Snap-tite, Inc.

Snap-tite Technologies, Inc.

Wayne E Wilcox

Douglas F Hopson

Michael J Varasso

Frank L Foster

Steven Wilkins

A coupling having two coupler halves, a female half a male half is disclosed. Pressure will be applied to either half but not both. The female half employs a balanced seal arrangement. Each elastomeric seal of the female half is supported, by a support seal. One elastomeric seal of the female is supported by a rectangularly shaped (in cross-section) Teflon support seal and the other elastomeric seal is supported by a t-shaped (in cross-section) Nylatron.RTM. support seal. When the female half of the coupling is pressurized, pressure will be applied equally to the seals and to the parts of female half such that the net separation force is minimized. Typically the user will select one half of the coupling disclosed herein for use with pressure applied thereto. However, the user may use both halves of the coupling disclosed herein if so desired. The female half may include a pintle having a passageway which communicates with a chamber that, when pressurized, operates a check valve enabling a larger dump of fluid and pressure from the male half to the female half. The male half of the coupling includes a ball housing affixed to a moveable valve. The ball housing includes a first passageway and a ball aperture. The ball housing-valve assembly creates a second passageway. When the male half engages a female half the ball housing is urged against the force of a spring opening the ball aperture and establishing communication between the pressurized male half and the female half without affecting the main seal of the male half.

Balanced coupling with pressure bleed

A coupling that is useable on farm implements is disclosed. A metal to metal vent valve is employed in the female half of the coupling which constantly vents the supply port to the vent port when the female half is disconnected or partially disconnected from the male half. Steps in the bore of the female body permit easier disconnection because the ball valve is not depressed thus lowering disconnection faces. When the male half is being coupled with the female half the female half is vented thus making coupling easy.

Farm coupling

A coupling having male and female halves is disclosed. Typically the female half is under pressure. The female half may be mounted to an implement and when coupled to a male coupling on the tractor. It supplies hydraulic fluid to the driven device. The female half has three valves: a main valve, a relief valve and a sliding sleeve valve. The female half, when coupled, opens the sliding sleeve valve first followed by the opening of the relief valve which is followed by the opening of the main valve. The relief valve is designed to reduce pressure behind the main valve so as to permit easy coupling under pressure when the female half is under pressure. During the uncoupling process, the main valve closes first followed by the closure of the relief valve which is followed by the closure of the sliding sleeve valve. The relief valve is a ball and seats against an elastomeric seal mounted in the back side of the main valve. A push pin having flat edges operates the relief valve. The main valve includes ports for increasing the capacity of the relief valve during coupling of the male and female halves together.

Coupling with female half having internal pressure relief

The invention is a coupling which includes male and female portions thereof. The male portion usually has pressure applied to it due to heat build up from the environment. The male portion can be and usually is attached to a farm implement. Left in a field in the sun, pressure builds in the male portion while it is disconnected from the female portion. The female portion of the coupling enables the connection of the male portion without spilling any fluid from either the male or the female portions. This is accomplished by the simultaneous engagement of the body of the male and the male valve with an intermediate member of the female portion and the female valve of the female portion such that the female valve and the intermediate member move together into a sealed relationship with the male components. When the supply side female portion is pressurized by a pump the female valve forces the female and male valves to their open positions and allows flow between the female and male portions of the coupling.

No spill coupling

A pressure locking dispenser half which securely locks with a receptacle half which comprises a connector, a barrel sleeve, and a moveable adaptor. The connector includes first and second passageways. The first passageway of the connector further includes a first port and the second passageway includes a second port, a first seal and a second seal residing between the connector and the adaptor. The adaptor engages the barrel sleeve. The barrel and adaptor include a vent passageway. A spacer resides between the first and second seals maintaining separation of the first and second seals. The moveable adaptor positions the first and second seals in one of a plurality of positions with respect to the connector. A dispenser valve 12 acts in combination with a retainer, a sliding sleeve, and a locking sleeve to pressure lock the dispenser half and the receptacle half together under certain circumstances. Certain positions of the adaptor allow the venting of the dispenser half and the receptacle half.

