Abstract: A cable connector comprises a housing having a terminus receiving cavity that receives a terminus assembly. The cavity has a rearward facing shoulder and an annular recess defining a forward facing shoulder. The terminus assembly includes a terminus which is attached to the end of a cable. The terminus has rearward and forward facing shoulders, an annular recess rearward of the forward facing shoulder and a second forward facing shoulder rearward of the recess. The terminus assembly also includes a forward stop ring and a rearward lock ring slidably mounted on the terminus, and a coil spring biasing the rearward lock ring toward the first forward facing shoulder. A retention ring that is slideably mounted on the terminus behind the rearward lock ring has a rearward end engageable with the second forward facing shoulder of the terminus and a plurality of circumferentially spaced, cantilevered, depressible fingers having outwardly projecting lock tangs.

Abstract: The invention includes a connector for fiber optic and electrical connectors. The connector includes a plug assembly having a plug housing, an inner coupling ring received over the plug housing and an outer ring actuator received over the inner coupling ring. The plug housing includes a ratchet provided by a series of teeth formed on the outer annular surface of the plug housing. A locking ratchet pawl is pivotally carried in the inner coupling ring and positioned to catch on the teeth on the plug housing when the inner coupling ring is rotated in one direction. The outer ring actuator has a key formed on an inner wall for engaging one end of the ratchet pawl and pivoting the pawl to an unlocked position. The inner locking ring has threads formed along a portion of an inside wall.

Abstract: A terminus for an end portion of an optical fiber has a ferrule with a relatively large passageway extending from an open end to a cylindrical endwall portion, the latter having an opening only slightly larger than fiber glass core with cladding diameter. An optical fiber to be terminated has an end portion stripped of buffer coating and located in the ferrule with the bare glass portion in the smaller opening. A first epoxy secures the fiber within the ferrule. With the fiber end faced-off and polished, the flat face of a plano-convex lens is secured to the ferrule endwall and fiber end by a second epoxy having optical characteristics closely watching those of the lens and fiber. A cylindrical hood fits over the lens and ferrule end. A pair of such terminations are slid into opposite ends of an alignment tube positioning for optical signal transmission.