Reuseable hose end fitting

Claim 1

A REUSABLE END FITTING FOR A HOSE WHOSE WALL IS DIVISIBLE INTO A FLUID TIGHT NON-METALLIC INTERIOR LAYER SURROUNDED BY A REINFORCING LAYER, SAID FITTING COMPRISING: A TUBULAR NIPPLE FOR INSERTION WITHIN THE INTERIOR LAYER OF SAID HOSE ADJACENT AN END THEREOF; A TUBULAR BODY MEMBER CARRYING AT ONE END COUPLING MEANS AND HAVING AT ITS OTHER END AN ANNULAR PORTION FOR RADIALLY EXPANDING THE END OF SAID REINFORCING LAYER ADJACENT SAID END OF THE HOSE; A REACTION RING FOR SURROUNDING SAID END OF THE REINFORCING LAYER FOR CLAMPING IT TO SAID PORTION OF THE BODY MEMBER UPON URGING OF THE REACTION RING TOWARD SAID BODY MEMBER; A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY DISTRIBUTED WEDGES FOR SURROUNDING SAID REINFORCING LAYER AT A POINT BEYOND BOTH SAID REACTION RING AND THE END OF SAID BODY MEMBER BUT OVERLYING SAID NIPPLE, EACH WEDGE HAVING A CONICAL OUTER SURFACE; AND A SOCKET MEMBER FOR SURROUNDING BOTH SAID WEDGES AND SAID REACTION RING AND HAVING AN INTERNALLY TAPERED PORTION OF GREATER AXIAL LENGTH THAN THE AXIAL LENGTH OF SAID WEDGES FOR ENGAGING THE CONICAL OUTER SURFACES OF SAID WEDGES, SAID WEDGES BEING PROVIDED WITH SPRING MEANS FOR URGING THE WEDGES RADIALLY OUTWARDLY INTO CONTACT WITH THE WALL OF THE TAPERED PORTION OF SAID SOCKET MEMBER, SAID SOCKET MEMBER AND SAID BODY MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR COOPERATIVELY DRAWING SAID SOCKET MEMBER TOWARD SAID BODY MEMBER, THE ARRANGEMENT BEING SUCH AS TO CONFINE SAID WEDGES BETWEEN THE TAPERED PORTION OF SAID SOCKET MEMBER AND SAID REACTION RING AND TO CAUSE, UPON DRAWING SAID SOCKET MEMBER TOWARD SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID REACTION RING TO BE URGED BY CONTACT WITH SAID WEDGES TOWARD SAID BODY MEMBER UNTIL ITS MOVEMENT IS RESISTED WHEREUPON SAID WEDGES ARE CAUSED TO MOVE TOWARD THE SMALLER END OF THE TAPERED PORTION OF SAID SOCKET MEMBER AND TO CONTRACT ABOUT SAID HOSE, THE TOTAL CIRCUMFERENTIAL EXTENT OF SAID WEDGES WHEN IN EDGE TO EDGE ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP BEING SUCH AS TO PERMIT THEM TO OCCUPY THE SPACE ADJACENT THE REDUCED DIAMETER END OF THE TAPERED PORTION OF THE SOCKET MEMBER, MEANS BEING PROVIDED FOR RETAINING SAID REACTION RING AND SAID WEDGES WITHIN THE TAPERED PORTION OF SAID SOCKET MEMBER IRRESPECTIVE OF ASSEMBLY WITH SAID NIPPLE AND SAID BODY MEMBER.