Breakaway coupling with flapper valve

1. A breakaway coupler for coupling an upstream hose with a downstream hose for passing fluid therebetween when coupled and closing flow when uncoupled, the breakaway coupler comprising:

an upstream housing securable to the upstream hose;

an upstream coupling member secured to the upstream housing and having a flow passage for fluid communication with the upstream hose;

a downstream housing securable to the downstream hose;

a downstream coupling member secured to the downstream housing and having a flow passage for fluid communication with the downstream hose;

a locking member carried by one of the upstream and downstream coupling members and a receiving member defined by the other of the upstream and downstream coupling members, the locking member radially movable into and out of the receiving member to respectively lock and unlock the upstream and downstream coupling members;

a trigger member radially outward of the locking member and having one or more inwardly facing unlocking recesses into which the locking member is movable to unlock the upstream and downstream coupling members;

a trigger spring axially biasing the one of the upstream and downstream coupling members on which the locking member is carried; and

an outwardly facing pry recess on the one of the upstream and downstream coupling members on which the locking member is carried, such that a tool inserted into the pry recess is leverageable to move the locking member toward the one or more unlocking recesses.

2. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

the locking member being carried by the downstream coupling member and the receiving member being carried by the upstream coupling member, the locking member movable radially into the receiving member to lock the upstream and downstream coupling members.

3. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 2 , further comprising:

the locking member including one or more locking balls and the receiving member including one or more outwardly facing locking recesses.

4. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 3 , wherein the trigger spring axially biases the locking member to position the one or more locking balls no more than one ball diameter away from the inwardly facing unlocking recesses.

5. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

an upstream flapper pivotally secured with respect to the upstream housing and movable between an open and closed position to open and close flow through the upstream coupling member, the upstream flapper having a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface angled with respect to the first engagement surface, the first and second engagement surfaces radially spaced from a flapper axis of rotation; and

a pushrod axially movable with respect to the upstream housing in response to axial movement of the coupling members, the pushrod having an end surface engageable with the first engagement surface for moving the upstream flapper to the open position and engageable with the second engagement surface to retain the upstream flapper in the open position, such that locking the upstream and downstream coupling members opens the upstream flapper and unlocking the upstream and downstream coupling members allows the upstream flapper to close.

6. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 5 , further comprising:

a receiving member defined by the other of the upstream and downstream coupling members, the locking member radially movable into and out of the receiving member to respectively lock and unlock the upstream and downstream coupling members.

7. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 6 , further comprising:

the locking member being carried by the downstream coupling member and the receiving member being carried by the upstream coupling member, the locking member movable radially into the receiving member to lock the upstream and downstream coupling members.

8. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 5 , further comprising:

the downstream coupling member engaging the pushrod to move the upstream flapper to the open position.

9. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 5 , further comprising:

a flapper biasing spring for biasing the upstream flapper toward the closed position.

10. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 5 , further comprising:

a downstream flapper pivotally secured with respect to the downstream housing and movable between an open and closed position to open and close flow through the downstream coupling member.

11. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 5 , wherein the second engagement surface is angled at approximately 90 degrees to the first engagement surface.

12. A breakaway coupler for coupling an upstream hose with a downstream hose for passing fluid therebetween when coupled and closing flow when uncoupled, the breakaway coupler comprising:

an upstream housing securable to the upstream hose;

an upstream coupling member secured to the upstream housing and having a flow passage for fluid communication with the upstream hose;

a downstream housing securable to the downstream hose;

a downstream coupling member secured to the downstream housing and having a flow passage for fluid communication with the downstream hose;

a locking member carried by one of the upstream and downstream coupling members and a receiving member defined by the other of the upstream and downstream coupling members, the locking member radially movable into and out of the receiving member to respectively lock and unlock the upstream and downstream coupling members;

a trigger member having one or more inwardly facing unlocking recesses into which the locking member is movable to unlock the upstream and downstream coupling members;

a trigger spring axially biasing the one of the upstream and downstream coupling members on which the locking member is carried; and

an outwardly facing pry recess, such that a tool inserted into the pry recess is leverageable to move the locking member toward the one or more unlocking recesses.

13. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 12 , further comprising:

the locking member being carried by the downstream coupling member and the receiving member being carried by the upstream coupling member, the locking member movable radially into the receiving member to lock the upstream and downstream coupling members.

14. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 12 , further comprising:

the locking member including one or more locking balls and the receiving member including one or more outwardly facing locking recesses.

15. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 12 , wherein the trigger spring axially biases the locking member to position the one or more locking balls no more than one ball diameter away from the inwardly facing unlocking recesses.

16. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 12 , further comprising:

an upstream flapper pivotally secured with respect to the upstream housing and movable between an open and closed position to open and close flow through the upstream coupling member, the upstream flapper having a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface angled with respect to the first engagement surface, the first and second engagement surfaces radially spaced from a flapper axis of rotation; and

a pushrod axially movable with respect to the upstream housing in response to axial movement of the coupling members, the pushrod having an end surface engageable with the first engagement surface for moving the upstream flapper to the open position and engageable with the second engagement surface to retain the upstream flapper in the open position, such that locking the upstream and downstream coupling members opens the upstream flapper and unlocking the upstream and downstream coupling members allows the upstream flapper to close.

17. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 16 , further comprising:

a receiving member defined by the other of the upstream and downstream coupling members, the locking member radially movable into and out of the receiving member to respectively lock and unlock the upstream and downstream coupling members.

18. A breakaway coupler as defined in claim 16 , further comprising:

a downstream flapper pivotally secured with respect to the downstream housing and movable between an open and closed position to open and close flow through the downstream coupling member.

19. A method of decoupling a breakaway coupler, the method comprising:

securing an upstream housing to the upstream hose;

securing an upstream coupling member to the upstream housing and having a flow passage for fluid communication with the upstream hose;

securing a downstream housing to the downstream hose;

securing a downstream coupling member to the downstream housing and having a flow passage for fluid communication with the downstream hose;

carrying a locking member on one of the upstream and downstream coupling members and a receiving member on the other of the upstream and downstream coupling members, the locking member radially movable into and out of the receiving member to respectively lock and unlock the upstream and downstream coupling members;

providing a trigger member having one or more inwardly facing unlocking recesses into which the locking member is movable to unlock the upstream and downstream coupling members;

axially biasing the one of the upstream and downstream coupling members on which the locking member is carried;

providing an outwardly facing pry recess on the one of the upstream and downstream coupling members on which the locking member is carried; and

inserting a tool into the pry recess to move the locking member toward the one or more unlocking recesses.

20. A method as defined in claim 16 , further comprising:

the locking member including one or more locking balls and the receiving member including one or more outwardly facing locking recesses; and

axially biasing the locking member to position the one or more locking balls no more than one ball diameter away from the inwardly facing unlocking recesses.