GB2435913A

GB2435913A - Air line safety coupling with venting position

Info

Publication number: GB2435913A
Application number: GB0704251A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Paul Poberezny
Original assignee: Pneumatic Components Ltd
Current assignee: Pneumatic Components Ltd
Priority date: 2006-03-11
Filing date: 2007-03-06
Publication date: 2007-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-06
Also published as: GB2435913B; GB0704251D0; GB0604979D0

Abstract

An air line safety coupling 16 has a male member 1 retained within the socket 18 by two rows of balls 23, 24. The rows are in two axial positions to provide a fully locked position and a venting position. The balls can be controlled by outer sleeve 5 and inner sleeve 7, both of which are biased axially towards the mouth of the coupling. When the outer sleeve is moved away from the mouth of the coupling, it engages the inner sleeve and moves it, releasing the barbed portion 22 of the male member 1 from the balls 24 to break the coupling and allow venting of the airline, whilst removal is prevented by outer balls 23. When the outer sleeve 5 is moved forward again, the second row of balls releases the male member allowing it to be withdrawn. Each row of balls may comprise three balls retained in bores spaced around the circumference of the female member.

Description

* 2435913 a

Title of the Invention

Air line safety coupling

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an air line safety coupling which permits the gradual decay of compressed air pressure within an associated compressed air delivery line.

Background of the Invention

Safety couplings are known aimed at preventing the instant disconnection of an air line adaptor from a coupling with a view to avoiding hose whip danger to operatives from rapid escape of compressed air within an associated air line, particularly if the air JO line is of considerable length.

Object of the Invention A basic object of the invention is the provision of an improved air line safety coupling.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided an air line safety coupling comprising an elongate body member having a longitudinal axis and also having a through bore adapted to be connected at one, inlet end to a source of air pressure and at the other, delivery end to be connected to an insertable and removable adaptor itself attached to one end of a delivery hose, the bore being provided with a valve seat one side of which is engaegable by an axially displaceable valve member urged to its closed seated position by a coil compression spring and adapted to be lifted from its seated position to permit flow of compressed air through the coupling upon abutment by a leading end of a hose line adaptor incorporating a barbed collar spaced from its leading end, with two axially spaced-apart sets of radial bores provided in the body member, being an axially outer set of radial bores and an axially inner set of radial bores, each bore housing a radially displaceable ball, so as to constitute outer and inner sets of balls, means to control radial inward and radial outward displacement of the sets of balls, with both outer and inner sets of balls being displaceable radially outwardly upon the insertion of an air line adaptor into the delivery end of the coupling, and with manual activation of the control means permitting partial withdrawal of the adaptor from the coupling to a venting position in which the outer set of balls are engaged by a rear surface of the barbed collar preventing full withdrawal, whereby compressed air with the air line of the adaptor is able to vent through the various components of the coupling, and with subsequent further manual activation of the control means resulting in disengagement of the barbed collar from the outer set of balls, resulting in complete disengagement of the adaptor from the coupling Advantages of the Invention The safety coupling in accordance with the invention permits the use of a relatively long length adaptor which is insertable into the coupling in one action, and which coupling has a two-stage retraction procedure, the first stage permitting a throttled venting or decay of the air line pressure via the coupling, and the second stage permitting total disconnection, thereby meeting current I.S.O. recommendations, as the jet propulsion effect of compressed air issuing from the leading end of the adaptor into the bore etc of the coupling tending to forcibly eject the adaptor from the coupling being resisted by the rear of the barbed collar engaging the outer set of balls.

When the operative senses that no compressed air remains within the air line of the adaptor, or only a safe air pressure remains, the operative is able to effect further manual movement of the control means to disengage the barbed collar from the outer set of balls.

Preferred or Optional Features The control means comprises an outer sleeve slidably mounted on a portion of the outer periphery of the body member, being co-axial with the longitudinal axis, and also being spring loaded towards the delivery end of the coupling.

A circumferential groove is provided in an inner face of a portion of the outer sleeve adapted, in certain positions of the outer sleeve, to receive radially outermost portions of the outer set of balls.

The control means comprises an inner sleeve slidably mounted on another portion of the outer periphery of the body member, co-axial with the longitudinal axis, and spring loaded towards the delivery end of the coupling.

The inner sleeve has a chamfered end adapted, in some positions of the inner IS sleeve, to engage the inner set of balls.

The control means comprises a shuttle ring, co-axial with the longitudinal axis, and slidably located within the bore between the inner set of balls and the other side of the valve seat, a base of the shuttle ring being engaged by a coil compression spring and thereby biased towards the inner set of balls.

