In a majority of known coupling devices for pressurized fluid conduits, the conduits must first be depressurized be- fore the interacting coupling members can be joined together or separated as a free outflow of medium under pressure always entails unnecessary waste and usually leads to compli¬ cations in handling said coupling members. At high pressures, the risk for personal injury can also arise occasionally if the conduits are not depressurized. Furthermore, environ¬ mental damages can arise in the handling of liquid media.

Considerable risks for personal injury also exist for the known kind of so-called quick coupling intended for pressurized fluid conduits, said quick coupling comprising a casing part and a nipple part, both being provided with a flow-through channel, said nipple part being designed to be inserted into the casing part flow-through channel in order to open a spring-loaded shut-off valve situated in the same, thereby opening a flow-through path through the coupling, and in order to hold said valve and flow-through path open and said two parts .connected to each other. For said latter purpose, the nipple part is releasably engaged in a ball locking device or similar locking device situated in the casing part and the shut-off valve situated inside the flow-through channel of the casing part comprises two interacting valve parts, both of which are axially movable relative each other and the channel under the influence of the nipple part. This is especially true when it comes to the separation of such quick coupling devices used in pres- surized air conduits in which one or more hose sections are included and separation takes place without the conduit having been depressurized in advance. The brief thrust of pressure which the small amount of outflowing fluid gives rise to has shown itself to be sufficient to occasionally cause such powerful tossing movements of the released hose ends that persons struck by said ends have even suffered disabling spinal damage.

Starting from the known type of quick coupling as described above, the purpose of the present invention is to propose a new and improved quick coupling in which the risk for powerful tossing movements of the separated conduit ends has been eliminated by means of one of said separated con¬ duit .ends having already been automatically depressurized when separation of the coupling has been initiated and while the ^' interconnected casing and nipple parts of the coupling are still lockingly engaged in- each other, the second condui end being kept under maintained pressure but lacking flow- through connection with the depressurized end.

Said purpose has .been primarily achieved by means of one end 22 of the shut-o f valve being arranged inside an at least essentially casing-shaped member 23;33 which can be moved along a segment of the wall of the flow-through channel in the casing part 1 in order to function as a slide valve relative the flow-through openings 19;24,26,27 in said wall, said openings leading to and from said channel segment the openings 19 leading to said segment being included in the flow-through channel through the coupling and the open¬ ings 24,26,27 leading from the segment being connected to the immediate surroundings of the quick coupling for pressur evacuation of the interior 45 of the flow-through channel in the casing part when the nipple part is disengaged from said casing part, the flow-through channel input end in the casin part still being under pressure. By means of the quick coup¬ ling according to the invention having such a design, a double valve function is obtained in the casing part of the coupling, said function making it possible to auto atic- ally ensure that no tossing movements take place as a ^' result of pressure thrusts arising during separation of the coup¬ ling. Furthermore, the coupling is simple from a production viewpoint and simultaneously sturdy and reliable as regards use. Final-ly, said shut-off valve part can either be station arily situated inside the casing-shaped member or also be axially movable along the inside of the same.

In the first case, slide seals need only be arranged between the member or slide and the wall of the flow-through channel in the casing part. Said seals can consist of normal annular rings or so-called rolling annular rings, of which the latter, due to their lesser friction, can contribute to making the slide valve designed as an at least essentially casing-shaped member more easily movable along the wall of the ^' flow-through channel in the casing part of the coupling. In the other case, however, sealing arrangements must exist between both the member and the flow-through channel wall as well as between the member and said one valve part. Despite this,- however, said design of the casing-shaped member or slide valve according to the invention is advan¬ tageous. The sealing arrangements can be made very simple at the same time as both construction length and stroke length of the member/slide can be reduced with the accompany¬ ing reduction of the construction length of the entire quick coupling as an advantageous final result. This is especially true if the at least essentially casing-shaped member or slide valve consists of a wide, rigid and essentially cylind¬ rical ring totally surrounded. by a casing of elastic material, said casing forming the sealing arrangements of the casing- shaped member/slide, is slidably arranged on the ring and has a radially-protecting flange running circumferally about the same on both the inner and outer sides of said ring so as to support said one part of the shut-off valve and for attachment of the casing-shaped member/slide in an annular groove in the wall of the flow-through channel in the casing part. An especially simple and reliable construction is obtained in a quick coupling constructed according to the invention if the openings which lead from the wall segment of the flow-through channel in the casing part, along which segment the at least essentially casing-shaped member or slide can be moved, said openings communicating with the immediate surroundings of the quick coupling, in their open state resulting from the movement of the casing-shaped

