The Hansen Manufacturing Co.

The Coca-cola Company

Tuthill Corporation

James F Norton

Richard J Silagy

Walter W Antoniw

John A Jones

Bert W Manning

Richard Silagy

An improved coupling assembly includes a socket assembly which telescopically receives a plug to connect a pair of conduits in fluid communication. The plug is movable from a disengaged position to a storage position in which the plug is supported by and is telescopically disposed in the socket assembly. The plug can be moved further into the socket assembly to an engaged position in which the conduits are connected in fluid communication. The plug is securely held in the engaged position by locking elements. The plug is releasably gripped in the storage position by a plurality of detents. The detents are mounted on a sleeve which extends through an opening in a faceplate. An actuator flange is disposed on an outer end portion of the sleeve to enable it to be readily depressed. The fluid which is to be conducted through the coupling assembly is identified by the indicia on the sleeve and by similar indicia on the mounting plate. The socket assembly is constructed in two sections with an interlock to prevent connection of an outer socket section with a wrong inner socket section.

Coupling assembly

A new and improved valve assembly is easily assembled and includes a resilient annular washer. The washer has inner and outer side surfaces dimensioned so that a valve stem presses the inner side surface of the washer radially outwardly to expand the washer into engagement with a hook on a retainer cup. The hook holds the washer against axial displacement relative to the retainer cup under the influence of fluid pressure forces. The retainer cup advantageously engages a shoulder on the valve stem to limit axial compression of the washer.

Valve assembly and method

An improved coupling is utilized to interconnect conduits which conduct a flammable fluid, such as LP gas. The coupling includes a plug assembly which is telescopically received in a socket assembly. The socket assembly has retaining elements or balls which engage an annular collar which extends around a body of the plug assembly. In the event of a fire or other condition causing heating of the coupling to a temperature above a predetermined temperature, the plug body is released from the collar and is ejected from the socket assembly to disconnect the coupling. Simultaneously with ejection of the plug body from the socket assembly, a valve in the socket assembly is closed to block a flow of flammable gas through the socket assembly. A single spring is utilized to perform the dual functions of ejecting the plug body from the socket assembly and closing the socket valve. In order to provide for releasing of the plug body from the collar when the coupling is heated to the predetermined temperature, the plug body and collar are interconnected by a body of material which fuses when the predetermined temperature is reached.

Thermal responsive coupling

An improved relief valve assembly includes a metallic housing which is connected with a wall of a container of pressurized liquid. A plastic liner is disposed within the housing cavity and has external thread convolutions which engage internal housing thread convolutions. An outer seal is provided to prevent exposure of the threads to foreign particles in the atmosphere surrounding the container and an inner seal is provided to prevent leakage of liquid between the liner and housing. A valve member within the plastic liner is movable against the influence of a biasing spring from a closed position to an open position under the influence of excessive fluid pressure in the container. To enable the liner and movable valve member to be preassembled and then screwed into the housing cavity, the valve spring and valve member are held in the liner cavity by a base member. The base member is held against movement relative to the liner by a plurality of resiliently deflectable fingers which extend from one end of the liner. In one embodiment of the invention, the relief valve assembly is advantageously cleaned by connecting a socket assembly to the housing of the relief valve assembly and then flowing cleansing fluid from a source of cleansing fluid through the relief valve assembly.

Relief valve assemblies

A coupling for connecting a pair of conduits in fluid communication includes an improved socket assembly having a body in which a valve member is movable axially between a closed position and an open position. The valve member is releasably held in the closed position by a plurality of locking elements which engage a recess in the valve member. When a plug is inserted into the socket assembly, the locking elements move out of engagement with the valve member and into engagement with the plug to hold it against axial movement relative to the socket assembly. In order to enable the socket assembly to be utilized with plugs of different sizes, the chamber in the valve member is provided with a cylindrical outer section having a relatively large diameter to engage a relatively large diameter leading end portion of a first plug and a relatively small diameter inner section to engage the smaller diameter and axially longer leading end portion of a second plug. A seal is located between the two sections of the valve member and is effective to sealingly engage both plugs. A second seal is provided in the socket body to sealingly engage the valve member when it is both in the open and closed positions to prevent fluid leakage around the valve. This second seal is disposed in a recess formed by walls of different sizes. Although both walls of the recess may be integrally formed with a socket body section, in one embodiment of the invention the downstream wall of the recess is formed by a flat annular washer which is clamped in place betwen threaded base and outer end sections of the socket body.

Socket assembly

A tamper resistant cap is used in association with the plug of a quick-disconnect coupling to indicate when a socket may have been connected with the plug. The tamper resistant cap includes a frangible sidewall which surrounds the plug to prevent connection of a socket with the plug. The cap lockingly engages a seal ring groove in the plug to hold the cap in place on the plug. The only way in which the cap can be removed from the plug is by breaking the sidewall of the cap. Once the sidewall of the cap has been broken, there is a clear indication that a socket may have been connected with the plug. To promote breaking of the cap, a plurality of axially extending sections of reduced cross sectional area are formed in the sidewall of the cap. The cap is advantageously provided with an end wall which overlies the outer end face of the plug to block exposure of the plug end face to dust, dirt and other foreign particles.

Tamper resistant cap for quick-disconnect coupling plug

A container is utilized to hold fluid under pressure and has a non-circular arcuate opening. A cover member is movable from an open position through the opening to a closed position in which a seal on the cover member sealingly engages a wall of the container. The cover member has an arcuate non-circular configuration corresponding to the configuration of the container opening. When the cover member is moved to the closed position, it may be skewed relative to the container opening so that portions of a side wall of the cover member are spaced relatively close to a side wall of the container while other portions of the side wall of the cover member are spaced relatively far from the side wall of the container. An improved seal is utilized to prevent leakage of fluid under pressure from inside of the container around the skewed cover. This seal includes a body portion which circumscribes the cover member and is disposed between a rim of the container wall and a rim of the cover member. In addition, the seal has a lip portion which is exposed to the fluid pressure in the container and is urged into sealing engagement with the inner surface of the container wall by the fluid pressure. This seal construction provides for sealing engagement between the body portion of the seal and the lip portion of the seal in the areas where the side wall of the skewed cover is spaced a relatively large distance from the side wall of the container. The lip portion may advantageously be provided with a bead which projects toward the container wall to promote sealing engagement of the lip portion with the container wall, particularly at relatively low container pressure.

Growing community of inventors

Berea, OH, United States of America

James F Norton