US3838873A — Hose coupling with captive retaining ring

Claim 1

Independent Claim 449 words

A hose coupling having, in combination: first and second end sections in the form of sleeves mountable on the ends of two hoses to be coupled, and a swivel section in the form of a ring disposed between said end sections, said first section having a cylindrical portion and said swivel section having a cylindrical internal surface on one side telescoped loosely over said cylindrical portion; said second section having a generally cylindrical portion formed with external threads, and said swivel section having an internally threaded side opposite said one side for threadedly receiving said second section and securing the swivel section thereto; means defining two annular grooves in the telescoped portions of said first section and said swivel section, in the adjacent surfaces thereof, said grooves opening toward each other and being aligned in one relative axial position of said first and swivel sections to define an annular retaining ring chamber of predetermined axial width; a resiliently flexible, generally C-shaped retaining ring in said chamber in radially compressed and stressed condition, having an outside surface abutting against the bottom of the groove in said swivel section, an inner portion extending into the groove in said first section, and an inner side spaced from the bottom of the groove in said first far enough to permit said ring to be compressed into the first section for insertion thereof into said swivel section; said retaining ring being substantially narrower in axial width than the width of said grooves, and having two ends defining between them a circumferential gap when the ring is free, the end portions of said ring adjacent said gap being of reduced axial width permitting overlapping of said portions when said retaining ring is compressed into the groove in said first section, and having a combined thickness less than the axial width of said chamber; and a sealing gasket between said cylindrical end portions within said swivel section to be clamped between said first and second sections when the second section is threaded into said swivel section, thereby to seal between said end sections and also to draw said swivel section toward said second section relative to said first section, to offset said grooves axially relative to each other toward opposite sides of said retaining ring and reduce the effective axial width of said chamber to less than the combined axial width of said end portions of said retaining ring; said ends of said retaining ring being in a predetermined opposed and closely spaced relation when said retaining ring is compressed and stressed in said chamber and said grooves are axially offset, thereby to positively prevent return of said end portions of said ring to overlapped condition.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 449 words

A hose coupling having, in combination: first and second end sections in the form of sleeves mountable on the ends of two hoses to be coupled, and a swivel section in the form of a ring disposed between said end sections, said first section having a cylindrical portion and said swivel section having a cylindrical internal surface on one side telescoped loosely over said cylindrical portion; said second section having a generally cylindrical portion formed with external threads, and said swivel section having an internally threaded side opposite said one side for threadedly receiving said second section and securing the swivel section thereto; means defining two annular grooves in the telescoped portions of said first section and said swivel section, in the adjacent surfaces thereof, said grooves opening toward each other and being aligned in one relative axial position of said first and swivel sections to define an annular retaining ring chamber of predetermined axial width; a resiliently flexible, generally C-shaped retaining ring in said chamber in radially compressed and stressed condition, having an outside surface abutting against the bottom of the groove in said swivel section, an inner portion extending into the groove in said first section, and an inner side spaced from the bottom of the groove in said first far enough to permit said ring to be compressed into the first section for insertion thereof into said swivel section; said retaining ring being substantially narrower in axial width than the width of said grooves, and having two ends defining between them a circumferential gap when the ring is free, the end portions of said ring adjacent said gap being of reduced axial width permitting overlapping of said portions when said retaining ring is compressed into the groove in said first section, and having a combined thickness less than the axial width of said chamber; and a sealing gasket between said cylindrical end portions within said swivel section to be clamped between said first and second sections when the second section is threaded into said swivel section, thereby to seal between said end sections and also to draw said swivel section toward said second section relative to said first section, to offset said grooves axially relative to each other toward opposite sides of said retaining ring and reduce the effective axial width of said chamber to less than the combined axial width of said end portions of said retaining ring; said ends of said retaining ring being in a predetermined opposed and closely spaced relation when said retaining ring is compressed and stressed in said chamber and said grooves are axially offset, thereby to positively prevent return of said end portions of said ring to overlapped condition.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

A hose coupling as defined in claim 1 in which said ends of said retaining ring are beveled to cam the ends into increased surface engagement when forced together.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 33 words

A hose coupling as defined in claim 1 in which said end portions are notched from opposite axial sides, each to a thickness over one-half the thickness of the remainder of the ring.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 296 words

A hose coupling having first and second opposite end sections For connection to the ends of two hoses to be coupled, a third section between said end sections and telescoped rotatably with said first section, ane means forming a threaded connection between said second and third sections for releasably coupling the hoses together; means defining two annular grooves in the adjacent surfaces of the telescoped portions of said first and third sections, opening toward each other to define an annular retaining-ring chamber formed partially in each telescoped section, said chamber having axially spaced side walls each formed partially in each telescoped section; a resiliently flexible, generally C-shaped retaining ring disposed in said chamber and having an outside diameter, when free, larger than the inside diameter of the outer of the telescoped sections, and a radial thickness greater than the depth of the groove in the outer of the telescoped sections thereby to key the telescoped sections against axial separation; said retaining ring having end surfaces disposed in opposed relation within said chamber and disposed close enough together to abut against each other and prevent radial flexing of the ring to an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the outer telescoped section, and said grooves having axial widths sufficient to receive said ring in said chamber with said ends in overlapped relation during assembly of said coupling; and means operable during threading of said second and third sections together, into tightly joined relation, to shift said first and third sections and the grooves therein axially relative to each other, and to confine said ring axially against returning of said ends to overlapped relation, whereby said ring is positively maintained in captive condition in said chamber and cannot release said telescoped sections from the telescoped relation.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 296 words

