GB836646A - Improvements in or relating to pipe couplings - Google Patents

Abstract

836,646. Pipe couplings. WEATHERHEAD CO. July 29, 1957 [Aug. 27,1956], No. 24017/57. Class 99(1). In a pipe coupling particularly for conducting liquid or gaseous oxygen, ball detents 18 secured within the wall 17 of a socket A while being allowed to partly extend on one or other side, enter grooves 24 of a plug B wherein they are engaged by a locking sleeve 26 urged by a spring 128 over the grooves 24, an unlocking sleeve 28 engaging the sleeve 26 which it retracts to permit uncoupling. Socket A. A spring loaded valve 10 seats against a synthetic plastic washer 12 made gastight by providing one of the metal surfaces against which it is retained with spaced concentric rings 87 which bite into the washer 12 and may penetrate to the other flat surface 90. The valve 10 is acted upon by a stud 76 of a filter 74. The ball detents 18 are forced through an undersized aperture 92 to an undercut portion in which they can freely float in an axial direction limited by the shoulders of the undercut. An apertured sealing washer 68 provided with an incurved lip 70 is situated between ball detents 18 and filter 74. Plug B. A valve 10<SP>1</SP> and washer 12 are provided as in the socket A, the valve 101 bearing against a hollow insert 110 having a thickened end to provide shoulders 112 limiting movement. The end of the insert bearing against the valve is formed with projections 116 with bevelled ends so that on unseating the valve, ports are formed for fluid flow. A plug portion 23 fitting over the insert 110 is formed with the grooves 24 and the locking sleeve 26 thereon is limited in movement by a stop 136 on the unlocking sleeve 28. Unlocking sleeve 28 is limited in movement by pins 138 engaging sides of a recess 140. A dust cover 142 may be provided. Operation. Socket A and plug B are pushed together, the plug portion 23 entering the wall 17 and causing the ball detents 18 to ride on the outer periphery of the plug portion and move outwards thereby engaging end 125 of the locking sleeve 26. Further coupling movement causes the retraction of locking sleeve 26 against spring 128 until the ball detents 18 are forced to enter grooves 24 and the coupling is locked by sleeve 26 snapping back over the wall 17. During the coupling movement the plug portion 23 enters the washer 68 and the end 118 of the insert 110 presses against the filter 74 thereby unseating the valve 10. The movement of the filter is limited by a wall 60 so that the end 108 of the plug portion 23 is moved up to coincide with the end 118 thus unseating also the valve 10<SP>1</SP>.