Male coupling for connecting to female threaded coupling

A male coupling connectable to and separable from a female threaded coupling, the female threaded coupling including a sealing surface and a receiving portion sized to receive at least a portion of the male coupling, the receiving portion having internal threads provided therein, the male coupling comprising:

• a body having a passageway extending therethrough;
• a ratcheting locking member disposed about the body and configured to move between locking and releasing positions, the ratcheting locking member having a retaining formation configured to engage the internal threads of the female threaded coupling when the locking member is in its locking position;
• a movable sleeve disposed about the body and having an inner surface that is sized to receive a portion of the ratcheting locking member;
• and
• an annular seal disposed about the sleeve,
• wherein, upon insertion of the male coupling into the female threaded coupling, the retaining formation of the ratcheting locking member progressively engages the internal threads in the female threaded coupling,
• wherein, upon axial movement of the sleeve towards the female threaded coupling, the annular seal is compressed against the sealing surface of the female threaded coupling.

A male coupling connectable to and separable from a female threaded coupling, the female threaded coupling including a sealing surface and a receiving portion sized to receive the male coupling, the receiving portion having internal threads provided therein, the male coupling comprising:

• a body having external threads and a passageway extending therethrough;
• a ratcheting locking member disposed about the body and having a number of resilient fingers configured to move between locking and releasing positions, each resilient finger having a retaining formation configured to engage the internal threads of the female threaded coupling when the resilient fingers are in their respective locking positions;
• and
• a nut having internal threads threadingly engaged to the external threads of the body, the nut having an inner surface that is sized to receive a portion of each resilient finger;
• and
• an annular seal disposed about the nut,
• wherein, upon insertion of the male coupling into the female threaded coupling, the retaining formation of each resilient finger progressively engages the internal threads in the female threaded coupling,
• wherein, upon rotation of the nut, the male coupling is drawn closer to the female threaded coupling, thereby compressing the annular seal against the sealing surface of the female threaded coupling.

A male coupling connectable to and separable from a female threaded coupling, the female threaded coupling having a receiving portion sized to receive the male coupling, the receiving portion having internal threads provided therein, the male coupling comprising:

• a body;
• and
• a ratcheting locking member disposed about the body and configured to move between locking and releasing positions, the ratcheting locking member having a retaining formation configured to engage the internal threads of the female threaded coupling;
• a resilient biasing element providing a radially outward force to bias the ratcheting locking member to its locking position;
• and
• a sleeve disposed about the body and in engagement with the ratcheting locking member, such that rotation of the sleeve causes rotation of the ratcheting locking member,
• wherein, upon insertion of the male coupling into the female threaded coupling, the retaining formation of the ratcheting locking member progressively engages the internal threads in the female threaded coupling,
• wherein, upon rotation of the sleeve, the ratcheting locking member rotates relative to the body, thereby drawing the male coupling towards the female threaded coupling.

A method of sealingly connecting a male coupling to a female threaded coupling, the female threaded coupling including a sealing surface and a receiving portion sized to receive at least a portion of the male coupling, the receiving portion having internal threads provided therein, the method comprising:

• providing a male coupling that includes a body having a passageway extending therethrough, a locking member disposed about the body and having a retaining formation configured to engage the internal threads of the female threaded coupling when the locking member is in a locking position, a sleeve disposed about the body, and an annular seal disposed about the sleeve;
• inserting the male coupling into the female threaded coupling until the retaining formation of the locking member engages the internal threads in the female threaded coupling;
• and
• moving the sleeve towards the female threaded coupling to compress the annular seal against the sealing surface of the female threaded coupling.

A male coupling connectable to and separable from a female threaded coupling, the female threaded coupling having a receiving portion sized to receive the male coupling, the receiving portion having internal threads provided therein, the male coupling comprising:

• a body;
• and
• a ratcheting locking member disposed about the body and configured to move between locking and releasing positions, the ratcheting locking member having a retaining formation configured to engage the internal threads of the female threaded coupling;
• a sleeve disposed about the body and in engagement with the ratcheting locking member, such that rotation of the sleeve causes rotation of the ratcheting locking member;
• and
• a number of keys to couple the sleeve to the locking member, wherein the sleeve includes splines configured to receive the keys of the locking member to mechanically link the locking member to the sleeve such that rotation of the sleeve causes rotation of the locking member,
• wherein, upon insertion of the male coupling into the female threaded coupling, the retaining formation of the ratcheting locking member progressively engages the internal threads in the female threaded coupling,
• wherein, upon rotation of the sleeve, the ratcheting locking member rotates relative to the body, thereby drawing the male coupling towards the female threaded coupling.