Rain Bird Consumer Products Mfg. Corp.

Victor Perez

Gary A Van Exel

Alfredo B Marmol

An improved quick connect coupling is provided for releasably connecting a pair of conduits, such as ordinary garden hose. The coupling comprises interlocking male and female fittings adapted for respective connection to a pair of hoses, wherein the male fitting includes a male member with an external circumferential groove for axial alignment with a generally opposed pair of arcuate slots in a female member on the female fitting. A C-shaped retainer is carried about the female fitting and includes a central spring base supporting a pair of locking arms which terminate in free ends having axially projecting lock tabs at the radially inner edges thereof, wherein these locking arms extend through the arcuate slots to position the arm free ends in engagement with radially oriented cam surfaces on the female member. In a normal unstressed condition of the retainer, the radially inner edges of the locking arms including the lock tabs extend into the male member groove to lock the coupling. When the coupling is subjected to water pressure, slight axial displacement of the male and female fittings move the lock tabs into locking engagement with the inner diameter surface of the female fitting thereby preventing retainer expansion and resultant inadvertent coupling disconnection. When the water pressure is turned off, however, the retainer spring base can be pushed radially inwardly to displace the locking arm free ends along the cam surfaces and outwardly from the male member groove to unlock the coupling.

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Pomona, CA, United States of America

Victor Perez