Coupling

Claim 1

A COUPLING FOR CONDUCTING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE COMPRISING MALE AND FEMALE MEMBERS, SAID FEMALE MEMBER HAVING A BORE FOR THE RECEPTION OF SAID MALE MEMBER, SAID MALE MEMBER HAVING AN ANNULAR LOCKING GROOVE ON THE OUTER SURFACE THEREOF, SAID FEMALE MEMBER HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED SOCKETS, BALLS IN SAID SOCKETS PROJECTABLE INTO SAID LOCKING GROOVE WHEN SAID MALE MEMBER IS INSERTED INTO SAID FEMALE MEMBER BORE TO LOCK SAID MEMBERS IN COUPLED CONDITION, A PRIMARY LOCKING SLEEVE SURROUNDING AND AXIALLY SLIDABLY ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID FEMALE MEMBER AND HAVING AN INCLINED SURFACE OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BALLS WHEREBY THE FLUID PRESSURE IN SAID COUPLING ACTS BETWEEN SAID BALLS AND INCLINED SURFACE EXERTING AN AXIAL COMPONENT OF FORCE ON SAID PRIMARY LOCKING SLEEVE TENDING TO UNLOCK THE SAME, SPRING MEANS TO CONSTANTLY URGE SAID PRIMARY LOCKING SLEEVE TO A LOCKED POSITION, SAID PRIMARY LOCKING SLEEVE HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED SOCKETS, SAID FEMALE MEMBER HAVING A SECONDARY ANNULAR LOCKING GROOVE ON THE OUTER SURFACE THEREOF, SECONDARY BALLS IN SAID PRIMARY LOCKING SLEEVE SOCKETS NORMALLY RESIDING IN SAID SECONDARY LOCKING GROOVE, A SECONDARY LOCKING SLEEVE SURROUNDING AND AXIALLY SLIDABLE ON SAID PRIMARY LOCKING SLEEVE AND HAVING A SURFACE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SECONDARY BALLS TO LOCK SAID PRIMARY LOCKING SLEEVE IN A LOCKED POSITION ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID FEMALE MEMBER, SPRING MEANS TO CONSTANTLY URGE SAID SECONDARY LOCKING SLEEVE TO THE LOCKED POSITION WHEREAT SAID SURFACE THEREOF ENGAGES SAID SECONDARY BALLS TO HOLD SAME IN SAID SECONDARY ANNULAR LOCKING GROOVE WHICH PREVENTS AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID PRIMARY LOCKING SLEEVE ON THE OUTER SLEEVE OF SAID FEMALE MEMBER AND REMOVAL OF SAID BALLS FROM SAID LOCKING GROOVE AND SEPARATION OF SAID MALE AND FEMALE MEMBERS.