Electrical connector with automatic thread locking mechanism

Claim 2

A connector comprising first and second components adapted to be mated together along a longitudinal axis, helical coupling means for causing mating and unmating of said components, drive means rotatable about said axis having means movable therewith for abutting against a portion of said coupling means to rotate said coupling means in one rotative direction to effect said mating when said drive means is rotated in said one rotative direction, and wedge means shiftable in a circular path about said axis relative to both said coupling means and said drive means, said coupling means having means thereon for shifting said wedge means in its said circular path in said one rotative direction when said coupling means is rotated in its said one rotative direction by said drive means and said wedge means resisting helical retraction of said coupling means in a reverse rotative direction opposite to said one rotative direction and hence unmating of said components, said abutting means on said drive means abutting said wedge means to render said wedge means ineffectual when said drive means is rotated in a reverse direction opposite to said one rotative direction.

Claim 3

A connector in accordance with claim 1 in which said wedge means includes a cam block having a tapered cam surface at the end thereof nearer said abutting means, said coupling means having a complementally configured tapered cam surface.

Claim 4

A connector comprising first and second components adapted to be axially mated together, helical coupling means for causing mating of said components, rotatable drive means for advancing said coupling means to effect said mating when said drive means is rotated in one direction, and wedge means including a tapered cam block for resisting helical retraction of said coupling means, said coupling means having a complementally configured tapered cam surface, and resilient means for biasing said cam block in the direction of said cam surface, said drive means including means for rendering said wedge means ineffectual when said drive means is rotated in a reverse direction.

Claim 5

A connector comprising first and second components adapted to be axially mated together, helical coupling means for causing mating of said components, rotatable drive means for advancing said coupling means to effect said mating when said drive means is rotated in one direction, and wedge means including a tapered cam block for resisting helical retraction of said coupling means, said coupling means having a complementally configured tapered cam surface, and resilient means for biasing said cam block in the direction of said cam surface, said drive means including means for rendering said wedge means ineffectual when said drive means is rotated in a reverse direction.

Claim 6

A connector in accordance with claim 3 in which said means for rendering said wedge means ineffectual includes a shoe element integral with said drive means for acting against said cam block to urge said block in a direction away from said cam surface when said drive means is rotated in said reverse direction.

Claim 7

A connector in accordance with claim 4 including resilient means for biasing said shoe element in a direction away from said cam block.

Claim 8

A connector comprising first and second connector components having portions of which longitudinally abut together when said components are mated, a coupling member having one end portion encircling a portion of said first component and its other end portion encircling a portion of said second component, said one portion of said coupling ring and the portion of said first component it encircles having interengaging helical means, and said other end portion of said coupling ring and the portion of said second component it encircles having interengaging flange means, whereby rotation of said coupling member in one direction causes advancement thereof along said first component with the result that said interengaging flange means produces an abutting of said first-mentioned portions when said components become fully mated, a wedge element having a sloping cam surface, said other end portion of said coupling member being recessed to form a first arcuate chamber for accommodating therein said wedge element, a second arcuate chamber of lesser diameter and an intermediate chamber between said first and second chambers, said intermediate chamber having a sloping surface complementing the sloping cam surface on said wedge element, a drive member encircling saiid coupling member having a portion thereof extending into said second arcuate chamber, first means biasing said wedge element relative said coupling member in said one direction of rotation to normally urge the sloping cam surface thereof against the sloping surface of said intermediate chamber to resist rotation of said coupling member in a reverse direction, and second means biasing said drive member relative said coupling member in said one rotative direction, the portion of said drive member received in said second arcuate chamber having a length such as to abut the end of said wedge element nearer thereto to shift said wedge element in said reverse rotative direction to overcome the action of said first biasing means and to move the sloping cam surface of said wedge element away from the sloping surface of said intermediate chamber to permit unmating of said components.

