Multi-circuit switching connector

Claim 2

A multi-conductor switching connector comprising: a. a jack body having mounted therein first and second parallel, adjacent jack barrels each having an intermediate, partially cut away portion; b. a plurality of parallel, spaced shorting bars mounted on said body transverse to and between said barrels adjacent the cut away portions thereof; c. a plurality of first cantilever spring switches mounted on said body outboard of said cut away portion of said first barrel and extending thereacross to normally contact one end of said shorting bars; d. a plurality of second cantilever spring switches mounted on said body outboard of said cut away portion of said second barrel and extending thereacross to normally contact the other end of said shorting bars; e. input leads connected to said first cantilever spring switches: f. output leads connected to said second cantilever spring switches; and g. a first and a second plug for insertion in said first and second barrels, respectively, each plug having a plurality of conductors each having a switch contacting and actuating member connected respectively thereto, said plugs in said barrels having coacting guide means permitting and defining paths for longitudinal insertion of the plugs into said barrels to predetermined depths and permitting limited rotation of said plugs relative to said barrels when said plugs are fully inserted into said barrels, said switch contacting and actuating members projecting from said plugs and being effective upon a rotation of said plugs after complete insertion thereof to engage and lift the respective spring switches from the shorting bars and to connect said conductors to said switches.

Claim 3

A multi-conductor switching coupler comprising: a. a jack body having:

Claim 4

A multi-conductor switching coupler comprising: a. a jack body having:

Claim 5

a set of electrically parallel shorting elements on said body intermediate said sockets;

Claim 6

a set of electrically parallel shorting elements on said body intermediate said sockets;

Claim 7

a first set of contact elements movably mounted on said body and normally engaged with one end of said shorting elements;

Claim 8

a first set of contact elements movably mounted on said body and normally engaged with one end of said shorting elements;

Claim 9

The switching coupler as described in claim 2 further comprising a set of electrically parallel input leads connected to said first set of contact elements and printed on a portion of said jack body, a set of electriCally parallel output leads connected to said second set of contact elements and printed on a further portion of said jack body, and a plurality of terminals at the end of said jack body remote from the open ends of said sockets, each of such leads being electrically connected to one of said terminals.

Claim 10

A multi-circuit plug-in switching connector comprising a jack defining a socket having a longitudinal axis along which a plug may be inserted; said jack having a first set of mutually insulated contact elements each disposed in a fixed longitudinal relation along said axis in a single row parallel to said axis, means mounting said first set of contact elements for limited movement transversely of said axis between longitudinally aligned normal positions and longitudinally aligned shifted positions spaced from said normal positions transversely of said axis, said jack having a second set of contact elements disposed in a single row extending longitudinally of said axis, means mounting each of said second set of contact elements in a fixed longitudinal relation along said axis and in a position in which each is engaged by one contact element of said first set in one of the two said positions of said first set; and a plug having a third set of mutually insulated fixed contact elements, means mounting said third set of contact elements of said plug in a longitudinally spaced relation similar to that of said first set of contact elements, coacting means on said plug and socket permitting insertion of said plug into said socket only in a predetermined angular orientation and coacting means on said plug and socket permitting limited angular rotation of said plug in said socket when said plug is fully longitudinally seated in said socket, means operatively connected to the contact elements of said first set and disposed in the paths of rotation of the contact elements of said third set while said plug is fully longitudinally seated in said socket and operative upon engagement by the contact elements of said third set to shift the contact elements of the first set from their normal to their shifted positions and engage each of the contact elements of the first set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of the third set.

