GB2139304A

GB2139304A - A releasable fluid connector

Info

Publication number: GB2139304A
Application number: GB08312573A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Leslie Northwood
Original assignee: Coal Industry Patents Ltd
Current assignee: Coal Industry Patents Ltd
Priority date: 1983-05-06
Filing date: 1983-05-06
Publication date: 1984-11-07
Also published as: GB8312573D0

Abstract

A two part releasable bayonet fluid connector each part having a valve therein has a filler assembly and a nozzle assembly, the filler assembly comprising a cylindrical body 20 having a reduced diameter part with screw threads 21. Bayonet lugs 22, 22', pass through gaps 5 and 5' in flange 4 of the nozzle assembly when the two parts are pushed together and centre rod 23 bears on centre web of the three radial legs 10, 10' and 10'' in the nozzle forcing the valve 6 into the open position. At the same time, the three axial legs 3, 3', 3'' on the nozzle force disc 27 along rod 23 and effectively opening the filler valve formed by disc 27, centre rod 23 and seal 30. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A releasable fluid connector This invention relates to a two part releasable fluid connector for creating a substantially fluid tight connection between a fluid dispenser and receiver. More particularly this invention relates to an oil container nozzle and a gearbox filler valve.

In many areas of industry including agriculture and mining, mechanical equipment incorporating lubricant reservoirs is used. In mining for example power loaders have transmission gearboxes incorporating an oil bath.

These oil reservoirs need regular replenishment as old oil is either lost through faulty seals, porous castings etc. or is periodically changed. It is often necessary to replenish those oil reservoirs while the machine is in its dirty working environment without allowing the ingress of foreign matter nor excessive spillage of oil.

In the case of mining machines access to the oil filler on the machine may also be restricted adding to the problem of getting clean oil into the reservoir without contamination.

Various methods of filling are known. The simplest a screw cap on the filler and a container with a filling nozzle has been found to be unsuitable. It is often not possible to avoid the ingress of foreign matter and considerable spillage of oil which may present a fire hazard as well as wasting fresh oil.

One current system employed in mining is a hand operated pump and reservoir assembly which is filled from oil dispensers normally 40 gallon drums---on the roadway, carried to the machine ffor example a power loader on a face-where a connection hose from the pump is screw fitted to a ball valve filler on the machine, where upon the oil is pumped by hand from the pump and reservoir assembly into the mining machine. This system has the severe disadvantage that the relatively heavy and bulky pump and reservoir assembly must be carried by hand to the machine from the oil dispensing point in the restricted space of the mine and also that the filling operation is both awkward and slow.

In our co-pending application No.82/02515 we describe a collapsible concertina-like oil container that is much easier to use than the above mentioned system. It is relatively light and can discharge its oil in any orientation via an output pipe and nozzle. This collapsible container substantially solves the problems of transporting oil to the mining machine and of positioning the nozzle in the vicinity of the oil filler port on the mining machine, however, it does not provide fool proof transfer of clean oil into the mining machine as the outlet nozzle needs to be hand held onto the filler of the machine. This system allows the possibility of oil spillage and ingress of foreign matter to the oil reservoir of the mining machine.

A need, therefore, exists for some means of physical connection between the oil container nozzle and the oil filler on the machine to avoid spillage of oil and ingress of foreign matter.

According to the present invention there is provided a releasable fluid connector including nozzle means and filler means, the nozzle means incorporating first valve means, first opening means and first bayonet fitting means, the filler means incorporating second valve means, second opening means and second bayonet fitting means arranged to mate with the first bayonet means, the nozzle and filler means being adapted so that when mated the first and second bayonet fitting means lock the nozzle and filler together, first opening means in the nozzle means opens second valve means in the filler means and second opening means in the filler means opens first valve means in the nozzle means to provide a passage through the connector to enable the flow of fluid therein.

Preferably the bayonet fitting means may be of the lug and flange type.

Conveniently the bayonet fitting means may be of the pin and slot type.

Conveniently the second opening means may be a rod mounted within the filler means.

Preferably the rod maybe centrally disposed within the filler means.

Preferably the rod may act upon a central web extended from the first valve means.

Preferably the first valve means may be biased to a normally shut position.

Preferably the first valve means may seal on an internal flange within the nozzle means.

Conveniently the first opening means may be an axially protruding leg on the end of the nozzle means.

Preferably the first opening means may be 3 axially protruding legs equispaced about the end of the nozzle means.

Preferably the second valve means may be a disc disposed concentrically about the rod and concentrically within the front of the filler means.

Conveniently the second valve means may be spring loaded to a normally shut position.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a releasable connector having a filler assembly and a nozzle assembly. Figure 1 shows an end view of the male nozzle assembly and Figure 2 shows a section there through on line AA of Figure 1. Figure 3 shows an end view of the female filler assembly and Figure 4 shows a section on the lines BB of Figure 3.