The shuttle ring has a chamfered leading end adapted, in some positions of the shuttle ring, to engage the inner set of inner balls.

The outer set of bores consists of three bores 1200 apart.

The inner set of bores consists of three bores 120 apart The barbed collar has a chamfered leading surface adapted, during insertion of the adaptor into the bore of the coupling, to eventually engage the chamfered leading end of the shuttle ring to displace the latter against its spring bias, towards the valve seat, the leading end of the adaptor eventually abutting, and upon further insertion unseating, the valve member, with the adaptor latched in this delivery position by a rear of the barbed collar engaging the inner set of balls, the collar being maintained in engagement with the inner set of balls by the bias of the spring of the shuttle ring.

Disconnection of the adaptor from the coupling requires, in a first stage, an operative to manually slide the outer sleeve against its bias and away from the adaptor until a portion of the outer sleeve abuts a portion of the inner sleeve to commence displacement of the inner sleeve against its bias until the circumferential groove of the outer sleeve engages the outer set of balls and the inner balls are permitted, by displacement of the inner sleeve to move radially outwardly. Partial withdrawal of the adaptor is then possible, with the valve member being re-seated, IS and ventsng of the air within the hose then occurs through the coupling. After venting the outer sleeve is manually displaced in the opposite direction and towards the adaptor to permit radial outward movement of the inner set of balls to permit total withdrawal of the adaptor from the coupling.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The accompanying drawings show one example of a safety coupling in accordance with the invention, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a coupling in accordance with the Invention, and an adaptor, before insertion of the latter into the coupling; Figure 2 is a section on the line Il-li of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section on the line of Ill-Ill of Figure 1; Figure 4 corresponds to Figure 1 but shows the fully inserted position for compressed air delivery; and Figure 5 shows the partially retracted position permitting safe delay of air pressure with the delivery hose to the end of which the adaptor is fitted.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

An air line safety coupling 16 has an elongate body member 2 having a longitudinal axis 17 and also having a through bore 18 adapted to be connected at I 0 one, inlet end to a source of air pressure and at the other, delivery end adapted to receive an insertable and removable adaptor 1 itself attached to one end of a delivery hose (not shown). The bore 18 has a counterbore 19 in which is located a valve seat secured in place by a screwed in connecting nut 15. One side of the valve seat 20 is engageable by an axially displaceable valve member 12 urged to its closed, seated position by a coil compression spring 13 and adapted to be lifted from its seated position to permit flow of compressed air through the coupling 16 upon abutment by a leading end 21 of the adaptor 1, the latter being provided with a barbed collar 22 spaced from its leading end 21. Two axially spaced-apart sets of three radial bores, each spaced 1200 apart, are provided in the body member 2, being an axially outer set 23 of radial bores and an axially inner set 24 of radial bores. Each bore houses a radially displaceable ball 3, 4 respectively, so as to constitute outer and inner sets of balls.

Means to control radial inward and radial outward displacement of the sets of balls, comprises an outer sleeve 5 slidably mounted on a portion 25 of the outer periphery of the body member 2, being co-axial with the longitudinal axis 1 7, and also being biased by a coil compression spring 6 towards the delivery end of the coupling 16.

A circumferential groove 26 is provided in an inner face of a portion 27 of the outer sleeve 5 and is adapted, in certain positions of the outer sleeve 5, to receive radially outermost portions of the outer set 23 of balls, as illustrated in Figure 5, and when engaged, to latch the outer sleeve 5 in this position against the bias of its spring 6 The control means further comprises an inner sleeve 7 slidably mounted on another portion 28 of the outer periphery of the body member 2, co-axial with the longitudinal axis 17 and also biased by a coil compression spring 8 towards the delivery end of the coupling 16.

The inner sleeve 7 has a chamfered end 29 adapted, in some positions of the inner sleeve 7, to engage the inner set of balls, as illustrated in Figure 1.

The control means further comprises a shuttle ring 9 co-axial with the longitudinal axis 17 and slidably located within the bore 18 between the inner set 24 of balls 4 and the other side of the valve seat 20, a base 30 of the shuttle ring 9 being engaged by a coil compression spring 10 and thereby biased towards the inner set 24 of balls 4.

The shuttle ring 9 has a chamfered leading end 31 adapted, in some positions of the shuttle ring 9, to engage the set 24 of inner balls 4, as illustrated in Figure 1.

