US3040287A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

June 19, 1962 Filed Nov. 14, 1958 A. AGRON ET AL ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR f7 26 2f 2a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ALBERT AGRON d ROBERT A. CLIFFORD INVENTORS.

HERZ/G JSSUP,

ATTORNEYS.

June 19, 1962 A. AGRON ET AL l 3,040,287

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INVENTORS- HERZ/c a Jessup, BY A TTORNEVS.

,1% um mm ww mw Wm mw :VN V/ M. w m .Il mm. wm m wm, I, RN m N .i www ///f////// im i m J, T @S S m, i @www 3% @N mwmm MW Aw@ .sq Q wS f Mm MQ R Nw www wm W91 ww NQ, hx v Q United States Patent() 3,040,287 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Albert Agron, Los Angeles, and Robert A. Clifford, West Covina, Calif. Fired Nov. 14, 195s, ser. No. 774,037 Claims. (Cl. 339-94) This invention relates to electrical connectors and more particul-arly to an electrical connector for releasably connecting conductors of a pair of cables in an air-tight, waterproof relationship.

An object of this invention is to releasably connect conductors of a pair of cables by means of separable telescoping male and female contacts electrically connected to the conductors of the cable.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a new and improved electrical connector which provides a male and female housing, the male housing having a plurality of male contacts, each being electrically connected to a conductor of the cable residing therein, adapted to telescopically engage female contacts of the female housing, each female contact being electrically connected to a conductor of the other cable, whereby the male housing may be quickly and easily telescopically coupled to the female housing to electrically connect, by means of the contacts, the conductors of one cable to the conductors of another cable, the exposed conductors of the cables and the contacts being hermetically sealed against entrance of moisture or uid to the exposed conductcrs and contacts to prevent corrosion or shortcircuiting thereof during use. y

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved gasket means for hermetically sealing the interior of the housings from the exterior in which the gasket means serves `to grip the cables and thereby prevent axial rotative movement of the cables relative to the housings, which might result in loosening or breaking the electrical connections within the housings.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector which provides improved construction wherein a single nut means on each of the housings serves to retain component parts of the connectors within the housings while serving to expand the sealing and gasket means therein into a sealing relationship to hermetically seal the interior of the housings from the exterior thereof.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide new and improved contact construction whereby the contacts may be quickly and easily installed within suitable insulating means provided in the housings, each contact having resilient means for retaining the contact rigidly and rmly within the housing, each being provided with a sealing means for prevention of entrance of moisture or liquid there-around.

kA still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved retaining means for the contacts which prevents inadvertent loosening or removal of the contacts within the housings, yet which can be selectively released for removal of the Contact from the housing if desired.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector which is economical to manufacture, capable lof mass production, and easily and quickly assembled and disassembled.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector in which the conductors of the cables may be electrically connected to the contacts of the connector prior to installation of the contacts within the male and female connector housings, thereby facilitating improved connection as by crimping, soldering or the like, such an operation having heretofore been extremely diicult to accomplish in conventional con- 3,040,287 Patented `lune 19, 1962 ICC nectors wherein cont-acts are crowded and molded within an insulator before electrical connection to conductors, there being little space between contacts thereafter for accommodation of tools.

These and other objects of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view, in elevation, of an electrical connector designed and constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, vertical cross-sectional view as taken on the longitudinal axis of the electrical connector illustrated in FIG. 1 and which is foreshortened for clarity;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional View illustrating the central portion of FIG. 2 in greater detail;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view as taken substantially along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, in elevation, illustrating the retaining means for a contact in vgreater detail;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view as taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, vertical, cross-sectional View showing a portion of a gasket means thereof in an uncompressed state; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, vertical, cross-sectional view, similar to a portion 'of FIG. 2, illustrating a modified embodiment of the contact means in accordance with this invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown, by way of illustration but not of limitation, an electrical connector generally designated by the numeral 10 designed and constructed in accordance with this invention. The electrical connector 10 includes a tubular female housing 11 in telescoping relationship with a tubular male housing 12 coupled together as by a coupling' means 13.

The female housing 111 comprises a tubular 'body 14' having a substantially uniform internal cylindrical surface 16 extending through a substantial length of the body 14 and communicating between an outer open end 17 of the housing and a reduced |bore 18 spaced inwardly from the inner or forward open end 19 thereof, the bores 16 and 18 defining an outwardly-facing transverse annular shoulder 22. An enlarged bore 21 communicates between the other forward end 19 of the housing 11 andthe reduced bore 18.

