Pivoted plug boards for cable terminals

Claim 2

An electrical connector assembly comprising: a. a fixed frame; b. a plurality of elongate modular electric panels mounted on said fixed frame; c. a plurality of transversely extending rectilinear electrical terminals on the front of said panels forming parts of conductors leading from the rear of said panels and frame; d. a relatively movable frame mounted on said fixed frame for pivotal movement thereon along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of said modular electric panels; e. a second set of elongate modular electric panels mounted in said movable frame and adapted to be positioned in lateral alignment with the respective modular electric panels mounted on said fixed frame; f. a plurality of rectilinear electrical contacts complementary to said electrical terminals, mounted on said panels in said movable frame and extending transversely therefrom for selective engagement and disengagement with the rectilinear terminals on said panels mounted on said fixed frame; and g. said modular electric panels on both said fixed and movable frames being pivotally mounted therein about axes parallel to the pivotal axis between said frames, and displaced slightly from each other by spacing gaps parallel to said last-mentioned axes to permit said panels to turn about said axes to a slight degree.

Claim 3

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spacing gaps between said modular electric panels are approximately three hundredths of an inch in depth to permit relative rotary movement of the modular electric panels up to approximately 5*.

Claim 4

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including complementary guide pins and sockets on the modular panels on the fixed and movable frames which engage each other in the course of the relative pivotal movement between the fixed and movable frames before the engagement of the rectilinear terminals and contacts, to control the turning movement of the modular panels, so that said last-mentioned engagement is executed in a rectilinear direction.

Claim 5

An electrical connector assembly comprising: a. a fixed frame; b. a set of elongate modular electric panels mounted on said fixed frame; c. a plurality of transversely extending rectilinear electrical terminals on the front of said panels forming parts of conductors leading from the rear of said panels and frame; d. a relatively movable frame mounted on said fixed frame for pivotal movement thereon along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said modular electric panels; e. a readily interchangeable rack mounted in said movable frame; f. a second set of elongate modular electric panels mounted in said rack and adapted to be positioned in lateral alignment with the respective modular electric panels mounted on said fixed frame; g. a plurality of rectilinear electrical contacts, complementary to said electrical terminals, mounted on said panels in said rack and extending transversely therefrom for selective engagement and disengagement with the rectilinear terminals on said panels mounted on said fixed frame; h. guide pins at the ends of the modular panels of one set cooperating with complementary sockets provided at the ends of the modular panels of the other set; and i. said modular electric panels in both said rack and fixed frame being pivotally mounted about axes parallel to the pivotal axis between said fixed and movable frames, each panel being spaced form each other a sufficient amount to permit the rocking thereof in the course of moving the frames together and the initial engagement between said cooperating guide pins and sockets followed by the final engagement between the complementary rectilinear terminals and contacts.

Claim 6

An electrical connector assembly comprising: a. a fixed frame; b. a set of elongate modular electric panels mounted on said fixed frame; c. a plurality of transversely extending rectilinear electrical terminals on the front of said panels forming parts of conductors leading from the rear of said panels and frame; d. a relatively movable frame mounted on said fixed frame for pivotal movement thereon along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said modular electric panels; e. a readily interchangeable rack mounted in said movable frame; f. a second set of elongate modular electric panels mounted in said rack and adapted to be positioned in lateral alignment with the respective modular electric panels mounted on said fixed frame; g. a plurality of rectilinear electrical contacts, complementary to said electrical terminals, mounted on said panels in said rack and extending transversely therefrom for selective engagement and disengagement with the rectilinear terminals on said panels mounted on said fixed frame; h. guide pins at the ends of the modular panels of one set cooperating with complementary sockets provided at the ends of the modular panels of the other set; and i. said modular electric panels in both said rack and fixed frame being pivotally mounted about axes parallel to the pivotal axis between said fixed and movable frames, each panel being spaced form each other a sufficient amount to permit the rocking thereof in the course of moving the frames together and the initial engagement between said cooperating guide pins and sockets followed by the final engagement between the complementary rectilinear terminals and contacts.

Claim 7

An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said rectilinear terminals and contacts are in the form of plug and jack conductors.

Claim 8

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said plug and jack conductors are terminals of coaxial cables.

Claim 9

An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said relatively movable frame comprises a pair of end bars pivoted at their lower ends to the lower end of said fixed frame, each bar having a groove on the inner edge thereof: a. said interchangeable rack having a rib on each outer edge of the rack adapted to be slidably received in the grooves of the end bars, and b. a mechanical linkage system connected to the upper ends of said end bars for integrating said movable system and actuating it for contact with and separation from said fixed frame.

Claim 10

An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said last-mentioned mechanical linkage system comprises a pair of bellcrank levers with the end of the short arm of each pivoted to the upper end of each end bar, and an actuating handle extending between the ends of the long arms of the bellcrank levers.

Claim 11

An apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the fulcrums of the bellcrank levers are connected to one end of a link, with the opposite end of each link connected to the upper end of said fixed frame.

Claim 12

An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, including a stop shoulder on each link adapted to serve as an abutment for each bellcrank lever in the fully opened position of said frames.

Claim 13

An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, including a bracing rod extending from an intermediate point of each link between the pivoted ends thereof.