An optical fiber connector which is assembled to a coupling housing bycausing only relative linear motion between the connector and the housing andwhich also includes facilities for preventing optical disconnection from anotherconnector having a portion disposed in the housing includes a cap having twodiametrically opposed slots each having an enlarged portion. A barrel is retainedwithin the cap and has mounted thereto a ferrule in which is terminated an endportion of an optical fiber which is to be connected to another optical fiber. Theconnector is moved to cause the ferrule to enter a sleeve of a housing of a couplingand to cause locking pins of the housing to enter and to be moved along the slotsof the cap until each pin is received in an enlarged portion of a slot. A capextender is connected to an end of the cap and includes an annular detent. A shellwhich is disposed about and is slidably movable on the cap is moved to cause theannular detent projecting radially from the cap extender to become locked tolatching means formed on an inner wall of the shell to lock the shell to the cap andprevent mechanical disconnection of the connector form the coupling mounted in apanel. An annular shoulder on the cap extender limits the travel of the ferrule toprevent optical decoupling from another ferrule in the coupling housing whentensile forces are applied to a cable the optical fiber of which is terminated by theferrule.
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