Peripheral tang lock for quick disconnect umbilical connector

Claim 1

AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WHICH COMPRISES: A PAIR OF INTERENGAGEABLE MEMBERS, EACH MEMBER HAVING A CONTACT UNIT MOUNTED THEREIN, SAID CONTACT UNITS BEING MATABLE TO COMPLETE AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT THROUGH THE CONNECTOR WHEN THE MEMBERS ARE INTERENGAGED; AND RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS FOR LOCKING THE MEMBERS TOGETHER IN INTERENGAGED RELATIONSHIP, SAID LOCKING MEANS INCLUDING A CATCH MEANS ON ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, A LATCH MEANS ON THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CATCH MEANS, AND A THIRD MEMBER ON SAID ONE OF SAID MEMBERS MOVABLE BETWEEN A RETAINING POSITION AND A RELEASE POSITION FOR ALTERNATELY RETAINING SAID CATCH MEANS AND SAID LATCH MEANS IN ENGAGEMENT, AND RELEASING SAID CATCH MEANS AND SAID LATCH MEANS FOR SEPARATION, RESPECTIVELY; AND A PLURALITY OF SPACED SPRINGS HAVING DIFFERENT RESONANT FREQUENCY RATES CARRIED BY SAID ONE OF SAID MEMBER S AND ARRANGED TO EXERT FORCE IN THE SAME DIRECTION ON SAID THIRD MEMBER FOR BIASING SAID THIRD MEMBER TOWARD SAID RETAINING POSITION.