Patent ID: 7197821

Claim:
A method of mounting a transmission line connector to an end of a cable comprising the steps of: placing a threaded endcap about the cable, the threaded endcap having a shoulder projecting inwardly from an inner wall toward the cable; placing a rear seal about the cable between the end of the cable and the endcap, the rear seal including an inner wall defining a larger diameter proximate a first end, a smaller diameter proximate a second end and a taper from the first end to the second end, with a shoulder projecting from the rear seal inward from the second end, the rear seal positioned with the second end toward the endcap; placing a collet about the cable between the end of the cable and the rear seal, the collet including an outer wall which tapers from a larger diameter first end to a smaller diameter second end and a width, with a plurality of slots extending partially across the depth from the first end toward the second end and a plurality of slots extending partially across the width from the second end toward the first end, the shoulder of the rear seal spaced axially apart from the first end of the rear seal by a distance less than the width of the collet, each of the slots in the second end of the collet closed off adjacent the first end of the collet by a portion of the first end of the collet extending from the inner wall to the outer wall of the collet; placing a threaded sleeve about the cable between the end of the cable and the collet, the threaded sleeve having a shoulder defined on an end of the sleeve toward the collet; sliding the first end of the collet against the shoulder of the threaded sleeve; sliding the first end of the rear seal over the second end of the collet; sliding the threaded endcap about and threadably engaging the threaded sleeve; rotating the threaded endcap so that the threaded endcap and the threaded sleeve are drawn closer together and the shoulder of the threaded endcap engages the second end of the rear seal, urging the first end of the rear seal toward the first end of the collet, the cooperation of the taper of the inner wall of the rear seal and the taper of the outer wall of the collet collapsing the collet about the cable.