member/slide, also communicate with a pressure chamber in the casing part, said chamber communicating with the flow- through channel and being situated after the shut-off valv in the flow direction through the casing part, a spring- loaded piston constituting steering means for the ball locking device or similar locking device in the casing par being able to be moved under the "influence of the pressure prevailing in the chamber.

The invention shall be described in more detail in the following with reference being made to two embodiments of a quick coupling device. constructed according to the sa said embodiments being .illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Figures 1-4 in the drawings s.how axial sections through a first embodiment of said quick coupling device in the separated, connected, commenced separation and almo completed separation states. Figure la shows an end view o said embodiment as seen from the left in Figure 1 and Figure 2a shows a detail section of the same along line 2a in Figure 2. Finally, Figures 5-7 show an axial section through a second embodiment in the connected, commenced separation and ^" almost completed separation states.

The drawings reveal that a quick coupling device for pressurized fluid conduits according to the present invent comprises two main parts, a casing part 1 and a nipple par both of which are provided with a flow-through channel.

Furthermore, one set of ends of said two parts are provide with suitable arrangements for connection to a pressurized fluid conduit. The nipple parts 2, for example,> can be pro vided with an end part 4 designed to be inserted in a hose end 3, while the casing part 1 can be provided with a thre ed end part 5 for connection to a tube end. In connection therewith, the casing part 1- should also be provided with a key grip 6 so as to expediate its tightening inside or onto a tube end. Even if the end part 5 shown here is pro- vided with an outer thread 7, one can also have an end par having an inner thread for screwing onto the outer side of a threaded tube end. Naturally, the end part 5 can also be designed for hose connection.

Furthermore, the drawing reveals that the two main parts of a quick coupling device according to the invention are designed to be fit into each other. For this purpose, the front end 8 of the nipple part is provided with a design corresponding to the flow-through' channel in the casing part 1. Said end 8 is also provided with a moderately elonga¬ ted middle 9 intended to cooperate with a ball locking device situated inside the casing part 1, said ball locking device being described in more detail- below. The casing part 1 consists of an outer casing 10, into one end of which an end plug 11 is screwed. A bead 12 running along the circumference of the casing wall is situated a slight distance inside said outer casing, said bead consti¬ tuting support for the inner end of a bell-shaped spring housing 13 inserted in the outer casing. The outer end of said spring housing is supported by a pin 14 attached to said housing end, said pin being arranged in a support ring 16 provided with spokes 15, said ring in turn being arranged in a turned cavity 17 around the inner end of the flow- through channel 'through the end plug 11 screwed into one end of the outer casing 10. The outer diameter of the bell-shaped spring housing 13 is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer casing 10 so that an annular channel 18 is created between the outer side of the spring housing and the inner side of the outer casing. By means of the open spaces between the spokes 15 of the support ring 16, said annular channel 18 communicates freely with the flow-through channel of the end plug 11 and thereby with the inside of the conduit into which the casing part 1 is screwed by means of its threaded end part 5. In order that the annular channel 18 shall be able to be included in the flow-through channel through the casing part 1, a ring of holes 19 is arranged in the wall of the bell-shaped spring housing 13 near the inner end of said channel. By means of said ring of holes, the interior of the spring housing 13 can be included as a part of the flow- through channel ^' through the casing part 1. A conical spring 20 is drawn inside the bell-shaped spring housing 13, the

