US2848702A - Lock ring for electrical connectors - Google Patents

Description

Aug, 1958 A. JACKSON ETAL 2,848,702

LOCK RING FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Filed July 13, 1954 .Ticii- INVENTORS ANTON JACKSON B DRIS A JACKSON ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,848,702 LOCK RING FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Anton Jackson, Queens Village, and Boris A. Jackson, Valley Stream, N. Y.

Application July 13, 1954, Serial No. 442,942 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-90) This invention deals with electrical connectors. More particularly, the invention deals with a lock ring construction for retaining connectors of the kind under consideration in coupled relationship to each other.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a broken side'view showing inner parts only of two electrical connectors with our improved lock ring supporting the same in coupled relationship, part of the lock ring structure being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1, showing only part of the terminals of one of the connectors.

Fig. 3 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 1 and omitting parts of the structure.

Fig. 4 is a partial side and sectional view, the section being substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and indieating a more complete part of the connector assemblage.

Fig. 5 is a side edge detailed view of the lock ring detached; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the ring looking in the direction of the arrow 6 of Fig. 5.

This invention deals with electrical connectors, generally of the type and kind disclosed in Patent Number 2,633,482, granted March 31, 1953, and-more particularly to a novel lock ring construction employed for securing electrical connectors in coupled relationship to each other. Connectors of the type and kind under consideration have male and female coupling cores, parts of which are diagrammaticaly shown at 10 and 11 in Fig. 1 of the drawing, these cores having, at their inner adjacent ends, hexagonal heads 12 and 13, respectively, and, at their outer ends, terminals, indicated in part, at 14 and 15, with which electric wires are soldered or otherwise coupled.

The cores or bodies 10 and 11 are formed of plastic material and the hexagonal heads are provided with rounded protruding, alining portions 16 and 17 to gauge or index alinement of the connectors one with respect to the other.

In the showing in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the associated parts of the connectors are omitted for sake of clarity. However, in Fig. 4 of the drawing, we have indicated, in part, the associated portions of the connectors, for example, the plastic sleeve 18 in threaded engagement with the core 10, which serves to hold one part 19 of the lock ring construction in firm engagement with the hexagon head 12. The part 19 is in the form of a ringtype disc having oppositely bowed sides 20 to give spring properties thereto in securely positioning the part 19 on the core 10 while, at the same time, permitting rotation of the part 19 in coupling and uncoupling the connectors. The part 19 also includes, at right angles to the bowed springs 20, extending plate portions 21, which overlie and are in wide spaced relationship to the hexagon heads 12, as clearly noted in Fig. 3, and these plate portions have inwardly extending flanges 22, having centrally thereof offset beads 23, the same being offset in the direction of the body portion of the part 19.

Again referring to Fig. 4 of the drawing, it will appear that a lock ring 24 is arranged on the core 11 and a nut 25 is employed to mount the connector upon a panel 26, the panel having a large aperture 27 to receive the part 11 of the connector and, adjacent the aperture 27, is a smaller key aperture 28, which is adapted to receive a key part, or element, 29 on a lock ring 30 in keying the connector against rotation on the panel in the operation of securing the same in position.

The part or element 29 is in the form of an ofiset flange on the ring 30, note Figs. 5 and 6, and the ring, at opposite sides of the element 29, has other ofi'set flanges 31 extending to the other side surface of the ring, the latter forming key elements disposed at opposite sides of the knobs or projections 16 and 17, as clearly noted in Fig. 1 of the drawing, so as to key the ring 30 against rotation with respect to the head 13. It will appear, however, that the flanges or key elements 31 are so positioned radially of the ring as to clear. the high points 13' of the hexagon head 13. In other words, if the projecting knobs 17 were removed, the ring 30 would be free to rotate around the head 13. The ring 30 has, at opposed sides thereof, offset portions 32, which include angularly disposed L-shaped lock fingers 33 having inwardly extending projections 34 which joint the free ends of the fingers in bevelled wall portions 35, as clearly noted in Fig. 5 of the drawing.

It will be apparent that the ring part 19 is made of spring metal and, in the operation ofcoupling the connectors together or locking the same against separation, the connectors are first positioned together with the plate portions 21 in spaced relationship with respect to the fingers 33, after which the ring part 19 is rotated and, in this operation, the flange 22 will pass over the bevelled wall portions 35 of the fingers 33 and spring the flange 22 outwardly in passage of the bead 23 over the projections 34, whereupon, the bead 23 will spring inwardly, engaging the inner end 36 of the projection, as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawing, to definitely retain the connectors in assembled relationship to each other. In detaching the connectors, the ring part 19 is rotated in the opposite direction until it frees the arms 33, whereupon the connectors may be separated.

With our improved construction, a very simple and yet, positively functioning means is provided for retaining connectors in assembled relationship to each other. At the same time, positive means is provided for alinement of the connectors one with respect to the other to assure proper positioning of the circuits.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A lock ring for connectors of the character described, comprising a ring-like body having opposed offset portions said offset portions including angularly extending L-shaped arms directed in opposed directions to each other, ends of said arms having inwardly enlarged portions including outer bevelled walls, the periphery of the ring intermediate said arms having a pair of angularly extending spaced flanges extending in the same direction from the ring as said arms, and said ring, intermediate said flanges, having an angularly projecting key part extending in the opposite direction from said arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,639,125 Benjamin Aug. 16, 1927 2,633,482 De Tar Mar. 31, 1953 2,642,474 Bowar June 16, 1953 2,715,213 Barbour Aug. 9, 1955

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