Coupling apparatus for the mooring of boats or the like

Claim 2

A coupling apparatus, for the mooring of boats or the like, comprising first and second coupLing sections movable relative to each other, said first coupling section comprising a housing, a first passage having a forwardly directed open end formed in said housing, at least one detent member carried by said housing, second passage means formed through a wall of said housing as to at times permit said detent member to extend into said first passage a predetermined distance, a piston-like expander means having a radially outer axially extending cylindrical surface, said piston-like expander means being carried by said housing as to have said cylindrical surface slidably guided by and within said first passage and effective for at times operatively engaging and keeping said detent member from extending into said first passage said predetermined distance, an outer radially nondeflectable tubular sleeve member carried by said housing and movable relative thereto along a longitudinal axis of said sleeve member, said outer tubular sleeve member having opposed first and second open ends slidably receiving said housing therethrough, said sleeve being of unitary structure as to have a continuous and uninterrupted cross-sectional configuration when viewed in a plane transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve, said sleeve having a radially outer and axially extending exposed actuating surface adapted for direct manual engagement for manually moving said sleeve axially to one of two operating positions, and said second coupling section comprising a shaftlike extension including generally radially outwardly open first recess means formed thereon, said shaft-like extension being adapted for insertion into said first passage through said forwardly directed opening and for actuation of said piston-like expander means whereby said detent member is permitted to extend into said first passage and into said first recess means, an inner generally radially inwardly open second recess means formed in said sleeve member, only the first of said two operating positions rendering said sleeve effective for permitting said piston-like expander means to move said detent member in a direction away from said first passage, said sleeve being locked against axial movement whenever said piston-like expander means has moved said detent in a direction away from said first passage and at least partly into said radially inwardly open recess means of said sleeve, and the second of said two operating positions rendering said sleeve effective for positively preventing said detent member to be moved out of said recess means thereby preventing said two sections from being disconnected from each other, and spring means carried generally about said housing for continually axially resiliently urging said sleeve from said first of said two operating positions to said second of said two operating positions, said piston-like expander means comprising a cup-like member slideably received within said first passage and having a closed transverse wall portion facing said forwardly directed open end, and second spring means situated generally within said first passage and partly received within said cuplike member for urging said cup-like member toward said forwardly directed open end of said first passage.

Claim 3

A coupling apparatus, for the mooring of boats or the like, comprising first and second coupling sections movable relative to each other, said first coupling section comprising a housing, a first passage having a forwardly directed open end formed in said housing, at least one detent member carried by said housing, second passage means formed through a wall of said housing as to at times permit said detent member to extend into said first passage a predetermined distance, piston-like expander means having a radially outer axially extending cylindrical surface, said piston-like expander means being carried by said housing as to have said cylindrical surface slidably guided by and within said first passage and effective for at times operatively engaging and keeping said detent member from eXtending into said first passage said predetermined distance, an outer radially non-deflectable tubular sleeve member carried by said housing and movable relative thereto along a longitudinal axis of said sleeve member, said outer tubular sleeve member having opposed first and second open ends slidably receiving said housing therethrough, said sleeve being of unitary structure as to have a continuous and uninterrupted cross-sectional configuration when viewed in a plane transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve, said sleeve having a radially outer and axially extending exposed actuating surface adapted for direct manual engagement for manually moving said sleeve axially to one of two operating positions, and said second coupling section comprising a shaft-like extension including generally radially outwardly open first recess means formed thereon, said shaft-like extension being adapted for insertion into said first passage through said forwardly directed opening and for actuation of said piston-like expander means whereby said detent member is permitted to extend into said first passage and into said first recess means, an inner generally radially inwardly open second recess means formed in said sleeve member, only the first of said two operating positions rendering said sleeve effective for permitting said piston-like expander means to move said detent member in a direction away from said first passage, said sleeve being locked against axial movement whenever said piston-like expander means has moved said detent in a direction away from said first passage and at least partly into said radially inwardly open recess means of said sleeve, and the second of said two operating positions rendering said sleeve effective for positively preventing said detent member to be moved out of said recess means thereby preventing said two sections from being disconnected from each other, and spring means carried generally about said housing for continually axially resiliently urging said sleeve from said first of said two operating positions to said second of said two operating positions, and additional means disengageably carried by said housing and adapted for presenting an abutment surface at one end of said outer sleeve member in order to prevent said outer member from moving from said second operating position to said first operating position thereby locking said first coupling section to said second coupling section, said additional means being disengageable from said housing without effecting the magnitude of the resilient force exerted by said spring means against said sleeve member.

Claim 4

A coupling apparatus, for the mooring of boats or the like, comprising first and second coupling sections movable relative to each other, said first coupling section comprising a housing, a first passage having a forwardly directed open end formed in said housing, at least one detent member carried by said housing, second passage means formed through a wall of said housing as to at times permit said detent member to extend into said first passage a predetermined distance, piston-like expander means having a radially outer axially extending cylindrical surface, said piston-like expander means being carried by said housing as to have said cylindrical surface slidably guided by and within said first passage and effective for at times operatively engaging and keeping said detent member from eXtending into said first passage said predetermined distance, an outer radially non-deflectable tubular sleeve member carried by said housing and movable relative thereto along a longitudinal axis of said sleeve member, said outer tubular sleeve member having opposed first and second open ends slidably receiving said housing therethrough, said sleeve being of unitary structure as to have a continuous and uninterrupted cross-sectional configuration when viewed in a plane transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve, said sleeve having a radially outer and axially extending exposed actuating surface adapted for direct manual engagement for manually moving said sleeve axially to one of two operating positions, and said second coupling section comprising a shaft-like extension including generally radially outwardly open first recess means formed thereon, said shaft-like extension being adapted for insertion into said first passage through said forwardly directed opening and for actuation of said piston-like expander means whereby said detent member is permitted to extend into said first passage and into said first recess means, an inner generally radially inwardly open second recess means formed in said sleeve member, only the first of said two operating positions rendering said sleeve effective for permitting said piston-like expander means to move said detent member in a direction away from said first passage, said sleeve being locked against axial movement whenever said piston-like expander means has moved said detent in a direction away from said first passage and at least partly into said radially inwardly open recess means of said sleeve, and the second of said two operating positions rendering said sleeve effective for positively preventing said detent member to be moved out of said recess means thereby preventing said two sections from being disconnected from each other, and spring means carried generally about said housing for continually axially resiliently urging said sleeve from said first of said two operating positions to said second of said two operating positions, and additional means disengageably carried by said housing and adapted for presenting an abutment surface at one end of said outer sleeve member in order to prevent said outer member from moving from said second operating position to said first operating position thereby locking said first coupling section to said second coupling section, said additional means being disengageable from said housing without effecting the magnitude of the resilient force exerted by said spring means against said sleeve member.

Claim 5

A coupling apparatus according to claim 2 and further comprising a third passage formed generally transversely of and in said housing, said third passage being capable of accepting therein said additional means in a manner so as to extend a distance sufficiently radially outwardly beyond said housing as to be in the general path of travel of said outer sleeve member as said outer sleeve member is attempted to be moved from said second operating position to said first operating position.

Claim 6

A coupling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said additional means comprises a lock with a hasp portion thereof extending through said third passage.