wide end of said spring abuting a support surface on the inside of the closed spring housing end, the narrow end of said spring abuting a valve body 21 in the open end of the spring housing. Said valve body can be moved towards and from sealing abutment against a valve seat 22. Together with the conical spring 20, the valve body 21 and the valve seat 22 form a shut-off valve in the flow-through channel of the casing part 1, said valve making it possible to open and close said flow-through channel. According to the invention, both the valve seat 22 and the valve body 21 are, under the influence of the nippl part 2, axially movable in the flow-through channel both in relation to each other and the channel. When the casing par 1 and nipple part 2 are coupled together, which is accomp- lished by means of the latter part being inserted into the former part, the nipple part 2 shall open the shut-off valv consisting of the conical spring 20, the valve body 21 and the valve seat 22 and thereby open a flow-through path through the coupling and also -hold said valve and flow path open. The nipple part shall also hold together both of the main parts 1,2 of the quick coupling device, for which pur¬ pose the nipple part 2 is releasably engaged in the balllockin device or similar locking device in the casing part 1. Said ball locking device shall be described in more detail below In order that both the valve ^' body .21 and the valve seat 22 shall, through the influence of the front end 8 of the nipple part 2 be axially movable in the flow-through channel relative each other and said channel, the valve sea 22 which is suitably annular and consists of hard rubber (80-90 ΣRH) is arranged inside an at least essentially casing-shaped member 23 which can be moved along a segment of the wall of the flow-through channel in the casing part According to the invention, _. said axially movable casing- shaped member 23 can hereby function as a slide valve rela- tive the flow-through openings in said wall segment, said openings leading to and from the same. The openings leading to said segment c.onsist of the holes 19 arranged in a ring

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around the inner end of the bell-shaped spring housing 13, said holes being included in the intended flow-through channel through the coupling, while the openings leading from the segment communicate with the immediate surroundings of the coupling.- In the embodiments shown here, said openings consist of a number of radial grooves 24 in one end surface of a further casing 25 arranged in the inner casing 10. The end surface of the casing 25 provided with radial grooves abuts a stop surface on the bead 12 on the inside of the outer casing 10. Said casing 25 has an annular stop on its outer side near said end surface provided with radial grooves, whereby a ring channel 26 communicating openly with the radial grooves 24 is created between the inside of the outer casing 10 and the outer side of the further casing 25. By means of at least one hole 27 in the wall of the outer casing 10, said ring channel 26 communicates with the surroundings of the coupling. The further casing 25 has an annular groove on its outer side, in which groove an annular ring 26 is arranged so as to function as -a seal between the outer side of said casing and the inside, of the outer casing.

The further casing 25 provided with a stop _% forming an outer ring channel and an end surface provided with radial grooves has such an inner diameter that its inner surface is aligned with the inner surface of the bel-1-shaped spring housing 13 so that they both, with their openings 19,24. leading to and from the flow-through channel through the coupling, form the channel wall segment along which the casing-shaped member 23 in which the shut-off valve is arranged is axially movable and functions as a slide valve relative said openings 19,24 in said wall segment consisting of the spring housing wall and the further casing.

In the first embodiment shown in Figures 1-4, the seat ' 22 of the shut-off valve is axially movable along the inside of the essentially casing-shaped member or valve slide means 23 which, for said purpose, is provided with sealing arrange¬ ments both between itself and the wall of the flow-through channel and between itself and the valve seat 22. To be more

exact, the casing-shaped member or slide means 23 consists of a wide, rigid and essentially cylindrical ring in the form of a steel ring.or the like which is totally surrounde by a casing 29 of elastic material, for example, soft rubbe (50-55 IRH) . Said casing forms the sealing arrangements of the casing-shaped member or slide means 23, can slide on the rigid ring and has a radially projecting flange 30,31 extending circumferaliy on both sides of the inner and oute sides of the member/slide 23. ^" The seat 22 of the shut-off valve is arranged on the casing flange 30 on the inside of the member/slide 23. For this purpose, said seat 22 has the form of a ring of hard rubber (80-90 IRH), the outside of which is provided with an annular groove having a cross section corresponding to the casing flange 30 so that the seat/ring 22 can be hung on the casing flange 30 with the help of said groove. The corresponding casing flange 31 on the outside of the member/slide 23 is, on the other hand, attached to an annular groove between the inner edge of the bell-shaped spring housing.13 and a stop on the annular bead 12 inside the valve slide means 23. The casing-shaped member or valve slide means 23, which in the embodiment of a quick coupling device according to the invention shown in Figures 1-4 supports the seat 22 of the shut-off valve, can advantageously consist of a radial sealing arrangement of the kind described in Swedish Patent 366 102 or British Patent 1 449 258 as such an arrangement consists of a rigid annular core surrounded by an elastic casing on which radia flanges exist on the inner and outer sides of said arrange¬ ment. in the other embodiment for said" quick coupling devic shown in Figures 5-7, however, the shut-off valve seat 22 is not movable inside the -casing-shaped member or valve sli means. Instead, said member or slide means consists of an elongated cylindrical casing 33 provided with annular rings 32 in annular grooves on its outer side, inside which casin the shut-off valve seat 22 is stationarily attached to a radical flange 34 projecting in from the casing wall. The ΪRE

