GB2201476A

GB2201476A - Hose coupling

Info

Publication number: GB2201476A
Application number: GB08703182A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Mckenna
Original assignee: K & B Beattie Ltd
Current assignee: K & B Beattie Ltd
Priority date: 1987-02-12
Filing date: 1987-02-12
Publication date: 1988-09-01
Also published as: GB8703182D0

Abstract

A coupling for hoses, or for hoses and/or equipment, for conveying a fluid, comprises a hollow male unit (22) for releasable interlocking engagement in fluid-tight manner with a hollow female unit (23). The male unit (22) has a cylindrical end portion (1) with a groove (12) circumferentially in its external surface. The female unit (23) incorporates a ring-shaped member (5) displaceable against a spring (25) by contact with the cylindrical portion (1) of the male unit (22), to allow a plurality of collets (11) in the female unit (23) to slide radially into engagement with the groove (12) in the male unit (22). A slideable member (13) urges the collets (11) into the groove (12) and retains them there to interlock the units (22, 23). A slideable spool (4), operating in conjunction with a seal (10) in the male unit (22), cooperates with a fixed pin (3) and sliding bush (6), in conjunction with seals (8, 9) to allow fluid (24) to pass through the coupling when formed from the two units (22, 23) while preventing escape of fluid (24) from the two units (22, 23) when separated. <IMAGE>

Description

HOSE COUPLING This invention relates to two-part couplings for high pressure assemblies used for conveying fluids, eg gases or liquids such as hydraulic oils. Such couplings are well-known which comprise male and female units connected to flexible fluid-conveying hoses and/or equipment, the units being manually interlockable in fluid-tight manner to allow fluid to be conveyed therethrough. It is important that the couplings should remain reliably interlocked while fluid at high pressure is being conveyed, but should also be capable of being readily separated when required. There may also be a requirement that when the units of the coupling are separated, escape of fluid from the separated units is prevented.

Couplings are known in which the male and female units are retained in interlocking engagement by means of ball bearings provided in one of the units which are caused to be retained in engagement with a groove in the other unit. Such an arrangement has disadvantages in that the area of contact between the units, as determined by the contact of the ball bearings, is relatively small and may lead to unreliable interlocking between the units.

It is an object of the invention to overcome or minimise this disadvantage by providing a coupling in which increased area of contact between interlocked units is achieved. The invention also provides improved means to ensure that escape of fluid, when the units of the coupling are separated, is prevented.

The present invention# provides a two-part coupling for hoses, or for hoses and/or equipment, for conveying a pressurised fluid, said coupling comprising: a hollow male unit adapted for releasable interlocking engagement in fluid-tight manner with a cooperating hollow female unit, said male unit having a cylindrical end portion provided for insertion into a matching portion of said female unit, said cylindrical portion having a groove provided circumferentially in its external surface; said female unit incorporating a ring-shaped member which is displaceable against spring pressure by the cylindrical portion of the male unit when inserted, such that a plurality of collets located in the female unit are capable of sliding radially intoeengagement with the groove in the cylindrical portion of the male unit, a slideable member being provided adapted and arranged to be slid to urge the collets into engagement with the groove and to overlie the collets whereby the male unit is capable of being maintained in interlocking engagement with the female unit, said slideable member being retractable to allow the collets to disengage from the groove to enable separation of the male and female units.

Suitably the slideable member is provided with a chamfered leading edge in contact with the collets to facilitate its sliding action to urge the collets into engagement with the groove in the male unit.

Suitably the slideable member is of substantially cylindrical form, located inside the female unit and mechanically connected to an actuating means, external to the female unit, by way of slots provided through the female unit. The said actuating means may also conveniently be of substantially cylindrical form encircling the female unit.

Preferably the slideable member is spring-biassed towards the collets.

Preferably planar mateable faces are provided on the ring-shaped member and the cylindrical end portion thereby minimising risk of damage to the units during engagement.