The outer rearward end 17 of the housing 11 is provided with external helical threads 23 forthreaded engagement with a tubular retaining nut Z4 having internal threads 26 mating therewith. The nut 24 includes an inwardly-extending radial ange 27 providing an opening whose inner diametrical surface 28 is preferably substantially smaller than the diametrical dimension of the inner surface 16 of the housing 11, for abutting engagement with an end of a tubular `sleeve 29 slidingly disposed within the housing 11.

The tubular sleeve Z9 is preferably provided with a plurality of strands of wire 31, embedded in circumferentially spaced relationship in the sleeve 29 and extending outwardly therefrom and through the opening of the flange 27. The strands 31, as best seen in FIG. 1, are helically wound and interwoven to encase a portion of a cable 32 extending into the housing 11 to reinforce the cable at the area adjacent the housing 11. f

|he inner end of the sleeve 29 is in abutment with an outer face of a gasket means within the housing 11, the gasket means 33 having a double function, i.e., to seal, in air-tight relationship, an annular area 34 defined by the inner surface 16 of the housing 11 and the outer surface of the cable 32 and to grippingly engage the cable 32 to prevent axial rotative movement thereof.

A tubular spacer 36 is slidingly disposed in the housing 11 having an outer end 37 thereof in abutment with the inner face of the gasket means 33, and an inner end 38 thereof in abutment with an annular sealing O-ring 39 of pliant material such as rubber, neoprene or the like. The ring 39 is sandwiched between the end 38 of the spacer 36 and a vertical annular shoulder 4t) of an insulating means 41 of the housing 11.

The insulating means 41 is substantially cylindrical in configuration, and includes a rearwardly-extending cir- 'cumferentially relieved end 42 which telescopically e11- gages the inner surface 43 of the spacer 36, the O-ring 39, the shoulder 4), the inner surface 16 of the housing 11, and the outer surface 42 of the circumferentially relieved portion defining an annular space in which the sealing ring 39 is disposed. 'Phe insulator 41 further includes a circumferentially reduced forward portion 44 lhaving a sliding fit wit-hin the bore 18 of the housing 11 and dening a shoulder 46 for abutment with the annular -shoulder 22 of the housing 11 against the insulator 41 bottoms. A key 47 is provided on the outer surface of the reduced portion 44 of the insulator 41 for keyed engagement of the insulator 41 with the housing 11 as in a keyway 48, axially formed in the bore 18, to prevent rotation of the insulator 41.

As will now be more clearly understood by the foregoing description, as the nut 24 is rotated in a direction to advance it on the housing 11, the flange 27 thereof pushes inwardly on the sleeve 2,9 to clamp the gasket means 33, the spacer 36, the sealing ring 39 and the outer portion of the insulator 41 1between the inner face of the sleeve 29 and the shoulder 22 of the housing 11, thereby axially compressing the gasket means 313 and the sealing ring 39 to expand each in a radial direction whereby the gasket means 33 seals the annular area 34 and the sealing ring 39 seals the annular space previously described at the outer end of the insulator means 41.

The nut 24 is preferably provided with a slot 25 extending through the wall thereof. A lockscrew 20 is axially disposed yin a threaded bore 20 to intersect the slot for misphasing the threads 23-26 after assembly to lock the nut 24 against rotational and axial movement relative to the housing 11.

As best illustrated in FIG. 7, the gasket means 33, and a gasket means 33' to be hereinafter described, before rotation of the nut 24, each includes a substantially cylindrical tubular body 49 having an inner diameter 51 substantially larger than the outer surface of the cable extending therethrough an outer diameter 52 substantially equal to the inner surface of its respective housing v11, 12, and a plurality of annular external groovesl 53 forming discrete ridges or flanges 54 between the grooves 53. An annular washer 56 having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter 52. of the gasket means 33, 33 and an inner diameter complementary to the bottom of the grooves `53, is disposed in each of the grooves 53. When the nut 24 of the housing 11 is advanced on the threads 23 thereof to compress the gasket means 33, each flange 54 is axially compressed and thereby radially expanded to form inwardly-directed annular ridges 57 (see FIG. 2) which bite into the outer surface of the cable, which is relatively pliant, thereby firmly gripping the cable to prevent axial rotative movement thereof. An inwardly-directed annular ange 58 is integrally formed or secured to sleeve 36, as by peening, welding or the like, to provide a backing for the gasket means.