annular rings 32 which are situated between the casing/slide means 33 and the flow-through channel wall in the casing part 1 can consist of the "rolling" annular rings described in US Patent 3 466 054. In both of the embodiments described here, the shut-off valve seat 22 consists of a hard rubber ring. The side of the ring which is facing away from the spring-loaded valve body 21 is provided with a metal lining 35 which can, for example, consist of an annular steel washer, the inner edge of which is beveled so that it constitutes a stop surface for the front end 8 of the nipple part 2 which can be in¬ serted into the flow-through channel in the casing part 1.

In order that the front end 8 of the nipple part will be able to move the springs-loaded valve body 21 as well as the valve seat 22, said valve body is, in both of the embodi¬ ments shown here, provided with a blade-shaped stop 26 pro¬ jecting axially towards the nipple part, said stop being sufficiently long to always extend across and out through the rear side of the annular member forming the seat of the shut-off valve 22 no matter which positions the valve body and valve seat assume relative each other. The free end of said stop 36, which also serves as a guide for the movements of the valve body 21, is designed to cooperate with the front end 8 of the nipple part 2 which can be inserted into the flow-through channel in the casing part 1.

The further casing 25, towards whose inner surface the casing-shaped member or valve slide means 23 can be moved has a tubular axial extension 37 on its end facing the nipple part 2, said extension 37 having a smaller outer and inner diameter than the rest of the casing 25. In this manner, an annular space 38 is created between the outer side of the axial extension and the inside of the outer casing 10. The inner end of said space is restricted by a radial step 39 in the further casing 25 and its outer end is restricted by an annular plate 40 which uncovers the space 38 in the out¬ ward direction and is held in place between the outer edge of the axial extension 37 and a locking ring 41 arranged in

an annular groove in the inner side of the outer casing. The space 38 communicates with the flow-through channel through the casing part 1 via conduits 42 in the step 39 in the further casing.25, said conduits opening into a central segment 45 of the flow-through channel in the casing part 1. A pneumatic piston loaded by a helically coiled spring 44 is arranged inside the space 38. Both sides of the spring- loaded pneumatic piston 43 are sealed by means of annular .rings against the walls of the space 38 so that it can move reciprocally in said space as the pressure therein varies as a result of the communication of the space with the centr section of the flow-through channel via the conduits 42. The pressure-influenced, spring-loaded piston 43 in the space 38 is included in the ball locking device of the quic coupling. For this purpose, a number of locking balls 46 ar arranged in conical holes in the wall of the extension be¬ tween the inside of the piston and the tubular axial exten¬ sion 37 of the further casing 25. During the reciprocal movement of the piston 43 in the space 38 as a result of the pressure prevailing in the same, the balls 46 are moved into and out of the conical holes through the wall of the tubular axial extension 37 so as to engage with and dis¬ engage with the middle 9 on the front end 8 of the nipple part 2 and lock-or release the same in the flow-through channel in the casing part 1.