The barbed coflar 22 has a rear 35 and a chamfered leading surface 32 adapted, during insertion of the adaptor 1 into the bore 18 of the coupling, to eventually engage the chamfered leading end 31 of the shuttle ring 9 to displace the latter against its spring bias, towards the valve seat 20, the leading end 21 of the adaptor 1 eventually abutting nose 36 of the valve member 12, and upon further insertion, unseating the valve member 12.

Disconnection of the adaptor 1 from the coupling 16 requires an operative to manually slide the outer sleeve 5 against its bias and away from the adaptor 1 until a portion 33 of the outer sleeve 5 abuts a portion 34 of the inner sleeve 7 to commence I 0 displacement of the inner sleeve 7 against its bias until the inner set 24 of balls 4 are permitted, by displacement of the inner sleeve 7 to move radially outwardly from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4, with the valve member 12 being re-seated. In this Figure 5 position, compressed air within the air line to which the adaptor 1 is secured is able to safely vent to atmosphere via the coupling 16, with the adaptor 1 retained within the coupling 16, in the Figure 5 position, by the rear 35 of the barbed collar 32 engaging the balls 5 of the outer set 23. After completion of venting, the operative manually displaces the outer sleeve 5 in the opposite direction and towards the adaptor 1 to permit radial outward movement of the outer set 23 of balls to permit total withdrawal of the adaptor 1 from the coupling 16.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. An air line safety coupling comprising an elongate body member having a longitudinal axis and also having a through bore adapted to be connected at one, inlet end to a source of air pressure and at the other, delivery end to be connected to an insertable and removable adaptor itself attached to one end of a delivery hose, the bore being provided with a valve seat one side of which is engaegable by an axially displaceable valve member urged to its closed seated position by a coil compression spring and adapted to be lifted from its seated position to permit flow of compressed air through the coupling upon abutment by a leading end of a hose line adaptor to incorporating a barbed collar spaced from its leading end, with two axially spaced-apart sets of radial bores provided in the body member, being an axially outer set of radial bores and an axially inner set of radial bores, each bore housing a radially displaceable ball, so as to constitute outer and inner sets of balls, means to control radial inward and radial outward displacement of the sets of balls, with both outer and IS inner sets of balls being displaceable radially outwardly upon the insertion of an air line adaptor into the delivery end of the coupling, and with manual activation of the control means permitting partial withdrawal of the adaptor from the coupling to a venting position in which the outer set of balls are engaged by a rear surface of the barbed collar preventing full withdrawal, whereby compressed air with the air line of the adaptor is able to vent through the various components of the coupling, and with subsequent further manual activation of the control means resulting in disengagement of the barbed collar from the outer set of balls, resulting in complete disengagement of the adaptor from the coupling.

* 2 An air hne safety coupling as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the control means comprises an outer sleeve slidably mounted on a portion of the outer periphery of the body member, being co-axial with the longitudinal axis, and also being spring loaded towards the delivery end of the coupling.

3. An air line safety coupling as claimed in Claim 2, wherein a circumferential groove is provided in an inner face of a portion of the outer sleeve adapted, in certain positions of the outer sleeve, to receive radially outermost portions of the outer set of balls.

4. An air line safety coupling as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the I 0 control means comprises an inner sleeve slidably mounted on another portion of the outer periphery of the body member, co-axial with the longitudinal axis, and spring loaded towards the delivery end of the coupling.

5. An air line safety coupling as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the inner sleeve has a chamfered end adapted, in some positions of the inner sleeve, to engage the inner setofballs 6. An air tine safety coupling as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the control means comprises a shuttle ring, co-axial with the longitudinal axis, and slidably located within the bore between the inner set of balls and the other side of the valve seat, a base of the shuttle ring being engaged by a coil compression spring and thereby biased towards the inner set of balls 7. An air line safety coupling as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the shuttle ring has a chamfered leading end adapted, in some positions of the shuttle ring, to engage the inner set of inner balls.

8. An air line safety coupling as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the outer set of bores consists of three bores 1200 apart.

9. An air line safety coupling as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the inner set of bores consists of three bores 120 apart 10. An air line safety coupling as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barbed collar has a chamfered leading surface adapted, during insertion of the adaptor into the bore of the coupling, to eventually engage the chamfered leading end of the shuttle ring to displace the latter against its spring bias, towards the valve seat, the leading end of the adaptor eventually abuthng, and upon further insertion JO unseating, the valve member, with the adaptor latched in this delivery position by a rear of the barbed collar engaging the inner set of bails, the collar being maintained in engagement with the inner set of balls by the bias of the spring of the shuttle ring.

11. An air line safety coupling substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.