International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation

Hubert W Naus

David S Goodman

Gerald J Selvin

David Rofer

John Lawrence Hawkins, Jr

Alfred J Bouvier

Randy A McNutt

A self-locking electrical connector is disclosed in which a locking ring is mounted in an annular groove in the interior of a coupling nut on the plug of the connector. When the plug is mated with the receptacle, inwardly extending projections on the locking ring ride up over a low-angle ramp on the shell of the receptacle and then snap into a locking groove formed in the receptacle shell behind the ramp to lock the connector members together. The surface of the locking groove next to the low-angle ramp is formed as a high-angle ramp which allows removal of the projections of the ring from the groove when the coupling nut is rotated with high torque to unthread from the shell. In an alternative embodiment, the locking ring is carried by the receptacle shell, and the locking groove and angular ramps are formed on the inner surface of the coupling nut.

Self-locking electrical connector

A one-piece, homogeneous electrical connector insulator is disclosed having an integral contact retention cone in each contact passage thereof. The insulator is made by the use of a mold having two core pins for each contact passage, and a suitably formed bushing positioned between the core pins which is removed by etching after the core pins are withdrawn from the molded insulator.

Method of molding electrical connector insulator

An electrical connector having means providing a signal when the connector members are fully engaged. The coupling nut on one connector member carries a detent pin which engages a mating recess in the shell of the connector member when the member is fully coupled to its mating connector member. When the detent pin engages the recess, an electrical indicator circuit is closed providing a signal that the connector members are mated. A releasable lock ring is also provided on the coupling nut which maintains the detent pin engaged with the recess.

Growing community of inventors

Monrovia, CA, United States of America

Hubert W Naus