Anti-backlash automatic locking connector coupling mechanism

A coupling mechanism comprising:

• a receptacle having an open cavity therein;
• a plug receivable in said cavity and held against rotation in said cavity;
• a rotatable coupling member rotatably mounted on the plug;
• means on said coupling member and said receptacle responsive to relative rotation between the coupling member and the receptacle for translating the coupling member on the receptacle and coupling the plug to the receptacle;
• a locking member;
• means for mounting the locking member on the coupling member for rotation with the coupling member and for translation relative to the coupling member;
• a resilient member acting between the locking member and the coupling member for urging the locking member to translate with the coupling member as the coupling member is rotated to couple the plug to the receptacle;
• cooperating means on the locking member and the receptacle for limiting the translation of the locking member with the coupling member as the coupling member is rotated to couple the plug to the receptacle until a predetermined angular position of the locking member and said receptacle is reached whereby the resilient member is progressively compressed by the rotation of the coupling member and the locking member to store energy in the resilient member;
• and
• said cooperating means including interlocking means on the locking member and the receptacle and responsive to the stored energy in the resilient member and to the locking member and the receptacle being in said predetermined relative angular position to interlock to retain the coupling ring against rotation relative to the receptacle in a direction that would allow decoupling of the receptacle and the plug.