A hose coupling having first and second opposite end sections For connection to the ends of two hoses to be coupled, a third section between said end sections and telescoped rotatably with said first section, ane means forming a threaded connection between said second and third sections for releasably coupling the hoses together; means defining two annular grooves in the adjacent surfaces of the telescoped portions of said first and third sections, opening toward each other to define an annular retaining-ring chamber formed partially in each telescoped section, said chamber having axially spaced side walls each formed partially in each telescoped section; a resiliently flexible, generally C-shaped retaining ring disposed in said chamber and having an outside diameter, when free, larger than the inside diameter of the outer of the telescoped sections, and a radial thickness greater than the depth of the groove in the outer of the telescoped sections thereby to key the telescoped sections against axial separation; said retaining ring having end surfaces disposed in opposed relation within said chamber and disposed close enough together to abut against each other and prevent radial flexing of the ring to an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the outer telescoped section, and said grooves having axial widths sufficient to receive said ring in said chamber with said ends in overlapped relation during assembly of said coupling; and means operable during threading of said second and third sections together, into tightly joined relation, to shift said first and third sections and the grooves therein axially relative to each other, and to confine said ring axially against returning of said ends to overlapped relation, whereby said ring is positively maintained in captive condition in said chamber and cannot release said telescoped sections from the telescoped relation.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 70 words

A hose coupling as defined in claim 4 in which said retaining ring has a preselected axial width less than the width of said grooves, and the portions of said ring adjacent said opposed ends are substantially reduced in combined width to an amount greater than the width of the ring, thereby permitting overlapping of said ends with a combined width of less than twice the width of the ring.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 34 words

A hose coupling as defined in claim 5 in which said opposed ends are inclined to form opposed wedge surfaces for camming said ends into increasing surface engagement when said ends are forced together.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 139 words

A hose coupling as defined in claim 4 in which said first section has a cylindrical portion telescoped with a loose fit inside said third section, the outside groove in said third section has a depth less than the radial thickness of said ring, the inside groove in said cylindrical portion has a depth greater than the radial thickness of said ring, said grooves have approximately equal axial widths greater than the axial width of said ring by an amount less than the axial width of the ring, and the ring has an outside diameter, when free, greater than the outside diameter of the outside groove, the end portions of said ring being notched at said ends to a reduced combined thickness greater than the axial width of the ring but less than the width of the inside groove.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 63 words

A hose coupling as defined in claim 7 in which said means for shifting said first and third sections axially during threading of said second section to said third section comprise opposed surfaces on said first and second sections through which the second section forces the first section in one direction while the threading operation draws the third section in the opposite direction.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 22 words

A hose coupling as defined in claim 8 further including a sealing gasket confined between said opposed surfaces for sealing said coupling.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 234 words

A hose coupling having first and second end sections mountable on the ends of two hoses to be coupled, and a third section telescoped rotatably with said first section; means forming a threaded connection between said second and third sections for releasably coupling the hoses together; a first wall on said first section facing axially toward said second section, and a second wall on said third section facing axially toward said first wall, said walls forming opposite sidewalls of an annular retaining-ring chamber; a resiliently flexible split retaining ring in said chamber between said first and second walls and having free ends disposed in circumferentially opposed relation, said ring being compressible in said chamber, when the ends are circumferentially overlapped, to an assembly condition permitting telescoping of said first and third sections together and to bring said walls into spaced relation with opposite sides of said retaining ring, said ring being disposed in opposed relation with both of said walls when released in said chamber; said free ends being circumferentially spaced, when said ring is released in said chamber, to prevent compression of said ring to said assembly condition without overlapping of said ends; and means operable as an incident to threading of said second and third sections together to shift said walls toward opposite sides of said ring into a condition in which said ends are blocked against returning to the overlapped condition.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 234 words

A hose coupling having first and second end sections mountable on the ends of two hoses to be coupled, and a third section telescoped rotatably with said first section; means forming a threaded connection between said second and third sections for releasably coupling the hoses together; a first wall on said first section facing axially toward said second section, and a second wall on said third section facing axially toward said first wall, said walls forming opposite sidewalls of an annular retaining-ring chamber; a resiliently flexible split retaining ring in said chamber between said first and second walls and having free ends disposed in circumferentially opposed relation, said ring being compressible in said chamber, when the ends are circumferentially overlapped, to an assembly condition permitting telescoping of said first and third sections together and to bring said walls into spaced relation with opposite sides of said retaining ring, said ring being disposed in opposed relation with both of said walls when released in said chamber; said free ends being circumferentially spaced, when said ring is released in said chamber, to prevent compression of said ring to said assembly condition without overlapping of said ends; and means operable as an incident to threading of said second and third sections together to shift said walls toward opposite sides of said ring into a condition in which said ends are blocked against returning to the overlapped condition.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-09-30	1978-04-01	1978-10-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-09-30	1982-04-01	1982-10-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-09-30	1986-04-01	1986-10-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Hose coupling with captive retaining ring

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag