US3295096A

US3295096A - Electrical t connector

Info

Publication number: US3295096A
Application number: US416396A
Authority: US
Inventors: Serge D Clayton; Herbert L Gillespie; Ronald B Morgan; Warren N Olsen
Original assignee: Douglas Aircraft Co Inc
Current assignee: Douglas Aircraft Co Inc
Priority date: 1964-12-07
Filing date: 1964-12-07
Publication date: 1966-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-27

Description

Dec. 27, 1966 s. D. CLAYTON ETAL 3,295,096

ELECTRICAL T CONNECTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed DSO. '7, 1964 Dec. 27, 1966 s. D. CLAYTON ETAL 3,295,096

ELECTRICAL T CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 7, 1964 5 SheetS-Sheet2 Dec. 27, 1966 s' D' CLAYTON ETAL 3,295,096

ELECTRICAL T CONNECTOR 1351.03 1g5. 13g. 5T

58 /02 [BVAU WMM United States Patent Olitice 3,295,096 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 3,295,095 ELECTRICAL T coNNEcToa Serge D. Clayton, Newport Beach, and Herbert L. Gil- Our present invention relates generally to electrical connectors and more particularly to an electrical T connector for connecting a test instrument into the wiring of an Ioperating electrical system for the purpose of determining errors of wiring or malfunctioning of lelectrical equipment in the system.

It is well-known that a large number of electrical and electronic systems are utilized in many modern installations. These systems may be quite complex and require a large amount of wiring for interconnecting various components of each system. In the event of malfunction in a system, it is evident that the large amount of involved wiring may make it extremely ditiicult to locate and determine which circuit or component is faulty in the system.

Line checkers which are lappropriately designed for checking respective types of systems, are used to examine the various systems in, for example, modern aircraft and missiles. The line checker'for a particular system is connected into that system at a suitable point to examine the corresponding system components, wiring, voltages and currents, for example. Of course, the line checker is designed so that its insertion into the system would not alter the systems operating characteristics.

The line checkers are normally designed to be energized by the aircraft or missile electrical power supply for the particular system under examination. Continuity switches are generally provided in the line checkers for checking various circuits or" a system or for testing different components thereof. In some instances, the line checkers include means for generating simulated signals which can be injected into their respective systems for test purposes. A system can be checked by examining the readings indicated lby the checkers indicator and observing the system responses to the simulated signals injected into the system.

When a line checker is connected into an electrical system of an aircraft or missile, it is highly desirable that no modification of aircraft or missile wiring be required to accomplish this. Since virtually all modern aircraft and missiles have electrical systems which utilize wiring circuits with plug and receptacle connectors, a line checker can Vbe easily inserted into a system at an appropriate plug-andreceptacle disconnect point without requiring any modification of the existing aircraft or missile wiring.

A line checker which is to be inserted into an electrical system for test purposes normally has at least two separate cables with respective end receptacle and plug connectors for connection with the plug and receptacle connectors at the disconnect point in the system wiring. It would, of course, be more convenient to connect the line checker into -a system at a plug-and-receptacle disconnect point if the line checker had only a single cable with one end connector to which the separated plug and receptacle connectors can be connected.

Further, it would be very desirable that the one end connector of the line checkers single connecting cable be capable of mating with differently keyed plug or receptacle connectors having similar pin or socket arrangements. However, the one end connector of the line checkers single connecting cable should be only capable of mating with plug or receptacle connectors having similar pin or socket arrangements of a selected, particularly keyed connector. I

Thus, a line checker which is used to check several similar electrical systems of a particular type cannot be inadvertently connected into the wrong system if the end connector of the line checkers single connecting cable is properly indexed to the `speciiic keying of the plug and receptacle connectors for that particular system. This is especially desirable where, for example, dive or six similar connectors of different systems are located closely together.

