US3329927A

US3329927A - Protective cover for telephone and telegraph distributing frame terminal blocks

Info

Publication number: US3329927A
Application number: US365914A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph L Ayers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-05-08
Filing date: 1964-05-08
Publication date: 1967-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 1984-07-04

Description

y 1967 R. L. AYERS PROTECTIVE COVER FOR TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH DISTRIBUTING FRAME TERMINAL BLOCKS Filed May a. 1964 INVENTOR. E040fl L. Aye/'5 United States Patent 3,329,927 PROTECTIVE COVER FOR TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH DISTRIBUTING FRAME TER- MINAL BLOCKS Ralph L. Ayers, 4228 N. Chelsea, Kansas City, Mo. 64117 Filed May 8, 1964, Ser. No. 365,914 11 Claims. (Cl. 339198) This invention relates to structure for shielding and protecting the terminal portions of terminal blocks from contact with solder splashes, wire clippings, tools, watchbands, and other foreign articles.

Distributing frame terminal blocks are widely used in the telephone and telegraph industry to facilitate the interconnection of the multitude of cables required for the many distribution lines. Heretofore, it has been the practice to leave the terminals of these blocks exposed and, therefore, a constant hazard for workmen is prevented. Since the terminals are frequently sharp and pointed, a puncture wound hazard exists as well as the possibility of electrical shock. Additionally, unprotected terminals sometimes become bent and short together causing an interruption in normal service.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a protective shield for terminal blocks of this type which will prevent both damage to the terminals and injury to workmen.

It is another important object of this invention to provide such a protective shield which is readily removable so that access to the terminals may be gained when desired.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a protective shield as aforesaid which will adequately protect both the terminals and personnel regardless of whether or not the terminal block is horizontally or vertically disposed.

Other objects will become apparent as the detailed description proceeds.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the instant invention showing the cable side of the terminal block;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing the soldered terminal side of the terminal block;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 2.

A distributing frame terminal block is shown at 10 in the drawing and is provided with a protective cover 12 and an elongated, transversely U-shaped, protective cap 14. Cover 12 forms a protective shield for a group of terminals 16, while cap 14 comprises a protective shield for a group of terminals 18. The individual terminals making up

groups

16 and 18 are interconnected, the same each being at opposed ends of a common connecting strip 17, the connecting strips 17 each extending through a terminal support 20 which is carried by a base 22. Support 20 and base 22 are fabricated from a suitable insulating material such as wood, rubber or the like.

Mounting base 22 is rectangular in configuration and is illustrated in a longitudinally upright position. Terminal support 20 is also rectangular and is disposed in a longitudinally upright position. Thus, as may be clearly seen in FIG. 4, base 22 and support 20 comprise a structural configuration that is transversely T-shaped.

The plan view of FIG. 4 shows the groups of

terminals

16 and 18 each extending oppositely horizontally outwardly from support 20. An insulating guard 24 is in- 3,329,927 Patented July 4, 1967 tegral with support 20 and serves to partially protect the group of terminals 16. Note that each of these terminals is provided with an inclined projection 26 extending away from base 22, such projections 26 being utilized for connection of a conductive cable thereto, asby wrapping the cable about projection 26, thereby coupling each of the terminals 16 with a corresponding cable.

The enlarged sectional view of FIG. 6 shows the terminals 16 in detail, and also reveals an opening or passage 28 in base 22 which permits electrical cables to pass through the base to the projections 26. Cover 12 comprises a rectangular, substantially planar sheet or wall 30 provided with a flange 32, extending from one longitudinal margin of wall 30, and a lip 34 extending from the opposite longitudinal margin thereof. Flange 32 is approximately a right angle flange and hook over base 22 as clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. Lip 34 hooks over the vertically aligned row of projections 26 adjacent guard 24 and remote from base 22. Cover 12 is composed of a flexible material, preferably plastic, and thus may be readily removed upon flexure thereof when access to terminals 16 is desired.

