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A moisture proof, telescoping coupler assembly for electric metal tubes with an enhanced grounding arrangement for electrically grounding the telescoping tube to the coupler body, and a modified arrangement thereof utilizing a snap fitting retaining ring for securing an electric metal tube to the co

A moisture proof, telescoping coupler assembly for electric metal tubes with an enhanced grounding arrangement for electrically grounding the telescoping tube to the coupler body, and a modified arrangement thereof utilizing a snap fitting retaining ring for securing an electric metal tube to the coupler body to provide for unidirectional insertion of an electric metal tube into the open end of a coupler body in a manner that prohibits unintentional separation of the tube and/or retainer ring from the coupler body.

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What is claimed is: 1. An electric metal tube coupler assembly comprising: a coupler body having a bore extending therethrough and having opposed end openings, an electric metal tube, said electric metal tube having an end portion adapted to be slidably received in one of said end openings, an inwa

What is claimed is: 1. An electric metal tube coupler assembly comprising: a coupler body having a bore extending therethrough and having opposed end openings, an electric metal tube, said electric metal tube having an end portion adapted to be slidably received in one of said end openings, an inwardly extending stop means disposed within said bore between said opposed end openings, a sealing means disposed in said one end opening circumscribing said end portion of said electric metal tube, slidably disposed within said one end opening, a grounding ring connected to said electric metal tube, and a flexible grounding strap interconnecting said grounding ring to said coupler body. 2. An electric metal tube coupler assembly as defined in claim 1 and including: a second electrical metal tube adapted to be fitted into the other end opening of said coupler body, a second sealing ring circumscribing the end of said second electric metal tube within said other end opening, and means for fixedly securing said second electrical tube to said other end opening. 3. An electric metal tube coupler assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said securing means includes a screw fastener. 4. An electric metal tube coupler assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said securing means comprises: a retainer ring formed of spring steel adapted to be fitted to said other end opening, said retainer ring having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a planar portion therebetween, and first means formed out of said planar portion for permitting said second electrical metal tube to be unidirectionally inserted thereto. 5. An electrical metal tube coupler assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said retainer ring comprises a split ring having normal relaxed state and a compressed state, the diameter of said retainer ring in the relaxed state being greater than the diameter of said retainer ring in the compressed state. 6. An electrical metal tube coupler assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said retainer ring includes: a second means formed out of said planer portion of said retainer ring for locking said retainer ring within said other end opening. 7. An electrical metal tube coupler assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said first means include a tube retaining tang formed out of the plane of said planar portion being inwardly bent and angularly sloped in the direction of said leading edge whereby the free end of said tube retaining tang exerts a holding force on said second tube to prohibit unintentional separation of said second electric metal tube from said other end opening of said coupler body. 8. An electric metal tube coupler assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said second means comprises a locking tang blanked out of the plane of said tube retainer ring, said locking tang being outwardly and angularly sloped in the direction of said trailing edge of said retainer ring whereby said locking tang secures said retainer ring within said other end of said coupler body. 9. An electric metal tube coupler assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said first means includes a tube retaining tang formed out of the plane of said planar portion being inwardly bent and angularly sloped in the direction of said leading edge whereby the free end of said tube retaining tang exerts a holding force on said second tube to prohibit unintentional separation of said second electric metal tube from said other end opening of said coupler body, said second means comprises a locking tang blanked out of the plane of said tube retainer ring, said locking tang being outwardly and angularly sloped in the direction of said trailing edge of said retainer ring whereby said locking tang secures said retainer ring within said other end of said coupler body. 10. An electric metal tube coupler assembly as defined in claim 9 and including: means for limiting the insertion of said tube retaining ring within said other end opening. 11. An electric metal tube coupler assembly for joining at least a pair of electric metal tubes in end-to-end relationship comprising: a metallic coupler body having opposed end openings, a bore extending through said coupler body in communication with said opposed end opening, a first electric metal tube having an end portion telescopically mounted within one of said end openings in relative sliding relationship to said one end opening, an internal tube stop means disposed about the inner surface of said bore, a second electric metal tube having an end portion adapted to be fitted into the other as said end openings of said coupler body, means for fixedly securing said end portion of said second electric metal tube to the other end of said openings, a sealing means circumscribing each of said end portion of said electrical metal tube disposed within each of said opposed end openings, each of said end openings having an internal seal disposed on opposite sides of said tube stop for retaining said sealing means therein, an electrical grounding means for electrically grounding said first electric metal tube to said metallic coupling body, said ground means including a grounding ring fixedly secured to said first electric metal tube externally of said coupler body, and said flexible grounding strap being formed of a braided wire mesh interconnecting said grounding ring to said coupler body adjacent to said one end opening. 12. An electrical metal tube coupler assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said means for fixedly securing said second electric metal tube to said second end opening comprises: a retainer ring formed of spring steel having the configuration of a circular arc of less than 360° which in its normal relaxed state has a diameter which is greater than the diameter of said retainer ring in its compressed state, said retainer ring having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a planar portion therebetween, and a tube retainer tang blanked out of said planer portion of said tube a retaining tang having a free end inwardly bent and angularly inclined in the direction of said leading edge, and a locking tang blanked out of said planer portion, said locking tang having a free end outwardly bent relative to said planar portion and angularly inclined in the direction of said trailing edge. 13. An electrical metal tube coupler assembly as defined in claim 12 and including a plurality of said tube retaining tangs and said locking tangs, circumferentially and alternatively spaced about the periphery of said retainer ring.