Gas supply connector and regulator valve

Claim 2

A gas supply connector and regulator comprising: regulator means having a gas flow passageway therethrough and also having coupling means comprising a movable sleeve, at least one extending member retained in the walls of said sleeve, each said extending member being movable between two positions extending either inwardly or outwardly of the walls of said sleeve, and locking means engageable with said sleeve to maintain said sleeve in a stationary position upon coupling; valve means connectable at one end to a gas supply source and having at its other end a socket formed by an extending annular portion adapted to receive portions of the regulator and also adapted to be inserted axially within the movable sleeve of the regulator means, said socket having formed in its wall portions adapted to permit extension therein of each said extending member retained in the movable sleeve of the regulator means upon coupling.

Claim 3

A gas supply connector and regulator as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is provided an O-ring seal between the socket of the valVe means and the portions of the regulator means received therein.

Claim 4

A gas supply connector and regulator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said movable sleeve is movable between a coupled position and an uncoupled position, said movable sleeve being movable between said two positions only when said locking means is released.

Claim 5

A gas supply connector and regulator as set forth in claim 3 wherein there is further provided an actuator means movable between an off position and an on position to thereby actuate said valve means between a closed position and an open position, said actuator means simultaneously engaging said locking means whereby said locking means is released only when the actuator means is in an off position to thereby prevent release of gas upon coupling and uncoupling.

Claim 6

A gas supply connector and regulator as set forth in claim 4 wherein said locking means comprises a locking pin engageable with said movable sleeve and said actuator means includes a handle having an extension and camming surface engageable with the head of said locking pin whereby said locking pin is disengaged from the movable sleeve only upon rotation of the actuator means to an off position.

Claim 7

A gas supply connector and regulator as set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuator means also includes in the handle, a projecting edge engaging the locking pin head when the actuator means is in an off position and the locking pin is disengaged from the movable sleeve to prevent the actuator means from being turned to an on position until the valve means and regulator means are coupled and the locking pin reengaged with the movable sleeve.

Claim 8

A gas supply connector and regulator as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said extending member comprises a ball retained in said movable sleeve by a plurality of channels formed therein each having a constriction at the inside of the sleeve of diameter less than the diameter of the ball to thereby retain the ball in the channel at one end, said regulator means also having an outer wall axially enclosing the movable sleeve to retain the balls at the other end of the channels at the outside of the movable sleeve.

Claim 9

A gas supply connector and regulator comprising regulator means having formed therein a movable sleeve, and stationary portion spaced from and enclosed by said sleeve; valve means connectable at one end to a gas supply source and having at the other end an extending annular portion forming a socket and also have at least one extending member retained in the walls of said socket and movable between two positions extending either inwardly or outwardly of the walls of said socket, said socket being adapted to be inserted between the stationary portion and movable sleeve in the regulator means and when so inserted each said extending member being adapted to assume a position extending inwardly of the walls of said socket into indentations formed in the stationary portion of the regulator means, each said extending member being held in an inwardly extending position by the movable sleeve axially enclose the socket, and locking means engageable with said movable sleeve whereby said movable sleeve is retained in a fixed position upon coupling.

Claim 10

A gas supply connector and regulator comprising regulator means having formed therein a movable sleeve, and stationary portion spaced from and enclosed by said sleeve; valve means connectable at one end to a gas supply source and having at the other end an extending annular portion forming a socket and also have at least one extending member retained in the walls of said socket and movable between two positions extending either inwardly or outwardly of the walls of said socket, said socket being adapted to be inserted between the stationary portion and movable sleeve in the regulator means and when so inserted each said extending member being adapted to assume a position extending inwardly of the walls of said socket into indentations formed in the stationary portion of the regulator means, each said extending member being held in an inwardly extending position by the movable sleeve axially enclose the socket, and locking means engageable with said movable sleeve whereby said movable sleeve is retained in a fixed position upon coupling.

Claim 11

A gas supply connector and regulator as set forth in claim 8 wherein there is also provided actuator means movable between an off position and an on position to activate said valve means from a closed position to an open position, said actuator means simultaneously engaging said locking means whereby said locking means is releasable only when said actuator means is in an off position to thereby permit coupling and uncoupling of the regulator means only with the actuator means in an off position.

Claim 12

A gas supply connector and regulator as set forth in claim 9 wherein said locking means comprises a locking pin engageable with the movable sleeve and said actuator means includes a plastic handle having an extension and camming surface engageable with the head of said locking pin wherebY said locking pin is disengaged from the movable sleeve only upon rotation of the actuator means to an off position.

Claim 13

A gas supply connector and regulator of the type comprising regulator means, valve means and coupling means between said regulator means and valve means comprising: locking pin means to engage said coupling means in coupled position to thereby prevent uncoupling, and actuator means movable between an off position and an on position to activate said valve means between a closed position and an open position, said actuator means simultaneously engaging said locking pin means whereby said locking pin means may be disengaged from said coupling means only when the actuator means is in an off position, said actuator means comprising a rotating handle having an extension and camming surface engageable with the head of said locking pin whereby said locking pin is disengaged from the coupling means only upon rotation of the actuator means to an off position.

Claim 14

A gas supply connector and regulator of the type comprising regulator means, valve means and coupling means between said regulator means and valve means comprising: locking pin means to engage said coupling means in coupled position to thereby prevent uncoupling, and actuator means movable between an off position and an on position to activate said valve means between a closed position and an open position, said actuator means simultaneously engaging said locking pin means whereby said locking pin means may be disengaged from said coupling means only when the actuator means is in an off position, said actuator means comprising a rotating handle having an extension and camming surface engageable with the head of said locking pin whereby said locking pin is disengaged from the coupling means only upon rotation of the actuator means to an off position.

Claim 15

A gas supply connector and regulator as set forth in claim 11 wherein said actuator means also includes in the handle, a projecting edge engaging the locking pinhead when the actuator means is in an off position and the locking pin is disengaged from the coupling means to prevent the actuator means from being turned to an on position until the valve means and regulator means are coupled and the locking pin reengaged with the coupling means.