Polishing fixture for fiber optic connectors

A polishing fixture for polishing the optic ends of a fiber optic cable terminated in a fiber optic connector that has first and second sides disposed generally perpendicular to each other, comprising:

• a holding plate having a receptacle located adjacent an edge of the plate for receiving the fiber optic connector, the receptacle being open at a top surface of the holding plate to expose said first side of the connector, and at least a portion of the receptacle being open at a side thereof to expose said second side of the connector;
• a generally L-shaped clamping arm disposed for generally linear movement relative to the holding plate and the received connector as well as for pivotal movement relative to the holding plate and the received connector, the L-shaped clamping arm defining first and second mutually perpendicular legs that form first and second clamping portions for engaging said first and second sides, respectively, of the connector, the clamping arm being pivotally movable about a pivot point generally at a juncture of the perpendicular legs;
• and
• an actuator mechanism including an actuating lever pivotally mounted at one end thereof to a fixed pivot on the holding plate, an opposite end of the actuating lever being pivotally connected to the clamping arm for moving the clamping arm generally linearly to bring the first clamping portion of the arm into clamping engagement with the first side of the connector and then pivoting the clamping arm to bring the second clamping portion of the arm into clamping engagement with the second side of the connector.