The said hollow female unit preferably has secured within it an elongate pin which is located inside, and on a common axis with, a hollow bush, said pin and said bush each having an end located in a hole in the said ring-shaped member, said bush being adapted to be slideable in the female unit by the ring-shaped member along the said axis and against a spring means; seal means being provided secured at said end of said pin and cooperating between the pin and the bush; further seal means being provided between the bush and a portion of the female unit in which it is slideably secured; said seal means and said further seal means being arranged to allow the bush to slide; the said hollow male unit having a cylindrical spool located inside the said cylindrical end portion thereof on a common axis therewith, a seal being provided secured to the inside of the cylindrical end portion and cooperating between the cylindrical end portion and the spool, the spool being slideable along its said axis further into the male unit against a spring means; the male and female units being arranged such that when separate, no fluid is able to pass through them, but when brought into engagement, the said pin in the female unit urges the spool further into the male unit until it clears its associated seal, while displacement of the said ring shaped member in the female unit by the cylindrical end portion of the male unit slides the bush in the female unit until the end of th#e bush clears the seal means secured at the end of the pin, such that when the units are in interlocking engagement, fluid is able to flow through them.

The said bush in the female unit is suitably provided with one or more shoulders adapted to come into contact with the said ring-shaped member whereby the bush is caused to be slid.

The use of the collets in the coupling of the invention results in an increased area of contact between the male and female units when interlocked compared with couplings of the prior art, thus increasing reliability of high pressure operation. Quick and easy separation of the units without escape of fluid is provided and coupling and uncoupling of the units can be a single-handed operation.

The units are also easy to clean and furthermore, risk of air entering the fluid being conveyed, during interlocking connection of the units, is minimised.

The invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures la and lb show perspective views of female and male units respectively of a two-part coupling, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a coupling formed by the units of Figures la and Ib, Figure 3a shows a cross-sectional view of the female unit of Figure la, Figure 3b shows a cross-sectional view of the male unit of Figure lb, Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the coupling formed by the units of Figures 3a and 3b, , Figure 5a represents a plan view of collets used in the female unit of Figure 3a, and Figure 5b represents a sectional view of the collets shown in Figure Sa.

A coupling is provided intended for quick and easy connection and disconnection of high pressure hoses or hoses and/or equipment 20 and 21 arranged for conveying -a fluid 24 under pressure. The coupling comprises a hollow metal male unit 22 which is to bereleasably interlocked in engagement, in fluid-tight manner with a cooperating hollow metal female unit 23. The male unit 22 has a cylindrical end portion 1 provided for insertion into a matching sleeve portion 2 in the female unit 23. The cylindrical end portion 1 has a groove 12 provided circumferentially in its external surface. The female unit incorporates a ring-shaped member 5 which is displaced against the pressure of a spring 25, when the end portion 1 of the male unit 22 enters the sleeve portion 2 of the female unit 23.The end portion 1 of the male unit 22 has a plane surface 26 which abuts a corresponding plane surface 27 of the ring-shaped member 5.

A plurality of metal collets 11, as shown in detail in Figures 5a and 5b, are located in the female unit 23 and are arranged to slide radially into engagement with the groove 12 in the male unit 22 when the ring-shaped member 5 is displaced. A member 13, suitably of cylindrical form, and with a chamfered leading edge 13a, slides by pressure from a spring 14 to urge the collets 11 into engagement with the groove 12 in the male unit 22 and then overlies the collets to maintain them in engagement. The male and female units 22 and 23 are thereby maintained rigidly locked together, the collets 11 providing a large area of contact with the groove 12.

In order to separate the coupling into its two units, the member 13 is retracted against the pressure of the spring 14. This is achieved manually by means of an external member 28, suitably of cylindrical form, connected to the member 13 by links 29 passing through slots 30 in the female unit. Retraction of the member 13 allows the collets 11 to disengage from the groove 12 in the male unit 22 and the male unit can then be separated from the female unit.

