Locking device for interfitting members

Claim 1

A device for automatically locking cooperative first and second members in an axially interconnected relationship, at least a generally cylindrical male portion of said first member from a first terminal end being axially receivable in a generally cylindrical female portion of said second member from a second terminal end, said device comprising: one of said male and female portions including a pluraity of spring members cooperable with a plurality of activating means on the other of said male and female portions, said spring members and said activating means being spaced apart circumferentially around the associated of said male and female portions, said spring members being placed in direct activating engagement with said activating means as said male portion is axially inserted into said female portion for causing said biasing means to be moved from a first normal position toward a second biasing position exerting a biasing force to urge relative rotation between said male and female portions; and, locking means cooperable between said male and female portions selectively movable from a first non-locking to a second locking condition, said locking means being automatically moved to said locking condition when a predetermined length of said male portion is received in said female portion and said male and female portions are relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means.

Claim 2

A device for automatically locking cooperative first and second members in an axially interconnected relationship, at least a generally cylindrical male portion of said first member from a first terminal end being axially receivable in a generally cylindrical female portion of said second member from a second terminal end, said device comprising: one of said male and female portions including a pluraity of spring members cooperable with a plurality of activating means on the other of said male and female portions, said spring members and said activating means being spaced apart circumferentially around the associated of said male and female portions, said spring members being placed in direct activating engagement with said activating means as said male portion is axially inserted into said female portion for causing said biasing means to be moved from a first normal position toward a second biasing position exerting a biasing force to urge relative rotation between said male and female portions; and, locking means cooperable between said male and female portions selectively movable from a first non-locking to a second locking condition, said locking means being automatically moved to said locking condition when a predetermined length of said male portion is received in said female portion and said male and female portions are relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means.

Claim 5

A device for automatically locking cooperative first and second members in an axially interconnected relationship, at least a generally cylindrical male portion of said first member from a first terminal end being axially receivable in a generally cylindrical female portion of said second member from a second terminal end, said device comprising: one of said male and female portions including biasing means cooperable with activating means on the other of said male and female portions as said male portion is axially received in said female portion, said activating means causing said biasing means to be moved from a first normal position toward a second biasing position exerting a biasing force to urge relative rotation between said male and female portions; locking means cooperable between said male and female portions selectively movable from a first non-locking to a second locking condition, said locking means being automatically moved to said locking condition when a predetermined length of said male portion is received in said female portion and said male and female portions are relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means; and, wherein said activating means comprises an activating groove extending generally axially of said other portion from the terminal end thereof for receiving said biasing means, said activating groove including an activating area engageable with said biasing means for moving said biasing means from said first position toward said second biasing position as said male portion is axially received by said female portion.

Claim 6

A device for automatically locking cooperative first and second members in an axially interconnected relationship, at least a generally cylindrical male portion of said first member from a first terminal end being axially receivable in a generally cylindrical female portion of said second member from a second terminal end, said device comprising: one of said male and female portions including biasing means cooperable with activating means on the other of said male and female portions as said male portion is axially received in said female portion, said activating means causing said biasing means to be moved from a first normal position toward a second biasing position exerting a biasing force to urge relative rotation between said male and female portions; locking means cooperable between said male and female portions selectively movable from a first non-locking to a second locking condition, said locking means being automatically moved to said locking condition when a predetermined length of said male portion is received in said female portion and said male and female portions are relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means; and, wherein said activating means comprises an activating groove extending generally axially of said other portion from the terminal end thereof for receiving said biasing means, said activating groove including an activating area engageable with said biasing means for moving said biasing means from said first position toward said second biasing position as said male portion is axially received by said female portion.

Claim 17

A device for automatically locking cooperative first and second members in an axially interconnected relationship, at least a generally cylindrical male portion of said first member from a first terminal end being axially receivable in a generally cylindrical female portion of said second member from a second terminal end, said device comprising: one of said male and female portions including biasing means cooperable with activating means on the other of said male and female portions as said male portion is axially received in said female portion, said activating means causing said biasing means to be moved from a first normal position toward a second biasing position, exerting a biasing force to urge relative rotation between said male and female portions; locking means cooperable between said male and female portions selectively movable from a first non-locking to a second locking condition, said locking means being automatically moved to said locking condition when a predetermined length of said male portion is received in said female portion and said male and female portions are relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means; and, said biasing means comprising an elongated spring member associated with said one portion and extending generally axially thereof, said spring member being affixed adjacent one end thereof to said one portion adjacent the terminal end of said one portion and having a free end spaced from said one end, said spring member tapering over the length thereof in said first normal position from said one end to said free end radially inward of said one portion.

Claim 18

A device for automatically locking cooperative first and second members in an axially interconnected relationship, at least a generally cylindrical male portion of said first member from a first terminal end being axially receivable in a generally cylindrical female portion of said second member from a second terminal end, said device comprising: one of said male and female portions including biasing means cooperable with activating means on the other of said male and female portions as said male portion is axially received in said female portion, said activating means causing said biasing means to be moved from a first normal position toward a second biasing position, exerting a biasing force to urge relative rotation between said male and female portions; locking means cooperable between said male and female portions selectively movable from a first non-locking to a second locking condition, said locking means being automatically moved to said locking condition when a predetermined length of said male portion is received in said female portion and said male and female portions are relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means; and, said biasing means comprising an elongated spring member associated with said one portion and extending generally axially thereof, said spring member being affixed adjacent one end thereof to said one portion adjacent the terminal end of said one portion and having a free end spaced from said one end, said spring member tapering over the length thereof in said first normal position from said one end to said free end radially inward of said one portion.

