Air seeder quick attach hose coupling

Abstract

A preferred embodiment of the hose coupling includes an exterior, annular rib on the tubular inlet member to which the hose is to be connected. A resilient boot fixed to the end of the hose has a skirt that extends beyond the end of the hose and is adapted to receive and circumscribe the ribbed end of the inlet member. The skirt and ribbed end of the member are so dimensioned that in order to receive the member, the skirt must be stretched radially outwardly by the rib as the skirt is forced onto the inlet member. When the skirt is fully seated upon the inlet member, the rib becomes received within an annular groove inside the skirt and the skirt relaxes to its original dimension. A lock ring circumscribing the boot may be shifted from an unlocked position inboard of the groove to a locked position outboard of the groove, wherein the ring prevents expansion of the skirt to thereby effectively lock the rib within the retaining groove.

1 . A coupling for releasably securing a hose to a tubular member in end-to-end relationship, said coupling comprising: 
 a transverse external rib on an end of said member; and    a resilient annular skirt fixed to said hose and adapted to receive and surround the ribbed end of the member,    the outside diameter of the ribbed end of the member relative to the inside diameter of the skirt being such that the skirt must be stretched radially outwardly for the ribbed end of the member to be fully received within the skirt,    said skirt having an internal recess disposed to receive and releasably retain said rib when the ribbed end of the member is fully received within the skirt,    said skirt being operable to stretch radially outwardly and release the rib as the skirt is pulled off the ribbed end of the member.    
   
   
       2 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 further comprising an external lock ring surrounding said skirt and movable axially therealong between locked and unlocked positions,    the inside diameter of said lock ring being such that the lock ring is movable between its locked and unlocked positions when the rib of the member is received within said recess yet the lock ring resists stretching of the skirt by the ribbed end of the member to release the member when the lock ring is in its locked position.    
   
   
       3 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 2 , 
 said unlocked position being axially inboard of said recess and said locked position being axially outboard of said recess.    
   
   
       4 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 2 , 
 said skirt having an external stop disposed to engage and prevent the lock ring from moving beyond its locked position.    
   
   
       5 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 4 , 
 said stop comprising a continuous annular lip.    
   
   
       6 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 4 , 
 said skirt further having an external abutment spaced axially from said stop and cooperable therewith to yieldably retain the lock ring in its locked position.    
   
   
       7 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 6 , 
 said abutment being compressible and of such dimension that the lock ring can forcibly override the abutment during movement of the lock ring into and out of the locked position.    
   
   
       8 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 2 , 
 said lock ring being less resilient than said skirt.    
   
   
       9 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said skirt defining a cavity that receives the ribbed end of the member,    said cavity having an annular floor at an inner end thereof disposed for abutting engagement with the ribbed end of the member when the rib is received within said recess.    
   
   
       10 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said rib comprising a continuous annular rib that circumscribes the member.    
   
   
       11 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said skirt being constructed from elastomeric material.    
   
   
       12 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said skirt comprising part of a boot secured to said hose,    said boot further comprising a shank portion surrounding said hose and molded thereon,    said skirt being integrally joined with the shank portion and projecting outwardly therefrom beyond the end of the hose.    
   
   
       13 . A coupling as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said recess comprising a continuous annular groove.