| 主权项 |
1. A grease coupler comprising:
an elongate body defining a passage through the full length thereof, a rear end of the body including a threaded inlet port and a front, discharge section of the body including clamping means mounted externally about the discharge end of the elongate body configured to engage the coupler to a Zerk-type grease nipple, wherein the clamping means comprise at least three clamping elements radially located about the discharge section of the elongate body to form segments of a loosely-fitting cone in a conical formation, expanding outwards towards a front, discharge end of the coupler, front ends of the clamping elements being bent inwards to define a circular aperture for receipt of the head of the nipple, the size of the circular aperture being variable between a first, default position in which the clamping elements forming clamping segments of the cone are compressed to be configured to engage the grease nipple, and a second position in which the clamping elements are released to splay open about a retaining groove enough such that the clamping elements in the second position are configured to release the head of the nipple, the angle of the conical formation of the clamping elements is in a range from 4 to 12 degrees, the clamping elements are compressed or released by a sleeve member having an internal taper complementary to the conical formation of the clamping elements toward a discharge end of the sleeve member, the sleeve member being slidable over the elongate body between a first sleeve position in which the sleeve member is positioned forward around the clamping elements to permit engagement of the nipple under pressurized conditions, and a second sleeve position in which the sleeve member is withdrawn along the elongate body to an upstream position to facilitate intentional disengagement of the nipple by a user under both pressurized and non-pressurized conditions. |