Referring first to figures 1 and 2; the nozzle assembly consists of; a first tubular section 1 of suitable diameter and wall thickness to be incorporated in an outlet pipe of an oil container; a second tubular section 2 of smaller diameter extends therefrom and has 3 axial legs 3 3' 3" set at 1 20' intervals around the open end of second tubular section 2. A flange runs substantially around second tubular section 2 but is interrupted at two points 5 and 5' diametrically opposite one another where gaps exist in the flange subtending about 35 at the centre of second tubular section 2. Valve means 6 within the nozzle assembly consists of a round plug 7 with sealing means 8 that fits the inside diameter of second tubular section 2.Incorporated in valve means 6 are three legs 10 10' 10" set at 1 20' intervals extending radially from the centre line of second tubular section 2, to the inside wall of second tubular section 2. These 3 radial legs hold the valve means in position within second tubular section 2 such that plug 7 seals the nozzle assembly. A protrusion 11 on each radial leg 10 10' 10" fits a detent groove around the inside wall of second tubular section 2 to assist in this.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4. The female filler assembly consists of a cylindrical body 20, one end of which has a reduced diameter with a screw thread 21 arranged to screw into the gearbox body of a mining machine. The other end of the cylindrical body 20 has 2 bayonet lugs 22 and 22' disposed so that when the male nozzle and female filler are pushed together and rotated the lugs pass through gaps 5 and 5' in flange 4 of the nozzle assembly and locate behind flange 4 thus holding the nozzle and filler together. A centre rod 23 is held concentric within cylindrical body 20. This is achieved by securing the rod with pin 24 in the centre of a spider arrangement 25 within the screw threaded end of cylindrical body 20.When the nozzle and filler are pushed together centre rod 23 bears on the centre web of the 3 radial leg 10 10' 10" in the nozzle assembly hence forcing the valve means 6 back up into the first tubular section 1 thus opening the valve means 6 to allow passage of oil.

Centre rod 23 performs another function; that of holding a compression spring 26 concentric within cylindrical body 20 so that the compression spring 26 bears on the back of a disc 27. Disc 27 sits concentrically about centre rod 23 and concentrically within an end face ring 28 upon which are mounted bayonet lugs 22 and 25. The disc 27 forms a fluid tight fit around centre rod 23 and within end face ring 28 due to sealing means 30 and 31 respectively. Scaling means 31 additionally seals filler assembly to nozzle assembly when connection is made. Disc 27 has an enlarged diameter section 32 which acts to restrain compression spring 26 from forcing disc 27 out of the filler assembly.In addition to this disc 27 has 3 radial legs 33,33' (only 2 shown).which act as guides when disc 27 is pushed into the filler assembly. In co-operation disc 27, sealing means 30 and 31 and compression spring 26 form a spring loaded valve means within the filler assembly.

When the nozzle and filler assemblies are pushed together the 3 axial legs 3,3' and 3" on the nozzle assembly force disc 27 to retreat into the filler assembly along centre rod 23 and compressing spring 26, thus effectively opening the filler valve means.

Concurrently as above described, centre rod 23 opens valve means 6 in the nozzle assembly, thus a free passage is formed for oil to flow; down first tubular section 1, around plug 7, between radial legs 10, 10' and 10", down second tubular section 2, which is sitting within end face ring 28, radially between axial legs 3,3' and 3", which are pushing on the front face of disc 27, between legs 33, 33' (and a third leg not shown), down cylindrical body 20, through spider 25 and so into the oil reservoir. emptying the oil container the nozzle assembly can be quickly detached from the filler allowing disc 27 to move back to its place (as in Fig.4) under bias from compression spring 26 thus sealing the filler against the ingress of foreign matter.

As can be seen from the above, the nozzle and filler assembly form a convenient and reliable means of connecting the output pipe of an oil container to the filling port of an oil reservoir on a mining machine such that oil spillage is minimised, the ingress of foreign matter is substantially eradicated and this entire process of filling oil reservoirs is made substantially easier and faster than existing methods.

There are no filler caps to be lost, no screw threading of hoses to fillers and minimal spillage of oil which together represent a considerable improvement over current methods.

Claims

1. A releasable fluid connector including nozzle means and filler means, the nozzle means incorporating first valve means, first opening means and first bayonet fitting means, the filler means incorporating second valve means, second opening means and second bayonet fitting means arranged to mate with the first bayonet means, the nozzle and filler means being adapted so that when mated the first and second bayonet fitting means lock the nozzle and filler together first opening means in the nozzle means opens second valve means in the filler means and second opening means in the filler means opens first valve means in the nozzle means to provide a passage through the connector to enable the flow of fluid therein.

2. A releasable fluid connector according to claim one, wherein the bayonet fitting is of the lug and flange type.

3. A releasable fluid connector according to claim one, wherein the bayonet fitting is of the pin and slot type.

4. A releasable fluid connector according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second opening means is a rod mounted within the filler assembly.

5. A releasable fluid connector according to claim 4, wherein the rod is centrally disposed within the filler assembly.

6. A releasable fluid connector according to claim 5, wherein the rod acts on a central web extended from the first valve means.

7. A releasable fluid connector according to claim 6, wherein the the first valve means is biased to a normally shut position.

8. A releasable fluid connector according to either of claims 6 and 7, wherein the first valve means seals on an internal flange within the nozzle means.

9. A releasable fluid connector according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first opening means is an axially protruding leg on the end of nozzle means.

10. A releasable fluid connector according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first opening means consists of 3 axially protruding legs equispaced about the end of the nozzle means.

11. A releasable fluid connector according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the second valve means includes a disc disposed concentrically about the rod and concentrically within the front of the filler means.

12. A releasable fluid connector according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second valve means is spring loaded to a normally shut position.

13. Nozzle means for use in a releasable fluid connector substantailly as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. Filler means for use in a releasable fluid connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

15. A releasable fluid connector substan tally as hereinbefore described.