Cable connector

Claim 2

A connector for securement to the end of coaxial cable having a core electrode and a conductive sheath electrode and which connector comprises a hollow housing having integral therewith a rearwardly extending and peripherally discontinuous electrically conductive tubular skirt for radially inward compression into gripping engagement with a coaxial cable extending forwardly into said skirt and into electrical contact with the conductive sheath electrode of such a coaxial cable, said tubular skirt being formed with a rearwardly facing external surface; a hollow tubular cover sleeve having associated therewith a forwardly facing internal cam surface for conjoint axial movement with said cover sleeve and for engagement with said rearwardly facing external surface of said tubular skirt when said cover sleeve is disposed coaxially around said tubular skirt and adapted to cause radially inward compression of said tubular skirt into gripping engagement with the coaxial cable disposed within said tubular skirt and into electrical contact with the conductive sheath electrode of that coaxial cable on forward axial movement of said cover sleeve relative to said housing; co-operating means on said housing and on saId cover sleeve for retaining said cover sleeve in a fixed forward axial position on said housing in turn to maintain said tubular skirt radially inwardly compressed and in gripping engagement with the coaxial cable disposed within said tubular skirt and in electrical contact with the conductive sheath electrode of that cable; a radially inwardly compressible and electrically conductive collet sleeve mounted generally axially within said tubular skirt of said housing for receiving an exposed forward end portion of the core electrode of the coaxial cable inserted into said connector; and a radially inwardly compressible and electrically insulating bushing coaxially disposed around said collet sleeve and within said tubular skirt whereby, on said radially inward compression of said tubular skirt on forward axial movement of said cover sleeve relative to said housing, said bushing and said collet sleeve are radially inwardly compressed to move said collet sleeve into gripping engagement and electrical contact with the core electrode of the cable.

Claim 3

A connector as claimed in claim 1 in which said housing is formed on a forward end thereof with a forwardly extending second said peripherally discontinuous and electrically conductive tubular skirt for radially inward compression into gripping engagement with a second coaxial cable inserted into a forward end of said connector and into electrical contact with the conductive sheath electrode of such a second coaxial cable, said second tubular skirt being formed with a forwardly facing external cam surface, which connector additionally comprises a second said hollow tubular cover sleeve having associated therewith a rearwardly facing internal cam surface for conjoint coaxial movement with said second cover sleeve and for engagement with said forwardly facing external cam surface of said second tubular skirt when said second cover sleeve is disposed coaxially around said second tubular skirt and adapted to cause radially inward compression of said second tubular skirt into gripping engagement with said second coaxial cable and into electrical contact with the conductive sheath electrode of that second coaxial cable on rearward axial movement of said second cover sleeve relative to said housing, in which said collet sleeve is adapted to receive an exposed rearward end portion of the core electrode of the second coaxial cable inserted into said connector, which connector additionally comprises a second said radially inwardly compressible and electrically insulating bushing coaxially disposed around said collet sleeve within said second tubular skirt whereby, on radially inward compression of said second tubular skirt on rearward axial movement of said second cover sleeve relative to said housing, said second bushing and said collet sleeve are radially inwardly compressed to move said collet sleeve into gripping engagement and electrical contact with said exposed rearward end portion of the core electrode of the second coaxial cable, and which connector additionally comprises cooperating means on said housing and on said second cover sleeve for retaining said second cover sleeve in a fixed rearward axial position on said housing in turn to maintain said second tubular skirt radially inwardly compressed and in engagement with the outer conductive sheath of the second coaxial cable disposed within said tubular skirt.

Claim 4

A connector as claimed in claim 1, in which said tubular skirt is formed with a rearwardly facing external cam surface adapted to be engaged by the forwardly facing internal cam surface of the hollow tubular cover sleeve.

Claim 5

A connector as claimed in claim 1 in which said tubular skirt is peripherally divided into a plurality of peripherally spaced apart and rearwardly extending, radially inwardly and resiliently compressible tongues having said rearwardly facing external cam surface formed collectively thereon and in which said bushing is disposed axially between forward and rearward ends of said tongues.

Claim 6

A connectOr as claimed in claim 4 in which said tongues are internally serrated for gripping engagement with the coaxial cable disposed therewithin.

Claim 7

A connector as claimed in claim 5 in which said tubular skirt is externally threaded for engagement with a mating internal thread formed within said cover sleeve whereby said cover sleeve is advanced forwardly on rotation of said cover sleeve relative to said housing to cause engagement of said external and internal cam surfaces and radially inward compression of said tongues of said tubular skirt and in turn radially inward compression of both of said bushing and said collet sleeve.

Claim 8

A connector as claimed in claim 6 in which said cover sleeve has an annular flange integrally formed therewith rearwardly of said internal thread and which said connector additionally includes an axially resiliently compressible and radially outwardly and resiliently expansible seal adapted to be compressed between rearward end surfaces of said tongues and a forwardly facing surface of said annular flange on forward movement of said cover sleeve relative to said housing to provide a seal between said cover sleeve and a peripheral outer surface of the coaxial cable disposed within said connector.

Claim 9

A connector as claimed in claim 7 which additionally includes an electrically conductive axially forward extension of said collet sleeve and an annular electrically insulating spacer disposed around said forward extension of said collet sleeve to maintain said forward extension of said collet sleeve in a generally axial position within said housing and a rearward tubular extension integrally formed with said spacer and adapted to abut said bushing to maintain said bushing in correct axial position within said tongues of said housing.