Quick-locking connector

Claim 1

A quick-locking connector comprising a tubular female body member open at one end to receive a male member therein, a latch located within the female body member and urged by a spring towards said open end to engage said male member, a plurality of external, longitudinally spaced bearing surfaces on said male member and complementary bearing surfaces longitudinally spaced internally on said female body member such that, after entry of said male member, a quarter turn of said male member brings the respective bearing surfaces into engagement at longitudinally spaced intervals against pressure from said latch to provide a plurality of longitudinally spaced complementary bearing surfaces to be subjected to axial impact forces tending to pull the male and female members apart and a plurality of complementary bearing surfaces on said female body member and said male member to be subjected to impact forces in the opposite axial direction, characterized in that said latch is of light mass relative to said spring which urges said latch towards said open end of said tubular female body member, and first aperture means provided in the tubular female body and second aperture means provided in said latch, said second aperture means located offset longitudinally relative to said first aperture means located offset longitudinally relative to said first aperture means towards said open end when said male member is located within said female body member to permit entry of a lever member through said first and second aperture means at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the female member to provide leverage for moving said latch against pressure from said spring to release said male member.