Electrical connectors

Claim 1

An electrical connector comprising: a plug part and a socket part; a screw thread means on the outer surface of one of the parts; a coupling sleeve captive on the other of the parts, wherein the coupling sleeve is of annular cross section and is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the other of the parts, and the coupling sleeve comprises circumferentially disposed apertures in which radially slidable arcuate segments are located, the arcuate segments each have an outwardly curved surface provided with one or more projections or ribs, an inwardly curved surface provided with one or more projections in the form of part of a helical thread, and at least one pair of opposite sloping sides which co-operate with corresponding sloping sides of the circumferentially disposed apertures to limit inward radial movement of the arcuate segments within the connector; a retaining sleeve which is movable relative to the arcuate segments, which retaining sleeve, when moved into one position, butts against the one or more projections or ribs on the outwardly curved surface of the arcuate segments and restrains the arcuate segments from sliding so that the projections on the inwardly curved surface of each of the arcuate segments engage the screw thread means when the plug part and the socket part are connected, and when moved into another position allows the arcuate segments to slide away from the screw thread means, thereby enabling the plug part and the socket part to be disconnected; and a thrust washer disposed between the coupling sleeve and said other of the parts, which thrust washer is provided with a ratchet means operative to permit rotation of the coupling sleeve in one direction with a lower torque than that required to effect rotation of the coupling sleeve in the opposite direction.