It is, accordingly, an object of our invention to provide a unitary electrical connector, normally located at the end of the connecting cable to a line checker, to which connector can be connected the separated plug and receptacle connectors at an appropriate disconnect point of system wiring whereby the line checker can be easily inserted into an electrical system for test purposes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unitary electrical connector which is capable of being mated to diiierently keyed plug and receptacle connectors having respectively similar pin and socket arrangements therein.

A further object of this invention is to provide an electrical connector which can be adjustably indexed so that the connector can only mate with properly keyed plug or receptacle connectors having similar pin or socket arrangements.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable electrical connector which can be easily and accurately indexed to any of several conditions wherein the indexed connector will only mate with certain other properly and particularly keyed connectors.

Brieliy, and in general terms, the foregoing and other objects `are preferably accomplished by providing a unitary, electrical T connector means which can be used to insert a test instrument into an electrical system to examine the same. The T connector means has receptacle and plug end connectors which will mate with the respective plug and receptacle connectors that have been separated at an appropriate disconnect point in the wiring of the electrical system. Wiring from the receptacle and plug end connectors is brought out of the T connector means from a point intermediate to the receptacle and plug end connectors thereof for connection with the test instrument.

The T connector means preferably comprises a generally cylindrical inner ybody having inner sections of end connectors located at respective ends of the inner body, a generally cylindrical and hollow outer body having outer sections of the end connectors located at respective ends of the outer ibody, the inner body being journaled for relative rotation in the outer body with the inner sections of the end connectors of the inner body positioned respectively adjacent to the outer sections of the end connectors of the outer body, and means for selectively securing the inner body relative to the outer body in any one of a plurality of predetermined, xed relationships whereby the end connectors are selectively indexed to mate only with the respective, similarly keyed, complementary connectors at the disconnect point in the wiring of the electrical system.

The inner body is adapted to permit connection of wiring to the inner sections of the end connectors fof the T connector means, and the outer body has a suitable opening therein located at a point intermediate to the ends of the outer body to permit passage of the wiring therethrough for connection with the associated test instrument. The opening in the outer body is sufficiently large and appropriately shaped to permit relative rotation of the inner body in the outer body throughout its adjustable range without interference with or binding of the wires passing through the opening.

Indicia means is also provided for the T connector means to indicate the indexed conditions of the connector means. Such indicia means includes, for example, circumferentially spaced identifying symbols provided on the inner body, and a viewing window cooperatively located at a predetermined position `on the outer body to individually display the symbols for the respective indexed conditions of the T connector means. Thus, the symbol displayed through the window will indicate and identify the selectively indexed condition of the end connectors which will then correctly mate only with respective, similarly keyed, complementary connectors at the disconnect point in the wiring of the electrical system.

Our invention will be more fully understood, and other features and advantages thereof will become apparent, from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention. The following detailed description is, of course, to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a generally perspective view illustrating the insertion of a test instrument into an electrical system by use of our unitary, electrical T connector means;

FIGURE 2A is a front elevation view, partially in section, of an illustrative embodiment of our invention;

FIGURE 2B is a side or end elevational view of the invention as taken along the line 2B-2B indicated in FIGURE 2A;

FIGURE 3A is a front elevational view of the main inner member of the inner body of the T connector means shown in FIGURE 2A;

FIGURE 3B is a top plan view of the inner member as taken along the line 3B-3B indicated in FIGURE 3A;

FIGURE 3C is a side or end elevational view of the inner member as taken along the line 3C-3C indicated in FIGURE 3B;

FIGURE 3D is a fragmentary plan view of the inner member as taken along the line 3D3D indicated in FIGURE 3C;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of an end member, of the outer body of the T connector means, whichjournals an end of the inner member thereof;

FIGURE 5A is a front elevational view of the main member of the outer body and to which is normally attached the end member shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 5B is a side or end elevational view, partly in section, of the main member of the outer body as taken along the line SB-SB indicated in FIGURE 5A;

FIGURE 5C is a fragmentary, top plan view of the main member of the outer body as taken along the line SC-SC indicated in FIGURE 5A;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of a tting member of the outer body, and which is attached to the inner member of the inner body through an opening in the main member of the outer body;

FIGURE 7A is a front elevational view of the inner section of a receptacle end connector;

FIGURE 7B is a side or end elevational view of the inner section as taken along the line 7B7B indicated in FIGURE 7A;

FIGURE 8A is a front elevational view partly in section of the outer section, or housing of the receptable end connector shown in FIGURES 7A and 7B;

FIGURE 8B is a side or end elevational view of the outer section as taken along the line 8B-8B indicated in FIGURE 8A;

FIGURE 9A is a front elevational view of the inner section of a plug end connector;

FIGURE 9B is a side or end elevational view of the inner section as taken along the line 9B--9B indicated in FIGURE 9A; and

FIGURE 10 is a front elevational view, partly in sec- 4 tion, of the outer section or housing of the plug end connector shown in FIGURES 9A and 9B.

FIGURE l is a perspective view illustrating a T connector means 20 which is constructed according to our invention and used Ito insert test equipment 22 connected to cable 24 into the circuit wiring 26 of an electrical system. The test equipment 22 is, for example, a line checker which is inserted into the system at a plug-andreceptacle disconnect junction box 30. The junction box 30 has another plugand-receptacle connector 32 which is similar to the connector 2S except that the keying of the connector 32 is different from that of the connector 28.

Thus, the connector means 20, which has been appropriately indexed by operation of slider 34 and rotation of inner body 36 relative to outer body 38 until a proper identication symbol is set in the viewing window 40, cannot be inadvertently inserted incorrectly into a disconnect point at the connector 32. The receptacle and plug

end connectors

42 and 44 are indexed to mate only with the similarly keyed, complementary plug and receptacle connectors 28a and 28h, respectively, of the connector 28. Since the keying of the plug and receptacle connectors of the connector 32 is different from that of the plug and

receptacle connectors

28a and 28b, the appropriately indexed connector means 20 will not mate with the plug and receptacle connectors of the connector 32.

FIGURE 2A is a front elevational view, partially in section, of the T connector means 20. The connector means 20 comprises a generally cylindrical inner body 36 which is journaled for relative rotation in a generally cylindrical and hollow outer body 38. The inner body 36 includes a main inner member 46 having a reduced diameter end 48 providing a journal 50 and a means for rotatably engaging an inner section 42a of the receptacle end connector 42, and another reduced diameter end 52 providing another journal 54 and a means for rotatably engaging an inner section 44a of the plug end connector The inner body 36 also includes a fitting 56 which is threadedly attached at its upper end to a tapped hole 58 in the main inner member 46, and a notched flange 60 (notches are not shown in this view) extending circumferentially from the main inner member 46. Both of the main inner member 46 and the fitting 56 are substantially hollow to permit passage therethrough of wiring connecting with the

inner sections

42a and 44a of the receptacle and plug

end connectors

42 and 44. The wiring is formed into the cable 24 having an upper end clamped by cable clamp 62 which is threadedly attached to the lower end of the tting 56.

The outer body 38 is shown partly in section and includes a generally hollow, main outer member 64 having a threaded end 66 to which is threadedly attached the outer section or housing 42b of the receptacle end connector 42. The inner section 42a and the outer section 42b which is secured by set screws 68 to the threaded end 66 are suitably positioned axially to be radially adjacent to each other so as to form an operative receptacle end connector 42. The end 66 has an internal bore 70 which is dimensioned to provide a slip it and journals the journal 50 of the reduced diameter end 48 of the mainlinner member 46.

A threaded end member 72 is attached to the right end of the main outer member 64 by means of set screws 74 and the outer section or housing 44b of the plug end connector 44 is threadedly attached thereto. The inner section 44a and the outer section 44b which is secured by set screws 76 to the end member 72 are suitably positioned axially to be radially adjacent to each other so as to form an operative plug end connector 44. The end member 72 has an internal bore 78 which is dimensioned to provide a slip tit and journals the journal 54 of the reduced diameter end 52 of the main inner member 46.

point located at connector 28 of a The outer body 38 also includes a spring-loaded slider 34 mounted on a pin 80 which extends through an axial tunnel 82 provided centrally in the sliders body, and through a helically Wound spring 84 which is positioned under the sliders body between it and the upper, right end portion of the main outer member 64, into a hole 86 receiving the end 80a of the pin 80. The head 80h of the pin 80 is threaded and engages a tapped hole 88 in the upper, left end portion of the main outer member 64. The slider 34 has an integral and dependent key 90 which normally engages a notch in the ange 60 but can be retracted by moving the slider 34 against the force of theA spring 84 tol allow relative rotational movement between the inner body 36 and the outer body 38.

The fitting 56 is moved with the main inner member 46 through an angular range established by the circumferential, arcuate length of a slot 92 provided in the main outer member 64 of the outer body 38. The viewing window 40 located at the left end of the main outer member 64 displays an identifying symbol which corresponds to a particular notch on the ange 60 that is then engaged by the dependent key 90 of the slider 34. At the same time, the outer sections 42b and 44b of the plug and receptacle end connectors are oriented relative to their respective

inner sections

42a and 44a to a particular keying condition.

FIGURE 2B is a side or end elevational view of the T connector means 20 as taken along the line 2B-2B indicated in FIGURE 2A. The inner body 36 including fitting 56 is rotated relative to the outer body 38 to difierent indexed positions. The position of the fitting 56 shown in broken lines is, for example, indexed to a condition wherein the symbol W is displayed in the window 40. Other indexed positions of the inner body 36 relative to the outer body 38 Will display such symbols as S, X, Y, B and C in the window 40.

FIGURE 3A is a front elevational view of the main inner member 46 of the inner body 36. The main inner member 46 is generally hollow with an axial bore 46a and 'its reduced diameter ends 48 and 52 are shaped to engage the

inner sections

42a and 44a of the receptacle and plug

end connectors

42 and 44, respectively, and rotate the

inner sections

42a and 44a with rotation of the main inner member 46. The ends 48 and 52 have

respective journals

50 and 54 thereon, and a tapped hole 58 is located in the position shown. The notched flange 60 is integral with and circumferentially provided on the main inner member 46.

FIGURE 3B is a top plan View of the main inner member 46 as taken along the line 3B-3B indicated in FIG- URE 3A. The shapes of the

ends

48 and 52, and of the tapped hole 5S are more fully illustrated with the additional View of FIGURE 3B. The main inner member 46 is generally cylindrical throughout its axial length and is generally hollow with an axial bore 46a as was previously mentioned. The central portion of the main inner member 46 is desirably thicker than the

ends

48 and 52 since the tapped hole 58 is provided therein.

FIGURE 3C is a side or end elevational view of the main inner member 46 as taken along the line 13C-3C indicated in FIGURE 3B. Notches 94 in the ange 60 are clearly shown in this view. The notches 94 are, for example, all 0.078 inch wide and the centerline of notch 94s is located 221/2 degrees counterclockwise from the vertical line shown in FIGURE 3C. The centerlines of the other notches 94W, 94x, 94y, 94b and 94C are located 'at the indicated angles which are measured from the centerline of the first notch 94s. These angles are, of course, merely illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting on this invention in any manner.