I'he insulator 41, as best shown in FIG. 3, is provided with a plurality of longitudinal bores 59 extending therethrough, each bore 59 having a rearward counterbore 61 .and an elongated forward counterbore 62 defining a rearwardly facing shoulder 63 and a forwardly facing annular shoulder 64. A female contact member 66 is disposed in each of the bores 59, each contact 66 including a forward tubular portion 67, a circumferentially relieved portion 68 defining a rearwardly facing annular shoulder 69. The contacts 66 further include an intermediate portion 71 having a sliding fit with the bores 59 and a rearwardly extending tubular portion 72 in which ends 73 of conductors of the cable 32 are electrically connected as by soldering, swaging, pinching or the like. An outwardly extending annular flange 74 is provided on each contact 66 having a sliding iit in the counterbore 61 and residing therein, and an annular groove 76 adjacent thereto, the flange 74, the groove 76 and the counterbore 61 forming an annular space in which an annular sealing O-ring 77 of pliant material such as neoprene, rubber, or the like, is disposed.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, a resilient, relatively rigid retaining means 78 is disposed on each of the contacts 66 circumjacent the circumferentially relieved portion 68 thereof. The retaining means 78 comprises a substantially cylindrical body 79 circumjacent the circumferentially relieved portion 68 and a plurality of outwardly extending resilient ngers 81. When the contacts 66 are installed within the bores 59 of the insulator 41, the resilient fingers 81 are extended outwardly to abut the shoulder 64, thus clamping the flange 74 and the sealing ring 77 against the shoulder 63 and preventing axial movement or inadvertent removal of the contact 66. Additional lingers 88 serve to abut the shoulder 85 of the intermediate portion 68 to retain the retaining means 78 on the portion 68.

In order to install a contact 66 within a bore like 59, the retaining means 78 is slipped over the circumferentially relieved portions 68 by means of the longitudinal split indicated at 82 in FIG. 5, whereby the forward end of the contact 67 may be inserted through the bore 59, the fingers 81 being deflected inwardly by the shoulder 63 and the inner diameter of the bore 59 until the fingers 81 emerge into the counterbore 62 when the fingers 81 are allowed to expand outwardly and engage the shoulder 64. The distance between the inner sur-face of the ange 74 and the shoulder 69 is preferably such that the sealing means 77 is slightly axially compressed in order to extend the lingers 81 into the counterbore 62, thereby expanding the ring 77 radially to effectively seal the annular space adjacent the flange 74 to prevent moisture or uid from passing through the annular space.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the inner or forward end of the housing 11 is provided with external helical threads 83 for threaded engagement with internal helical threads 34 of the coupling means 13 for threaded engagement therewith. The coupling means 13 comprises a tubular body 86 having an inwardly extending annular flange 87 Whose internal circumferential surface 88 has a sliding fit-with the external surface 89 of the male housing 12. The body 86 is retained on the male housing 12 and prevented from axial movement thereon by a pair of splitrings 91 residing in a pair of spaced grooves 92 on the outer surface 89 of the male housing 12. The axial movement of the nut 13, relative to the female housing 11, 'is transmitted to the male housing 12 by `the split-rings 91, the diametrical surfacer88 being smaller than the outer diameter of the split-rings 91. The forward split- H ring 91 is preferably overlapped by the flange 87 as indicated at 93 to prevent expansion of the ring when an axial force is applied thereto.

Interposed between the inner end 94 of the housing 11 and the inner surface of the flange 87, is an annular sealing means 96 in the form of an annular ring of pliant resilient material such as neoprene, rubber or the like. A cup-shaped washer 97 having an annular flange 98 is preferably interposed between the sealing ring 96 and the ange 87. Axial movement of the body 86 relative to the housing 11, axially compresses the sealing ring 96 to radially expand the ring. The flange 98 prevents undue expansion in an outward direction, while expansion inwardly serves to seal an annular space 99 formed between the outer surface 89 of the male body 12 and the counterbore 21 of the female housing 11. An annular groove 101 is preferably provided in the outer surface 89 of the male housing 12 in which the sealing ring 96 is seated for a more effective seal.

The forward end 102 of the male housing 12 is telescopically engaged within the counterbore 21 of the female housing 11. An integral key 103 is provided adjacent the forward end of the male housing 12 for engagement with a keyway 104 longitudinally formed in the bore 21 of the female housing 1v1 to prevent rotation of the male housing 12 relativeto the female housing 11.

