Hose end coupling unit

Claim 1

A hose end coupling unit, comprising: a plug member having a leading cylindrical pilot portion end; a socket member having axially spaced apart first and second cylindrical internal grooves around a cylindrical bore means for receiving the plug member, the first internal groove forming axially spaced innermost and outermost shoulders of different diametrical size with two bores of the bore means having different internal diameters; an expandable interconnecting snap ring means sleeved over the pilot portion end of the plug member in an unexpanded state; a flaring cam means including a cylindrical cam dwell portion at the enlarged flared end of the cam means on the plug member for expanding the interconnecting snap ring means into the first internal groove between the innermost and outermost shoulders, the outermost shoulder and the respective one bore having a circular opening of a size axially admitting the interconnecting snap ring means sleeved on the pilot portion end of the plug member and the innermost shoulder and the respective second bore having a circular opening of a size axially admitting the cam means and the cam dwell portion and barring the interconnecting snap ring means on the pilot portion end thereby forcing the interconnecting snap ring means to slideably expand over the cam means and into the first internal groove and slide onto the cam dwell portion upon continued axial movement of the cam means deeper into the second bore; the cam dwell portion having a trailing diametrically inwardly stepped cylindrical edge portion forming a radially outwardly extending shoulder means for preventing the expanded interconnecting snap ring means from returning to the pilot portion end after sliding over the cam dwell portion and snapping onto the shoulder means, the cylindrical bottom of the shoulder means of a diametrical size holding the interconnecting snap ring means thereon in the expanded state in the first internal groove between the innermost and outermost shoulders; the plug member having first and second external cylindrical grooves, the first external groove located adjacent the shoulder means and diametrically inwardly thereof and having an axial width and cylindrical size sufficient for confining and permitting the interconnecting snap ring means to contract therein to the unexpanded state upon further axial movement of the cam means deeper into the second bore whereby the innermost shoulder barring the interconnecting snap ring means and forcing it off of the shoulder means and into the first external groove thereby unlocking the plug member from the socket member and permitting withdrawing the plug member from the socket member; a removable spacer snap ring means carried in the second external groove in the plug member located outside of the interlocked plug and socket members for locking the plug member against the further axial movement of the cam means deeper into the second bore thereby preventing the forcing of the interconnecting snap ring means off of the shoulder means and into the first external groove; means for removing the spacer snap ring means from the second external groove preparatory to push-pulling the plug member out of the socket member; and an O-ring seal carried in the second internal groove sealingly engaging a trailing cylindrical end portion of the plug member and sealing the bore means.