Quick disconnect coupling

Claim 2

A coupling element comprising a body and a gasket, the body having a flow passage therethrough and having means at one end thereof for attaching said body to another coupling element, and also having an internal flange at said one end, a recess axially inward of the flange having one end formed by the flange and its other end by a transverse shoulder spaced axially inwardly of said flange, the gasket being of deformable material with a bore theretHrough and having a groove on its outer periphery that receives the flange for retaining the gasket to the body, both sides of said groove being in contact with said flange throughout substantially their entire radial length, the gasket having a frusto-conical outer end axially outward of said flange and having an inner end extending into said recess, the inner margin of said inner end being initially axially spaced from said shoulder, and said inner margin being deflectable into contact with said shoulder by swinging of the gasket about said flange upon pressure contact of said outer end with said another coupling element.

Claim 3

The coupling element of claim 1 in which the outer margin of said inner end is also axially spaced from said shoulder and remains out of contact therewith when the inner margin is deflected as aforesaid.

Claim 4

A coupling device comprising a pair of bodies each having a flow passage therethrough and each having a radially inturned flange at one of its ends and a transverse shoulder space axially inward of the respective flange, means on one body engageable with means on the other body for connecting the elements to each other with said ends facing each other, an annular gasket of deformable material having a groove in its outer periphery that has a radial depth less than one half of the radial thickness of the gasket and which receives said flange, each gasket having an opening therethrough communicating with the passage in the respective element, each gasket having an external frusto-conical axially outer portion engageable with the like outer portion of the other gasket when the elements are brought together for connection to each other, each gasket having an inner end whose radially inner margin is initially axially spaced from a respective one of said transverse shoulders, each gasket being deflectable axially toward the respective shoulder upon further axial connecting movement of said elements toward each other after initial engagement of said gasket axially outer portions, said initial engagement being radially inward of said flanges, said connecting means being engageable with each other upon a predetermined axial travel of one body toward the other after said initial engagement, and said inner margins being engageable with its respective shoulder by such deflection upon movement of the bodies for a substantial part of said predetermined travel.

Claim 5

A coupling device comprising a pair of bodies each having a flow passage therethrough and each having a radially inturned flange at one of its ends and a transverse shoulder space axially inward of the respective flange, means on one body engageable with means on the other body for connecting the elements to each other with said ends facing each other, an annular gasket of deformable material having a groove in its outer periphery that has a radial depth less than one half of the radial thickness of the gasket and which receives said flange, each gasket having an opening therethrough communicating with the passage in the respective element, each gasket having an external frusto-conical axially outer portion engageable with the like outer portion of the other gasket when the elements are brought together for connection to each other, each gasket having an inner end whose radially inner margin is initially axially spaced from a respective one of said transverse shoulders, each gasket being deflectable axially toward the respective shoulder upon further axial connecting movement of said elements toward each other after initial engagement of said gasket axially outer portions, said initial engagement being radially inward of said flanges, said connecting means being engageable with each other upon a predetermined axial travel of one body toward the other after said initial engagement, and said inner margins being engageable with its respective shoulder by such deflection upon movement of the bodies for a substantial part of said predetermined travel.

Claim 6

The device of claim 3 in which said inner margins initially contact said respective shoulders in substantially line contact.

Claim 7

The device of claim 4 in which said the gasket material in the region of said inner margins deforms to establish area contact against the respective shoulder upon completion of said predetermined travel.

Claim 8

The device of claim 3 in which the contact pressure between said inner margins and said shoulders is insufficient for establishing a seal therebetween at high fluid pressures whereby fluid under high pressure within said flow passages flows between said shoulders and said gasket inner ends and acts axially on said inner ends to urge the gaskets into tight sealing engagement with said inturned flanges.