Claim 9

A connector comprising first and second connector components having portions of which longitudinally abut together when said components are mated, a coupling member having one end portion encircling a portion of said first component and its other end portion encircling a portion of said second component, said one portion of said coupling ring and the portion of said first component it encircles having interengaging helical means, and said other end portion of said coupling ring and the portion of said second component it encircles having interengaging flange means, whereby rotation of said coupling member in one direction causes advancement thereof along said first component with the result that said interengaging flange means produces an abutting of said first-mentioned portions when said components become fully mated, a wedge element having a sloping cam surface, said other end portion of said coupling member being recessed to form a first arcuate chamber for accommodating therein said wedge element, a second arcuate chamber of lesser diameter and an intermediate chamber between said first and second chambers, said intermediate chamber having a sloping surface complementing the sloping cam surface on said wedge element, a drive member encircling saiid coupling member having a portion thereof extending into said second arcuate chamber, first means biasing said wedge element relative said coupling member in said one direction of rotation to normally urge the sloping cam surface thereof against the sloping surface of said intermediate chamber to resist rotation of said coupling member in a reverse direction, and second means biasing said drive member relative said coupling member in said one rotative direction, the portion of said drive member received in said second arcuate chamber having a length such as to abut the end of said wedge element nearer thereto to shift said wedge element in said reverse rotative direction to overcome the action of said first biasing means and to move the sloping cam surface of said wedge element away from the sloping surface of said intermediate chamber to permit unmating of said components.

Claim 10

A connector comprising first and second components, a coupling nut threadedly engaged with said first component and having an inwardly directed flange, said second component having an outwardly directed flange forward of said inwardly directed flange and having a cylindrical surface extending rearwardly from said outwardly directed flange past said inwardly directed flange, the forward side of said inwardly directed flange bearing against the rear side of said outwardly directed flange when said coupling nut is rotated in one direction to effect mating of said components, said nut having a portion thereof encircling said cylindrical surface and provIding an inwardly facing surface spaced radially outwardly of said cylindrical surface, said inwardly facing surface having a first section of one radius and a second section of a lesser radius with a sloping cam section intermediate said first and second sections, a wedge block disposed between said first surface section and said cylindrical surface having a sloping cam surface at one end thereof complementing that of said intermediate surface section, said nut having a radially directed shoulder at the end of said first surface section remote from said intermediate surface section, resilient means abutting said shoulder and the opposite end of said wedge block to normally urge said wedge block in said one rotative direction to cause its sloping cam surface to bear against said intermediate surface section, a drive ring encircling said coupling nut having release means extending into the space between said second surface section and said cylindrical surface so as to have one end thereof abut said one end of said wedge block to forcibly shift said wedge block in a direction opposite to said one rotative direction to overcome the action of said spring means when said drive ring is rotated in said opposite direction.

Claim 11

A connector comprising first and second components, a coupling nut threadedly engaged with said first component and having an inwardly directed flange, said second component having an outwardly directed flange forward of said inwardly directed flange and having a cylindrical surface extending rearwardly from said outwardly directed flange past said inwardly directed flange, the forward side of said inwardly directed flange bearing against the rear side of said outwardly directed flange when said coupling nut is rotated in one direction to effect mating of said components, said nut having a portion thereof encircling said cylindrical surface and provIding an inwardly facing surface spaced radially outwardly of said cylindrical surface, said inwardly facing surface having a first section of one radius and a second section of a lesser radius with a sloping cam section intermediate said first and second sections, a wedge block disposed between said first surface section and said cylindrical surface having a sloping cam surface at one end thereof complementing that of said intermediate surface section, said nut having a radially directed shoulder at the end of said first surface section remote from said intermediate surface section, resilient means abutting said shoulder and the opposite end of said wedge block to normally urge said wedge block in said one rotative direction to cause its sloping cam surface to bear against said intermediate surface section, a drive ring encircling said coupling nut having release means extending into the space between said second surface section and said cylindrical surface so as to have one end thereof abut said one end of said wedge block to forcibly shift said wedge block in a direction opposite to said one rotative direction to overcome the action of said spring means when said drive ring is rotated in said opposite direction.

Claim 12

A connector in accordance with claim 7 in which said nut has a second radially directed shoulder, and additional resilient means abutting said second shoulder and said release means to normally urge said release means in said one rotative direction away from said wedge block.

Claim 13

A connector in accordance with claim 8 in which said nut has a third radially directed shoulder at the end of said second surface section remote from said intermediate surface section, said release means abutting said third shoulder when said drive ring is rotated in said one direction.

Claim 14

A connector in accordance with claim 9 in which said second shoulder resides between said intermediate surface section and said third shoulder and is of lesser radial length than said third shoulder.

Claim 15

A connector in accordance with claim 8 in which said first resilient means constitutes a rubber pad.

Claim 16

A connector in accordance with claim 11 in which said second resilient means constitutes a coil spring.