The male housing 12 is provided with an insulator means 104 similar in construction to the insulator means 41 of the female housing. The insulator 104 has an outer diametn'cal surface y106 having a sliding fit with the inner surface 107 of the male housing 12, and an inner shoulder 108 in abutment with an outwardly-facing shoulder 109 of the housing. The annular shoulder 109 is formed by the bore 107 and a reduced bore 110 of the housing, the reduced bore 110 having a keyway 111 for engaging a key 115 of the insulator means 104 to prevent rotation thereof relative to the male housing 12. The annular shoulder 108 of the insulator 104 bottoms on the annular shoulder 109 of the male housing y12, similarly to the bottorning of the shoulders 22-46 of the insulator 41 of the female housing.

The insulator 104 is provided with a plurality of spaced longitudinal bores 112, each having extending therethrough a male contact 113. Each maie contact 113 includes an intermediate portion 1,14 having a sliding fit with the longitudinal bore 112, a reduced forward portion 116 having telescopic engagement with the tubular portion 67 of a corresponding female contact 66, when assembled, and a rearwardly extending tubular portion 117 in which ends 118 of conductors of the other cable 119 are electrically connected, similar to the connection described for the female contact end 72 and conductor end 73. The male contacts further include annular cnlarged flanges 121 having a sliding fit within a rearward counterbore 122 of the bore 112, and an annular groove 123 adjacent the flange 121, the groove 123, the liange |121 and the counterbore 122 forming an annular space in which an annular sealing ring 125 of pliant resilient material such as neoprene, rubber, or the like, is disposed. The contact 113 further includes an intermediate circumferentially relieved portion 124 defining a shoulder 126 residing within a forward counterbore 127 of the bore 112. The counterbore 127 with the bore 1,12 defines a forwardly facing annular shoulder 128 against which fingers 129 of a retaining means 130, similar to the retaining means 78, abuts to prevent axial movement or inadvertent removal of the contact 113 from the bore 112 and to compress the sealing ring 125.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, each female contact is provided with a relatively rigid, resilient spring clip 13-1 which includes fingers 132 which extend through an opening and are biased toward the interior of the tubular portion 67 of the female contact 66 for releasably engaging the reduced portion 116 of the male contact 113, establishing a better electrical connection between the contacts 66 and 113.

The insulator 104 is retained within the housing 12 in a manner similar to the construction described with reference to the insulator 41 and female housing 11, parts thereof which are identical to parts employed in the female housing are referred to by like numbers which are primed.

A nut 24 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is in threaded engagement with external threads 133 of the outer end 134 of the male housing 12 whereby flange 27 thereof bears against the outer face of a sleeve 29 within the bore 107 Irthe sleeve 29 and an outwardly facing shoulder 136 of the insulator 104, an annular sealing ring 39 of plaint, resilient material such as rubber, neoprene, or the like, a spacer 36' and a gasket means 33.

The inner diameter 107 of the male housing 12 is preferably of the same diametrical dimension as the inner diametrical surface 16 of the female housing 11, whereby identical nut members 24, 24'; sleeve members 29, 29'; gasket means 33, 33'; spacers 36, 36'; sealing rings 39, 39 and insulators 104 and 41 may be employed and thereby be interchangeable, the sealing rings 39 and gasket means 33 of the housing 12 effecting a hermetical seal to seal an annular space 138 formed between the bore 107 and the cable 119 from the exterior, and the annular space defined by the inner surface of the male housing 12, the spacer 36 and the insulator 10'4.

The counterbore of the housing 11 and the counterbores 110, of the housing 12 are preferably of sufficient length to accommodate either the insulator 41 or 104 whereby the female housing 11 may be provided with male contacts like 113 or the male housing 12 with female contacts like 66, if desired, for greater versatility and economy.