FIGURE 3D is a fragmentary plan View of the main inner member 46 as taken along the line 3D-3D indicated in FIG. 3C. Identifying symbols 96 are provided `circumferentially on the main inner member 46 adjacent to the respective notches 94. The symbols S, W, X, Y,

6 B and C are preferably used in conjunction with the

notches

94s, 94w, 94x, 94y, 94b and 94C, respectively. The symbol S will, for example, be displayed in the viewing window 40 with the dependent key 90 of the slider 34 engaging the notch 94s as when the connector means 20 is indexed to this condition. The other symbols are correspondingly displayed when the key engages the other notches. The identifying symbols 96 and viewing window 40 constitute indicia means for indicating the selected index condition ofthe connector means 20. FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the threaded end member 72 which is secured to the right end of the main outer member 64 and journals the journal 54 of the right end 52 of the main inner member 46. The journal 54 is journaled in the internal bore 78 0f the end member 72. Flange 72a of the end member 72 includes tapped holes 98 which engage the ends of the set screws 74 as shown in FIGURE 2A.

FIGURE 5A is a front elevational view, partly in section, of the main Outer member 64. The threaded end 66 has an internal bore 70 which journals the journal 50 on the left end 48 of the main inner member 46. The viewing window 40 cooperatively displays the identifying symbols 96 provided on the main inner member 46. The right end of the cylindrical main outer member 64 has a counterbore 100 which accepts and secures the edges of the ange 72a of the end member 72 positioned on the right end 52 of the main inner member 46. The arcuate slot 92 is provided as shown in the cylindrical, main outer member 64 to accommodate angular movement of the tting 56.

FIGURE 5B is a side or end elevational view of the main outer member 64 as taken along the line SB-SB indicated in FIGURE 5A. The arcuate slot 92 has circular ends, the centers of which are located at respective angles of 671/2 degrees from the vertical line as shown in this view. The radius of each of the circular ends is, for example, 0.281 inch as indicated in FIGURE 5B. The vertical line extends through the center of the tapped hole 88 and centrally through a rectangular slot 102 which accommodates the lower body 3417 of the slider 34.

FIGURE 5C is a fragmentary, top plan View of the main outer member 64 as taken along the line SC-SC indicated in FIGURE 5A. The viewing window 40 is seen to be substantially square, and the slot 102 is substantially rectangular in shape. The sides of the slot 102 support the overlapping upper body 34a of the slider 34 as shown in FIGURE 2B. The tapped hole 83 is engaged by the head of the pin 80 and the hole 86 supports the end of the pin 80 as shown in FIGURE 2A.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the iitting 56. The fitting 56 is preferably cylindrical and hollow or has a passageway provided axially through it. The left end 56a is threaded and has a semicircular cutout 5619 therein as shown. The end 56a is threaded to the tapped hole 58 in the main inner member 46 through the arcuate slot 92 and tightened such that the semicircular cutout 56b is aligned with the bore 46a of the main inner member 46. The right end 56e is also threaded for engagement with the cable clamp 62 at the upper end Iof the cable 24 as shown in FIGURE 2A. v

IGURE 7A is a front elevational view of the inner section 42a of the receptacle end connector 42. This inner section 42a is, for example, similar to a Deutsch DS9700-7 series receptacle inner section except that cutouts 104:1 and 164b are provided in the wide flange 104 leaving the protruding arcuate sections 104C and 104d on the right partl 106:1 of the inner section 42a. The cutouts 104a and 104b and the arcuate sections 104C and 104d are, of course, shaped to engage the shaped end 48 .of the main inner member 46.

FIGURE 7B is a side or end elevational view of the inner section 42a as taken along the line 7B-7B indicated in FIGURE 7A. The shaped end 48 engages the arcuate sections 104e and 104d to rotate the inner section 42a with any rotation of the main inner member 46. Wires of cable 24 are connected to the socket terminals of the left part 106b of the inner section 42a through the holes 4108 in the right part 10611 prior to attachment of the outer section 42b to the left end 66 of the main outer member 64 as shown in FIGURE 2A.

FIGURE 8A is a front elevational view of the outer section 42b of the receptacle end connector 42. This Youter section 42b is similar to a Deutsch DS9700-7 series receptacle housing or outer section except that tapped holes 42C are provided in the threaded right end of the outer section 42b for the set screws 68 attaching it to the left end 66 of the main outer member 64 as shown in FIGURE 2A. The internal structure of the outer section 42b is such that a circumferential ledge therein engages the side of the arcuate sections 104C and 104d adjacent to the left part 106b of the inner section 42a. Thus, the inner and

outer sections

42a and 42b are properly maintained axially relative to each other.

FIGURE 8B is a side or end elevational View of the outer section 42b as taken along the line 8B-8B indicated in FIGURE 8A. The outer locking sleeve 110a surrounds an inner concentric shell 110b in the louter section 42b. The inner shell 110b has a reference or keying notch 110C which receives the complementary key normally provided on the outer section of the mating vplug connector 28a (FIGURE l). Since the pattern of sockets in the left part 106b can be oriented or rotated with respect to the keying notch 110C, the similar pattern of pins in the inner section of the mating plug connector 28a must be correspondingly oriented or rotated with re- -spect to the complementary key on the outer section thereof in order to allow the plug connector 28a to mate with the receptacle end connector 42.

FIGURE 9A is a front elevational view of the inner section 44a of the plug end connector 44 shown in FIG- URE 2A. This inner section 44a is similar to a Deutsch DS9700-7 series plug inner section except that

cutouts

112a and 112b are provided in the wide ange 112 leaving the protruding arcuate sections 112C and 112d. The left part 114a of the inner section 44a is thus similar to the right part 10651 of the inner section 42a shown in FIGURE 7A. In fact, the side or end elevational view of the left part 114a can be illustrated by the same view shown in FIGURE 7B, and wires of the cable 24 are connected to the pin terminals of the right part 114b of the inner section 44a through similar holes in the left part 114a thereof prior to installation of the outer section 44h.

FIGURE 9B is a side or end elevational view of the inner section 44a as taken along the line 9B-9B indicated in FIGURE 9A. The shaped right end 52 of the -main inner member 46 engages with the

cutouts

112a and 112b and the arcuate sections 112e and 112d, and rotates the inner section 44a with rotation of the main inner member 46. The pattern of pins 116, as illustrated, can be similar to the socket pattern of the receptacle end connector 42 as shown in FIGURE 2B.

FIGURE 10 is a front elevational view, partly in section, of the outer section 44b of the plug end connector 44. This outer section 44h `is similar to a Deutsch DS9700-7 series plug housing or outer section except that tapped holes 44c are provided in the threaded left end of the outer section 44b for the set screws 76 attaching it to the end member 72 as shown in FIGURE 2A. The internal structure of the outer section 44h is such that a circumferential ledge 118 engages the side of the arcuate sections 112e and 112d adjacent to the right part 114b of the inner section 44a when the inner and outer sections 44a and 44b are properly assembled.

The outer section 44h has a key 120 thereon as shown in FIGURE l0. This key 120 corresponds to the keying notch 110C of the outer section 42bv shown in FIGURE 8B. The key 120 will be' diierently oriented relative to the pin pattern shown with rotation of the main inner member 46 and the driven inner section 44a of the plug end connector 44. The key m-ust, of course, be oriented relative to the pin pattern in .a similar relationship as the orientation of the complementary keying notch is to the socket pattern in the receptacle connector 28b (FIGURE l) in order for the plug end connector 44 to be able to mate with the receptacle connector 28h. Thus, the connector means 20 can lbe inserted into an electrical system only at a particular `disconnect point where the separated connector ends are similar to the end connectors 42 .and 44, and where the keying of the separated connector ends complement the keying of the

end connectors

42 and 44 for the specific indexed condition of the connector means 20.

