158 proximate first opening 166 first and second sides 172 and 176 are arranged perpendicular to one another outer housing 158 also includes latch flanges 178 disposed at cover opening 170 latch flanges 178 are protruding members for receiving and retaining a latch outer housing 158 is composed of any material suitable for applications of the piece and of the mechanical splice optical fiber connector 10 as described herein and within the scope of the present invention particularly outer housing 158 may be integrally formed of molded plastic alternatively a plurality of materials may be used to construct various components of outer housing 158 the components subsequently being connected to assemble outer housing 158 mechanical splice optical fiber connector 10 also includes a cover 180 as shown in fig1 cover 180 is shaped to fit flush within cover opening 170 of outer housing 158 particularly cover 180 includes a top view portion 182 and an opposing latch portion 184 top view portion 182 is shaped congruently with an outer surface of splice end 160 of the outer housing thus consistently maintaining the shape of the splice end across cover opening 170 specifically top view portion 182 may be u shaped or otherwise rectilinearly shaped having a top 186 and sides 188 where sides 188 are located perpendicular to top 186 in an exemplary embodiment cover 180 includes two sides 188 latch portion 184 includes latches 190 preferably a latch 190 extends from each of two sides 188 in a direction perpendicular to top 186 latches 190 are shaped and oriented to be received in receiving chamber 164 of outer housing 158 through cover opening 170 such that latches 190 releasably latch to latch flanges 178 latch portion 184 also includes extension.