Quick-connect pipe coupling

Claim 1

A QUICK-CONNECTED COUPLING COMPRISING: A FEMALE MEMBER HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY RADIAL OPENINGS THEREIN; A MALE MEMBER INSERTABLE IN SAID FEMALE MEMBER TO CONNECT THE COUPLING, SAID MALE MEMBER INCLUDING AN ANNULAR LOCKING LAND THEREON REARWARDLY OF ITS FORWARD END; LOCKING ELEMENTS IN SAID FEMALE MEMBER OPENINGS MOVABLE SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLY THEREIN INTO INNER POSITIONS INTERLOCKING WITH SAID LOCKING LAND ON SAID MALE MEMBER AND INTO OUTER POSITIONS RELEASING SAID MALE MEMBER; A LOCKING SLEEVE MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FEMALE MEMBER; MEANS BIASING SAID LOCKING SLEEVE FORWARDLY IN TO A LOCKING POSITION WHERE IT HOLDS SAID LOCKING ELEMENTS IN THEIR INNER POSITIONS, SAID SLEEVE BEING MOVABLE REARWARDLY TO A RETRACTED POSITION PERMITTING SAID LOCKING ELEMENTS TO MOVE TO THEIR OUTER POSITIONS; AN ANNULAR RETAINER MOUNTED IN SAID FEMALE MEMBER SO AS TO RECEIVE SAID MALE MEMBER THERETHROUGH, SAID RETAINER HAVING OPENINGS THERETRHOUGH THROUGH WHICH THE LOCKING ELEMENTS PROJECT INTO INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LOCKING LAND ON THE MALE MEMBER; MEANS BIASING SAID RETAINER TO A FORWARD POSITION AND HOLD THE LOCKING ELEMENTS IN THEIR OUTER POSITIONS AND SAID SLEEVE IN RETRACTED POSITION; A SHOULDER ON SAID RETAINER EXTENDING INWARDLY THEREOF; AN ABUTMENT FACE ON SAID MALE MEMBER ENGAGING SAID SHOULDER TO MOVE SAID RETAINER REARWARDLY RELATIVE TO THE FEMALE MEMBER TO POSITION THE RETAINER OPENINGS IN SUBSTANTIALLY RADIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID LOCKING ELEMENTS FOR MOVEMENT THEREOF INTO COUPLING LOCKING POSITIONS; OUTWARDLY EXTENDING STOP MEANS ON SAID RETAINER REARWARDLY OF THE FORWARD END THEREOF AND ENGAGING SAID LOCKING ELEMENTS IN THEIR OUTER POSITIONS TO LIMIT THE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE RETAINER WITH RESPECT TO THE FEMALE MEMBER; AND FLAT SURFACES ON THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID RETAINER ABOUT THE OPENINGS THERETHROUGH POSITIONED BENEATH THE LOCKING ELEMENTS IN THE FORWARD POSITION OF THE RETAINER ABOUT THE OPENINGS SAID LOCKING ELEMENTS IN THEIR OUTER POSITIONS AND THE LOCKING SLEEVE IN RETRACTED POSITION AGAINST TRIPPING OF THE LOCKING SLEEVE EXCEPT BY REARWARD MOVEMENT OF THE RETAINER, SAID FLAT SURFACES ON THE RETAINER PERIPHERY ALSO COOPERATING WITH SAID LOCKING ELEMENTS TO PREVENT ROTATION OF THE RETAINER TO THEREBY RADIALLY INDEX THE OPENINGS THERETHROUGH WITH THE LOCKING ELEMENTS.