Tubular coupler for conduits

Claim 1

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR COUPLING THE ENDS OF FIRST AND SECOND MATING CONDUITS IN COAXIAL ENGAGEMENT COMPRISING: (A) A CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVE IN THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF EACH OF SAID MATING CONDUITS; (B) A SHOULDER EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE PERIPHERY OF SAID SECOND CONDUIT AND DIRECTED AWAY FROM THE END WHICH MATES WITH THE FIRST CONDUIT; (C) A LOCKING SLEEVE HAVING AN INNER DIAMETER APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE OUTER DIAMETERS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONDUITS AND HAVING FIRST AND SECOND SPACED APART, INWARDLY PROJECTING FLANGES ON THE INNER SURFACE THEREOF AND LONGITUDINAL SLOTS EXTENDING FROM EITHER END THEREOF TO PROVIDE RADIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID FLANGES, FOR ENGAGEMENT OF SAID FLANGES WITH SAID GROOVES WHEN THE ENDS OF SAID CONDUITS ARE COAXIALLY ENGAGED, AND SAID LOCKING SLEEVE HAVING ONE END THEREOF TAPERED FROM APPROXIMATELY THE OUTER PERIPHERY THEREOF RADIALLY INWARDLY AND LONGITUDINALLY TOWARD THE OTHER END THEREOF; (D) A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL ACTUATING MEMBER WITH AN INNER DIAMETER SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THE OTHER DIAMETER OF SAID LOCKING SLEEVE COAXIALLY POSITIONED SO THAT ONE END OF SAID ACTUATING MEMBER ENCIRCLES THE END OF SAID SECOND CONDUIT AND HAVING A FLANGE EXTENDING RADIALLY INWARDLY ADJACENT SAID ONE END OF SAID ACTUATING MEMBER FOR ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SHOULDER ON SAID SECOND CONDUIT; AND (E) A CAM RING COAXIALLY AFFIXED TO THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID ACTUATING MEMBER ADJACENT THE END OPPOSITE SAID ONE END THEREOF HAVING AN INNER DIAMETER SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID LOCKING SLEEVE AND HAVING A CAM SURFACE AT ONE END THEREOF EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD FOR SLIDABLY ENGAGING SAID TAPERED END OF SAID LOCKING SLEEVE AND FORCING RADIALLY OUTWARD SAID FIRST FLANGE THEREBY DISENGAGING SAID FIRST FLANGE.