Air Tool Quick Coupler Types - Military

by Jerry C.
(Huntsville AL)

Until recently, I worked as a contractor for the military. In all of our shops, the air outlets accepted a particular type of coupler which I've never seen anywhere else. It's a very simple, conical shaped fitting (male side). The female half of the couplers have a couple of small plates inside that grip the groove in the male plug. To disconnect your tool or whatever from the female end, you twist the female coupler slightly and the male end just pops right out.

Now I have all these conical male plugs on all of my air tools and I cannot find female couplers for my own shop or more plugs for new tools I've acquired.

Nobody seems to sell or even mention this type of coupler. Do you know anything about it? What is it called? Who makes it? Are there multiple makers or is it a proprietary style available only to the military? What's the story?

Thanks! Any info you have or find would be great.

Jerry
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Hi Jerry. Welcome to this website. Thanks for writing in, and including the excellent photo.

One of the things that the military is good for is specifying arcane or unusual items as their standard. This connector is one of those, I suspect.

Can you ask the stores people on the last military base where you worked if they can identify the origin?

Otherwise, here's hoping someone out there recognizes this air connector (and it's mating coupler) and posts a comment.

Cheers,

Bill

Pipe fittings

by Doug McCrary
(San Diego, CA USA)

Probably not air-specific, but...

I pulled some stuff off what looks like a custom made compressor.

Some of the fittings, like a 3/8 iron tee and a 3/8 to 1/4 brass bushing, are stamped "AN" on one side and have some illegible symbol (maybe a union-made logo?). One nipple is stamped "AN HF".

Mean anything you know of?
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Not off the top of my head, Doug.

I suspect it's a brand, as opposed to a type. The fittings pages have information on fittings sizes so, as long as you get the matching thread, and the brass fittings in your photo appear to be standard, then the brand may not be all that important?

Bill

can't find in-line check valve for 3z328 (double-male connections).

by Tom McGrath
(Whitefield, Me.)

Old speedaire compressor 3Z328 has bad in-line check valve. New parts are double female, my check valve is 1/2" double male.

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Contact some local fittings suppliers (compressed air industrial distributors) and ask for adapters to go from male to female.

Or, visit your local plumbing outlet. They will often have brass fittings that will suit, and brass is just dandy for compressed air systems.

Cheers,

Bill