Pressure release fitting

Claim 1

IN A QUICK RELEASE COUPLING, COMPRISING: (A) A MALE MEMBER HAVING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH; (B) A FEMALE MEMBER HAVING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH, SAID MEMBER BEING ADAPTED TO MATE WITH SAID MALE MEMBER TO ESTABLISH SEALED FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID RESPECTIVE PASSAGES; (C) A DETENT ABUTMENT FORMED ON SAID MALE MEMBER; (D) EXTENSIBLE DETENTS CARRIED BY SAID FEMALE MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID ABUTMENT TO LOCK SAID MEMBERS IN MATED CONDITION; AND (E) A DETENT ACTUATOR MOUNTED ON SAID FEMALE MEMBER FOR SELECTIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN POSITIONS, WHEN SAID MEMBERS ARE IN MATED CONDITION, FORCING SAID DETENTS INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ABUTMENT, OR RELEASING SAID DETENTS FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ABUTMENT; A PRESSURE RESPONSIVE RELEASE MECHANISM FOR SAID DETENT ACTUATOR, COMPRISING: (A) A EXPANSIBLE CHAMBER FORMED ON ONE OF SAID MEMBERS IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THE PASSAGE THERETHROUGH; (B) MEANS RESTRAINING EXPANSION OF SAID CHAMBER, WHEN SAID MEMBERS ARE IN MATED CONDITION, UNTIL A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE IS REACHED THEREIN; AND, (C) RELEASE MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CHAMBER AND DETENT ACTUATOR TO MOVE SAID ACTUATOR TO A POSITION RELEASING SAID DETENTS FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ABUTMENT UPON EXPANSION OF SAID CHAMBER, (D) SAID CHAMBER BEING DEFINED BY: (1) THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID MALE MEMBER; (2) THE INNER SURFACE OF A SLEEVE RECEIVED AROUND AND MALE MEMBER FOR RECTILINEAR MOVEMENT THEREALONG; AND, (3) THE OPPOSED SURFACES OF A PAIR OF SPACED SEALS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID OUTER AND INNER SURFACES; (E) RECTILINEAR MOVEMENT OF SAID SLEEVE IN ONE DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID MALE MEMBER FUNCTIONING TO EXPAND SAID CHAMBER; (F) SAID CHAMBER BEING IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THE PASSAGE OF SAID MALE MEMBER THROUGH A DUCT IN SAID MEMBER; AND, (G) SAID RELEASE MEANS COMPRISING AN EXTENSION ON SAID SLEEVE ENGAGING SAID DETENT ACTUATOR, WHEN SAID MEMBERS ARE IN MATED CONDITION, WHICH EXTENSION IS ADAPTED TO MOVE SAID ACTUATOR TO THE POSITION RELEASING SAID DETENTS UPON RECTILINEAR MOVEMENT OF SAID SLEEVE IN SAID ONE DIRECTION.