As the annular space 38 which constitutes the pressur cylinder for the spring-loaded, locking ball-controlled piston 43 communicates with the central section 45 of the flow-through channel in the casing part 1, it can also communicate with the immediate surroundings of the casing part by means of the openings 24 leading to the same, the annular conduit 26 and .the holes 27 in the outer casing 10 as all of these connect the central section 45 of the flow- through channel with the immediate surroundings of the casin This connection takes place when the openings 24 leading from said central section are uncovered as a result of the movement of the casing-shaped member or valve slide means

inside the casing part 1 when the nipple part 2 is inserted further into the casing part when the two main parts of the quick coupling device are separated from each other.

In their open state resulting from the movement of the casing-shaped member/slide means., the openings 24 leading from the wall segment of the flow-through channel in the casing part 1, along which the casing-shaped member or valve slide organ 23 can be -moved, said openings communicating with the immediate surroundings of-the quick coupling device, also communicate with the pressure chamber or pressure space 38 in the casing part, said chamber communicating with the flow-through channel and being situated in the flow direction through the casing part 1 after the shut-off valve, in which chamber the spring-^loaded pneumatic piston 43 is movable under the influence of pressure prevailing in the chamber or space in question and constitutes steering means for the balls 46 situated in the casing part 1, said balls being included in the locking device of the quick coupling according to the invention. The function of the coupling according to the invention shall now be described with reference to the first embodiment shown in Figures 1-4. Figure 1 shows the coupling with both of its two main parts 1,2 separated from each other. As a result of the conical spring 20 inside the spring housing 13 and the pressure prevailing in the same, the valve body

21 abuts the valve seat 22 so that it seals against the same. As a result of the pressure and.the spring 13, the slidable casing or valve slide 23 supporting the valve seat in the flow-through channel simultaneously has such a position that it closes the outlet openings in the flow-through channel wall segment leading to the surroundings of the coupling device, said casing or slide being slidable along said flow-- through channel wall segment.

-Figure 2 shows the nipple part 2 inserted into the casing part 1 in which it is held by means of the balls 46 included in the casing part ball locking device. In said state, the shut-off valve consisting of the valve body 21

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and the valve seat 22 is completely open so that 'the flow- through channel through the coupling is completely free. The casing-shaped member or valve slide means 23 supporting the valve seat 21 is in the same position as when the shut- off valve is closed- and the two main parts of the quick coupling device are separated from each other.

Figure 3 shows the uncoupling of the nipple part 2 from the casing part 1. As the figure reveals, the nipple part is moved further into the ^" casing part. The front end of the nipple part, while abuting both the valve body 21 stop 36 and the stop 35 on the ring forming the valve seat 22, will move the casing-shaped member 23 further into the casin part so that the valve slide means will close the openings 1 leading to the flow-through channel and simultaneously un- cover the openings 24 through which the central segment 45 of the channel communicates with the immediate surroundings of the coupling via the annular conduit 26 and the holes 27 in the outer casing 10. The inner part of the space 38 in which the pneumatic piston 43 steering the locking balls 46 is active is thereby depressurized as a result of its commu¬ nication via the conduits 42 with the central segment 45 of the flow-through channel .and further out to the immediate surroundings of the casing part 1. As a result of the spring load, the piston will then be moved to the left in Figure 3 so that the locking balls 46. can disengage from the middle 9 of the nipple part and instead enter an annular groove 47 in the piston 43, The nipple part 2 can then be pulled out of the casing part 1 in the manner revealed in Figure 4. The conical spring 20 will thereby no longer be hindered by the front end of the nipple part and be able to press the valve body 21 into sealing abutment against the valve seat 22 -at the same ^• time as the spring force also moves the casing-shaped member or valve slide means 23 to the right in Figure ^' 4 so that while it moves along the channel wall simultaneously uncovers all of the openings leading to and from the channel wall segment in question and the nipple can be pulled out of the now totally depressurized insertion

end of the casing part 1. Under the influence of the conical spring 20, the member or valve slide means 23 supporting the valve seat will be moved further to the right so as to finally assume the position revealed in Figure 1 and in which the. openings 19 in the spring housing 13 are exposed so that the shut-off valve formed by the valve body 21 and valve seat 2 will now hold the flow-through channel in the casing part 1 closed. -

The invention is not restricted to the two embodiments described here and shown in the drawings. Rather, it can be modified in many ways within the framework of the claims.