Hydraulically actuatable fluid coupling

Claim 1

A FLUID COUPLING FOR CONNECTING TOGETHER THE ENDS OF FIRST AND SECOND PRESSURE CONDUITS, COMPRISING: A MALE COUPLING MEMBER HAVING A VALVE BODY, A BORE WITHIN SAID BODY, HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ENDS, MEANS IN SAID BODY PROVIDING A VALVE SEAT AT SAID SECOND END OF SAID BORE DEFINING A FLUID OPENING, A MALE CHECK POPPET SLIDABLY MOVABLE WITHIN SAID BORE IN FIRST AND SECOND DIRECTIONS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST END OF SAID BORE TO BLOCK SAID FLUID OPENING UPON MOVEMENT IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION AND TO UNLOCK SAID FLUID OPENING UPON MOVEMENT IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID VALVE SEAT, RESILIENT MEANS WITHIN SAID BORE TO BIAS SAID CHECK POPPET IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION AGINS SAID VALVE SEAT; SAID CHECK POPPET HAVING A SNOUT AT ONE END THEREOF PROXIMATE SAID VALVE SEAT, AND A FEMALE COUPLING MEMBER HAVING A FEMALE BODY, A BORE WITHIN SAID FEMALE BODY HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ENDS, SAID SECOND END OF SAID MALE BORE ADAPTED TO MATE WITHIN SAID FIRST END OF SAID FEMALE BORE; A CYLINDER SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FEMALE BODY FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID FEMALE BODY THEREIN, MEANS ON SAID FEMALE BODY COOPERABLE WITH SAID CYLINDER TO PROVIDE FIRST AND SECOND LIMITS OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CYLINDER RELATIVE TO SAID FEMALE BODY, RESILIENT MEANS BIASING SAID CYLINDER TOWARD ITS FIRST LIMIT OF MOVEMENT, LOCKING MEANS COOPERABLE BETWEEN SAID CYLINDER AND SAID MALE BODY TO EFFECT LOCKING ENGAGEMENT OF SAID MALE COUPLING MEMBER WITH SAID CYLINDER OF SAID FEMALE COUPLING MEMBER, MEANS PROVIDING SAID FEMALE BORE WITH A VALVE SEAT THEREIN, A PRESSURE BALANCED CHECK POPPET WITHIN SAID BORE HAVING A SNOUT EXTENDING IN A FIRST DIRECTION TOWARD SAID FIRST END OF SAID BORE, SAID CHECK POPPET BEING SLIDABLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID BORE AND ADAPTED FOR MOVEMENT IN FIRST AND SECOND DIRECTIONS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID VALVE SEAT TO CLOSE AND OPEN COMMUNICATION THROUGH SAID BORE, RESILIENT MEANS WITHIN SAID BORE BIASING SAID CHECK POPPET IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION AGAINST SAID VALVE SEAT, SAID MALE AND FEMALE COUPLING MEMBERS BEING RELEASABLY COUPLED BY INSERTING SAID MALE MEMBER INTO SAID FEMALE COUPLING MEMBER, THE SNOUT OF SAID MALE POPPET BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID SNOUT OF SAID FEMALE CHECK POPPET, SAID FEMALE CHECK POPPET BEING MOVABLE IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION WITH A MINIMUM OF MANUAL FORCE TO OPEN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND FLUID CHAMBERS, AND MEANS IN SAID BORE OF SAID FEMALE COUPLING TO LIMIT MOVEMENT OF SAID FEMALE CHECK POPPET IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION, WHEREBY AFTER MOVEMENT OF SAID FEMALE CHECK POPPET TO THE LIMIT OF ITS MOVEMENT IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION, ADDITIONAL FORCE TO ENGAGE SAID MALE AND FEMALE COUPLINGS EFFECTS A RELATIVE SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID CYLINDER TOWARD ITS SECOND LIMIT OF MOVEMENT ON SAID BODY A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT LOCKING ENGAGEMENT OF SAID MALE VALVE BODY AND SAID FEMALE CYLINDER, AND HYDRAULIC MEANS TO MOVE SAID FEMALE BODY PORTION AND SAID FEMALE CHECK POPPET IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION RELATIVE TO SAID CYLINDER TO SAID CYLINDER''S FIRST LIMIT OF MOVEMENT TO UNSEAT SAID MALE CHECK POPPET.