Couplings for flexible conduits and the like

Claim 1

In a coupling for flexible conduits and the like comprising a female element comprising a body having an axial bore having internally a peripheral locking recess, and a male element comprising a tip on which is mounted a locking device adapted to engage in the axial bore of the female element, said locking device comprising an engagement element radially displaceable to come into engagement in the locking recess provided in the axial bore of the female element and a locking control device controlling the radially outward displacement of the engagement element toward its locking position and adapted to be brought positively into an unlocking position permitting disengagement of the engagement element from the recess of the female element, the locking control device comprising a sleeve mounted longitudinally movably on the male element, the end of said sleeve directed toward the engagement end of the male element having a cam surface coacting with the engagement element so as to displace the engagement element radially outwardly, and a spring resiliently urging said sleeve toward the locking position in which said sleeve presses the engagement element radially outwardly; the improvement comprising a release ring slidably mounted on the periphery of the locking control device so as, in an uncoupled condition of the coupling, to come into engagement over the engagement element to keep the engagement element in its retracted position toward the interior of the body of the male element, the release ring and the body of the female element having interengageable portions such that, during coupling, the body of the female element contacts the release ring and moves it back out of engagement from over the engagement element thereby permitting the engagement element to move radially outward into the locking position in the locking recess of the female element.