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US 9,175,795 B2Granted
Coupling with locking bars
AssigneeParker-Hannifin Corporation
InventorDouglas F. Hopson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The female coupling half includes: a body, a plurality of locking bars, a spring, a locking ring, and, a cam. The body includes a plurality of grooves, an exterior, and an internal longitudinal bore. The cam, locking ring and locking bars are movable between first and second positions. The cam in the first position permits the locking ring in first position, urged by the spring, to force the locking bars to a first position in the grooves of the body and to extend the locking bars into the internal longitudinal bore locking the male and females coupling halves. The cam in the second position engages and forcefully urges the locking bars to a second position in the grooves toward the exterior of the body and the locking bars urge the locking ring to a second position further compressing the spring.
Claims48
A coupling, comprising:
- a female coupling half;
- said female coupling half includes:
- a body having a longitudinal axis;
- a locking bar that extends transverse to said longitudinal axis of said body;
- a spring;
- a ring;
- and, a cam;
- said body includes a groove, an exterior, and an internal longitudinal bore therethrough;
- said groove extends from said exterior of said body to said internal longitudinal bore;
- said locking bar having an intermediate portion movable in said groove and end portions at opposite ends of said intermediate portion;
- said spring operable between said body and said ring;
- said ring engages said locking bar;
- said cam slidingly engages said body;
- said cam slidingly engages said end portions of said locking bar externally of said body;
- said cam movable between first and second positions;
- said cam in said first position permitting said ring, urged by said spring, to force said locking bar into said groove of said body extending said locking bar into said internal longitudinal bore of said body;
- and,
- said cam in said second position forcefully urging said locking bar toward said exterior of said body and out of said internal longitudinal bore against said ring compressing said spring.
15 more elements
A coupling, comprising:
- a female coupling half;
- said female coupling half includes:
- a body having a longitudinal axis;
- a plurality of locking bars that extend transverse to said longitudinal axis of said body;
- a spring;
- a ring;
- and, a cam;
- said body includes a plurality of grooves, an exterior, and an internal longitudinal bore therethrough;
- said plurality of grooves extend from said exterior of said body to said internal longitudinal bore;
- said locking bars each having an intermediate portion movable in said groove and end portions at opposite ends of said intermediate portion;
- said spring operable between said body and said ring;
- said ring engages said plurality of locking bars;
- said cam slidingly engages said body;
- said cam slidingly engages said end portions of said plurality of locking bars externally of said body;
- said cam movable between first and second positions;
- said cam in said first position permitting said ring, urged by said spring, to force said plurality of locking bars into said grooves of said body, each one of said plurality of locking bars extending into said internal longitudinal bore;
- and,
- said cam in said second position urging said locking bars toward said exterior of said body and against said ring compressing said spring;
- a male coupling half;
- said male coupling half secured by said locking bars when said cam is in said first position.
17 more elements
A coupling, comprising:
- a female coupling half;
- said female coupling half includes a body and a locking bar;
- said locking bar includes a substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion;
- said body of said female coupling half includes a groove, an exterior, and an internal longitudinal bore therethrough;
- said groove extends from said exterior of said body to said internal longitudinal bore;
- said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion of said locking bar resides in said groove of said body of said female coupling half;
- and
- a male coupling half;
- said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion of said locking bar resides in said groove of said body of said female coupling half engaging said male coupling half when said coupling is fully coupled;
- said male coupling half includes an external circumferentially extending groove, said external circumferentially extending groove includes a circumferentially extending mating surface extending to a radially outer edge of said groove;
- said locking bar of said female half engages said circumferentially extending mating surface of said external circumferentially extending groove of said male coupling half at an engagement area that is radially inwardly spaced from said radially outer edge of said groove;
- said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion of said locking bar of said female coupling half includes an arcuate retaining surface;
- said arcuate retaining surface of said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion of said locking bar of said female half, engages said circumferentially extending mating surface of said external circumferentially extending groove of said male half at said engagement area;
- and,
- said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion of said locking bar of said female coupling half includes a second surface opposite said arcuate retaining surface;
- said second surface opposite said arcuate surface engages said groove of said body of said female coupling half locking said male coupling half and said female coupling half together.
13 more elements
A female coupling half, comprising:
- a body having a longitudinal axis and a locking bar that extends transverse to said longitudinal axis of said body;
- said locking bar includes a substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion between opposite end portions;
- said body of said female coupling half includes a groove, an exterior, and an internal longitudinal bore therethrough;
- said groove extends from said exterior of said body to said internal longitudinal bore, and the groove is defined by longitudinally spaced-apart surfaces that are inclined to the longitudinal axis of the body and to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body;
- said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion of said locking bar resides in said groove of said body of said female coupling half;
- and
- said opposite end portions extend transversely outwardly beyond said exterior of said body.
