Zero-spill double ball valve powered emergency release coupling

An emergency-release fluid coupling assembly for coupling two fluid-carrying members, a ball valve received therein, said assembly comprising:

• first and second fluid-carrying members (16, 18) each having an open end (12, 14), said ends (12, 14) being adapted to sealingly engage each other;
• first and second rotating ball valves (20, 22) received, respectively, in said first and second fluid-carrying member open ends (12, 14), each of said ball valves (20, 22) being rotatable between open and closed positions;
• coupling means (98, 100, 102, 104) for holding said first and second fluid-carrying members (16, 18) in engagement with each other and for selectively preventing decoupling of said first and second fluid-carrying members (16, 18) from engagement with each other;
• said coupling means comprising a first flat mating (24) attached to said first conduit end (12), a second flat mating collar (26) attached to said second conduit end (14), corresponding to and aligned for engagement with said first flat mating collar (24), and securing means (98) for securing said first and second flat mating collars to each other to hold said conduit ends in sealed engagement with each other;
• said securing means comprising flexible compression means (98, 100, 102, 104) forming a closed loop in circumferential engagement with said first and second flat mating collars (24, 26), means (102, 104) for selectively adjusting said closed loop to a position of decreased circumferential length thereby applying a compressive force to said collars (24, 26) and causing said first and second flat mating collars (24, 26) to be biased into engagement with each other, and means (105, 107, 109) for locking said closed loop in said position of decreased circumferential length;
• releasing means (62, 109) for selectively enabling decoupling of said first and second fluid-carrying members (16, 18) only when each of said first and second ball valves (20, 22) is in a closed position;
• said first and second flat mating collars (24, 26) each having a beveled outer edge (25, 27) on the side opposite said first open end (12) and said second open end (14), respectively;
• said compression means (98, 100, 102, 104) having an inner groove (103) with beveled portions (105) corresponding to said beveled edges (25, 27) of said first and second flat mating collars (24, 26) such that said beveled portions cooperate with said beveled outer edges to transmit said compressive force along an axis generally perpendicular to said compressive force, biasing said first and second mating collars (24, 26) into engagement with each other;
• and
• said flexible compression means comprising a plurality of rods (100), a plurality of link elements (98), one elongated rod (102), toggle means (104), means (106) for pivotally linking said rods and link elements in an alternating fashion to form one elongated chain having a link element at each end, means (114) for pivotally linking said elongated rod at a point near a first end of said elongated rod to a first end of said toggle means, means (112) for pivotally linking a second end of said elongated rod to the link element (98) located at a first end of said chain, means (110) for pivotally linking a second end of said toggle means to the link element located at a second end of said chain.