Pressure locking dispenser half

A hydraulic coupler half simple enough for use in miniature couplings is disclosed. Both the relief ports and the main fluid ports are in the pintle. The relief ports are uncovered by a hyperextension of the pintle; the main fluid ports are uncovered by retraction of a sliding sleeve around the pintle. The pintle has a single annular contact point with the coupler body and clearances between the walls so that exact alignment is not necessary for connection. The nipple half is conventional.

Hydraulic coupling

A high reliability undersea coupling design which employs only metal seals, and in which forces from high internal pressure are balanced so that these pressures do not tend to cause uncoupling.

Quick disconnect coupling

An improved undersea coupler in which a fluid passage is provided in each coupling half. The opening of each passage proximal to the fluid source is controlled by a poppet valve. A sliding sleeve covers the other port of each passage, distal to the fluid source. These distal ports coincide when the coupler is connected, at which position the sliding sleeves are retracted. Sealing between the distal ports and the environment is accomplished by two metal seals backed up by two secondary elastomeric seals. Because the seal arrangement is balanced, and because of the passage design, the system pressure does not cause a high separation force.

A semi-balanced valve utilizing a two stage locking with the movable valve sleeve in the nipple locked to the body of the coupler for physical as well as spring loaded movement between open and closed positions.

Semi-balanced staggered locking coupling

A coupling device for detachably connecting male and female coupling members which serve to provide a fluid connection between a fluid source and an implement operated from the fluid source. Check valves are provided in both of the coupler members and an actuating means is provided for engaging the check valve in the male coupler to insure against closing of the male coupler check valve during fluid flow through the coupling device. A fluid actuated lock means is provided to hold the actuating member in its operative position.

Coupling device

A quick disconnect coupling wherein the male coupler part has both threads and a groove so that it can be universally secured to a female coupler part regardless of whether the female coupler part carries a threaded nut or detent type securing or connecting means.

Combination detent and threaded quick disconnect

A coupling assembly for fluid-flow systems is disclosed which includes both a coupler and a nipple. The mating or sealing surfaces of the coupler and nipple are protected from dirt and other deleterious substances by corresponding moveable covers. The moveable covers not only protect the mating surfaces but present flush faces for the coupler and nipple which are easily cleaned. The construction of the coupling assembly is designed so that connection of the coupler and nipple may be accomplished by using only one hand. The coupler is designed so as to render the adapter and the valve a one-piece structure.

Coupling assembly

A cartridge type check valve which may be either pilot operated or of the free flow type. The pilot operated type includes in combination a generally cylindrically-shaped housing having first and second end portions and having internal wall means defining an opening extending axially therethrough. A valve seat is formed on the internal wall means and a valve member is movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat to selectively prohibit and permit fluid flow through the axially extending opening at the valve seat. A fluid port is provided in the first end portion of the housing and serves to provide for fluid entrance into the axially extending opening. A control piston is positioned in the second end portion of the housing and is movable between first and second positions as is a valve stem, which is connected to the valve member and extends axially to a position adjacent the control piston and is adapted to be engaged and moved by the control piston. A valve guide is positioned in an intermediate portion of the housing and has a periphery located adjacent the internal wall means of the housing and this valve guide and the control piston define a fluid chamber therebetween. A stop shoulder is provided on the internal wall means and is engageable with the valve guide to limit movement of the valve guide in the direction of the valve seat. A central opening is provided in the valve guide which serves to slidably accommodate the valve stem and a fluid opening is provided in the valve guide for providing fluid communication between the fluid chamber and the axial opening at the first end portion of the housing. A spring member acts between the valve member and the valve guide tending to move the valve member into engagement with the valve seat and the valve guide into engagement with the stop shoulder. The free flow type also includes this structure with the exception of the control piston which is omitted and the fluid opening in the valve guide is enlarged. Another fluid port may be provided at the previous location of the control piston to provide for the entrance of additional fluid into the housing or it may completely replace the previously mentioned fluid port.

Growing community of inventors

Union City, PA, United States of America

Wayne E Wilcox