GB2156605A - Telephone connector block - Google Patents

Abstract

Means for preventing premature interconnection of individual circuits wired to a telephone connector block 10) using so-called quick clip connectors (14, 15) comprises an elongate member (34) of insulative which is positioned beneath a flexible contact (20) normally resiliently engaging a surface (25) of an individual quick clip (14). The elongate member (34) is of sufficient length to enable the engagement of a plurality of quick clip connectors (14) disposed in a single line on the connector block (10), and has a manually engageable end (37) which projects outwardly of a channel (31) in the block (10) to permit withdrawal when required to allow each associated flexible contact (20) to contact the surface (25) of the respective quick clip (14) to complete a circuit therethrough. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Telephone connector block The invention relates generally to the field of telephony, and more particularly, to a telephone connector block of a kind normally installed upon a telephone office main frame for the purpose of interconnecting incoming subscriber pairs to central office equipment.

Normally, such blocks include some form of individual circuit protection means in the form of a replaceable module communicating with wire wrap pins about which conductors are installed.

In recent years, there has been a growing tendency to employ bocks using so-called quick clips on at least one surface thereof for the rapid interconnection of conductors communicationg with subscriber circuits. Using quick clips, conductors are rapidly installed using a special known tool without the necessity of performing a wire wrap operation, and, where necessary, this connection may be as rapidly removed.

A more recent trend involves the ability to open the individual subscriber circuit after the quick clip connections have been made to enable circuit testing, this procedure being particularly desirable where the protector modules are not provided with test points, and the block has no other test point field. This is accomplished by providing a resilient contact member which may be moved out of contact with a surface of a respective quick clip using a shim having separate oppositely disposed conductor faces each of which establishes a point of entry for test equipment, and permitting separate testing of office and subscriber sides of the individual circuit. In the absence of such a shim, usually a part of a test shoe or similar device, the flexible contact member is in conducting relation with the quick clip.

In the installation of new telephone central offices, the usual procedure is to wire existing subscriber circuits, along with new circuits, through the respective connector blocks, while maintaining existing connections through an existing telephone office until the time of cutover, at which point the new central office becomes operative. In sophisticated systems, the cutover procedure may be entirely electronically performed. In less sophisticated systems, the cutover is manually performed, sometimes on an individual circuit basis.

According to the invention there is provided a telephone connector block comprising an exposed planar surface mounting a plurality of quick clip connectors in rank and file wherein at least some of the quick clip connectors have base portions terminating in the block and have exposed conductive side surfaces thereon; an elongate flexible contact is positioned within the block, immediately adjacent a conductive side surface of a respective one of the quick clip connectors, and includes a medial portion thereof secured in fixed relation, an inner end portion terminating in a wire wrap terminal, and an outer end portion terminating in a flexible terminal selectively contacting said side surface of the respective one of the quick clip connectors; and an insulative tab strip is slidably mounted in the block and selectively projects into an interstice between a plurality of the end portions of the flexible contacts and the co-operating side surfaces lying along a single given axis, the tab strip including a terminal portion projecting outwardly of the block for manual removal along said axis to permit the end portion of each associated flexible contact resiliently to contact the sidesurface of the respective one of the quick clip connectors.

Thus in such a quick clip type connector block the quick clip section of the block is provided with flexible cutover contact members which are maintained in open relation with the respective quick clip elements by the presence of the elongate removable strip of insulative material, the strip underlying each of the cutover contact members in a row of terminals positioned along a common axis and having a free end projecting outwardly of a wall of the block so as to be manually engagable to permit withdrawal, thus performing a cutover procedure on a number of subscriber circuits simultaneously.The block may be provided with a plurality of such strips, one for each horizontal row of quick clip contacts, and the outwardly extending ends of each strip may be provided with aligned orifices permitting, by use of a suitable tool, the simultaneous withdrawal of all strips disposed in a single file.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a telephone connector block according to the invention; Figure 2 is a second fragmentary view in perspective as seen from the upper left hand portion of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as seen from the plane 3-3 in Fig.

1.

Referring to the drawing, a connector block 10 of generally conventional kind includes a front end wall 11, bounded by an outer surface 12, which mounts a plurality of quick clips 13, in rows which are normally horizontally oriented. Conveniently, each subscriber circuit (not shown) is interconnected through an upper quick clip element 14, and a lower quick clip element 15, each element providing two resilient terminals accommodating the usual tip in, tip out, and ring in and ring out connections. Conductors 1 6 are forceably pushed into resiliently expandable slots 18, using a specialized known tool for this pur pose.

Disposed immediately above the upper quick clip element 14, used for each subscriber circuit is an elongate flexible contact 20, including a fixed medially disposed portion 21, which is anchored in the block 10. An inwardly disposed wire wrap terminal 22, is accessible from inside the block, and extending in an opposite direction from the fixed portion 21, is a flexible terminal 23, projecting through a slot 24, in the block, to bear upon a side surface 25 of the upper quick clip element 14, in a resilient manner. A wire exit hole 26, permits the passage of a conductor from the lower quick clip element 15, which need not be provided with a resilient contact.

Referring to Fig. 2 in the drawing, a side wall 30 of the block is provided with a plurality of elongate parallel channels 31, extending inwardly from an outer surface 32.

Positioned within each of the channels 31, is an elongate tab strip insulative member 34 including a shank portion 35, forming flat surface 36, which, in engaged position, are positioned between the quick clip elements 14, and the respective contacts 20. The outer end 37 is provided with an enlarged terminal 38, preferably having a central through opening 39.

During the installation of a new telephone office, the individual blocks 10, are wired in normal fashion, with the insulative members 34, in the position shown in Fig. 2 during the installation period, each individual subscriber circuit is maintained in open condition until cutover time, the cutover procedure requiring only the withdrawal of the member 34, from beneath the flexible contacts 20, thereby to permit the contacts 20 resiliently to contact the respective quick clip element 14 disposed immediately therebeneath. By the insertion of a rod-like tool (not shown) through each of the orifices 39, all of the members 34, may be simultaneously removed to permit cutover of the entire block as a single operation, where desired.

Claims (3)

1. A telephone connector block comprising an exposed planar surface mounting a plurality of quick clip connectors in rank and file wherein at least some of the quick clip connectors have base portions terminating in the block and have exposed conductive side surfaces thereon; an elongate flexible contact is positioned within the block, immediately adjacent a conductive side surface of a respective one of the quick clip connectors, and includes a medial portion thereof secured in fixed relation, an inner end portion terminating in a wire wrap terminal, and an outer end portion terminating in a flexible terminal selectively contacting said side surface of the respective one of the quick clip connectors; and an insulative tab strip is slidably mounted in the block and selectively projects into an interstice between a plurality of the end portions of the flexible contacts and the cooperating side surfaces lying along a single given axis, the tab strip including a terminal portion projecting outwardly of the block for manual removal along said axis to permit the end portion of each associated flexible contact resiliently to contact the side surface of the respective one of the quick clip connectors.

2. A telephone connector block according to claim 1, in which a plurality of the tab strips are disposed in vertically parallel relation carried by the block, the srips having means for simultaneous engagement and removal from the block.

3. A telephone connector block substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawing.