A hose coupling is a connector

Gender of connectors and fasteners

In electrical and mechanical trades and manufacturing, each half of a pair of mating connectors or fasteners is conventionally assigned the designation male or female...

 on the end of a hose

Hose (tubing)

A hose is a hollow tube designed to carry fluids from one location to another. Hoses are also sometimes called pipes , or more generally tubing...

 to connect (or couple) it with another hose or with a tap

Tap (valve)

A tap is a valve controlling release of liquids or gas. In the British Isles and most of the Commonwealth, the word is used for any everyday type of valve, particularly the fittings that control water supply to bathtubs and sinks. In the U.S., the term "tap" is more often used for beer taps,...

 or a hose appliance, such as an irrigation sprinkler

Irrigation sprinkler

Irrigation sprinklers are sprinklers used on farms, golf courses, and yards, to provide water to vegetation and plants in the event of drought. They may also be used for recreation, as a cooling system, or to keep down the amount of airborne dust....

. It is usually made of steel

Steel

Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...

, brass

Brass

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...

, stainless steel

Stainless steel

In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....

, aluminium

Aluminium

Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....

 or plastic

Plastic

A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...

.

Air King

The "Air King" Universal Air Hose Coupling (see Dixon Valve) is malleable iron or brass "quarter turn" "sexless coupling

Gender of connectors and fasteners

In electrical and mechanical trades and manufacturing, each half of a pair of mating connectors or fasteners is conventionally assigned the designation male or female...

" usually found on pneumatic tools like jackhammer

Jackhammer

A jackhammer is a pneumatic tool that combines a hammer directly with a chisel that was invented by Charles Brady King. Hand-held jackhammers are typically powered by compressed air, but some use electric motors. Larger jackhammers, such as rig mounted hammers used on construction machinery, are...

s. The fitting is considered "universal" because a common two lug

Lug

-Places:* Lug , a Croatian village in Herzegovina* Lug, Bilje, a settlement in Croatian Baranja* Lug, Germany, a municipality in Germany* Ług, Łódź Voivodeship, a village in Poland* Lug , a village in Serbia-Transportation:...

 head is used on all sizes ranging from 1/4" through 1".

Cam and groove

A Cam and groove is a quick connect fluid transfer hose coupling that consists of a male "adapter" and female "coupler". The "adapter" has a groove on the outside that is engaged by the "cam arms" on the outside of the "coupler" to effect a seal against the gasket

Gasket

thumb|sright|250px|Some seals and gaskets1. [[o-ring]]2. fiber [[Washer |washer]]3. paper gaskets4. [[cylinder head]] [[head gasket|gasket]]...

 inside the "coupler". They are most commonly found in petroleum

Petroleum

Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...

 or chemical applications.
http://www.esthercoupling.com

Ground joint

A "Boss" Ground Joint Coupling valve

Valve

A valve is a device that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category...

 hose coupling is primarily used for compressed air

Compressed air

Compressed air is air which is kept under a certain pressure, usually greater than that of the atmosphere. In Europe, 10 percent of all electricity used by industry is used to produce compressed air, amounting to 80 terawatt hours consumption per year....

 or steam

Steam

Steam is the technical term for water vapor, the gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils. In common language it is often used to refer to the visible mist of water droplets formed as this water vapor condenses in the presence of cooler air...

. It consists of a stem, wing nut and spud. It seals as a soft copper seat located in the spud is drawn against the stem by tightening the wing nut.

Hoselink

Hoselink is a bayonet type connector utilizing an 0 Ring compression to provide a watertight connection for home and commercial garden hose

Garden hose

A garden hose is a flexible tube used to carry water. There are a number of common attachments available for the end of the hose, such as sprayers and sprinklers...

s.

Hozelock

Around 1955 Hozelock Ltd UK invented & patented the international standard plastic, click-on style, push-fit hose end connector now used with garden hoses. The concept was developed to replace metal hose end connectors in coal mines which were prone to cause static sparks & the possibility of methane gas explosion. The system is now universally used by gardeners throughout the world.

