thereon threadedly engaged with said internal thread means of said female member, said male member comprising an annular external tapered locking surface in tight contact with said internal tapered locking surface to form an interface, said male member comprising an annular undercut shoulder disposed between said external thread means and said external tapered surface defining an annular O-ring pocket, said pocket including a tapered corner where said interface extends into said pocket, and
- an O-ring disposed in said pocket, said O-ring being of a durometer and size smaller in volume than said pocket permitting said O-ring to move axially in said pocket and deform into sealing engagement with said tapered corner in response to fluid pressure, said internal tapered surface extending into said pocket past said O-ring.
A fluid coupling assembly comprising:
- a female member having an outer face and an axial bore extending inwardly from the outer face and adapted to be in communication with fluid under pressure, said bore having internal thread means therein and an annular internal locking surface disposed between said thread means and said outer face,
- a male member having a portion disposed within said bore and having external thread means thereon threadedly engaged with said internal thread means of said female member, said male member comprising an annular external locking surface in tight contact with said internal locking surface to form an interface, said male member comprising an annular undercut shoulder disposed between said external thread means and said external locking surface defining an annular O-ring pocket,
- said internal locking surface being tapered,
- said pocket including a tapered corner where said interface extends into said pocket, and
- an O-ring disposed in said pocket, said O-ring being of a durometer and size smaller in volume than said pocket permitting said O-ring to move axially in said pocket and deform into sealing engagement with said tapered corner in response to fluid pressure, said internal locking surface extending into said pocket past said O-ring.
A fluid coupling assembly comprising:
- a female member having an outer face and an axial bore extending inwardly from the outer face, said female member having a tapered internal annular locking surface,
- a male member having a base element disposed within said bore and means for connecting said base element to said female member, said base element including an external surface in facing relationship with said internal annular surface and defining therewith a tapered annular pocket,
- said male member including a lock nut element disposed around said base element and being threadedly connected to said base element, said lock nut element including an annular skirt portion wedged into said tapered pocket and forming a corner with said tapered internal annular locking surface and with said external surface, and
- an O-ring disposed in said pocket adjacent an axial end portion of said skirt portion, said O-ring being of a durometer and size smaller in volume than said pocket permitting said O-ring to move axially in said pocket and deform into sealing engagement with said corners in response to fluid pressure, said internal tapered locking surface extending into said pocket past said O-ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.