1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a quick joint for liquid tight joining of lines under high pressure and comprising a sleeve shaped female part and a male part being introducible into said female part, whereby a male part related to the female part comprises a cylindrical part being introducible into the female part the envelope surface of which presents a groove having a certain width, which groove receives a ring being axially displaceable between the two walls of the groove, which ring has substantially the same thickness as the depth of the groove, and which female part comprises a cylindrical space for receiving the cylindrical part of the male part, the envelope surface of said space is provided with at least a groove for receiving elastically movable locking means out off and into the cylindrical part, which means in a locking position cooperates with the edge of the groove being situated closest to the outer end of the male part and which locking means are displaceable out off their locking position by an movement of the ring towards said outer end edge, which movement is made possible by pressing the male part into the female part until the locking means are brought into a frictional engagement with the outer side of the ring. In particular the invention relates to the female part of such a quick joint.
2. Description of Related Art
A quick joint according to above is known from EP 0 375 674 and is provided with a ring of spring steel. Such a ring of spring steel provides for a necessary locking at normal hydraulic applications but there is a risk that it will become deformed at extremely high hydraulic pressures. If the locking ring is given larger dimensions in order to withstand higher loads it will become much harder to mount the ring in its groove within the female joint part.
PCT/SE96/00593 discloses a quick joint of the type given above, as well, wherein a ring shaped flange is coaxially arranged on the outer side of the groove of the envelope surface for receiving locking means being elastically movable out off and into the cylindrical space, and wherein the locking means comprises at least three arc shaped segments arranged in said groove which segments are forced into a an angular position by an elastic element to take a locking position in relation to the symmetrical longitudinal axis of the female part, in which angular position the segments together takes the shape of a truncated cone which supports with its broader base against the outer side of the groove of the female part, radially on the outer side of the flange.
These known quick joints become in order to be tight, torsional rigid, which means that those hoses which are connected to the joint will take much of optional rotational movements, such as e.g., at hydraulically operated timber-cutting apparatuses where a front cutting head is rotated in several different planes to facilitate cutting, delimbing and lumber distribution.