Coupling lock mechanism

摘要

A threaded coupling wherein external threads of the male body of the male coupling half are in mating engagement with internal threads of the female sleeve of the female coupling half. The female sleeve includes an interior hook and the male body includes a locking lever receptacle recessed therein as well as first and second slots for receiving first and second pins of the locking lever. The locking lever pivotally resides in the receptacle and interlocks with the hook of the female sleeve uniting the male and female. A tensioning O-ring secures the locking lever to the male body. A locking sleeve extends circumferentially about the male body and prohibits the release of the hook of the female sleeve from a recess in the locking lever unless a window is aligned with the locking lever. A process for locking the threaded coupling is also disclosed.

主权项

1. A threaded coupling, comprising:
a generally cylindrically shaped male coupling half; a generally cylindrically shaped female coupling half; said male coupling half includes a male body, said male body includes an exterior, and said exterior of said male body includes external threads thereon; said female coupling half includes a female sleeve and a female body, said female sleeve moves said female body toward said male body during threaded engagement of said female coupling half and said male coupling half; said interior of said female sleeve includes internal threads; said external threads of said male body in mating engagement with said internal threads of said female sleeve; said female sleeve further includes an end portion; said end portion of said female sleeve includes an interior hook formed therein; said male body includes a locking lever receptacle recessed in said exterior of said male body, and said locking lever receptacle of said male body further includes first and second slots therein; a locking lever; said locking lever includes first and second pivot pins, said locking lever includes a latching end; said latching end of said latching lever includes a recess and a latching surface; said first and second pivot pins of said locking lever reside in said first and second slots of said locking lever receptacle of said male body, said locking lever pivoting about said pivot pins; said locking lever includes an O-ring slot therein; said male body includes an O-ring slot therein which extends circumferentially around said generally cylindrically shaped male body and aligned with said O-ring slot in said locking lever; a tensioning O-ring, and said tensioning O-ring extending circumferentially in said O-ring slot in said male body and in said O-ring slot in said locking lever biasing said latching end of said locking lever to a raised position for engagement with said interior hook formed on said end of said female sleeve, and, said tensioning O-ring securing said locking lever in said locking lever receptacle; said latched end being raised for engagement with said interior hook of said female sleeve prior to engagement; during engagement, said hook of said end of said female sleeve engages said recess of said latching end of said locking lever, and, said latching end of said locking lever pivots about said first and second pivot pins to a position proximate said receptacle of said male body; once said hook and said recess of said locking lever are fully engaged, said latching end of said locking lever is returned to said raised position; a locking sleeve, said locking sleeve being generally cylindrically shaped engages said exterior of said male body and extends circumferentially thereabout, and, said female sleeve are fully threaded together, and, said locking sleeve preventing said female sleeve and said male body from being unthreaded.