Connector

A connector, comprising:

• first and second tubular members adapted to be disposed in end-to-end relation, each member having locking grooves thereabout adjacent one end thereof,
• a first sleeve having one end carried about the first member for axial reciprocation with respect thereto and having its other end surrounding one end of the second member, when the members are arranged in end-to-end relation,
• a second sleeve having one end carried about the first member and within the first sleeve for axial reciprocation with respect thereto,
• a radially expandable and contractible ring having inner and outer sides and axially spaced first and second teeth about its inner side and carried within the first and second sleeves so that, when the ring is in an expanded unlocking position, the other end of the first sleeve and ring may be moved over the one end of the second member and thereby dispose the first teeth of the ring opposite first groove of the first member and the second teeth of the ring opposite the grooves of the second, respectively, and, when the ring is in a contracted locking position, its teeth are locked within the grooves,
• each of said sleeves having cam surfaces on their inner sides and adjacent their one ends which are slidable over cam surfaces on the ring to move the ring from one radial position to the other radial position and thus into locking engagement within the grooves about the tubular members when the sleeves are moved axially toward one another, and to permit the ring to move to the other radial position, when the sleeves are moved axially away from one another, and
• operating means connecting the other ends of the sleeves for selectively moving them axially toward and away from one another to move the ring between the locking and unlocking positions.