Abstract: An axial locking device has locking balls which engage in a groove in a male member to lock the male member to a female member. To effect locking, a first axial movement of the male member causes it to abut an end surface on a slider and pushes slider teeth against rotor teeth, and a return movement of the male member allows the slider and rotor to return, pushed by a spring. In this way, the rotor is caused to rotate and its internal cam surface moves the locking balls. To reduce the number of parts and simplify manufacture, retaining teeth are formed by U-shaped clips on the housing of the female member, and act to prevent rotation of the slider during its axial movement, and to prevent rotation of the rotor until the rotor teeth have cleared the retaining teeth, causing a click or snap action. During the return movement of the slider and rotor, the rotor teeth cam over the ends of the retaining teeth and continue to rotate the rotor in the same direction.