Coupling for pipes and the like

Claim 1

A COUPLING COMPRISING A FEMALE COUPLING MEMBER HAVING AN OPEN AND AN INTERNAL SHOULDER WHICH FACES AWAY FROM SAID OPEN END; A MALE COUPLING MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPEN END AND INTO SAID FEMALE COUPLING MEMBER AND HAVING AN EXTERNAL SHOULDER LOCATED INWARDLY OF SAID INTERNAL SHOULDER AND FACING SAID OPEN END, SAID TERNAL SHOULDER HAVING AN OUTER DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THE INNER DIAMETER OF SAID INTERNAL SHOULDER; AND A NORMALLY EXPANDED SPLIT RING SURROUNDING SAID MALE COUPLING MEMBER, SAID RING HAVING A FIRST SPLIT ANNULAR PORTION WHICH IS LOCATED IN SAID FEMALE COUPLING MEMBER INTERMEDIATE SAID SHOULDERS AND AN EXPOSED SECOND SPLIT ANNULAR PORTION WHICH EXTENDS OUTWARDLY AND BEYOND SAID OPEN END, SAID FIRST PORTION HAVING AN OUTER DIAMETER GREATER THEN THE INNER DIAMETER OF SAID INTERNAL SHOULDER AND AN INNER DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THE OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID EXTERNAL SHOULDER WHEN THE RING IS EXPANDED WHEREBY SAID FIRST PORTION NORMALLY RETAINS SAID MALE COUPLING MEMBER IN SAID FEMALE COUPLING MEMBER, SAID RING BEING COMPRESSIBLE IN RESPONSE TO APPLICATION OF RADIALLY INWARDLY DIRECTED PRESSURE AGAINST SAID SECOND PORTION THEREOF SO THAT THE OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID FIRST PORTION IS REDUCED TO LESS THAN THE INNER DIAMETER OF SAID INTERNAL SHOULDER AND THE RING THEN PERMITS WITHDRAWAL OF SAID MALE COUPLING MEMBER FROM SAID FEMALE COUPLING MEMBER, SAID MALE COUPLING MEMBER FURTHER HAVING AN ANNULAR EXTERNAL SHOULDER ABUTTING AGAINST SAID EXPOSED SECOND ANNULAR PORTION OF SAID RING AND EXTENDING RADIALLY AT LEAST TO THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID SECOND ANNULAR PORTION SO THAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF ACCIDENTAL COMPRESSION OF SAID RING IS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED,