CA1095136A - Connector adapter constructions with improved connector and connector mounting arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention is directed generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to improved modular connectors and associated bridging adapter assemblies which may be, for example, advantageously applied in the interconnection of individual telephone receivers to telephone system equipment. The proliferation of different species of telephone connector hardware has required that technicians be familiar with the peculiarities and wiring requirements for a maze of adapters and connectors and that the telephone companies maintain cor-respondingly large part inventories. The telephone companies have focused considerable emphasis the development of standardized or modularized telephone cables, connectors and associated adapters. The modular connectors and their associated adapters must be creatively designed to provide a wide ranging flexibility in the interfacing with existing telephone system equipment, as well as a suitability for new installations, while retaining simplicity in installation and a rela-tively modes initial manufacturing cost. The present invention is directed to a modular connector which meets the aforementioned require-ments, and to novel adapter assemblies which allow the novel modular connector to utilized in a wide variety of system applications.
According to the present invention, the modular connector and a mounting plate are structured so that the connector sidewalls with integral bosses and/or the apertured mounting plate are resiliently deformable to permit simple insertion and snap-locking of the connector and mounting plate. Various adapter configurations utilizing one or more modular connectors in unique system arrays for interconnection to non-mating signal equipment are also disclosed.

Description

The present invention i~ directed generally to electrical connectori3 andl more partlcul~rly, to improved modular connectors and associated bridging adapter ai3sem-blies which may be~ for examp:Le, advantageously applied in the interconnection o~ lndiv~dual telephone receiveri3 to ` telephone system equipment Historically, telephone installation and repair has required the services of a skilled telephone technician who has been called upon to per~orm a customized on-site wiring, splicing, ana assembly, as well as an all too ~requent interconnection of non-mating components through the exercise of a personal ingenuity. Moreover, the pro-liferation of dif~erent speciei3 of telephone connector hardware has required that technicians be familiar with the peculiarities and wiring requirements for a maze Or adap-ters and connectors and that the telephone companies main-tain correspondingly large part inventories. In an attemp~
to reduce rising labor and part inventory costs, the telephone companiee have focuæed considerable emphasis on the development of standardized or moduli~rized telephone cables, connectors and associated adapters so that installa-tions may more readily be made by a less skilled technicii~n and in some cases by the customer himself.
One form of modular connector that has been developed in response to this need is disclosed in U.S.
Patent No. 3,850,497. A discussion of this connector, its commercial applications and the problems that remain for the industry in the further development and implementation of modular connectors and associated adapters to inter~ace with existing equipment which will remain in the field ~or years to come is provided in an article entitled "The Modular Telephone -- a Money-Saving Idea Whosè Time Has Come~J Telephony, November 25, 1974, pp. 27-33. ~Ik - .

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Pre~erably, modular connectors to achieve the goals intended should be capable of easy in~tallation and replacement coupled with reliable operation. Furthermore~
the modular connectors and their associated adapters muet be creatively designed to provide a wide ranging ~lexi-bil1ty ln the interfacing with existing telephone system equipment, as well as a suitability ~or new installatlons, while retaining simplicity in installation and a relatively modest initial manu~acturing cost.
The present invention is directed to a modular connector which meets the aforementioned requirements, and to novel adapter assemblies which allow the novel modular connector to be utilized in a wide variety o~ system appli-cations.
It is therefore a basic objective o~ the present invention to provide a new and improved modular connector and associated adapter assemblies incorporating one or more of said modular connectors in unique arrays ~hat facilitate a simplified and highly flexible interconnection to varied con~igurations of telephone system equipment.
It is a ~urther object of the present invention -to provide a modular connector which is snap-locked in place in an apertured mounting plate without additional hardware or the need for hand tools.
It ls another object of the present invention to provide new and improved, standardized connector and adap-ter assemblies ~or connecting individual telephone instru-ments to a telephone sy~tem, which assemblies are less costly to manufacture and more conveniently installed by less skilled technicians than prior art connector assem-blies.
The invention provides a modular electrical connector of the type~which is mounted in a bulkhead aper-

-2-ture 3 the connector including a housing defining a cavity for re-ceiving a mating electrical connector and having at least one sidewall de~ining a ~orward por~:Lon having e~terior dimensions substantially corresponding to the dimensions of the aperture, an outwardly projecting shoulder portion for limiting the insertion of the forward portion in the aperture, a boss projecting out-wardly from the sidewall and being axially forwardly spaced rela-tive to the shoulder portion, and the sidewall being inwardiy de-formable. As a result, the forward portion can be inserted into the aperture and locked in place upon reformation of the sidewall.
The invention further provides adapter assemblies in-corporating the modular connector for connecting selected conduc-tors of one or more second multiconductor cables, Basically, the adapter assemblies of the invention comprise an enclosure having a plurality of walls anda multiple contact means within the en-closure having a first predetermined plurality of contacts adap-ted to be coupled to the conductors of the first multiconductor cable. The assembly further includes a plurality of connecting members within the enclosure arranged in a predetermined pattern relative to the multiple contact means, each connecting member including a second plurality of contacts. The contacts of each connecting member coupled to selected contacts of the multiple contact means and arranged to be coupled to the co~ductors of one of the second multiconductor cables.
The invention also provides an electrical connector mounting apparatus comprising: a bulkhead including at least one aperture having at least one sidewall; at least one connector in-cluding a housing defining a cavity for receiving a mating elec-trical connector and having at least one sidewall defining a for-ward portion. The connector has an outside dimension substanti-ally corresponding to the dimension of the aperture. At least one of the sidewalls is deformable; and locking means are provided ~ ~ 3 ~

: \ -` . - . ' - ' ' carried by the connector for deforming the deformable sidewall upon insertion of the forward portion into the aperture and for locking the connector in place within the aperture upon refor-mation of the deformable sidewall, The ~eatures of the present invention which are be-lieved to be novel are set forth with particularity in the ap-. pended claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereo-F, may best be understood by reference to the following description in conjunction With th~ accompanying draw-` 10 ings and in which:

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Figure 1 i~ a top plan view partly broken away o~
an assembled mod~ar connector and connector mo~nting plate embodying the present invention, while Figure l(a) is a detail of Figure 1 illustrating the modular connector being inserted through the mounting plate in assembly o~ the~e components;
Figure 2 is an end plan view of the connector and connector mounting arrangement o~ Figure l;
Figure 3 is a side plan view o~ the connector and connector mounting arrangement of Figure 1;
Figure 4 i~ a perspective view o~ one embodiment o~ an adapter assembly including the novel modular connçc-tor of Figures 1-3 a~d embodying the ~eatures o~ the pres-ent invention;
Figure ~ is a perspective view of an alternative adapter assembly generally similar to that of Figure 4;.
Figure 6 is a perspective exploded view o~ an adapter assembly including three modular connectors and embodying further aspects of the present invention;
Figure 7 lS a perspective exploded view of still another embodiment of the present invention~
Figure 8 is a perspective view o~ an ad:ap~er bridge connector embodying the present invention;
Figure 9 is a perspective view o~ an another ; adapter bridge connector embodying the present invention;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of an adapter bridge connector showing a still ~urther embodiment of the present i.nvention;
:~ Fi~ ~ e 11 is a perspective view of a support structure whi.ch may be utilized ln practicing the embodi~
ment o~ Figu~e 9; and Figure 12 is an exploded perspective view o~ the embodiment oi' Figure 9 showing the adapter bridge connector - ' ' ,, :
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in relation to lts corresponding cover.
Re~erring now to the ~igures, and particularly to Figures 1 through ~, a modular electrical connector 10 constructed in accordance with the present lnvention comprises a generally rectangular dielectric body portion 11 pre~erably structured as an integrally molded plastic unit to form a central cavity 12 into which pro~ect the ~irst end portions of a plurality of electrical contacts 13. The contacts 13 are external to cavity 12 at their opposite ends and are adapted for connection to telephone signal equipment in a manner to be hereina~ter described.
The portions of contacts 1~ extending within cavity 12 make electrical contact with the corresponding contacts of a conven~ional mating electrical connector plug (not shown) which is complementary to connector 10 and adapted to be received by cavity 12. Modular connectors of the general type shown in Figures 1 through ~, excepting for the snap-lock mounting features of the present invention, are well known in the art, one ~orm o~ such a modular connector and lts mating plugs being disclosed in the aforementioned - U~S. Patent No. ~,850,497.
The body 11 of the modular connector includes a pair of resilient, inwardly deformable sidewalls 14a, 14b and an end wall 14c. The uppermost portions o~ the sidewalls and end walls 14a c visible in ~ig~lre 1 define a forward portion o~ the modular connector that pro~ects into and part way through a suitably dimensioned aperture 17 o~ a support plate or bulkhead 18. Similar shoulder portions 15 and bosses 16 vertically spaced by a distance corresponding to the thickness o~ the bulkhead 18 are pre~erably integrally ~ormed with each o~ the opposed sidewalls 14a, 14b at approximately the midpoint of their length for reasons presently to be explained.

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~9~3~i The out~ide dimen~ions o~ the ~orward portlon of the connector substantially corresponds to the dimension of the rectangular aperture 17. The shoulder portions 15 project outwardly from the forward portion 14 to form abutments to limit insertion of the forward portion o~ the connector into aperture 17. As a result~ when the forward portion 14 is inserted into aperture 17J as shown in progress in Figure l(a) the bosses 16 are forced through the aperture so that the shoulder portions 15 abut the bottom surface 19 of ~the support 18 as shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 3. The shoulder portions 15 and the bosses 16 cooperate to define a locking means on connector 10 to snap-lock the connector in place with insertion of the forward portion 14 into aperture 17.
More speci~ically, the bosses 16 extend laterally of the forward portion of the sidewalls 14a, 14b to define at their lead edge a ramp or cam surface 22 that may be forcibly inserted through aperture 17 as shown in Figure l(a). The underside of the bosses 16 form a planar surface parallel to the shoulders 15 and spaced therefrom by the - thickness of the bulkhead 18 thereby to insure a secure captivation of the mounting plate between the shoulders 15 and bosses 16. Support 18 may lnclude relief means adjacent aperture 17 in the form of relief slots 21. The bosses 16 and relief slots '1 are arranged to be adjacent so that as the forward portion 14 of the connector is inserted into the aperture~ the bosses and relie~ slots cooperate to permit a resilient deformation of the connec-tor sidewalls and/or the lateral sidewalls defining the aperture 17. While it is preferable that both the forward portions of the sidewalls 14a, 14b and the apertured mounting plate be resiliently deformable, this is not ab-solutely necessary. Successful operation may be achieved : _6-~ .
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without department rrom the invention a~ long as elther the connector forward portion sidewalls or the aperture side-walls are deformable to a sufficient extent to permit a reliable snap-lock insertion of the connector into the bulkhead plate 18 without either incurring permanent damage.
As a result of this ~mique construction, when a modular connector 10 is to be locked in place wi'chin aperture 17 of bulkhead 18, the forward portion of the sidewalls and end wall 14a-c need only be inserted into the aperture until the bosses 16 clear the aperture to permit the shoulder portions 15 to abut the bottom surface 19 of the bulkhead. In this manner, the connector is snap-locked in place within the aperture of the support~ and no additional support structure is required for mounting the connector in place. Thus, the manufacturing cost o~
adapter assemblies utilizing the connector o~ the present invention is minimized, as is the labor associated with installation.
Figure 4 shows an adapter assembly connector 25 embodying the present invention which utilizes the snap-lock modulator connector 10 of Figures 1 through 3. The adapter-connector 25 of Figure 4 is intended for connect-ing or adapting a standardized or modular cable from a telephone receiver to a conventional four-conductor telephone extension jack o~ the type manufactured by Western Elec-tric and now in common use in homes for connection of portable extension telephones. The adapter-connector com-prises an enclosure having a plurality of walls, namely front wall 27, a back wall 26, and sidewalls 28, 29, 30 and 31. The adapter-connector 25 also includes a plurality of pins 32, here four in number, which extend from back wall 26 and which are arranged for mating with a like ~5~3~
plurality of female contacts o~ a telephone wall ~ack, Top sidewall 30 constitutes a connector mounting plate with an aperture 33 which is dimensioned for receiving the forward portion 14a-c of connector 10. ~he con~acts 13 (Figure 1) of connector 10 are coupled to pins 32 in a known manner.
When forward portion 14a-c of connector 10 ls inserted into aperture 33 in the manner previously de-scribed, the bosses 16 of connector 10 de~orm the adjacent sidewalls of aperture 33 and the forward portion sidewalls carrying bosses 16. Upon reformation of the aperture and ~orward portion sidewalls3 the connector 10 is locked in place.
The adapter-connector 40 of Figure 5 is similar to the adapter-connector 25 of Figure 4 excepting for the sidewall location of the modular connector 10. The unit 40 also includes a plurality of pins 32, a rear wall 26, a front wall 27, and sidewalls 28, 29, 30, and 31. The adapter-connector 25 of Figure 4 has the modular connector 10 disposed in one of its sidewalls while the adapter-connector 40 of Figure 5 has the modular connector 10 disposed in an aperture o~ front wall 27. In all other respects, the adapter connectors may be identical. For example, the contacts 13 of connector 10 are coupled to pins 32 and the connector 10 is adapted to receive the mating connector in the manner previously described.
~ Referring to Figure 63 an adapter-connector 50 ; is shown which is capable of connecting a plurality o~
modular telephone cables each having on one end a matin~
~0 connector having a plurality of contacts to a telephone wall jack (not shown). The wall jack is of the conven-tional type which includes a plurality of female contacts coupled to telephone signal equipment. The adapter-connec-- .