Claim 11

A multi-circuit plug-in switching connector comprising a jack defining a socket having a longitudinal axis along which a plug may be inserted; said jack having a first set of mutually insulated contact elements each disposed in a fixed longitudinal relation along said axis in a single row parallel to said axis, means mounting said first set of contact elements for limited movement transversely of said axis between longitudinally aligned normal positions and longitudinally aligned shifted positions spaced from said normal positions transversely of said axis, said jack having a second set of contact elements disposed in a single row extending longitudinally of said axis, means mounting each of said second set of contact elements in a fixed longitudinal relation along said axis and in a position in which each is engaged by one contact element of said first set in one of the two said positions of said first set; and a plug having a third set of mutually insulated fixed contact elements, means mounting said third set of contact elements of said plug in a longitudinally spaced relation similar to that of said first set of contact elements, coacting means on said plug and socket permitting insertion of said plug into said socket only in a predetermined angular orientation and coacting means on said plug and socket permitting limited angular rotation of said plug in said socket when said plug is fully longitudinally seated in said socket, means operatively connected to the contact elements of said first set and disposed in the paths of rotation of the contact elements of said third set while said plug is fully longitudinally seated in said socket and operative upon engagement by the contact elements of said third set to shift the contact elements of the first set from their normal to their shifted positions and engage each of the contact elements of the first set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of the third set.

Claim 12

a second set of contact elements mounted on said body and normally engaged with said shorting elements; said first set of contact elements being disposed in longitudinally spaced relation along one of said sockets, said second set of contact elements being disposed in longitudinally spaced relation along the other of said sockets, each of said contact elements of said first and second sets having an actuator element thereon disposed relative to the associated socket in a position to be engaged and moved by movement of a plug in such associated socket, b. a first plug having a set of conductors, means on said first plug operative when said first plug is inserted into said one socket of said jack and rotated therein to engage the actuator elements of and actuate said first set of contact elements to disconnect said first set of contact elements from said shorting elements and to connect said first set of contact elements to said set of conductors of said first plug, and c. a second plug having a set of conductors, means on said second plug operative when said second plug is inserted into said other socket of said jack and rotated therein to engage the actuator elements of and actuate said second set of contact elements to disconnect said second set of contact elements from said shorting elements and to connect said second set of contact elements to said set of conductors of said second plug.

Claim 13

a second set of contact elements mounted on said body and normally engaged with said shorting elements; said first set of contact elements being disposed in longitudinally spaced relation along one of said sockets, said second set of contact elements being disposed in longitudinally spaced relation along the other of said sockets, each of said contact elements of said first and second sets having an actuator element thereon disposed relative to the associated socket in a position to be engaged and moved by movement of a plug in such associated socket, b. a first plug having a set of conductors, means on said first plug operative when said first plug is inserted into said one socket of said jack and rotated therein to engage the actuator elements of and actuate said first set of contact elements to disconnect said first set of contact elements from said shorting elements and to connect said first set of contact elements to said set of conductors of said first plug, and c. a second plug having a set of conductors, means on said second plug operative when said second plug is inserted into said other socket of said jack and rotated therein to engage the actuator elements of and actuate said second set of contact elements to disconnect said second set of contact elements from said shorting elements and to connect said second set of contact elements to said set of conductors of said second plug.

Claim 14

The connector as described in claim 4 wherein said mounting for the contact elements of said first set comprises a plurality of cantilever spring members extending transverse to said axis.

Claim 15

The switching connector as described in claim 37 wherein the respective contact elements of said second and third sets are electrically interconnected and wherein said jack member includes a first and a second set of electrically interconnected auxiliary contacts mounted thereon to through connect the respective switches of said first and fourth sets when the latter are in their normal position whereby when one of said plugs is inserted in said jack, the electrical connection from said first to said fourth sets of switches is broken and may be reestablished only through the electrically connected contacts of said first and second plugs when the latter is also inserted.

Claim 16

The switching connector defined in claim 4 wherein the contact elements of the second set are mutually insulated.

Claim 17

The switching connector defined in claim 4 wherein the contact elements of said second set engage the contact elements of said first set in the normal position of said first set.

Claim 18

A multi-circuit switching connector as defined in claim 4 wherein, in said predetermined angular orientation of the plug and jack during axial insertion of the plug into the jack, there is a predetermined clearance between the contact elements of said third set and the contact elements of said first and second set precluding electrical conduction therebetween.

Claim 19

A multi-circuit switching connector comprising: a. an elongated jack member having a longitudinal axis and paired first and second sets of contact elements, means mounting the contact elements of each Of said sets in longitudinally aligned rows parallel to but spaced transversely of said axis and in longitudinally spaced relation therealong, means resiliently biasing said contact elements to normal positions, b. an axially elongated plug insertable in said jack member, said plug having third and fourth sets of longitudinally spaced contact elements, said third set of contact elements on said plug being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug, said fourth set of contact elements of said plug being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a second rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug but spaced circumferentially from said first set; the contact elements of said third and fourth sets being located in radially spaced relation from the surface of the remainder of said plug, means operatively connected to the contact elements of said first and second sets and disposed in the paths of rotation of the contact elements of said third and fourth sets of contact elements on said plug when fully longitudinally seated in said jack member and operative upon engagement by the contact elements of said third and fourth sets to shift the contact elements of the first and second sets from their normal to shifted positions and engage each of the contact elements of the first set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of said third set and each of the contact elements of the second set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of said fourth set, said jack including a first and a second set of auxiliary contacts, means mounting said first and second sets of auxiliary contacts in a position to be engaged by and in electrical contact with the respective first and second sets of contact elements when the latter are in their normal spring biased position and disengaged therefrom when the latter are shifted from their normal position whereby said plug is effective upon insertion into said jack to switch the electrical connection of the respective jack contact elements from the jack auxiliary contacts to the contact elements of said plug.

Claim 20

A multi-circuit switching connector comprising: a. an elongated jack member having a longitudinal axis and paired first and second sets of contact elements, means mounting the contact elements of each Of said sets in longitudinally aligned rows parallel to but spaced transversely of said axis and in longitudinally spaced relation therealong, means resiliently biasing said contact elements to normal positions, b. an axially elongated plug insertable in said jack member, said plug having third and fourth sets of longitudinally spaced contact elements, said third set of contact elements on said plug being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug, said fourth set of contact elements of said plug being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a second rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug but spaced circumferentially from said first set; the contact elements of said third and fourth sets being located in radially spaced relation from the surface of the remainder of said plug, means operatively connected to the contact elements of said first and second sets and disposed in the paths of rotation of the contact elements of said third and fourth sets of contact elements on said plug when fully longitudinally seated in said jack member and operative upon engagement by the contact elements of said third and fourth sets to shift the contact elements of the first and second sets from their normal to shifted positions and engage each of the contact elements of the first set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of said third set and each of the contact elements of the second set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of said fourth set, said jack including a first and a second set of auxiliary contacts, means mounting said first and second sets of auxiliary contacts in a position to be engaged by and in electrical contact with the respective first and second sets of contact elements when the latter are in their normal spring biased position and disengaged therefrom when the latter are shifted from their normal position whereby said plug is effective upon insertion into said jack to switch the electrical connection of the respective jack contact elements from the jack auxiliary contacts to the contact elements of said plug.

Claim 21

A multi-circuit switching connector comprising: a. an elongated jack member having a longitudinal axis and paired first and second sets of contact elements, means mounting the contact elements of each of said sets in longitudinally aligned rows parallel to but spaced transversely of said axis and in longitudinally spaced relation therealong for movement between normal and transferred positions, means resiliently biasing said contact elements to their normal positions, b. an axially elongated plug insertable in said jack member said plug having third and fourth sets of longitudinally spaced contact elements, said third set of contact elements on said plug being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug, said fourth set of contact elements of said plug being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a second rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug but spaced circumferentially from said third set; the contacts of said third and fourth sets being located in radially spaced relation from the surface of the remainder of said plug, means operatively connected to the contact elements of said first and second sets and disposed in the paths of rotation of the contact elements of said third and fourth sets of contact elements on said plug when fully longitudinally inserted in said jack member and operative upon engagement by the contact elements of such third and fourth sets to shift the contact elements of said first and second sets from their normaL to shifted positions and engage each of the contact elements of the first set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of said third set and each of the contact elements of the second set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of said fourth set, the respective paired contact elements of said first and said second sets each including a contact thereon the contacts of each pair of contact elements of said first and second sets being normally engaged to electrically interconnect the contact elements of each pair when said contact elements are in their normal positions and disengaged when said contact elements are in their transferred positions whereby upon insertion of said plug said contact elements are moved from their normal to their transferred positions and the electrical connections between said first and said second sets of contact elements is broken and electrical contact is established between respective contact elements of said sets of said jack and the contacts of said plug.

Claim 22

A multi-circuit switching connector comprising: a. an elongated jack member having a longitudinal axis and paired first and second sets of contact elements, means mounting the contact elements of each of said sets in longitudinally aligned rows parallel to but spaced transversely of said axis and in longitudinally spaced relation therealong for movement between normal and transferred positions, means resiliently biasing said contact elements to their normal positions, b. an axially elongated plug insertable in said jack member said plug having third and fourth sets of longitudinally spaced contact elements, said third set of contact elements on said plug being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug, said fourth set of contact elements of said plug being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a second rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug but spaced circumferentially from said third set; the contacts of said third and fourth sets being located in radially spaced relation from the surface of the remainder of said plug, means operatively connected to the contact elements of said first and second sets and disposed in the paths of rotation of the contact elements of said third and fourth sets of contact elements on said plug when fully longitudinally inserted in said jack member and operative upon engagement by the contact elements of such third and fourth sets to shift the contact elements of said first and second sets from their normaL to shifted positions and engage each of the contact elements of the first set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of said third set and each of the contact elements of the second set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of said fourth set, the respective paired contact elements of said first and said second sets each including a contact thereon the contacts of each pair of contact elements of said first and second sets being normally engaged to electrically interconnect the contact elements of each pair when said contact elements are in their normal positions and disengaged when said contact elements are in their transferred positions whereby upon insertion of said plug said contact elements are moved from their normal to their transferred positions and the electrical connections between said first and said second sets of contact elements is broken and electrical contact is established between respective contact elements of said sets of said jack and the contacts of said plug.

Claim 23

A multi-circuit switching connector comprising: a. an elongated jack member having a pair of sockets each having a longitudinal axis and paired first and second and third and fourth sets of contact elements, means mounting the contact elements of each of said first and second sets in longitudinally aligned rows parallel to but spaced transversely of said first axis and in longitudinally spaced relation therealong, means similarly mounting said third and fourth sets along said second axis, said mounting means mounting each of said contact elements for movement between normal and transferred positions and resiliently biasing said contact elements to their normal positions, b. a pair of axially elongated plugs each insertable in said jack member in one of said sockets, said plugs each having first and second sets of longitudinally spaced contacts, said first set of contacts on each of said plugs being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug, said second set of contacts of each of said plugs being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a second rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug but spaced circumferentially from the first set thereon; the contacts of said first and second sets on said plugs being located in radially spaced relation from the surface of the remainder of said means operatively connected to the contact elements of said first and second sets and disposed respectively in the paths of rotation of said first and second sets of contacts on one of said plugs when fully longitudinally seated in the associated one of said pair of sockets on said jack member and operative upon engagement by the contacts of said first and second sets on said one plug to shift the contact elements of said first and second sets from their normal to shifted positions and engage each of the contact elements of said third and fourth sets with a longitudinally aligned one of said contacts on said other plug.

Claim 24

A multi-circuit switching connector comprising: a. an elongated jack member having a pair of sockets each having a longitudinal axis and paired first and second and third and fourth sets of contact elements, means mounting the contact elements of each of said first and second sets in longitudinally aligned rows parallel to but spaced transversely of said first axis and in longitudinally spaced relation therealong, means similarly mounting said third and fourth sets along said second axis, said mounting means mounting each of said contact elements for movement between normal and transferred positions and resiliently biasing said contact elements to their normal positions, b. a pair of axially elongated plugs each insertable in said jack member in one of said sockets, said plugs each having first and second sets of longitudinally spaced contacts, said first set of contacts on each of said plugs being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug, said second set of contacts of each of said plugs being arranged in longitudinally spaced relation along a second rectilinear row parallel to the axis of said plug and extending over but a limited arcuate extent of the circumference of said plug but spaced circumferentially from the first set thereon; the contacts of said first and second sets on said plugs being located in radially spaced relation from the surface of the remainder of said means operatively connected to the contact elements of said first and second sets and disposed respectively in the paths of rotation of said first and second sets of contacts on one of said plugs when fully longitudinally seated in the associated one of said pair of sockets on said jack member and operative upon engagement by the contacts of said first and second sets on said one plug to shift the contact elements of said first and second sets from their normal to shifted positions and engage each of the contact elements of said third and fourth sets with a longitudinally aligned one of said contacts on said other plug.

Claim 25

A multi-circuit plug-in switching connector comprising a jack defining a socket having a longitudinal axis along which a plug may be inserted, said jack having a first set of mutually insulated contact elements each disposed in a fixed longitudinal relation along said axis in a single row parallel to said axis, means mounting said first set of contact elements for limited movement transversely of said axis between longitudinally aligned normal positions and longitudinally aligned shifted positions spaced from said normal positions transversely of said axis said jack having a second set of contact elements disposed in a single row extending longitudinally of said axis, means mounting each of said second set of contact elements in a fixed longitudinal relation along said axis and in a position in which each is Engaged by one contact element of said first set in one of the two said positions of said first set; a plug having a third set of mutually insulated fixed contact elements, means mounting said third set of contact elements in a longitudinally spaced relation similar to that of said first set of contact elements; coacting means on said plug and socket permitting insertion of said plug into said socket in a predetermined angular orientation of said plug and socket; coacting means on said plug and socket effective only after said plug is fully longitudinally seated in said socket to permit limited angular rotation of said plug in said socket; means operatively connected to the contact elements of said first set of contacts and disposed in the paths of rotation of said third set during said limited angular rotation while said plug is fully longitudinally seated in said socket to engage and shift the contact elements of the first set from their normal to their shifted positions and engage each of the contact elements of the first set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of the third set.

Claim 26

A multi-circuit plug-in switching connector comprising a jack defining a socket having a longitudinal axis along which a plug may be inserted, said jack having a first set of mutually insulated contact elements each disposed in a fixed longitudinal relation along said axis in a single row parallel to said axis, means mounting said first set of contact elements for limited movement transversely of said axis between longitudinally aligned normal positions and longitudinally aligned shifted positions spaced from said normal positions transversely of said axis said jack having a second set of contact elements disposed in a single row extending longitudinally of said axis, means mounting each of said second set of contact elements in a fixed longitudinal relation along said axis and in a position in which each is Engaged by one contact element of said first set in one of the two said positions of said first set; a plug having a third set of mutually insulated fixed contact elements, means mounting said third set of contact elements in a longitudinally spaced relation similar to that of said first set of contact elements; coacting means on said plug and socket permitting insertion of said plug into said socket in a predetermined angular orientation of said plug and socket; coacting means on said plug and socket effective only after said plug is fully longitudinally seated in said socket to permit limited angular rotation of said plug in said socket; means operatively connected to the contact elements of said first set of contacts and disposed in the paths of rotation of said third set during said limited angular rotation while said plug is fully longitudinally seated in said socket to engage and shift the contact elements of the first set from their normal to their shifted positions and engage each of the contact elements of the first set with a longitudinally aligned one of the contact elements of the third set.