Patent ID: 7140645

Claim:
A coupler having a male end for connection to a female end of an element, comprising: a main frame; a collet mounted for slidable movement by said main frame, said collet comprising flexible engaging means for engaging a cooperating portion of a female end of an element to be coupled thereto; a retaining member mounted for sliding movement relative to said main frame, said retaining member being at least partially telescopingly movable relative to said collet and comprising prevention means for preventing said flexible engaging means from disengaging with a female end of another element to be coupled thereto; a retaining means mounted by said main frame for relative sliding motion with respect to said retaining member, said retaining means capable of retaining said retaining member in a retained position; means for translating said flexible engaging means of said collet; said means for translating being in operative association with said collet and said retaining member for alternatively moving said collet in a first direction and in a second direction; each of said flexible engaging means being capable of mating engagement with a female-end of another element to be coupled; said prevention means comprising a canted surface, each of said flexible engaging means of said collet comprising a mating canted surface for cooperative engagement with said canted surface of said prevention means for expanding said flexible engaging means outwardly into engagement with a female-end of an element to be coupled when said retaining member is moved relative to said collet.