4 more elements
A female coupling half, comprising:
- a body having a longitudinal axis and a locking bar that extends transverse to said longitudinal axis of said body;
- said locking bar includes a substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion between opposite end portions;
- said body of said female coupling half includes a groove, an exterior, and an internal longitudinal bore therethrough;
- said groove extends from said exterior of said body to said internal longitudinal bore;
- said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion of said locking bar resides in said groove of said body of said female coupling half;
- said opposite end portions extend transversely outwardly beyond said exterior of said body;
- and
- further comprising:
- a spring;
- a locking ring;
- and, a cam;
- spring operable between said body and said locking ring;
- said ring engages said locking bar;
- said cam slidingly engages said body;
- said cam slidingly engages said end portions of said locking bar;
- said cam movable between first and second positions;
- and,
- said cam in said first position permitting said ring, urged by said spring, to force said locking bar into said groove of said body extending said locking bar into said internal longitudinal bore of said body;
- and, said cam in said second position urging said locking bar toward said exterior of said body and out of said internal longitudinal bore against said ring compressing said spring.
16 more elements
A coupling, comprising:
- a female coupling half and a male coupling half;
- said female coupling half includes a body and a plurality of locking bars;
- each of said plurality of locking bars includes a substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion;
- said body of said female coupling half includes a plurality of grooves therein for each respective locking bar;
- said body also includes an exterior and an internal longitudinal bore therethrough;
- each of said grooves extends from said exterior of said body to said internal longitudinal bore;
- each of said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portions of each of said plurality of locking bars resides in one of said grooves of said body of said female coupling half;
- each of said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portions of each of said plurality of locking bars oriented in said grooves of said body of said female coupling half engage said male coupling half when said coupling is fully coupled;
- each of said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portions of said locking bars of said female coupling half includes an arcuate retaining surface;
- said male coupling half includes an external circumferentially extending groove, said external circumferentially extending groove includes a circumferentially extending mating surface extending inwardly from a radially outer edge of said groove;
- each of said arcuate retaining surfaces of said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portions of said locking bars of said female half, engage said circumferentially extending mating surface of said external circumferentially extending groove of said male coupling half at an engagement area that is radially inwardly spaced from said radially outer edge of said groove.
8 more elements
A female coupling half, comprising:
- a body and a plurality of locking bars;
- each of said plurality of locking bars includes a substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion;
- said body of said female coupling half includes a plurality of grooves, an exterior, and an internal longitudinal bore therethrough;
- each of said plurality of grooves extends from said exterior of said body to said internal longitudinal bore;
- each of said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portions of said locking bars resides in a respective one of said plurality of grooves of said body of said female coupling half;
- a spring;
- a locking ring;
- and, a cam;
- said spring operable between said body and said locking ring;
- said locking ring engages each of said plurality of locking bars;
- said cam slidingly engages said body;
- said cam slidingly engages each of said plurality of locking bars externally of said body;
- said cam movable between first and second positions;
- and,
- said cam in said first position permitting said locking ring, urged by said spring, to force each of said plurality of locking bars into said respective one of said plurality of grooves of said body extending said plurality of locking bars generally radially inwardly into said internal longitudinal bore of said body;
- and, said cam in said second position urging each of said plurality of locking bars generally radially outwardly toward said exterior of said body and out of said internal longitudinal bore against said locking ring compressing said spring.
13 more elements
A process for locking and unlocking a male coupling half and a female coupling half, said female coupling half includes:
- a body having a longitudinal axis, a spring-biased flow valve and a plurality of locking bars extending transverse to the longitudinal axis;
- each of said plurality of locking bars includes a substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portion and end portions protruding from said body;
- said body of said female coupling half includes a plurality of grooves, an exterior, and an internal longitudinal bore therethrough;
- each of said plurality of grooves extends from said exterior of said body to said internal longitudinal bore;
- and, each of said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portions of said locking bars resides in a respective one of said plurality of grooves of said body of said female coupling half;
- a spring;
- a locking ring;
- and, a cam;
- said spring operable between said body and said locking ring biasing said locking ring;
- said locking ring engages each of said plurality of locking bars;
- said male coupling half includes:
- a male body and a circumferential recess, said circumferential recess includes a locking surface;
- comprising the steps of:
- inserting said male body of said male coupling half into said body of said female coupling half, pushing said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portions of said locking bars, outwardly from a first position partially in said internal longitudinal bore to a second position toward said exterior of said body in said grooves against said spring-biased locking ring and moving said spring-biased locking ring from a first position to a second position;
- pushing said male body of said male coupling half against the force of said spring-biased flow valve of said female coupling half, and sliding said male body of said male coupling half into said female coupling half until said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portions of said locking bars move from said second position to said first position and said locking surface of said circumferential recess of said male body resides in engagement with said substantially square, in cross-section, intermediate portions of said locking bars of said female coupling half locking said male coupling half and said female coupling half together and moving said cam to a first position and moving said spring-biased locking ring from said second position to said first position;
- moving said cam to a second position under the influence of an external force and camming said end portions of said locking bars outwardly to move said locking bars outwardly in said grooves to said second position toward said exterior of said body of said female coupling half and moving said spring-biased locking ring to said second position;
- extracting said male coupling half out of said body of said female coupling half under the influence of said spring-biased flow valve;
- releasing said external force applied to said cam and moving said cam to said first position, moving said spring-biased locking ring to said first position and moving said locking bars to said first position unlocking and separating said male coupling half and said female coupling half.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.