Electronic cable yoke socket with locking mechanism

An improved yoke socket for use with separate leads and plugs such as those used with electrocardiogram devices provides detents to guard against accidental disconnection of plugs from the socket. A first surface of the yoke socket bears a row of apertures into which can be inserted connectors born by the individual lead plugs. A groove penetrates a second surface of the yoke socket to expose the inserted connectors. Each connector has a notch that acts in concert with a retaining rod placed within the groove to retain the plug against accidental detaching. The retaining rod comprises a series of expanded or bead-like portions connected by thinner rod portions. The expanded portion is sized to protrude into each aperture from the groove to serve as a detent by interacting with the notch of an inserted connector. The entire retaining rod is backed by a layer of compressed elastomer such as rubber which acts to bias the retaining rod into contact with the connector. A two piece plug combiner is also provided for temporarily aggregating a group of lead plugs into a single unit.