Tubular connector having spring retaining means

Claim 1

A CONNECTOR WHICH INCLUDES: A SOCKET PART HAVING AN OPEN END AND A SHOULDER TAPERED INWARDLY FROM SAID END; AN ADAPTER PART ADAPTED TO FIT WITHIN SAID OPEN END OR SAID SOCKET PART, SAID ADAPTER PART INCLUDING A TAPERED EXTREMITY CONFORMING TO THE CONFIGURATION OF SAID TAPERED SHOULDER AND A FLANGE EXTENDING AROUND SAID ADAPTER PART; SPRING MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID ADAPTER PART WITHIN SAID SOCKET PARTS SO AS TO HOLD SAID TAPERED EXTREMITY AGAINST SAID TAPERED SHOULDER BY ENGAGING SAID FLANGE ON SAID ADAPTER PART WHEN SAID ADAPTER PART IS LOCATED WITHIN SAID END OF SAID SOCKET PART, SAID SPRING MEANS BEING SECURED TO SAID SOCKET PART ADJACENT TO SAID OPEN END AND EXTENDING TOWARD THE INTERIOR OF SAID SOCKET PART AND TOWARDS SAID TAPERED SHOULDER FROM SAID END OF SAID SOCKET PART, SAID SPRING MEANS BEING OF A SLIT-RING CHARACTER AND INCLUDING EDGES LEADING BETWEEN THE ENDS THEREOF, SAID EDGES BEING FORMED SO THAT THE EXTREMITY OF SAID EDGES ADJACENT TO SAID TAPERED SHOULDER ARE CLOSER TOGETHER THAN THE OTHER EXTREMITIES OF SAID EDGES ADJACENT TO THE OTHER END OF SAID SPRING MEANS HELD BY SAID SOCKET PART SO THAT THE DIAMETER OF SAID SPRING MEANS ADJACENT SAID TAPERED SHOULDER IS LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID SPRING MEANS HELD BY SAID SOCKET PART; MEANS FOR PREVENTING ROTATION OF SAID SPRING MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID SOCKET PART; ALIGNMENT MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID ADAPTER PART AND SAID OPEN END OF SAID SOCKET PART TO INSURE ALIGNMENT OF SAID PARTS; RELEASE SLEEVE MEANS INCLUDING WEDGE MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID EDGES OF SAID SPRING MEANS BETWEEN THE ENDS THEREOF SO AS TO INCREASE THE DIAMETER OF SAID SPRING MEANS AND MOVE SAID SPRING MEANS OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FLANGE ON SAID ADAPTER PART, SAID RELEASE SLEEVE MEANS BEING MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ADAPTER PART; AND GUIDE MEANS ON SAID RELEASE SLEEVE MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID RELEASE SLEEVE MEANS SO THAT SAID WEDGE MEANS WILL ENGAGE SAID EDGES OF SAID SPRING MEANS WHEN SAID RELEASE SLEEVE MEANS IS MOVED ON SAID ADAPTED PART TOWARDS SAID SOCKET PART.