Storz

A Storz

Storz

For the beer, see Storz Brewing Company.Storz is a type of hose coupling invented by Carl August Guido Storz in 1882 that connects using interlocking hooks and flanges. It is sometimes referred to as a sexless coupling, because rather than having a male and a female end connected by screw threads,...

 coupling is a "quarter turn coupling", or "sexless coupling", commonly used to connect to fire hydrant

Fire hydrant

A fire hydrant , is an active fire protection measure, and a source of water provided in most urban, suburban and rural areas with municipal water service to enable firefighters to tap into the municipal water...

s, easy to connect, no particular male or female end, lugs are on inside of coupling. This is the standard coupling on fire hoses in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

, Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

, and the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

.

Guillemin symmetrical clutch

The Guillemin symmetrical clutch is widely used in France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 and in Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 by firefighter

Firefighter

Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...

s to couple fire hose

Fire hose

A fire hose is a high-pressure hose used to carry water or other fire retardant to a fire to extinguish it. Outdoors, it is attached either to a fire engine or a fire hydrant. Indoors, it can be permanently attached to a building's standpipe or plumbing system...

s. It is also commonly known under the name of DSP connector.

It can be fastened by hand, but it is also possible to use a tricoise wrench. It is also "quarter turn" and "sexless" (symmetrical).

Each end has a ring with two protuberances outside; when the ring turns, the protuberances lock to the hook of the other hose.

Barcelona

It is the coupling used by the Spanish

Spanish people

The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....

 firefighters. It is a "sexless" coupling with 3 engaging lugs.

NST

National Standard Thread (NST), also known as National Hose thread (NH). The most common type of fire hose coupling used in the USA. The male and female straight (non-tapered) threads screw together and the connection is sealed with a gasket

Gasket

thumb|sright|250px|Some seals and gaskets1. [[o-ring]]2. fiber [[Washer |washer]]3. paper gaskets4. [[cylinder head]] [[head gasket|gasket]]...

.

Expansion ring

A expansion ring fire hose coupling (see Red Head) is commonly used on lay flat fire hose, it has the advantage of providing no flow restriction, as the expansion ring is expanded to match the inner diameter of the hose. They are installed with special machinery using a drawbar expander. In the US it is most commonly supplied with NST (NH) threads.

Mulconroy

Mulconroy/Holedall Swaged Hose Coupling (see Dixon Valve) is commonly found on larger diameter hoses used in higher pressure applications or where the hose is exposed to higher end pull (i.e., Oil Suction & Discharge (OS&D) hose). They are installed with special hydraulic ram machinery and special dies.

IX

Holedall IX Internally Expanded (Internally Swaged) Hose Coupling (see Dixon Valve) Used in higher pressure applications, or where the hose is exposed to higher end pull, or where a full flow is required. They are installed with special hydraulic pull bar machinery using special pull plugs.

Scovill/Rostra

Holedall (Scovill/Rostra) Internally Expanded Hose Coupling (see Dixon Valve) Used primarily on fuel oil hose applications, where a full flow is required. They are installed with special hydraulic pull bar machinery using special pull plugs.

See also

• AN thread
  AN thread
  The AN thread is a particular type of fitting used to connect flexible hoses and rigid metal tubing that carry fluid. It is a US military-derived specification that dates back to World War II and stems from a joint standard agreed upon by the Army and Navy, hence AN.AN sizes range from -2 to -32...
  
  
• Glossary of firefighting equipment
  Glossary of firefighting equipment
  - A :* Adapter: plumbing accessories for connecting hoses and pipes of incompatible diameter, thread, or gender. See also reducer, increaser, double male, double female, water thief. May contain combinations, such as a double-female reducer...
  
  
• Hose barb
  Hose barb
  Hose barbs are cylindrical pieces or parts for attaching and securing of hoses . The barb-like rings on the cylindrical piece allow for an easy push-connection of flexible-plastic or rubber tubing that is not so easily disconnected. Hose barbs are used in machine perfusion and chemistry laboratory...
  
  
• Hose clamp
  Hose clamp
  A hose clamp or hose clip is a device used to attach and seal a hose onto a fitting such as a barb or nipple.- Screw/band clamps :...
  
  
• Jubilee Clip
  Jubilee Clip
  A Jubilee Clip is a circular metal band or strip combined with a worm gear fixed to one end. It is designed to hold a soft, pliable hose onto a rigid circular pipe of smaller diameter....