A protective end piece 36 is integral with wall 30 and extends from the upper transverse margin thereof toward support 20. End piece 36 thus overlies the group of terminals 16 to shield the same from wire clippings, solder splashes and the like during work on the distributing frame. End piece 36, wall 30, and flange 32 deline a cutout or clearance slot 38 which receives base 22. Also, end piece 36 and the corner of wall 30 adjacent lip 34 define a clearance notch 40 for the lip. It may be seen, especially in FIG. 4, that end piece 36 is of gen erally rectangular configuration and substantially fills the entire vertical space above the group of terminals 16 since the end piece extends into nearly abutting relationship with base 22 and support 20. 7

Cap 14, which forms the protective shield for the group of terminals 18, has an outwardly convex bight 42 and a pair of

opposed sides

44 and 46 integral with the longitudinal margins of bight 42. Each of the terminals 18, as may best be seen in FIG. 5, has a depression 48 in one edge thereof adjacent the tip of the terminal, and a pair of notches 50 therein spaced along the other edge of the terminal. It may be seen that the terminals 18 are arranged in vertical rows, the two outer rows being of particular interest in the instant invention.

The longitudinal free edge of side 44 of cap 14 is provided with a flange 52, the other side 46 also being provided with a flange 54 extending along its longitudinal free edge. The depressions 48 and notches 50 in the various terminals 18 face in opposite directions; therefore, as may be seen in FIG. 5, flange 52 of side 44 is received in the depressions 48 of one outer row of terminals 18, while the flange 54 of side 46 is seated in the notches 50 adjacent support 20 of the other outer row 'of terminals 18. A number of ridges 56 extend longitudinally along side 46, adjacent the common margin of side 46 and bight 42, and serve to reinforce the cap structure.

Cap 14 is also composed ofa flexible substance, preferably plastic, to permit ready removal of the cap from the group of terminals 18 when it is desired to make electrical connections thereto. Note that a row of openings 28 through base 22 is also provided to permit passage of electrical cables through the base to the terminals 18.

Referring particularly to FIG. 4, an end member 58 is illustrated integral with the upper transverse margin of bight 42, end member 58 extending from the bight toward support 20. The end member is of a trapezoidal configuration and extends into nearly abutting relationship with support 20, thereby overlying the group of terminals 18 to shield the same from wire clippings, solder splashes and the like in the same manner as end piece 36 shields the group of terminals 16-.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a terminal block having a mounting base, a terminal support rigid with the base and extending therefrom, a first group of terminals arranged in rows on said support, each of the terminals of one outer row having an outwardly facing depression therein, each of the terminals of the other outer row having a notch therein facing oppositely from said depressions, and a second group of terminals on said support having inclined projections extending away from said base, the terminals of said second group being interconnected with those of the first group, protective structure comprising:

an elongated, transversely U-shaped, flexible cap for said first group of terminals, said cap having a bight and a pair of opposed sides extending from the longitudinal margins of said bight, one of said sides being received by said depressions, the other side being seated in said notches, said cap being removable from the block upon flexing thereof and disengagement of said sides with the terminals of said outer rows of the first group; and

a flexible cover for said second group of terminals including a wall having a pair of opposed margins and provided with a flange extending from one of said margins and a lip extending from the other margin, said cover extending between said inclined projections and said base, with said flange hooked over the base and said lip hooked over the projections, and being removable from the block upon flexing of the cover and disengagement of the flange and lip from the base and the projections, whereby both of said groups are normally protected by the cap and the cover but may be rendered readily accessible when it is desired to connect cables thereto.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said one side of the cap is provided with a flange extending longitudinally of the cap and received by said depressions, said other side of the cap being provided with a flange extending longitudinally of the cap and seated in said notches.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said support is upright, the terminals of both of said groups extending generally horizontally from said support, and wherein said cap is provided with a protective end member rigid with said bight and overlying said first group, said cover being provided with a protective end piece rigid with said wall and overlying said second group.

4. In combination with a terminal block having a mounting base, an upright terminal support extending therefrom, and a group of terminals extending generally horizontally from said support and arranged in rows on said support, each of the terminals of one outer row having an outwardly facing depression therein, each of the terminals of the other outer row having a notch therein lfacing oppositely from said depressions, protective structure comprising an elongated, transversely U- shaped, flexible cap for said group of terminals, said cap having a bight and a pair of opposed sides extending from the longitudinal margins "of said bight, one of said sides being received by said depressions, the other side being seated in said notches, said cap being provided with a protective end member overlying said group, the cap being removable from the block upon flexing thereof and disengagement of said sides with the terminals of said outer rows, whereby the group is normally protected by the cap but may be rendered readily accessible when it is desired to connect cables thereto.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein said one side of the cap is provided with a flange extending longitudinally of the cap and received by said depressions, said other side of the cap being provided with a flange extending longitudinally of the cap and seated in said notches.

6. The invention of claim 4, wherein the bight of said cap is transversely convex.

7. In combination with a terminal block having a mounting base, a terminal support rigid with the base and extending therefrom, and a group of terminals on said support having inclined projections extending away from said base, protective structure comprising a flexible cover for said group including a wall having a pair of opposed margins and provided with a flange extending from one of said margins and a lip extending from the other margin, said cover extending between said inclined projections and said base, with said flange hooked over the base and said lip hooked over the projections, and being removable from the block upon flexing of the cover and disengagement of the flange and lip from the base and the projections, whereby the group is normally protected by the cover but may be rendered readily accessible when it is desired to connect cables thereto.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said support is upright, the terminals of said group extending generally horizontally from said support, and wherein said cover is provided with a protective end piece and overlying said group.

9. The invention of claim 8, wherein the ends of said projections are generally vertically aligned.

10. The invention of claim 8, wherein said end piece, said wall, and said flange define a clearance slot for said base.

11. In combination with a terminal block having a mounting base and a terminal assembly, said assembly comprising a terminal support member rigid with the base and extending perpendicularly therefrom, and a plurality of elements on said support having inclined projections extending away from said base, protective structure comprising a flexible cover for said elements including a wall having a pair of opposed margins and provided with a flange extending from one of said margins and a lip extending from the other margins, said flange engaging said base and said lip engaging said terminal assembly to provide means securing said protective structure to said terminal block, said protective structure being removable upon flexing of the cover and disengagement of the flange and lip from the base and assembly, whereby the elements are normally protected by the cover but may be rendered readily accessible when it is desired to connect cables thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,685,847 10/1928 Huntington 33915l X 1,926,927 9/1933 Woertz 317118 2,534,864 12/1950 Fritz 339-198 2,585,010 2/1952 Hickman et al. 2427 2,916,720 12/1959 Steans 229-91 3,013,105 12/1961 Craig 339-36 X 3,175,031 3/1965 Reiner 339-128 X MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

ALFRED S. TRASK, EDWARD C. ALLEN, Examiners.

P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

7. IN COMBINATION WITH A TERMINAL BLOCK HAVING A MOUNTING BASE, A TERMINAL SUPPORT RIGID WITH THE BASE AND EXTENDING THEREFROM, AND A GROUP OF TERMINALS ON SAID SUPPORT HAVING INCLINED PROJECTIONS EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID BASE, PROTECTIVE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE COVER FOR SAID GROUP INCLUDING A WALL HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED MARGINS AND PROVIDED WITH A FLANGE EXTENDING FROM ONE OF SAID MARGINS AND A LIP EXTENDING FROM THE OTHER MARGIN, SAID COVER EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID INCLINED PROJECTIONS AND SAID BASE, WITH SAID FLANGE HOOKED OVER THE BASE AND SAID LIP HOOKED OVER THE PROJECTIONS, AND BEING REMOVABLE FROM THE BLOCK UPON FLEXING OF THE COVER AND DISENGAGEMENT OF THE FLANGE AND LIP FROM THE