Claim 19

A device for automatically locking cooperative first and second members in an axially interconnected relationship, at least a generally cylindrical male portion of said first member from a first terminal end being axially receivable in a generally cylindrical female portion of said second member from a second terminal end, said device comprising: one of said male and female portions including biasing means cooperable with activating means on the other of said male and female portions as said male portion is axially received in said female portion, said activating means causing said biasing means to be moved from a first normal position toward a second biasing position, exerting a biasing force to urge relative rotation between said male and female portions; locking means cooperable between said male and female portions selectively movable from a first non-locking to a second locking condition, said locking means being automatically moved to said locking condition when a predetermined length of said male portion is received in said female portion and said male and female portions are relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means; and, said biasing means comprising a pluraity of elongated spring members associated with said one portion and extending generally axially thereof, each said spring member being affixed adjacent one end to said one portion and including a free end spaced from said one end with said pluraity of spring members being disposed in a spaced apart relationship to each other generally circumferentially of said one portion, said activating means comprising a plurality of said activating means spaced around said other portion for cooperative registry with said spring members.

Claim 20

A device for automatically locking cooperative first and second members in an axially interconnected relationship, at least a generally cylindrical male portion of said first member from a first terminal end being axially receivable in a generally cylindrical female portion of said second member from a second terminal end, said device comprising: one of said male and female portions including biasing means cooperable with activating means on the other of said male and female portions as said male portion is axially received in said female portion, said activating means causing said biasing means to be moved from a first normal position toward a second biasing position, exerting a biasing force to urge relative rotation between said male and female portions; locking means cooperable between said male and female portions selectively movable from a first non-locking to a second locking condition, said locking means being automatically moved to said locking condition when a predetermined length of said male portion is received in said female portion and said male and female portions are relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means; and, said biasing means comprising a pluraity of elongated spring members associated with said one portion and extending generally axially thereof, each said spring member being affixed adjacent one end to said one portion and including a free end spaced from said one end with said pluraity of spring members being disposed in a spaced apart relationship to each other generally circumferentially of said one portion, said activating means comprising a plurality of said activating means spaced around said other portion for cooperative registry with said spring members.

Claim 23

A device for automatically locking a pair of cooperative members which comprise an electrical connector axially interconnected with each other for maintaining an electrically communicating relationship therebetween, at least a first generally cylindrical male portion of one of said members from a first outer end being axially receivable in a second generally cylindrical female portion of the other member from a second outer end, said device comprising: mechanical biasing means comprising an elongated leaf spring having one end affixed to the interior side wall surface of said female portion and a free end spaced from said one end generally axially of said female portion, said biasing means being selectively movable between normal and biasing conditions; activating means associated with the exterior side wall of said male portion for moving said biasing means from said normal to said biasing condition and urging relative coaxial rotation between said male and female portions as said male portion is axially received by said female portion; a locking tab associated with one of said male and female portions; and, a locking tab receiver associated with the other of said male and female portions for lockingly receiving said tab when said portions are placed in some predetermined axially cooperating relationship, said locking tab and tab receiver being automatically moved into a locking relationship with each other as said male and female portions are relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means.

Claim 24

A device for automatically locking a pair of cooperative members which comprise an electrical connector axially interconnected with each other for maintaining an electrically communicating relationship therebetween, at least a first generally cylindrical male portion of one of said members from a first outer end being axially receivable in a second generally cylindrical female portion of the other member from a second outer end, said device comprising: mechanical biasing means comprising an elongated leaf spring having one end affixed to the interior side wall surface of said female portion and a free end spaced from said one end generally axially of said female portion, said biasing means being selectively movable between normal and biasing conditions; activating means associated with the exterior side wall of said male portion for moving said biasing means from said normal to said biasing condition and urging relative coaxial rotation between said male and female portions as said male portion is axially received by said female portion; a locking tab associated with one of said male and female portions; and, a locking tab receiver associated with the other of said male and female portions for lockingly receiving said tab when said portions are placed in some predetermined axially cooperating relationship, said locking tab and tab receiver being automatically moved into a locking relationship with each other as said male and female portions are relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means.

Claim 34

A device for automatically locking cooperative first and second members in an axially interconnected relationship, said device comprising: one of said first and second members including biasing means cooperable with activating means on the other of said first and second members as said members are moved toward an axially interconnected relationship, said activating means including an activating groove extending generally axially along said other member and having an activating area engagable with said biasing means for causing said biasing means to be moved from a first normal position toward a second biasing position exerting a biasing force to urge relative rotation between said first and second members as said members are moved toward an axially interconnected relationship; and, locking means cooperable between said first and second members selectively movable from a first non-locking to a second locking condition, said locking means being automatically moved to said locking condition when said members are placed in a predetermined axial relationship with each other and relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means.

Claim 35

A device for automatically locking cooperative first and second members in an axially interconnected relationship, said device comprising: one of said first and second members including biasing means cooperable with activating means on the other of said first and second members as said members are moved toward an axially interconnected relationship, said activating means including an activating groove extending generally axially along said other member and having an activating area engagable with said biasing means for causing said biasing means to be moved from a first normal position toward a second biasing position exerting a biasing force to urge relative rotation between said first and second members as said members are moved toward an axially interconnected relationship; and, locking means cooperable between said first and second members selectively movable from a first non-locking to a second locking condition, said locking means being automatically moved to said locking condition when said members are placed in a predetermined axial relationship with each other and relatively rotated under the influence of said biasing means.