Electrical connector

Claim 1

An electrical connector comprising: mating receptacle and plug connector members, each said connector member comprising a shell containing an insulator; a plurality of pairs of axially aligned contacts mounted in said insulators, respectively, the axially aligned contacts of each pair being in an electrically coupled condition when said connector members are mated; a rotatable coupling ring on one of said shells engageable with the other shell for mating said connector members; at least one detent pin slidably mounted in a radially extending bore in said coupling ring; a recess in the outer surface of said one shell aligned with said pin when said connector members are mated; means biasing said pin radially inwardly in said bore to engage said recess; releasable means positively locking said detent pin into engagement with said recess when said connector members are mated; said releasable locking means comprising a lock ring surrounding said coupling ring, means mounting said lock ring on said coupling ring for axial movement thereon between first and second positions, said lock ring having an inner surface adjacent to said pin dimensioned to extend over the outer end of said pin when said pin engages said recess, in said first position of said lock ring said inner surface being located at one side of said pin, in said second position of said lock ring said inner surface extending over said outer end of said pin to lock said pin in said recess, means biasing said lock ring from said first position toward said second position, and said mounting means preventing rotation between said lock ring and said coupling ring when said lock ring is in said first position and allowing rotation between said lock ring and said coupling ring when said lock ring is in said second position.