Conduit coupling having hinged locking or covering means

Claim 1

IN A COUPLING FOR A CONDUIT CARRYING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE; THE COMBINATION OF A HOUSING HAVING A PASSAGE FOR THE FLUID EXTENDING THERETHROUGH SAID PROVIDED WITH A SEAT AT ONE END, TWO LID PORTIONS SWINGABLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING TO MOVE ABOUT PARALLEL AXIS AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SEAT BETWEEN CLOSED POSITIONS, WHERE SAID LID PORTIONS COME TOGETHER AND FORM A PROTECTIVE COVER FOR SAID SEAT, AND OPENED POSITIONS, WHERE SAID LID PORTIONS ARE SWUNG OUTWARDLY FROM SAID HOUSING AT ACUTE ANGLES WITH RESPECT TO A PLANE THROUGH SAID SEAT PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDNAL AXIS OF SAID PASSAGE, COOPERATIVE MEANS ON SAID LID PORTIONS FOR EFFECTING SIMULTANEOUS SWINGING MOVEMENTS THEREOF IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS BETWEEN SAID OPENED AND CLOSED POSITIONS, SPRING MEANS URGING ONE OF SAID LID PORTIONS OF SAID CLOSED POSITION THEREOF, AND A COUPLING MEMBER INSERTABLE BETWEEN SAID LID PORTIONS, IN SAID OPEN POSITIONS OF THE LATTER, TO ENGAGE AGAINST SAID SEAT, SAID COUPLING MEMBER HAVING OPPOSITELY INCLINED OPPOSED MARGINAL SURFACES ENGAGEABLE BY SAID ONE LID PORTION AND BY THE OTHER LID PORTION, RESPECTIVELY, SO THAT SAID ONE LID PORTION ACTED ON BY SAID SPRING MEANS URGES SAID COUPLING MEMBER BOTH AGAINST SAID SEAT AND INTO WEDGING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID OTHER LID PORTION.