To assemble the 'female housing 11 and the male housing 12 and thereafter the entire electrical connector 10, the ends of t-he conductors 73 of the cable 32 and 118 of the cable 119 are first electrically secured within outer ends 72 and 117 of the female and male contacts 66 and 113, respectively, as b-y soldering, swaging or pinching, or the like. Sealing rings 77 and 123 are then slipped over each contact 66 and 113, respectively, to seat in the grooves 76 and 123, respectively. Retaining means 78,

having their resilient lingers 81 facing rearwardly, are,

then assembled on the circumferentially relieved portions 68 of the contacts 66 while the retaining means 130, having their resilient fingers 129 facing rearwardly, are

likewise assembled on the circumferentially relieved por-.

tions 124 of the contacts 113 after which the contacts 66 and 113 are inserted into their respective bores 59 and 112 with the tubular ends 67 of the contacts 66 extending forwardly into the `fonward counterbore 62 and the reduced end 116 of the contact 113 extending inwardly, through the bore 112 to extend beyond the forward face of the insulator 104. The forward end of the contact 66 is preferably spaced inwardly of the yforward face of the insulator 41. The contacts 66 and 113 are pressed inwardly until fthe fingers 81 of their retaining means 78 and the fingers 129 of the retaining means 130 snap outwardly and against the shoulders 64 and 128, respectively, to retain their respective contacts 66, 113 within the respective bores and compress the sealing rings 77 and 125. The insulator 41, having a sealing ring 39 slipped over its circumferentially relieved portion 42, and the now attached cable 32, is slipped within the hou-sing 11 :forwardly until the shoulder 46 of the insulator abuts the shoulder 22 of the housing 11 and the key 47 enters the `.keyway 48, after which the spacer 36, the gasket means 33 and the sleeve 29 are inserted into the bore 16 of the housing 11, in that order. The nut 24 is screwed onto the external threads 26 of the housing 11 to bring the fange 27 into engagement with the sleeve 29 to bias the sleeve inwardly and thereby compress the gasket means 33 and the sealing ring 39, the gasket means 33 being expanded radially inwardly to grip the cable 32 Aand hold it in place.

The insulator 104, having therein the sealing ring 39', is similarly installed in the male housing 12, being slipped into the bore 107 of the male housing 12 until the shoulder 108 of the insulator 104 'bottoms against the shoulder 109 of the housing 12 and the key 115 engages the keyway 111 of the housing, after which the spacer 36', a gasket means 33 and sleeve 29' are inserted into the bore 107 to bear, in that order, against the insulator 104. The

nut 24 is then screwed onto the threads 133 of the housing 12 whereby the flange 27' of the nut 24 bears against the sleeve 29" to push the sleeve 29' inwardly and compress the gasket means 33 and the sealing ring 39 whereby the gasket means is expanded radially to grip the cable 119 and the interior of the housing 12 is hermetically sealed.

As -best seen in PIG. 3, the coupling means 13 may be secured to the housing 12- prior to the internal assembly by providing a split ring 91 in the forward groove 92 of the housing, after which the body 86 may be slipped over the housing 12 lfrom the rearward threaded end and extended forwardly until the lllange 87 is in abutment with the split ring, after which another split ring 91 may be installed in the groove 92 now rearwardly of the frange 37 to retain the body 86 on the housing 12. A cup-shaped washer 97 and a sealing ring 96, having been placed over the housing 12, are now nested within the body 85 with the ange 87 in 4abutment with the Washer 97.

It Iwill now be more clearly understood from the foregoing description that the contacts 66, 113 are insertable into their respective hores 59, 112 after being electrically connected to ends of conductors 73, 118 respectively, and subsequently sealed as by the O-ring sealing rings 77, 12S. In this manner the conductor may be more eifectively electrically connected to the contacts as by crimping, swaging, or soldering before insertion. Previously, electrical connection of contact to conductor was necessary in crowded quarters `as a result of premolding the ganged contacts within the insulators.

To couple the female and male housings 1.1, 12 respectively, the forward end 102 of the male housing 12 is inserted into the counterbore 21 of the female housing 111 with the key 103 of the end 102 in sliding engagement with the axial keyway 164 to bring the threads 84 of the body 86 into engagement with the external threads 83 of the female housing 1'1, after which rotation of the coupling means 13 draws the body 86 'over the female housing 11 to bias the end '102 inwardly of the counterbore 21. The key 47 and keyway 48 of the female housing 11, the key y1115i and the keyway 111 of the male housing, and the key 1113 of the male housing and keyway 1414 of the tfemale housing are so orientated that the bores 59 of the female housing 11 and the bores `112 of the male housing 12 are substantially aligned, facilitating insertion of the reduced ends 116 of the lmale contacts within the tubular ends 67 of the female contacts 66. In this manner the complementary female and male contacts 67, 113, respectively, are polarized to elect a desired connection between selected conductors 73:` and 118 of the cables 32 and 119.

