Importance

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Abstract

A connector has an integral locking system to be mountable to a pin field (20) without additional means by locking onto selected pins (92) at ends of rows of pins (26) to be electrically connected by the connector. To and along each side of a housing (16) are secured side members (54) movable vertically between actuated and unactuated positions defined by detents (72) in recesses (76A,76B). Lock plates (100) are held in pairs of opposed recesses (80,82) between each side member (54) and the opposed side face (56) of the housing in a horizontal orientation when unactuated, and include a pin-receiving aperture (106) aligned with a pin-receiving passageway (84) of the housing for receiving a pin (92) upon mounting. After mounting, actuation of the locking system occurs when each side member is forced toward the pin field and along the housing side rotating the outward end (104) of the lock plate downwardly and the inward end (102) upwardly, with the pin extending through the aperture defining the pivot. Each lock plate is held at an angle under tension by bearing surfaces (86,90) of the now-offset recesses so that the side edges (110) of the pin-receiving aperture of the lock plate bite into the sides of the pin (92) and firmly grip thereonto upon actuation. Deactuation is obtained by upward moving of the side members.

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First Claim