Tube coupling having split ring locking means

Claim 1

A QUICK-CONNECT AND DIS-CONNECT COUPLING DEVICE COMPRISING (A) A MALE MEMBER HAVING A GROOVE IN THE OUTER PERIPHERY THEREOF, (B) A FEMALE MEMBER FORMED TO FIT ABOUT SAID MALE MEMBER, SAID FEMALE MEMBER HAVING AT LEAST ONE SLOT IN THE OUTER PERIPHERY THEREOF IN JUXTAPOSITION TO SAID GROOVE, (C) A SHELL MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID FEMALE MEMBER AND INCLUDING A RESTRICTED PORTION IN JUXTAPOSITION TO SAID GROOVE, SAID RESTRICTED PORTION HAVING A TAPERED WALL, (D) A LOCKING MEMBER MOUNTED UPON SAID FEMALE MEMBER AND WITHIN SAID SHELL MEMBER, SAID LOCKING MEMBER BEING MADE OF RESILIENT MATERIAL AND COMPRISING A SPLIT RING HAVING AT LEAST ONE TOOTH THEREON PROJECTING THROUGH SAID SLOT AND INTO SAID GROOVE AND BEING HELD IN PLACE BY SAID RESTRICTED PORTION, (E) MEANS BIASING SAID SHELL MEMBER TOWARD A POSITION WHERE SAID RESTRICTED PORTION IS IN JUXTAPOSITION TO SAID LOCKING MEMBER, THEREBY PREVENTING SEPARATION OF SAID MALE AND FEMALE MEMBER UNTIL SAID RESTRICTED PORTION IS MOVED OUT OF JUXTAPOSITION TO SAID LOCKING MEMBER WHEREBY SAID TOOTH MAY BE WITHDRAWN FROM SAID GROOVE, THE AXIAL WIDTH OF SAID SLOT BEING GREATER THAN THE THICKNESS OF SAID TOOTH WHEREBY DURING ASSEMBLY SAID MALE MEMBER ENGAGES SAID TOOTH AND MOVES SAID SPLIT RING AXIALLY AWAY FROM SAID RESTRICTED PORTION AND THEN EXPANDS SAID SPLIT RING SAID TAPERED WALL OF THE RESTRICTED PORTION GUIDING SAID SPLIT RING INTO LOCKING POSITION WITHOUT MOVEMENT OF SAID SHELL MEMBER.