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tor 50 includes a partial enclosure 51 which comprises a ~ront wall 52, and sidewalls 53, 54, 55, and 56. Sidewall 54 includes a first plurality of apertures 57 and associated relie~ slots 21 which are dimensioned ~or resillently receiving the forward portions of connectors 10 in the manner previously described. ~Jithin the partial enclosure is a terminal strip 58 which includes a plurality o~ con-ductor connection terminals 60. In actual practice, termi-nal strip 58 will include six or eight conductor terminals, only four of which are shown in the Figure for convenience of illustration. The conductor terminals 60 are coupled to the contacts (Figures 1-3) of the connectors 10 in a known manner.
The connectors 10 are of the type previously described in relation to Fi~ures 1 through 3 and include bosses 16 and shoulder portions for coacting with the apertures 57 for snap-locking the connectors.
The partial enclosure 51 also includes means for securely receiving a back wall panel 61 which has pins 62 arranged to be received by the female contacts of a telephone wall jack. The pins 62 are coupled to terminals 50 by conductors 53. As a result, when pins 62 are received by the female contacts of the wall jack, which are coupled to the telephone signal equipment, the telephone signal equipment is thereby connected to the contacts 13 of the female connectors 10. The modular telephone cables are readily connected to the telephone signal equipment when the mating connectors at one end of the cables are in serted into the connectors lO in the previously described manner.
Fi~re 7 shows the adapter-connector 50 of Figure -~
6 in an environment in which the individual conductors 66 of a cable 75 are connected to the terminals 60 of a termi-_g_ ., - , , , . .- , : ~, ;-~Sl~
nnl strip 58. Sidewalls 5~ and 55 include notched portlons67 and 63 respectively dimensioned to receive cable 65 so ; that the cable 65 can gain acceEs to the lnterior o~ par-tial enclosure 51. The other ends o~ the conductors 66 o~ czble 65 are coupled to telephone sign~l equipment (not shown). By virtue of the ~act that the contacts 13 o~
female connectors 10 are also coupled to terminals 60, the standardized or modular cables from individual telephone instruments are coupled to the telephone signal equipment by merely inserting the mating connectors into the con-nectors 10 in the previously described manner.
The partial enclosure 51 as previously mentioned includes means for securely receiving either the back panel 61 of Figure 6 or the back panel 71 of Figure 7.
To this end, the partial enclosure 52 includes ~lange windows 72 and latch window 73. The back walls in a co~ple-mentary mcnner include flanges 72a and 73a. l~hen the back panels are to be secured to the partial enclosure, the M anges 72a cre inserted into the window 7~ and the flange 7~a is press-~itted into the latch window 73.
As previously explained, back panel 61 has pins 62 which are arranged to mcte with corresponding ~emale contacts Or a telephone wall jack. ~ack panel 71 o~
Figure 7 does not include those pins inasmuch as connec-tion is made to the telephone signal equipment via cable 75. Back panel 71 includes key slots 74 which may be utilized for securing the adapter-connector 50 of Figure 7 to a wall or other vertical support member. Such a support would necessarily include a pair o~ screws or similar means to be inserted within key slots 74 ~or the purpose o~ securing the adapter-connector to the wall.
Should it be desired not to mount the adapter-connector to a wall using the screws, an additional panel 76 having -: .

.~ double b~ck adhesive co~ltin~ 77 may be adhered to back panel 71 and the connector can be rastened to ~ wall by the exposed ~dhesive coating.
In utilizing the adrpter connector o~ Fi~ures 6 ; and 7~ a telephone installer l~eed only select the proper back panel as requirea and may utilize the same pre-wired adapter partial enclosure for either application.
Re~erring now to Fig~ure 8J a bridge connector assembly 80 is shown which may be utilized for connecting , 10 selected conductors o~ a first multiconductor telephone system cable to selected conductors o~ one or more second standardized modular cables associated with individual telephone instruments. The adapter bridge connector 80 o~
Figure 8 includes a housing having a ~loor 81 ~nd side walls 82, 83, 34, and 85, and a support 86 within the housing which extends between the sidew~lls and substan-tially par~llel to the floor. The support 86 m~y be se-cured to the sidewalls in any well known manner and includes a plurality o~ apertures 87 which receive the connectors 10 o~ Fig~Lres 1-~ in a manner as previously ~ described. Su~ice it to say here that the connectors 10 i include bosses 16 and shoulder portions I5~(Figures 1-3) ~ which lock the connectors 10 in place within the apertures.
; ~ Relief slots 21 are also provided to assist in the in-- sertion o~ the connectors as previously explained.
The bridge connector assembly 80 of Figure 8 includes multiple contact connector 88 for establishing contact with the multiconductor cable. This connector, which may comprise a Series 57 Amphenol connector includes a plurality of contacts 89 adapted to be coupled to re-spective ones of the oonductors o~ the multiconductor cable. Each o~ the connectors 10 includes a lesser number of contacts, and selected conductors o~ the standardized '~ . . . ~:

3~i multiconductor c~bles m~y be connected to selected con-ductors o~ the multiconductor equipment cable.
The apertures 87 are arranged in side-by-side rows and between the apertures and sidewall 84 is the multiple contact connector 3~. The conductors of the first multiconductor cable may be coupled to a mating half of the Series 57 Amphenol connector 8S to adapt the contacts 89 for connection to the conductors of the telephone equip-ment cable.
The contacts 13 (Figures 1-3) of connectors 10 may be connected to the contacts 89 o~ connector ~B b~
conductors beneath support 86 in any well lno~ manner.
As a result, selected contacts of connectors 10 are con-nected to selected ones of the concluctors of the multi-conductor equipment cable, and a plurality of modular telephone cables may be selectively coupled to the telephone signal equipment by merely plugging the mating connectors at their end into-the connectors 10~
The embodiment of Figure 9 is similc~r to the adapter bridge connector of ~igure 8 except that the apertures 87 are arranged in spaced-apart rows with the multiple contact com~ector 88 disposed between the rows of openings. To that end, it includes sidewalls 82, 83, 84, and 85, and support 86 which extend between the sidewalls and parallel to floor 81.
An alternate form o~ the support is shown in Figure 11. The support 100 there shown includes a support surface 101 for receiving the connectors 10 (Figures 1 through 3) ~nd a recessed portion 103 which includes a support sur~ace 102 ~or receiving the multiple contact connector 8~. The support 100 includes a plurality of legs 104 which ~re of substantially equal len~th 2nd which communicate with the floor 81 of connector 90 so that ~12-~5~
the support surfaces 101 ~nd 102 ~Ire p~r~llel to the floor 81. A rigidity cross support 105 i~ provided to insure rigidity of the structure.
` Referring now to Figure 10, the ndapter bridge connector 110 there shown includes a housinp, having r.
floor 111, sidewalls 112, 11~, 114, and 115, and a support 116 which extend between the sidewalls and parallel to floor 111. As in the embodiment of Figure 9, support 116 has a plurality of apertures 117 arranged in spaced-apart rows and adjacent relief slots 21. In between the rows o~
openings is n barrier strip 118 which includes a plurality of terminals 119 which are adapted for connection to the conductors of a multiple conductor telephone cable (not shown).
The apertl~es 117 are dimensioned ~or receiving the connectors 10 of-Figures 1 through 3 and the connectors 10 are locked in place in the previously described manner.
- As in the previous embodiments, the connectors 10 include bosses and shoulders for locking the connectors in place within the zpertures 117. The contacts 13 (FiO~ures 1 through 3) o~ connectors 10 are coupled to the terminals of barrier strip 118 beneath the support 116 in a Icnown manner. The barrier 118 includes a plurality of eight terminals 119 and is thereby adapted to receive eight conductors connected to the telephone cable equipment via a multiconductor telephone cable. Thus, each o~ the connectors may be coupled to a plurality of tele-phone lines.
The adapter 110 includes flnnges 120 which co-operate with complementary locking openings o~ a cover (not shown) for the housing. The cover includes an opening for receiving the multico~ductor cable so that access to barrier strip 118 may be provided to the telephone -1,3_ 1 I ,,.

