Air brake hose coupling member construction

Claim 2

An air brake hose coupling member construction of the type having generally tubular body means with a Neck at one end adapted to be connected to an air hose, and with arcuate locking lug means projecting outwardly from the other end of the body means; the tubular body means having an outer surface, a coupling face and a curved end surface extending between said outer surface and coupling face; in which L-shaped flange means is formed on the body means adjacent the neck and projects upwardly and forwardly therefrom; and in which the locking lug means and L-shaped flange means are adapted to engage L-shaped flange means and locking lug means, respectively, of another coupling member similar to said coupling member, to couple said members together when the members are placed in abutting relationship and rotated oppositely with respect to each other; the improvement including a circumferentially extending recess formed in the curved end surface of the tubular body means, said recess being located adjacent to and below the locking lug means when the member is oriented to coupled position; rigid finger means having a swinging end and an opposite generally fixed end, said finger means conforming to the general shape and size of the recess; pin means pivotally mounting the finger means on the body means within the recess for movement of the finger means swinging end in a generally radial direction with respect to the tubular body means curved end surface between retracted and extended positions into and out of said recess, respectively; and the swinging end being located circumferentially adjacent the locking lug means, and the pivot pin means being located below said swinging end when said finger means is in retracted position whereby said finger means moves downwardly under the influence of gravity out of the recess to extended position.

Claim 3

An air brake hose coupling member construction of the type having generally tubular body means with a Neck at one end adapted to be connected to an air hose, and with arcuate locking lug means projecting outwardly from the other end of the body means; the tubular body means having an outer surface, a coupling face and a curved end surface extending between said outer surface and coupling face; in which L-shaped flange means is formed on the body means adjacent the neck and projects upwardly and forwardly therefrom; and in which the locking lug means and L-shaped flange means are adapted to engage L-shaped flange means and locking lug means, respectively, of another coupling member similar to said coupling member, to couple said members together when the members are placed in abutting relationship and rotated oppositely with respect to each other; the improvement including a circumferentially extending recess formed in the curved end surface of the tubular body means, said recess being located adjacent to and below the locking lug means when the member is oriented to coupled position; rigid finger means having a swinging end and an opposite generally fixed end, said finger means conforming to the general shape and size of the recess; pin means pivotally mounting the finger means on the body means within the recess for movement of the finger means swinging end in a generally radial direction with respect to the tubular body means curved end surface between retracted and extended positions into and out of said recess, respectively; and the swinging end being located circumferentially adjacent the locking lug means, and the pivot pin means being located below said swinging end when said finger means is in retracted position whereby said finger means moves downwardly under the influence of gravity out of the recess to extended position.

Claim 4

An air brake hose coupling member construction of the type having generally tubular body means with a Neck at one end adapted to be connected to an air hose, and with arcuate locking lug means projecting outwardly from the other end of the body means; the tubular body means having an outer surface, a coupling face and a curved end surface extending between said outer surface and coupling face; in which L-shaped flange means is formed on the body means adjacent the neck and projects upwardly and forwardly therefrom; and in which the locking lug means and L-shaped flange means are adapted to engage L-shaped flange means and locking lug means, respectively, of another coupling member similar to said coupling member, to couple said members together when the members are placed in abutting relationship and rotated oppositely with respect to each other; the improvement including a circumferentially extending recess formed in the curved end surface of the tubular body means, said recess being located adjacent to and below the locking lug means when the member is oriented to coupled position; rigid finger means having a swinging end and an opposite generally fixed end, said finger means conforming to the general shape and size of the recess; pin means pivotally mounting the finger means on the body means within the recess for movement of the finger means swinging end in a generally radial direction with respect to the tubular body means curved end surface between retracted and extended positions into and out of said recess, respectively; and the swinging end being located circumferentially adjacent the locking lug means, and the pivot pin means being located below said swinging end when said finger means is in retracted position whereby said finger means moves downwardly under the influence of gravity out of the recess to extended position.

