Ball-lock-type quick-acting connector

A ball-lock-type quick-acting connector comprising:

• a socket member and a plug member adapted to be detachably coupled with each other,
• locking ball members,
• a control sleeve slidably fitted over said socket member for controlling the locking ball members to interengage with said socket member and said plug member so as to retain said plug member in said socket,
• said socket and plug members being made primarily by plastic working of a sheet metal,
• said socket member having a stepped bore therethrough including a first bore and a second bore connected by a shoulder portion, said first bore having an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of said second bore,
• said plug member having a stepped cylindrical outer surface including a first outer surface and a second outer surface connected by a shoulder portion, said first and second outer surfaces being so dimensioned as to be snugly fitted in a telescoping fashion in aid first and second bores, respectively, of said socket member,
• said shoulder portions of said socket and plug members being axially opposite with each other to define an annular chamber therebetween as said plug member is inserted in said socket member with said first and second outer surfaces of said plug member being fitted, respectively, in said first and second bores of said socket member, said annular chamber being defined in the radial direction between said first bore and said second outer surface,
• an annular sealing member disposed in said annular chamber to provide a fluid-tight seal between said first bore and said second outer surface as said socket and plug members are coupled with each other,
• a backup ring disposed in said annular chamber between said sealing member and said shoulder portion of the plug member to back-up the sealing member,
• said first bore of said socket member being continuously straight, defining a radial surface forming part of said annular chamber for retaining said sealing member and said backup ring,
• said sealing member and said backup ring being retained in said annular chamber by being axially confined between said shoulder portions of said socket and plug members.

A ball-lock-type quick-acting connector comprising:

• a socket member and a plug member adapted to be detachably coupled with each other,
• locking ball members,
• a control sleeve slidably fitted over said socket member for controlling the locking ball members to interengage with said socket member and said plug member so as to retain said plug member in said socket,
• said socket member having a stepped bore therethrough including a first bore and a second bore connected by a shoulder portion, said first bore having an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of said second bore,
• said plug member having a stepped cylindrical outer surface including a first outer surface and a second outer surface connected by a shoulder portion, said first and second outer surfaces being so sized in outer diameter as to be closely fitted in a telescoping fashion in said first and second bores, respectively, of said socket member,
• said shoulder portions of said socket and plug members being axially opposite with each other to define an annular chamber therebetween as said plug member is inserted in said socket member with said first and second outer surfaces of said plug member being fitted, respectively, in said first and second bores of said socket member, said annular chamber being defined in the radial direction between said first bore and said second outer surface,
• an annular sealing member disposed in said annular chamber to provide a fluid-tight seal between said first bore and said second outer surface as said socket and plug members are coupled with each other,
• a backup ring disposed in said annular chamber between said sealing member and said shoulder portion of the plug member to back-up the sealing member, and
• retaining means for positively retaining said sleeve in the locking position thereof.

A ball-lock-type quick-acting connector comprising:

• a socket member and a plug member adapted to be detachably coupled with each other,
• locking ball members,
• a control sleeve slidably fitted over said socket member for controlling the locking ball members to interengage with said socket member and said plug member so as to retain said plug member in said socket,
• said socket member having a stepped bore therethrough including a first bore and a second bore connected by a shoulder portion, said first bore having an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of said second bore,
• said plug member having a stepped cylindrical outer surface including a first outer surface and a second outer surface connected by a shoulder portion, said first and second outer surfaces being so sized in outer diameter as to be closely fitted in a telescoping fashion in said first and second bores, respectively, of said socket member,
• said shoulder portions of said socket and plug members being axially opposite with each other to define an annular chamber therebetween as said plug member is inserted in said socket member with said first and second outer surfaces of said plug member being fitted, respectively, in said first and second bores of said socket member, said annular chamber being defined in the radial direction between said first bore and said second outer surface,
• an annular sealing member disposed in said annular chamber to provide a fluid-tight seal between said first bore and said second outer surface as said socket and plug members are coupled with each other,
• a backup ring disposed in said annular chamber between said sealing member and said shoulder portion of the plug member to back-up the sealing member, and
• first and second positioning means for limiting the travel of said sleeve with respect to said socket member, said first positioning means being arranged to locate said sleeve at a first position which permits installation of the ball members into pockets formed in said socket member, said second positioning means being detachably mounted over said socket member and arranged to locate said sleeve at a second position in which said ball members are confined by said sleeve in respective pockets.

A ball-lock-type quick-acting connector comprising:

• a socket member and a plug member adapted to be detachably coupled with each other,
• locking ball members,
• a control sleeve slidably fitted over said socket member for controlling the locking ball members to interengage with said socket member and said plug member so as to retain said plug member in said socket,
• said socket member having a stepped bore therethrough including a first bore and a second bore connected by a shoulder portion, said first bore having an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of said second bore,
• said plug member having a stepped cylindrical outer surface including a first outer surface and a second outer surface connected by a shoulder portion, said first and second outer surfaces being so sized in outer diameter as to be closely fitted in a telescoping fashion in said first and second bores, respectively, of said socket member,
• said shoulder portions of said socket and plug members being axially opposite with each other to define an annular chamber therebetween as said plug member is inserted in said socket member with said first and second outer surfaces of said plug member being fitted, respectively, in said first and second bores of said socket member, said annular chamber being defined in the radial direction between said first bore and said second outer surface,
• an annular sealing member disposed in said annular chamber to provide a fluid-tight seal between said first bore and said second outer surface as said socket and plug members are coupled with each other,
• a backup ring disposed in said annular chamber between said sealing member and said shoulder portion of the plug member to back-up the sealing member,
• said socket and plug members being made primarily by plastic working of a sheet metal, and
• said sleeve comprises an inner tube and an outer tube each made from a sheet metal, said inner and outer tubes being press fitted with each other to form a unitary structure.

A ball-lock-type quick-acting connector comprising:

• a socket member and a plug member adapted to be detachably coupled with each other,
• locking ball members,
• a control sleeve slidably fitted over said socket member for controlling the locking ball members to interengage with said socket member and said plug member so as to retain said plug member in said socket,
• said socket member having a stepped bore therethrough including a first bore and a second bore connected by a shoulder portion, said first bore having an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of said second bore,
• said plug member having a stepped cylindrical outer surface including a first outer surface and a second outer surface connected by a shoulder portion, said first and second outer surfaces being so sized in outer diameter as to be closely fitted in a telescoping fashion in said first and second bores, respectively, of said socket member,
• said shoulder portions of said socket and plug members being axially opposite with each other to define an annular chamber therebetween as said plug member is inserted in said socket member with said first and second outer surfaces of said plug member being fitted, respectively, in said first and second bores of said socket member, said annular chamber being defined in the radial direction between said first bore and said second outer surface,
• an annular sealing member disposed in said annular chamber to provide a fluid-tight seal between said first bore and said second outer surface as said socket and plug members are coupled with each other,
• a backup ring disposed in said annular chamber between said sealing member and said shoulder portion of the plug member to back-up the sealing member,
• said first bore of said socket member being provided with an inwardly directed annular projection projecting radially inwardly from said first bore to prevent said backup ring from slipping out of said first bore when said plug member is disconnected from said socket member.