5~3~i c~ble, The s~me opening or additional openin~s withln the cover allow the telephone cables extending from the male ~nnectors received by the female connector~ 10 access externally of the adapter bridge connector. With the conductors of the telephone cable being coupled to the barrier strip terminals and with the barrier strip termin&l.s being coupled to the ~emale connector contacts, when the male connectors of modul~ telephone cables are inserted into the female connectors, the telephone instruments At the other end of the modular telephone cables will thereby be connected to the telephone lines.
Re~erring now to Figure 12, the adapter connector embodiment o~ Figure 9 is shown in association with a top cover 130, a plurality of mating connectors 131 , and a Series 57 Amphenol connector 132.
The cover 130 includes a plurality of sidewalls 1~3, 134, 135, and 136, and a top 137. The walls 133-136 are arranged for overlapping engagement with the adapter-connector enclosure. The enclosure includes locking ~lan~es 140, 1419 and 142 (Figure 9) which are arranged to co~ni-cate in locking engagement with locking~ flanges 150 and 151 respectively and a third ~lange carried on wall 13~ (not shown). The cover 130 and enclosure are preferably formed from plastic which renders flanges 150 and 151 resilient.
Wall 136 also includes a plurality of openings 153, 154, and 155 to af~ord the multiconductor telephone signal equipment cable 156 and the modular cables 157 and 158 access to the inside of the enclosure. Although three such openings are shown, it will be appreciated that one or two large openings could also be employed.
The conductors of the multiconductor telephone ~ignal equipment cabl~e 156 are coupled to respective ones of the contacts of connector 132,` which are adapted to mate . ..

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wlth the contacts 89 o~ connector 8~ (Figure 9). Sincethe contncts of connector 8~ are connecte~. to ~elected contacts 1~ of connector 10, and the conductors of modular cables 157 and 158 are coupled to the contacts o~ matin~
connectors 131, when the matin~ connectors 131 are mated with the connectors 10~ the mod.ular cables 157 and 158 are coupled to the system equipment~ Because there are many more contacts in connecto:r 88 than in any one con-nector 10, ~ plurality of modular c2bles associated with a like plurality of telephone instruments may be connected to the signal equipment.
l~hile particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described~ modifications may be made~ and it is intended in the appended cl.ims to cover ~11 such modi~ications that ~all within the true spirit of the invention.

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Claims (22)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An electrical connector mounting apparatus comprising:
a bulkhead including at least one aperture having at least one sidewall; at least one connector including a housing defining a cavity for receiving a mating electrical connector and having at lease one sidewall defining a forward portion, said connector hav-ing an outside dimension substantially corresponding to the dimen-sion of said aperture; at least one of said sidewalls being defor-mable; and locking means carried by said connector for deforming said deformable sidewall upon insertion of said forward portion into said aperture and for locking said connector in place within said aperture upon reformation of said deformable sidewall,

2, The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said bulkhead further includes a relief slot positioned immediately adjacent said bulkhead aperture sidewall,

3, The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises an outwardly projecting shoulder portion for limiting the insertion of said forward portion in said aperture and an outwardly projecting boss in forward axial spacing relative to said shoulder portion.

4, The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said boss includes a ramped surface for gradually deforming said aperture sidewall upon insertion of said forward portion in said aperture.

5, The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said bulkhead includes a front surface and a rear surface and wherein said boss engages said front surface and said shoulder portion engages said rear surface upon reformation of said defor-mable sidewall to thereby lock said connector in said aperture.

