Connector and tool therefor

• US 3,953,097 A
• Filed: 04/07/1975
• Issued: 04/27/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITT Corporation (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Telephone & Telegraph Corp. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Graham, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Lake, Roy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US05/565,343
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 339/36-39, 339/82-87
• US Class Current: 439/307
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/05 for coaxial cables

Abstract

A connector which may be connected to a fitting, such as a CATV outlet, without the use of a tool, but which requires a tool for removal of the connector from the fitting. The connector comprises an outer body and an inner rotatable shell with a one-way driving means therebetween. A special tool is disclosed for uncoupling the connector from the fitting.

Claims

1. A connector for a fitting comprising:

a hollow shell;

a body rotatable inside said shell, said body having a forward end and a rear end;

means preventing said body from being removed from said shell;

means adjacent to said forward end of said body for releasably coupling said body to said fitting upon rotation of said body in one direction;

a pair of spaced recesses opening at said forward end of said body adapted to receive a tool therein for rotating said body;

one-way driving means in said shell engaging said body effecting rotation of said body in said one direction upon rotation of said shell in the same direction, said one-way driving means effecting no rotation of said body upon rotation of said shell in the opposite direction whereby said body cannot be uncoupled from said fitting by rotation of said shell;

said one-way driving means comprising a one-piece spring metal washer;

said body having a pair of flat outwardly facing surfaces thereon in front of and adjacent to said washer, said surfaces being parallel to each other and tangential to an imaginary circle coaxial with the axis of rotation of said body;

said shell having a pair of flat outwardly facing surfaces thereon behind and adjacent to said washer, said surfaces being parallel to each other and coplanar with the corresponding surfaces on said body in one rotative position of said body relative to said shell;

said washer having a pair of integral forwardly extending one-way resilient driving tangs one generally diametrically opposed to the other, said one tang engaging one of said surfaces on said body and said other tang engaging the other of said surfaces on said body upon rotation of said shell in said one direction;

said washer having a pair of integral rearwardly extending one-way resilient driving tangs one generally diametrically opposed to the other, said one tang engaging one of said surfaces on said shell and said other tang engaging the other of said surfaces on said shell upon rotation of said shell in said one direction;

said surfaces on said body and said shell overriding said resilient tangs upon rotation of said shell in said opposite direction; and

said tangs being bent from said washer along imaginary parallel lines tangential to a second imaginary circle coaxial with said axis.