Claim 5

The construction defined in claim 1 in which the tubular body means includes an arcuate flange extending outwardly from the body means and circumferentially about a major portion thereof; in which the arcuate flange includes the tubular body means curved end surface; and in which the recess is formed in said arcuate body flange.

Claim 6

The construction defined in claim 1 in which the tubular body means has an axially extending bore; and in which the coupling face lies in a plane generally parallel with the axis of the bore.

Claim 7

The construction defined in claim 3 in which the body means bore terminates at the coupling face; in which gasket means is mounted on the coupling face and surrounds the bore; and in which the gasket means projects outwardly beyond said coupling face.

Claim 8

An air brake hose coupling construction of the type including two similar coupling members; each member having a generally tubular body with a neck at one end adapted to be connected to an air hose, in which an arcuateshaped flange extends outwardly from the other end of the body, in which an L-shaped flange is formed on the body adjacent the neck and projects upwardly and forwardly toward the arcuate-shaped flange, and in which the arcuate flange has an arcuate locking lug projecting forwardly therefrom adapted for engaging the L-shaped flange on the other coupling member to connect said members together when the lug of each member is placed in circumferential relationship with respect to the L-shaped flange of the opposite member, and the members rotated oppositely with respect to each other; the improvement including a circumferentially extending recess formed in the arcuate body flange of one of the coupling members; said body flange recess being located adjacent to and below the locking lug of the coupling member when the member is oriented to coupled position; rigid finger means having a swinging end and a generally fixed opposite end; pin means pivotally mounting the finger means on the body arcuate flange within the recess for movement of the finger means swinging end in a generally radial direction with respect to the arcuate flange between retracted and extended positions into and out of said recess, respectively; the swinging end being located adjaCent the locking lug and the pivot pin means being located rearwardly and lower than said swinging end, whereby said finger means moves under the influence of gravity downwardly outwardly of the recess to extended position; and the finger means swinging end aligning generally circumferentially with the L-shaped flange of the opposite coupling member when in extended position whereby the finger means is adapted to engage said opposite L-shaped flange preventing premature rotation of the coupling member in an uncoupling direction.

Claim 9

An air brake hose coupling construction of the type including two similar coupling members; each member having a generally tubular body with a neck at one end adapted to be connected to an air hose, in which an arcuateshaped flange extends outwardly from the other end of the body, in which an L-shaped flange is formed on the body adjacent the neck and projects upwardly and forwardly toward the arcuate-shaped flange, and in which the arcuate flange has an arcuate locking lug projecting forwardly therefrom adapted for engaging the L-shaped flange on the other coupling member to connect said members together when the lug of each member is placed in circumferential relationship with respect to the L-shaped flange of the opposite member, and the members rotated oppositely with respect to each other; the improvement including a circumferentially extending recess formed in the arcuate body flange of one of the coupling members; said body flange recess being located adjacent to and below the locking lug of the coupling member when the member is oriented to coupled position; rigid finger means having a swinging end and a generally fixed opposite end; pin means pivotally mounting the finger means on the body arcuate flange within the recess for movement of the finger means swinging end in a generally radial direction with respect to the arcuate flange between retracted and extended positions into and out of said recess, respectively; the swinging end being located adjaCent the locking lug and the pivot pin means being located rearwardly and lower than said swinging end, whereby said finger means moves under the influence of gravity downwardly outwardly of the recess to extended position; and the finger means swinging end aligning generally circumferentially with the L-shaped flange of the opposite coupling member when in extended position whereby the finger means is adapted to engage said opposite L-shaped flange preventing premature rotation of the coupling member in an uncoupling direction.

Claim 10

The construction defined in claim 5 in which the finger means swinging end terminates in a generally flat surface; in which the L-shaped flange of each coupling member has a trailing edge; and in which the finger means flat end surface is adapted to engage the L-shaped flange trailing edge of the other coupling member when the coupling members are rotated with respect to each other in an uncoupling direction.

Claim 11

The construction defined in claim 5 in which stop means are formed on the body flange adjacent the recess; and in which said stop means engages the finger means fixed end in extended position to limit the swing of the finger means in the extended position.