6. The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said aperture includes a first pair of oppositely facing deformable sidewalls, wherein said connector includes a second pair of oppositely facing deformable sidewalls and wherein said locking means includes a shoulder portion projecting outwardly from each said sidewall of said second pair for limiting the insertion of said forward portion in said aperture and a boss projecting outwardly from each said sidewall of said second pair and forwardly axially spaced relative to said shoulder portions,

7, The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, further including a relief slot extending alongside each said aper-ture deformable sidewall,

8, The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said bulkhead is one wall of an enclosure having a plurality of other walls, said apparatus further comprising: a plurality of pins extending from a first one of said other walls and arranged for mating with the plurality of female contacts of the telephone wall jack; and a plurality of contacts connected to said plurality of pins and extending within said cavity,

9. The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said at least one connector includes a plurality of con-nectors, each said connector including a housing defining a cavity, said apparatus further including a plurality of contacts in each of said cavities, said contacts being connected to said plurality of pins.

10, The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said bulkhead is one wall of a partial enclosure having a plurality of other walls, said apparatus further comprising: a terminal strip within said partial enclosure including a plurality of conductor connection terminals; a plurality of contacts connected to selected ones of said terminals of said terminal strip and ex-tending within said cavity means for securely receiving a first back wall having a plurality of pins coupled to said terminals of said terminal strip and arranged to be received by the female contacts of a telephone jack; means for receiving a multiple cod-ductor telephone cable, said terminals of said terminal strip being adapted to connect to the conductors of the multiple conductor telephone cable; and means for securely receiving a second back wall which includes means for mounting said enclosure to a support surface.

11. The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, wherein said partial enclosure includes a pair of flange win-dows and a latch window for securely holding said first and second back walls and wherein each said back wall includes complementary flanges for communicating with said flange windows and said latch window.

12. The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said at least one connector includes a plurality of connectors and said bulkhead is a floor of a housing, said apparatus further comprising: connection means having a plurality of con-nection terminals; a plurality of contacts extending into each one of said cavities, said contacts being connected to selected ones of said terminals; a plurality of sidewalls attached to said floor; and a support within said housing extending between said sidewalls and substantially parallel to said floor, said connection means being mounted to said support.

13. The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, wherein said connection means is a barrier strip having a plurality of terminals for connection to the conductors of a multi-ple conductor telephone cable.

14, The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, wherein said connection means is a multiple contact connector for mating with a further multiple contact connector connected to telephone signal equipment.

15. The connector mounting apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, wherein said support includes a plurality of legs communicating with said floor, said legs being substantially equal in length to thereby render said support substantially parallel to said floor,

16, An electrical connector of the type to be mounted in an aperture of a support member, said aperture being defined by at least one sidewall, said connector comprising: a housing defining a cavity for receiving a mating electrical connector and having at least one sidewall defining a forward portion having outside dimen-sions substantially corresponding to the dimension of the aperture;
an outwardly projecting shoulder portion for limiting the inser-tion of said forward portion in said aperture; a boss projecting outwardly from said housing sidewall and being axially forwardly spaced relative to said shoulder portion; and one said sidewall being deformable, whereby said forward portion is insertable into said aperture by deformation of said deformable sidewall and locked in place upon reformation of said deformable sidewall,

17, The electrical connector as claimed in Claim 16, wherein said boss includes a ramped surface for engagement with the aperture sidewall for gradually inwardly deforming said deformable sidewall upon insertion of said forward portion into said aperture.

18. The electrical connector as claimed in Claim 16, wherein said deformable sidewall comprises the aperture sidewall,

19. The electrical connector as claimed in Claim 16, wherein said deformable sidewall comprises said housing sidewall,

20, The electrical connector as claimed in Claim 16, wherein said housing includes a pair of inwardly deformable sidewalls defining said forward portion, and wherein a boss projects outward-ly from each said housing sidewall, whereby when said forward por-tion is inserted into said aperture, said housing sidewalls are deformed by said bosses, and said connector is locked in place with-in said aperture by said bosses and said shoulder portion upon reformation of said housing sidewalls,

21, The electrical connector as claimed in Claim 20, wherein each said boss includes a ramped surface for engagement with an aperture sidewall for gradually inwardly deforming said housing sidewalls upon insertion of said forward portion into said aperture.

22. The electrical connector as claimed in Claim 20, wherein said deformable sidewalls are disposed opposite each other.