While some specific dimensions and types of components have been noted in connection with the exemplary embodiment of our invention described above, such specic dimensions and types of components are provided merely as examples -only and are not intended to limit or restrict the scope of our invention. Similarly, it is to be understood that the particular embodiment of our invention described above and shown in the drawings are merely illustrative of, and not restrictive on, our broad invention and that various changes in design, structure and arrangement Imay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Indexing connector means comprising:

`an inner body, said inner body including an inner section of a first end connector Ilocated at a rst end of said inner body and an inner section of a second end connector located at a second end of said inner body, and said inner lbody being adapted to permit connection of wiring to the inner sections of said rst and second end connectors;

an outer body, said outer body including an outer section of said first end connector located at a iirst end of said outer body and an outer section of said second end 4connector located at a second end of said outer member, and said inner body being journaled for relative rotation in said outer body with the inner sections of said first and second end connectors of said inner body positioned respectively adjacent to the outer sections of said first and second end conne-ctors of said outer body; and

means yfor securing said inner body relative to said outer body in a selected, predetermined xed relationship whereby said iirst and second end connectors are indexed to mate only with respective, similarly keyed, complementary end connectors.

2. Apparatus as dened in claim 1 wherein said rst end connector is a receptacle end connector and said second end connector is a. plug end connector, and including, in addition, indicia means provided on said inner and outer 'bodies for indicating a selected index condition of said first and second end connectors.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein an opening is provided in said outer body to permit passage of certain of the wiring therethrough for connection with test equipment and the iike.

4. Indexing connector means comprising:

a generally cylindrical inner body, said inner body 4including an inner section of a -rst end connector located .at a iirst end oi said inner ibody and an inner section of a second end connector located at a second end of said inner body, and said inner body being adapted to permit connection of wiring to the inner sections of said .rst and second end connectors;

a generally cylindrical and hollow outer body, said outer body including an outer section of said irst end connector located at -a irst end of said outer body, an outer section of said second end connector located at a second end of said outer body and an openinglocated intermediate to the irst and second ends of said o-uter body, and said inner body being journaled for relative rotation in said outer body with the inner sections of said first and second end connectors of said inner body positioned respectively adjacent to the outer sections of said rst and second end connectors of said outer |body, said opening permitting passage of the wiring therethrough for connection with test equipment and the like; and

means for selectively securing said inner body relative to said outer body in any of a plurality of predetermined, fixed relationships whereby said first and second end connectors are selectively indexed to -mate only with respective, similarly keyed, complementary end connectors.

S. Apparatus as defined claim 4 wherein said selectively securing means includes a ange, on said inner body, having a plurality of cireumferentially spaced, predetermined notches therein, and ya retractable engagement member mounted to said outer body for selectively engaging any one of said notches to `secure said inner body relative to said outer body in a predetermined, xed relationship.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 including, in addition, indicia means provided on said inner and outer bodies yfor indicating the selected index condition of said first and second end connectors.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,677,811 5/1954 Anderson et al. 339-184 X 2,962,688 11/1960 Werner 339-186 X 3,096,135 7/1963 Feustel et al 339-186 FOREIGN PATENTS 857,344 12/ 1960 Great Britain. 960,088 6/1964 Great Britain.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner. W. DONALD MILLER, Exalmner.

Claims

1. INDEXING CONNECTOR MEANS COMPRISING: AN INNER BODY, SAID INNER BODY INCLUDING AN INNER SECTION OF A FIRST END CONNECTOR LOCATED AT A FIRST END OF SAID INNER BODY AND AN INNER SECTION OF A SECOND END CONNECTOR LOCATED AT A SECOND END OD SAID INNER BODY, AND SAID INNER BODY BEING ADAPTED TO PERMIT CONNECTION OF WIRING TO THE INNER SECTIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND END CONNECTORS; AN OUTER BODY, SAID OUTER BODY INCLUDING AN OUTER SECTION OF SAID FIRST CONNECTOR LOCATED AT A FIRST END OF SAID OUTER BODY AND AN OUTER SECTION OF SAID SECOND END CONNECTOR LOCATED AT A SECOND END OF SAID OUTER MEMBER, AND SAID INNER BODY BEING JOURNALED FOR RELATIVE ROTATION IN SAID OUTER BODY WITH THE INNER SECTIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND END CONNECTORS OF