Self-locking coupling nut for electrical connectors

Claim 2

A self-locking coupling nut comprising: a first cylindrical shell including a radially inwardly located, axially extending ball receiving surface, a ball camming surface extending angularly outwardly from the ball receiving surface, and a plurality of ball receiving grooves intersecting the ball camming surface and positioned at spaced intervals around the periphery of the first shell, the innermost surface of each ball receiving groove positioned radially outwardly from the ball receiving surface, each adjacent pair of ball receiving grooves being separated by a land; a second cylindrical shell for mating engagement with the first shell and having external threads thereon; cooperating surfaces on the first and second shells for locating the shells with respect to each other upon mating engagement therebetween; a nut surrounding the first shell and having threads for threadedly engaging the threads of the second shell to secure the first and second shells in mating engagement, a plurality of radially extending ball receiving apertures each initially aligned with the ball receiving surface of the first shell, and a circumferentially extending spring receiving slot intersecting each of the ball receiving apertures; a plurality of balls each positioned in one of a ball receiving apertures of the nut for movement therewith from initial engagement with the ball receiving surface of the first shell up the ball camming surface thereof and into engagement with the ball receiving grooves in response to threaded engagement of the nut with the second shell; and a spring positioned in the spring receiving slot of the nut for retaining the balls in the ball receiving apertures and for urging the balls inwardly toward the first shell, the spring being cammed outwardly as the balls move up the ball camming surface and into the ball receiving grooves.

Claim 3

The self-locking'coupling nut according to Claim 1 further including: a thrust ring mounted on the first shell and having an axially facing thrust surface; a retaining ring mounted on the nut for movement therewith relative to the first shell; and a spring trapped between the thrust surface of the thrust ring of the first shell and the retaining ring of the nut for axial compression as the nut threadedly engages the second shell.

Claim 4

The self-locking coupling nut according to Claim 1 wherein the axial dimension of the spring receiving slot in the nut is matched to the axial dimension of the spring received therein so that the spring is cammed outwardly from the slot as the balls enter the ball receiving grooves to provide visual and tactile proof of the locked condition of the self-locking coupling nut.

Claim 5

The self-locking coupling nut according to Claim 1 wherein the axial dimension of the slot in the nut is greater than the axial dimension of the spring received therein so that the spring is contained within the slot regardless of the locked or unlocked status of the self-locking coupling nut.

Claim 6

A self-locking coupling nut comprising: a first cylindrical shell including a radially inwardly located, axially extending ball receiving surface, a ball camming surface extending angularly outwardly from the ball receiving surface, and a plurality of ball receiving grooves intersecting the ball camming surface and positioned at spaced intervals around the periphery of the first shell, the innermost surface of each ball receiving groove positioned radially outwardly from the ball receiving surface, each adjacent pair of ball receiving grooves being separated by a land; a second cylindrical shell for mating engagement with the first shell and having external threads thereon; cooperating surfaces on the first and second shells for locating the shells with respect to each other upon mating engagement therebetween; a nut surrounding the first shell and having threads for threadedly engaging the threads of the second shell to secure the first and second shells in mating engagementp a plurality of radially extending ball receiving apertures each initially aligned with the ball receiving surface of the first shell, and a circumferentially extending spring receiving slot intersecting each of the ball receiving apertures; a plurality of balls each positioned in one of a ball receiving apertures of the nut for movement therewith from initial engagement with the ball receiving surface of the first shell up the ball camming surface thereof and into engagement with the ball receiving grooves in response to threaded engagement of the nut with the second shell; a spring positioned in the spring receiving slot of the nut for retaining the balls in the ball receiving apertures and for urging the balls inwardly toward the first shell, the spring being cammed outwardly as the balls move up the ball camming surface. and into the ball receiving grooves; a thrust ring mounted on the first shell and having an axially facing thrust surface; a retaining ring mounted on the nut for movement therewith relative to the first shell; a spring trapped between the thrust surface of the thrust ring of the first shell and the retaining ring of the nut for axial compression as the nut threadedly engages the second shell; the axial dimension of the spring receiving slot in the nut being matched to the axial dimension of the spring received therein so that the spring is cammed outwardly from the slot as the balls enter the ball receiving grooves to provide visual and tactile proof of the locked condition of the self-locking coupling nut.

Claim 7

A self-locking coupling nut comprising: a first cylindrical shell including a radially inwardly located, axially extending ball receiving surface, a ball camming surface extending angularly outwardly from the ball receiving surface, and a plurality of ball receiving grooves intersecting the ball camming surface and positioned at spaced intervals around the periphery of the first shell, the innermost surface of each ball receiving groove positioned radially outwardly from the ball receiving surface, each adjacent pair of ball receiving grooves being separated by a land; a second cylindrical shell for mating engagement with the first shell and having external threads thereon; cooperating surfaces on the first and second shells for locating the shells with respect to each other upon mating engagement therebetween; a nut surrounding the first shell and having threads for threadedly engaging the threads of the second shell to secure the first and second shells in mating engagementp a plurality of radially extending ball receiving apertures each initially aligned with the ball receiving surface of the first shell, and a circumferentially extending spring receiving slot intersecting each of the ball receiving apertures; a plurality of balls each positioned in one of a ball receiving apertures of the nut for movement therewith from initial engagement with the ball receiving surface of the first shell up the ball camming surface thereof and into engagement with the ball receiving grooves in response to threaded engagement of the nut with the second shell; a spring positioned in the spring receiving slot of the nut for retaining the balls in the ball receiving apertures and for urging the balls inwardly toward the first shell, the spring being cammed outwardly as the balls move up the ball camming surface. and into the ball receiving grooves; a thrust ring mounted on the first shell and having an axially facing thrust surface; a retaining ring mounted on the nut for movement therewith relative to the first shell; a spring trapped between the thrust surface of the thrust ring of the first shell and the retaining ring of the nut for axial compression as the nut threadedly engages the second shell; the axial dimension of the spring receiving slot in the nut being matched to the axial dimension of the spring received therein so that the spring is cammed outwardly from the slot as the balls enter the ball receiving grooves to provide visual and tactile proof of the locked condition of the self-locking coupling nut.