The hollow female unit 23 has secured within it an elongate pin 3 which is located inside, and on a common axis with, a hollow bush 6. The bush 6 and the pin 3 each have an end located in a hole in the ring-shaped member 5. The bush 6 is provided with shoulders 31 which come into contact with the ring-shaped member 5 when the latter is displaced by the male unit during the coupling operation. The bush 6 is arranged to be slideable against the pressure of a spring 32. A seal 9 is provided secured in a groove at the end of the pin 3 and cooperates between the pin 3 and bush 6 to prevent escape of fluid 24 from the female unit 23 when separated- from the male unit 22. A further seal 8 is provided between the bush 6 and a portion of the female unit 23 in which it is slideably secured. The seals 8 and 9 are arranged so that they do not interfere with the sliding operation of the bush 6.The hollow male unit 22 has a solid cylindrical spool 4 located inside the cylindrical end portion 1 thereof on a common axis therewith, a seal 10 being' provided, secured in a groove on the inside of the cylindrical end portion 1 and cooperating between the cylindrical end portion 1 and the spool 4. The spool 4 is arranged to be slideable further into the# male unit 22 against the pressure of a spring 33. The seal 10 prevents escape of fluid 24 from the male unit 22 when separated from the female unit 23. When the male and female units 22, 23 are brought into engagement, the pin 3 in the female unit contacts the spool 4 and slides it further into the male unit- against the pressure of the spring 33 until it is released #from, ie clears, the seal 10 as shown in Figure 4. At the same time, displacement of the ring-shaped member 5 in the female unit by the cylindrical end portion 1 of the male unit, brings the ring-shaped member 5 into contact with the shoulder 31 on the bush 6. Further displacement of the ring-shaped member 5 slides the bush 6 against the pressure of spring 32 until the end of the bush is released from, ie clears, the seal 9 secured at the end of the pin 3. Consequently, when the male and female units are in interlocking engagement, fluid 24 is able to flow freely through the coupling as shown in Figure 4. When the coupling is separated into the two units 22 and 23, the seals 9 and 10 come into effective operation again to prevent escape of fluid 24 from the two units.

Claims

1. A two-part coupling for hoses, or for hoses and/or equipment, for conveying a pressurised fluid, said coupling comprising: a hollow male unit adapted for releasable interlocking engagement in fluid-tight manner with a cooperating hollow female unit, said male unit having a cylindrical end portion provided for insertion into a matching portion of said female unit, said cylindrical portion having a groove provided circumferentially in its external surface; said female unit incorporating a ring-shaped member which is displaceable against spring pressure by the cylindrical portion of the male unit when inserted, such that a plurality of collets located in the female unit are capable of sliding radially into engagement with the groove in the cylindrical portion of the male unit, a slideable member being provided adapted and arranged to be slid to urge the collets into engagement with the groove and to overlie the collets whereby the male unit is capable of being maintained in interlocking engagement with the female unit, said slideable member being retractable to allow the collets to disengage from the groove to enable separation of the male and female units.

2. A coupling according to Claim 1 in which the slideable member is provided with a chamfered leading edge in contact with the collets to facilitate its sliding action to urge the collets into engagement with the groove in the male unit.

3. A coupling according to Claim 1, or 2, in which the slideable member is of substantially cylindrical form, located inside the female unit and mechanically connected to an actuating means, external to the female unit, by way of slots provided through the female unit.

4. A coupling according to Claim 3 in which the said actuating means is of substantially cylindrical form encircling the female unit.

5. A coupling according to any preceding Claim in which the slideable member is spring-biassed towards the collets.

6. A coupling according to any preceding Claim in which planar mateable faces are provided on the ring-shaped member and the cylindrical end portion thereby minimising risk of damage to the units during engagement.

7. A coupling according to any preceding Claim in which the said hollow female unit has secured within it an elongate pin which is located inside, and on a common axis with, a hollow bush, said pin and said bush each having an end located in a hole in the said ring-shaped member, said bush being adapted to be slideable in the female unit by the ring-shaped member along the said axis and against a spring means; seal means being provided secured at said end of said pin and cooperating between the pin and the bush; further seal means being provided between the bush and a portion of the female unit in which it is slideably secured; said seal means and said further seal means being arranged to allow the bush to slide; the said hollow male unit having a cylindrical spool located inside the said cylindrical end portion thereof on a common axis therewith, a seal being provided secured to the inside of the cylindrical end portion and cooperating between the cylindrical end portion and the spool, the spool being slideable along its said axis further into the male unit against a spring means; the male and female units being arranged such that when separate, no fluid is able to pass through them, but when brought into engagement, the said pin in the female unit urges the spool further into the male unit until it clears its associated seal, while displacement of the said ring shaped member in the female unit by the cylindrical end portion of the male unit slides the bush in the female unit until the end of the bush clears the seal means secured at the end of the pin, such that when the. units are in interlocking engagement, fluid is able to flow through them.

8. A coupling according to Claim 7, in which the said bush in the female unit is suitably provided with one or more #shoulders adapted to come into contact with the said ring-shaped member whereby the bush is caused to be slid.

9. A two-part coupling for hoses, or for hoses and/or equipment, constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.