With reference to FIG. 8, another embodiment of the retaining means for the male contact is illustrated, the means being applicable to both the male and the female contacts. ,In this instant embodiment, the male contact 113' is identical to the contact 113 with the exception of the intermediate portion 124- which, instead of being circumferentially relieved, as at 124- on the contact 113, is provided with a conical exterior 140` havin-g a major diameter 141 slightly equal to the counterbore 127 but substantially larger than the portion 142 residing within the bore 112, thereby forming a shoulder 143 for abutment with the inwardly-facing `shoulder 128 formed by the counterbore 127. The contact 113' includes a radial flange 121 and a groove 123 to house, in conjunction with the counterbore 122, a sealing ring 125 similar to the relationshipy of the contact 113 to the insulator 104 and a reduced forward end 116 for telescoping with the tubular end 67 of a female conductor 66.

In order that the contact 113 may be inserted -through the -bore 112 `from the rearward side of the insulator 104, the inter-mediate portions 124 and 142 are provided with radial slots 144 extending therethrough whereby the major diameter )1411 may be contracted as it is passed through the bore 112 to spring outwardly when the shoulder 143 is within the counterbore 127 to engage the shoulder 143 with the shoulder 128 of the insulator 104, thereby retaining the contact 113 within the insulator 104 and axially compressing the sealing ring to effect a sealing relationship between the contact 113 and the insulator 104. It is to be understood that although not illustrated, the female contact 66 may be likewise modified to embrace the construction described for FlG. 8, with the substitution of a tubular end like 67 for the reduced end 116.

If it is desired to remove a contact like 66, 113 or 113', a simple tool of tubular construction (not shown) may be employed having an inner diameter substantially equal or smaller than the bores 59 and 112 and an outer diameter substantially equal to or smaller than the counterbores 62, 127 whereby the lingers 81, 129 or split portion 124' may be compressed to clear the counterbores 62, V127.

While we have herein shown and described our invention in what we'have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the lscope of `our invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and methods.

We claim:

l. In an electrical connector `for connecting conductors of a pair of cables comprising telescopable male and female housings, each having therein one end of one of the cables, contact means in each said housing, each being electrically connected to a conductor of its respective cable, insulator means in each said housing and having longitudinal -bores for supporting said contact means in spaced insulated relationship to each other and to a respective housing, the contact means of one of said housings being telescopically engageable with the contact means of the other of said housings so as to electrically connect selective contacts of each housing when the housings are telescopingly engaged and sealing means interposed between said housings and compressible in response to telescoping of said housings for sealing connection therebetween, the improvement comprising: means for her-metically sealing each of said housings so as to prevent access of moisture to the electrical connection of said conductors to said contacts in both engaged and disengaged conditions of the connector, said means including a rst annular sealing means in each housing, slidingly fitting its respective housing and surrounding its respective cable, said rst annular sealing means including an annular body of elastomeric material having spaced external grooves and relatively-rigid annular inserts in said grooves, said first sealing means being responsive to an axial compressive force to expand radially and form spaced inwardly extending ribs biting into its respective cable for multiple-sealing engagement therewith; and a second annular sealing means between each housing and its insulator and responsive to axial compressive force applied to said first sealing means for sealing an annular space between each insulator and its respective housing; and axially movable compressing means on each said housing and operatively associated with said first and second sealing means thereof for longitudinally compressing said irst and second sealing means.

2. The combination, as defined in claim l, wherein said contacts are removably supported in said insulators and including: third annular sea-ling means circumjacent each said contact and compressible between said contact and its respective insulator means so as to seal said contact means relative to said insulator means; and la compressing means coactive with said contact means and said insulator means for compressing said sealing means into sealing relationship therewith.

3. The combination, as defined in claim 2, wherein said compressing means is removable.

4. The combination, as dened in claim 2, wherein said compressing means comprises a sleeve circumjacent said contact means and having a plurality of resilient spring ingers engageable with said insulator means and said contact means so as to bias said contact means into compressive force against said sealing means.

5. The combination, as defined in claim 4, wherein said compressing means includes retaining means for retaining said contacts in said insulator means, s-aid retaining means being biased into retaining engagement by said third annular `sealing means.

1,997,081 Reynolds Apr. 9, 1935 10 Abbott Oct. 24, Antony et al Dec. 3, Larkins Apr. 27, Hargett July 29, Allen Oct. 13, Young Jan. 4, Arson Apr. 7,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain May 1,

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